Examining the factors that are correlated with mindfulness with a focus on attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms.

PURPOSE: We hypothesized that attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms would negatively correlate with the level of mindfulness.

DESIGN AND METHOD: Seventy-six subjects referred to the outpatient psychiatry unit and 32 healthy control subjects filled out the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), and the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS).

FINDINGS: Patients scored higher on ADH symptoms compared to controls (p ≤ .001). Higher scores on the ASRS and WURS revealed lower mindfulness in the study group (p ≤ .001). WURS, DASS depression, ASRS attention subscale-based scores (p < .05) were significant predictors on MAAS scores.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Besides emotional symptoms ADH symptoms had a significant predictive value on mindfulness.