New Research Notes ADHD Traits More Common in Runners

A new research study reports ADHD traits may be exhibited more often in endurance runners than in the general population. ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, focus and impulse control.

The study, published in the journal Acta Psychologica, looked at ADHD traits in distance runners. Researchers from France, Switzerland and Spain surveyed 601 runners, including 222 women and 379 men, with an average age of 42.8. Participants raced distances from the half-marathon to ultramarathon and completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, which is a screening tool and not an official diagnosis.

Overall, 9.7 percent of runners screened above the cutoff for ADHD traits, higher than the roughly 3.1 per cent adult ADHD prevalence cited by the authors for the general population. Half-marathon runners had the highest screening rate, at 14.8 percent, with marathoners reported at 8.0 per cent and ultramarathoners at 8.7 percent, though the study didn’t find those distance differences significant.