Thinking Divergently: Exploring the Effects of ADHD on Design Creativity and Cognitive Load

Divergent and convergent thinking are critical in the concept generation and selection stages of engineering design. Distinct cognitive mechanisms influence these processes; while impulsive thought enhances divergent thinking, convergent thinking requires evaluative executive control. Prior research suggests that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may influence impulse inhibition and executive control, which could, in turn, influence divergent and convergent thinking performance. However, little research has investigated the impact of ADHD on performance outcomes and cognitive load during divergent and convergent design tasks. To address this gap, we conducted a causal-comparative study. Our findings reveal that participants with ADHD generated more novel ideas but fewer high-quality ideas. However, despite this discrepancy, they selected ideas of high novelty and quality. Moreover, there were no differences in cognitive load between participants with and without ADHD. Despite challenges posed by ADHD, these findings demonstrate its positive effects on creativity and call into question the solely negative representation of neurodevelopmental disorders within educational settings.