UC Davis researchers unveil the compensatory nature of fidgeting in adults with hyperactivity
By EKATERINA MEDVEDEVA — science@theaggie.org
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that interferes with their ability to concentrate on tasks and, often, remain still. This poses challenges in settings where undivided attention is required, such as in the classroom.
The main focus of ADHD research is on children, as they are the most commonly diagnosed. Its symptoms may get milder with age, although many people continue to struggle with them in adulthood.
According to survey data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2023, an estimated 15.5 million, or 6%, of adults in the U.S. have an ADHD diagnosis. However, some people don’t get diagnosed with ADHD until well into adulthood, meaning that these numbers could be higher, making it an important research area that warrants further exploration.
In an effort to find methods to relieve ADHD symptoms, a team of UC Davis researchers led by Julie B. Schweitzer, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and faculty member at Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND), conducted a study on adults with ADHD. The results show that intrinsic fidgeting (or movement that occurs naturally) is correlated with improved attention.
In the study, the participants wore actigraphy devices that measured the amount of physical movement of their ankle and wrist. They were given a response inhibition and attention task called Flanker, which allowed researchers to test their level of their concentration by looking at their response times and comparing it with their amount of fidgeting.
“Variability in response time is a proxy for attention,” Schweitzer said. “If you are highly attentive, then your response should be quick, accurate and steady. What we found, particularly as the test went on, is when you usually start seeing the attention lag, was that movement was associated with better performance and less variable response time.”
This result complements Schweitzer’s previous study on children with ADHD that came to an analogous conclusion that “motoric activity … may reflect compensatory efforts to modulate attention and alertness.”
Both of these studies shed a new light on hyperactivity in people with ADHD, which is commonly seen as a maladaptive condition that impedes focus on a task. Throughout the years, school teachers have tried various ways to adapt to the needs of young students with ADHD, from rubber bands wrapped around desks to yoga balls for seats. Now, the need for more innovative practices that could serve university students as well is being reemphasized.
“You have to find some sort of behavior that’s not distracting and keeps the hands free,” Schweitzer said. “There’s good evidence at this point that people who are doing exercise before they’re doing an active task experience a moderate improvement in their attention.”
Despite their widespread advertisement, the effectiveness of fidget tools is an area of active research that has not yet yielded definitive evidence. Currently, Schweitzer and her colleagues from UC Santa Cruz are looking into whether a “smart” fidget ball could help adults with ADHD concentrate better.
“I think it’s pretty standard now that in some classroom situations, people bring their fidgets,” Schweitzer said. “And there have to be rules around those, so they are not so distracting to other individuals.”
Still, even with the adaptation methods, the destigmatization of ADHD continues to be a goal for communities.
“It’s important to be patient and recognize that [fidgeting] is not always under their control and it might actually be something that’s helping them,” Schweitzer said.
Written by: Ekaterina Medvedeva — science@theaggie.org
