Validation of the dispositional adult hyperfocus questionnaire (AHQ-D).
Sci Rep
; 14(1): 19460, 2024 08 22.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39169147
ABSTRACT
Hyperfocus (HF), or intense, deep concentration on a task, has gained significant research attention in recent years, particularly in regard to clinical populations such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The present work aims to provide validation of the 12-item dispositional adult hyperfocus questionnaire (AHQ-D) as a quantitative metric of HF in adults. We preregistered the study design and hypotheses. We administered the AHQ-D and several additional questionnaires to 347 adults (mean ± SD age 33 ± 11 years; 47% female). Exploratory factor analysis revealed high factor loadings (0.57-0.81) on a single HF factor; item response theory analysis suggested that the questionnaire items had high discrimination and covered a wide range of responses; and we report strong internal consistency metrics (Cronbach's alpha 0.93, mean split-half reliability 0.93). Replicating our previous work, HF was positively correlated with Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) scores (r(345) = 0.53), suggesting that HF may be related to ADHD traits (though in this sample we did not specifically recruit individuals with ADHD). The AHQ-D demonstrated the hypothesized convergent validity; HF on the AHQ-D was positively correlated with HF measured using a different HF scale (r(344) = 0.69), as well as flow (r(345) = 0.12) and mind wandering (r(345) = 0.39) scores. AHQ-D HF scores showed a weak negative correlation with grit (r(345) = - 0.29). Though there was a weak negative correlation between HF and social desirability response tendency (r(345) = - 0.24), suggesting that those who care more about what others think may report less HF, there was no relationship between HF and extrasensory perception beliefs (r(345) = 0.01), suggesting that participants were not simply biased in their response tendencies. Taken together, we demonstrate strong scale metrics for the AHQ-D, the expected convergent validity, and a general lack of response bias, in addition to replicating our previous association of HF with ADHD traits. We suggest that the AHQ-D can be confidently used in future work as a valid way to measure HF in adults.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Limits:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
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Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Rep
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Estados Unidos
Country of publication:
Reino Unido