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The ADHD Emotion Trap: Is It Reactivity or Attention?

Poster Session A - Saturday, March 7, 2026, 3:00 – 5:00 pm PST, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballrooms

Tehila Nadav^1,2 (nadavte@post.bgu.ac.il), Avishai Henik¹; ¹Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, ²Achva Academic College

Emotional dysregulation (ED) is a core feature of ADHD, affecting functioning and well-being. Individuals with ADHD exhibit enhanced reactivity to emotional stimuli, which may make it harder for them to flexibly transition between emotional states in daily situations. These difficulties likely stem from deficits in emotional and attentional processing, making emotional regulation more effortful. To examine these processes, we conducted two studies using a Picture-Picture Priming Task. Study 1 included 30 adults with ADHD and 30 neurotypical controls who evaluated the valence of a target picture preceded by a prime (100 ms). Primes varied in valence (positive/negative/neutral), creating congruent, incongruent, and neutral conditions. Results showed that ADHD participants had greater difficulty transitioning between emotions, particularly when a negative prime preceded a positive target. Study 2 (N = 70, 35 ADHD) replicated these findings and examined the role of attentional functioning. Attentional abilities were assessed via self-reports and an attention task. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between emotional and attentional mechanisms in ADHD, suggesting that emotional dysregulation may arise from multiple, interacting sources. Understanding these mechanisms may inform more targeted interventions in the future.

Topic Area: EMOTION & SOCIAL: Emotion-cognition interactions