What Does ADHD Have to Do with Intelligence?
During my Flourish ADHD Women’s Group, someone asked if ADHD people are more intelligent. The answer is no. One neurotype isn’t more or less smart.
Understanding the relationship between ADHD and intelligence is essential because misconceptions can shape how people with ADHD are perceived—and how they perceive themselves.
What Does ADHD Have to Do with Intelligence?
Understanding the relationship between ADHD and intelligence is essential because misconceptions can shape how people with ADHD are perceived—and how they perceive themselves.
How Do We Define Intelligence?
Intelligence is a broad and often debated concept. Traditionally, it’s measured by IQ tests, which assess problem-solving, reasoning, memory, and verbal abilities. However, these tests have limitations:
Biases in design: Cultural, social, and language factors can skew results.
Narrow focus: IQ tests often emphasize academic intelligence and may overlook creative, emotional, or practical intelligence.
This narrow view of intelligence doesn’t capture the diverse ways people can excel or think—especially those with ADHD.
1. Intelligence and ADHD Are Not Directly Linked
Key takeaway: ADHD is not a measure of intelligence.
ADHD affects attention, sensory systems, and executive functioning (skills like planning and organizing). These challenges do not inherently diminish a person’s intellectual ability. ADHD people exist across the entire intelligence spectrum.
2. Discrepancies in Performance vs. Potential
Many ADHD people face gaps between their abilities and performance, especially in structured environments like schools or workplaces. These gaps happen because:
ADHD affects focus, organization, and follow-through.
These difficulties can make others mistakenly assume lower intelligence.
In reality, ADHD challenges are about how someone’s brain processes tasks, not their capacity to think or learn.
3. ADHD and IQ Scores
Research shows that people with ADHD generally score within the same IQ range as the general population. However:
ADHD can interfere with taking an IQ test.
Without accommodations, such as extra time or breaks, results may not accurately reflect the person’s intelligence.
Lower scores could reflect test-taking struggles—not actual cognitive ability.
4. ADHD in Gifted Individuals
Some ADHDers are also gifted, a combination called twice-exceptionality (2e). These individuals face unique challenges:
Their ADHD might hide their giftedness.
Their giftedness might mask ADHD, delaying diagnosis.
Both traits may be overlooked in traditional education systems, leading to frustration and underachievement.
5. Cognitive Strengths and Weaknesses in ADHD
ADHD brains are often associated with unique strengths, such as:
Creativity: Thinking outside the box and generating innovative ideas.
Divergent thinking: Solving problems in unconventional ways.
However, there are also challenges, including:
Working memory deficits: Difficulty holding and manipulating information.
Attention regulation: Struggling with tedious tasks requiring sustained focus.
These challenges can obscure intellectual strengths, especially in traditional environments.
6. Executive Dysfunction as a Confounding Factor
ADHD-related executive dysfunction can make it difficult to complete tasks that showcase intelligence, such as:
Planning and organizing projects.
Meeting deadlines.
For example, a highly intelligent student might fail to turn in homework due to disorganization, leading teachers to underestimate their abilities.
7. Variability Across Studies
Research findings on ADHD and intelligence vary widely due to differences in:
Study populations (e.g., children vs. adults).
How ADHD is defined and diagnosed.
How intelligence is measured.
While some studies suggest slight differences in IQ, these often stem from testing conditions rather than actual intellectual capacity.
8. ADHD and Creative Intelligence
ADHD brains often excel in creative intelligence, which involves:
Generating new ideas and solutions.
Excelling in tasks that require imagination and divergent thinking.
Traditional IQ tests don’t capture this type of intelligence, focusing instead on solving problems with one “correct” answer.
A Note on Support Needs: Recognizing Diverse ADHD Experiences
When discussing ADHD and intelligence, it’s essential to address the concept of low support needs and high support needs. ADHD manifests differently from person to person, and these differences can shape how individuals experience challenges and express their strengths.
Low Support Needs:
Some individuals with ADHD may require minimal accommodations to thrive in academic or professional settings. They might develop compensatory strategies to manage symptoms, leading to the perception that they “have it all together.” However, this doesn’t mean their ADHD is less valid or that they don’t face significant struggles.
High Support Needs:
Others may need more intensive support due to the way ADHD interacts with co-occurring conditions (such as learning disabilities or mood disorders) or the severity of their executive functioning challenges. These individuals might struggle significantly with daily tasks, making their potential harder to see.
Why This Matters
While ADHD is not inherently tied to intelligence, support needs can impact how someone’s abilities are expressed or recognized:
Low support needs may mask ADHD-related struggles, leading to dismissive attitudes about the condition (“You seem fine, so it can’t be that bad”).
High support needs may result in the person’s strengths being overshadowed by their visible challenges, creating false assumptions about their intelligence or potential.
Both experiences are valid and deserve understanding. It’s critical to avoid making sweeping generalizations about ADHD and intelligence based solely on observable behavior.
Summary: ADHD, Intelligence, and the Bigger Picture
ADHD does not directly affect intelligence but can influence how intelligence is expressed or measured. The real issue is misunderstanding the difference between intelligence, performance, and executive functioning.
The key takeaways:
ADHD impacts how someone thinks and learns—not how much they can think or learn.
Creative and unconventional strengths often go unrecognized in traditional systems.
Accommodations can help unlock the potential of people with ADHD, allowing their intelligence to shine.
By embracing the diversity of ADHD experiences, we can challenge misconceptions and promote self-acceptance for individuals with ADHD.
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Kristen McClure MSW, LCSW
My twin sister and I didn’t find out we had ADHD until 2020 (we were 32!). We were gifted/perfectionistic to an extent and had anxiety throughout our lives, so many of the difficulties we had with getting started on big projects was attributed to perfectionism, and the fact that we were gifted very much masked ADHD symptoms. Not one teacher ever expressed concerns because we always did well in school. Once we found out, it really explained a lot of the struggles we had had!
My son is high-support ADHD and, pre-diagnosis, was labelled a "problem" and "slow learner" in school. Post-diagnosis the labelling stopped, but he always struggled for lack of support and understanding. He just turned 18 and as a legal adult where we live (Switzerland) is expected to take on adult responsibilities, but is neither ready nor able. I am low-support ADHD (diagnosed at age 58!) and improvised my way through school (in the US) as a "highly gifted" person. Working life was a series of high-flying successes interspersed with crash-and-burnouts, always with the feeling I was never achieving my potential. Post-diagnosis, I've found peace with my strengths and weaknesses. I hope that my son finds his way soon.