A-161: Validity of the Occurrence of Hyperfocus in Children and Adolescents: Pediatric Hyperfocus Questionnaire, Parent Report

Abstract

Objective: Hyperfocus is frequently described in individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet it remains poorly defined and lacks well-validated measurement tools in youth. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Hyperfocus Questionnaire-Parent Report (PHQ-PR), including its factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity. Method/Data Selection: Parents of children ages 8–17 (n = 126; 63.5% male; M age = 12.4) completed the PHQ-PR, Conners Parent Rating Scale–Revised, Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function–2 (BRIEF-2), and a demographic questionnaire. Principal component analyses with varimax rotation were conducted to examine factor structure. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Construct validity was evaluated through group comparisons and associations with executive functioning. Results/Data Synthesis: Analyses supported a multidimensional structure consistent with theoretically derived domains of hyperfocus. Internal consistency was excellent for item-level subscales (αs = .94–.96) and strong at the composite level (α = .85). Children with ADHD showed significantly higher hyperfocus scores than controls across domains, supporting discriminant validity. Hyperfocus was also associated with parent-reported executive functioning difficulties, particularly in shifting, inhibition, and emotional control, supporting convergent validity. Conclusions: Findings provide initial support for the PHQ-PR as a reliable and valid measure of hyperfocus in children and adolescents. Results suggest that hyperfocus is a measurable, multidimensional construct relevant to attentional regulation in ADHD. Further research is needed to replicate these findings in larger, more diverse samples and to examine the measure's clinical utility.