Enhanced creativity in autism is due to co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Taylor, Emily C., Gocłowska, Małgorzata A., Callan, Mitchell J. and Livingston, Lucy A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8597-6525 2025. Enhanced creativity in autism is due to co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science 134 (2) , 201–211. 10.1037/abn0000910

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (551kB) | Preview

Abstract

There has been longstanding speculation that enhanced creativity is associated with autism. Evidence for this association, however, is limited and derived from small-scale studies in nonclinical samples. Furthermore, nothing is known about autism-related creativity after accounting for general cognitive ability and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that is, other factors known to predict creativity. Addressing these issues, we conducted preregistered comparisons of the creativity of autistic and nonautistic adults (N = 352), matched on age, sex, and general cognitive ability. We found clear evidence that there were no group differences on a divergent thinking creativity task. Autistic adults did self-report more real-world creative accomplishments and behaviors, but these differences did not hold after accounting for ADHD. We conclude that enhanced creativity, where observed in autistic people, is likely to be driven by co-occurring ADHD. The clinical and practical implications of these findings for strength-based approaches to psychopathology are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
ISSN:	2769-755X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	7 March 2025
Date of Acceptance:	15 February 2025
Last Modified:	10 Mar 2025 15:01
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/176711

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item