Do Clinicians Consider Hyperfocus When Diagnosing ADHD? 

Hyperfocus is one of the more paradoxical experiences described by people with ADHD. It refers to the ability to concentrate so deeply on something engaging that everything else fades into the background. It may sound like the opposite of inattention, but in reality, both arise from the same difficulty regulating attention. According to recent research, hyperfocus reflects the brain’s tendency to “lock on” to high-interest tasks while struggling to maintain focus on routine ones (Dwyer et al., 2024). 

How Clinicians View Hyperfocus 

When diagnosing ADHD, clinicians primarily follow the NICE NG87 guidance, which focuses on patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, not hyperfocus itself (NICE NG87, 2023). Likewise, neither the DSM-5 nor ICD-11 lists hyperfocus among official diagnostic criteria. 

That said, many clinicians acknowledge hyperfocus as a real and common experience. During assessments, psychiatrists or psychologists may ask about it to understand how attention works in daily life, such as how easily someone can switch tasks or stop working once engaged. However, it is important to note that hyperfocus does not confirm or rule out ADHD. It is more of a contextual detail than a diagnostic marker (NHS ADHD diagnosis). 

What Research Says 

Recent studies have helped clarify hyperfocus’s connection to ADHD traits. Research published in 2024 found that hyperfocus often co-occurs with executive dysfunction, including challenges in task switching, prioritising, and impulse control (Schippers et al., 2024). Adults with predominantly inattentive symptoms appear especially likely to experience it, supporting the view that hyperfocus sits on the same attentional spectrum rather than outside it. 

The Clinical Takeaway 

Clinicians consider hyperfocus an informative but unofficial feature of ADHD. It can help explain why someone might excel at certain tasks yet find others almost impossible to start. However, formal diagnosis continues to rely on established frameworks like NICE NG87, DSM-5, and ICD-11, which do not recognise hyperfocus as a criterion. 

If you are exploring an ADHD diagnosis or want to discuss symptoms like hyperfocus with a qualified specialist, you can learn more about private assessments through ADHD Certify, a trusted UK-based provider offering affordable online assessments for adults and children. 

Takeaway 

Hyperfocus can be an important part of someone’s lived ADHD experience, but it is not part of the official diagnosis. Clinicians may discuss it to understand attention regulation better, yet diagnosis itself still depends on the established NICE and DSM-5 criteria.