Across both groups, greater awareness and use of strengths were consistently linked to better mental health outcomes. Individuals who actively used their strengths reported higher subjective well-being, improved quality of life across physical, psychological and social domains, and lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress. Senior author Dr Punit Shah said,
“Our findings highlight that knowing that we have certain skills and positive qualities at our disposal and using these strengths where appropriate can be beneficial for our well-being. This might sound obvious, but now that our research confirms this hypothesis, we can start designing psychological supports with this fresh evidence.”
The findings support the growing interest in strengths-based approaches within mental health care, particularly for neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD. While such approaches are increasingly used in autism services, they remain underutilised in ADHD care. The authors suggest that interventions such as psychoeducation, coaching and tailored psychological therapies could help adults with ADHD better leverage their strengths to support mental health.
Dr Shah added,
“The next step now is to investigate whether interventions that promote the recognition and use of personal strengths can offer tangible improvements in mental wellbeing for adults with ADHD. People with ADHD and other neurodivergences have been calling for this for a long time, and we are excited to have some of the first research to support this.”
Senior author Assistant Professor Martine Hoogman emphasised the importance of placing ADHD-related strengths within a broader mental health context. She said,
“Research on ADHD-related strengths is still in its early stages. Most studies ask only people with ADHD about their strengths, but we also asked neurotypical people. We found that people without ADHD recognise many of the same strengths, though only those with ADHD endorse some of them. This helps us better understand ADHD strengths.”
She added, “It’s important to educate people with ADHD not just about challenges, but also about their potential strengths to improve quality of life and reduce risks in work or education.”
Together, the findings suggest that supporting adults with ADHD to recognise and use their strengths may not only improve quality of life, but also represent a meaningful avenue for promoting mental health and reducing psychological distress.
