Hacking Your ADHD – Research Recap with Skye: Delay Aversion, Inattention, and ADHD

Host: William Curb
Guest: Skye Waterson
Date: October 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of "Hacking Your ADHD," host William Curb is joined by Skye Waterson for their ongoing "Research Recap" series. This time, they dive into two key research papers examining the relationship among boredom proneness, delay aversion, inattention, and ADHD, especially in adolescents and children. The conversation is engaging, practical, and relatable, providing insights not only into scientific findings but also into the lived experience of ADHD. The goal is to extract actionable advice while exploring the implications of the studies for everyday ADHD management.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to the Studies and Context ([01:45] – [03:05])

• William introduces the focus: two research papers on boredom and ADHD, specifically:
  • "Boredom Proneness and its Correlation with Internet Addiction and Internet Activities in Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (2018)
  • "Boredom Proneness and Inattention in Children with and without ADHD: The Mediating Role of Delay Aversion" (2025)
• Purpose: Understand how boredom, delay aversion, and inattention interact in the context of ADHD and extract practical strategies.

2. Why Study Boredom in ADHD? ([04:48] – [05:56])

• The hosts highlight the lack of a clear clinical definition of boredom, yet stress its consistent negative impact, especially for those with ADHD.
• William attempts to define boredom: "Having these adverse experiences and being frustrated with trying to engage in stimulating activities and not having stimulation..." ([05:30])
• Skye points out that boredom is a driver of addictive behaviors and that chronic boredom raises the risk for internet addiction—particularly relevant for those with ADHD.

3. Study #1: Boredom, ADHD, and Internet Addiction ([03:05] – [14:52])

Study Details

• 300+ adolescents (11–18 years old) with ADHD in Taiwan, 86% male.
• Associations were drawn between boredom proneness, ADHD, and risk for internet addiction.

Notable Findings & Insights

• The high proportion of boys in the sample may reflect ongoing underdiagnosis of girls with ADHD ([04:03]–[04:37]).
• "If you're bored and you have chronic boredom, you're more likely to engage in addictive behavior..." – Skye ([05:58])
• Those with higher boredom proneness had higher risk for internet addiction.
• Socioeconomic factors like parental involvement/oversight played a significant role in risk for internet addiction.
  • "If you have parents that are well involved, you're less likely to have Internet addiction." – William ([14:05])
• The ease and immediacy of online activities makes them hard to resist:
  • "It feels like this instant cure for boredom. Even though a lot of times...we're going to social media and scrolling things that we don’t actually find that interesting." – William ([10:24])
• The paradox of minimalism for focus: Removing all distractions except for the phone often leads to more phone use. Instead, having healthy, easily interruptible alternatives nearby helps prevent over-reliance on the phone ([10:49]–[12:02]).
• Amusing moments with the "boredom proneness scale":
  • William laughs about, "having to look at someone’s home movies or travel slides bores me tremendously," suggesting the test writer had “a personal vendetta” ([13:12], [13:22]).

Practical Takeaway

• Strategies to avoid unhealthy coping (like internet binging) may include increasing accessible, stimulating options that aren’t as “sticky” as phones or computers (e.g., fidget toys, small crafts).

4. Study #2: Delay Aversion and the Mechanisms Linking Boredom, Inattention, and ADHD ([14:53]–[23:06])

Study Details

• More up-to-date (2025), with a control group: 183 children (93 with ADHD, 90 without), ages 9–16.
• Utilized the short boredom proneness scale, exploring further concepts: delay aversion and the default mode network.

Main Findings

• "Delay aversion is a key mechanism linking boredom to inattention." – William ([18:06])
• ADHD is linked not just to attention deficits but also to emotional dysregulation, motivational issues, and especially difficulty tolerating delays. People with ADHD heavily discount the value of delayed rewards ([16:18] – [18:40]).
  • "We tend to face adverse consequences when confronted with delays. Anybody who's been confronted with delays will feel that on a visceral level..." – Skye ([16:57])
• The study connected physiological mechanisms—especially the default mode network (DMN)—to boredom and lapses in attention.
  • “Excessive default mode network activity has been linked to attention lapses, a common feature of ADHD as well.” – Skye ([19:44])
  • William breaks down: DMN is the part of your brain active during “non-goal-oriented” activity, and with ADHD it may be harder to “switch off,” leading to daydreaming during work ([20:36])
• There is sometimes a mismatch between how parents and children report boredom and inattention: severity was often more strongly reported by parents ([21:15]–[21:52]), raising concerns about both self-awareness and diagnostic criteria.

Memorable Quotes

• “The severity of the symptoms are often reported based on how they're affecting other people rather than how they're affecting yourself.” – William ([21:28])
• “If your teacher didn’t think that you were disrupting the class, it might be hard for us to give you a diagnosis.” – Skye ([22:12])
• William, reflecting on being inattentive: “The number of tests I’ve gotten back where it’s like, why didn’t you do this problem? Oh, I didn’t see it. How did you not see this whole page? I don’t know.” ([22:54])

Actionable Takeaways & Recommendations ([23:06]–[24:42])

• There is a real, scientifically validated association between ADHD, boredom proneness, delay aversion, and maladaptive coping strategies (like internet overuse).
• "You can't just rely on the... 'just focus, just push through.' And those are really bad strategies." – William ([24:15])
• Healthy support involves not trying to eliminate all sources of stimulation but to provide accessible, satisfying options. Skye offers listeners a list of “fidgets and fun, adult-friendly dopamine-things” if they message “boredom” (@Unconventional Organization, [23:47]).
• Incorporate stimulating objects or mini-activities that are satisfying but won’t cause prolonged distraction.
• Recognize that delay aversion is a core aspect of ADHD—a major driver of frustration, boredom, and inattention.

Timeline of Key Segments

• [01:45] — Introduction to episode and today’s research focus
• [03:05] — Skye outlines the studies and their context
• [04:48] — Why boredom matters in ADHD; what "boredom" means
• [06:30] — Boredom and self-stimulation: shock experiment anecdote
• [08:09] — Real-life accessibility solutions (Disneyland’s disability service for people who struggle with waiting in lines)
• [09:38] — Main finding: ADHD, boredom, and internet addiction are correlated
• [10:49] — Practical strategies: why it’s better to have “safe” distractions handy
• [13:12] — The boredom proneness scale: quirks and humor
• [14:05] — Socioeconomic/parental factors in internet use
• [16:57] — Delay aversion’s role in ADHD
• [19:08]–[20:36] — The default mode network, brain science, and ADHD
• [21:15] — Reporting bias: parents vs. children
• [22:54] — Personal experience: inattention in school and diagnosis issues
• [23:06]–[24:42] — Practical wrap-up and advice; how to request fidget recommendations

Notable Quotes

• "If you're bored and you have chronic boredom, you're more likely to engage in addictive behavior..."
  – Skye ([05:58])

• "Delay aversion is a key mechanism linking boredom to inattention."
  – William ([18:06])

• "The severity of the symptoms are often reported based on how they're affecting other people rather than how they're affecting yourself."
  – William ([21:28])

• "You can't just rely on the... 'just focus, just push through.' And those are really bad strategies."
  – William ([24:15])

Overall Tone and Style

The conversation is warm, humorous, and approachable, with both host and guest sharing personal anecdotes and practical reflections that ground the science in real everyday struggles and solutions. The focus is always on empowering listeners to work with, not against, their ADHD brains.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a deep dive into why boredom feels so intense for those with ADHD, why waiting can be viscerally difficult, and how those struggles are rooted in both brain networks and psychological processes. You’ll come away with new understanding—and some practical ideas—for managing inattention, resisting the siren song of low-value internet use, and treating your need for stimulation as a legitimate, manageable part of neurodiversity.