Monotropism Theory: From Autism Explanation to ADHD Connection
By
wonger_
If you only eat one bagel today, this is the bagel.
Summary
The article explores how the theory of monotropism, originally developed to explain autism, is increasingly being identified with by people diagnosed with ADHD. Monotropism describes a cognitive tendency to concentrate attention and resources on a small number of things at a time, with little capacity left for other tasks. While initially formulated for autism, the article discusses how many with ADHD recognize similar patterns in their own experiences, particularly around attention allocation, executive functioning, and sensory processing differences.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMonotropism was formulated as a theory of autism. It seeks to explain the experiences and traits of autistic people in terms of a tendency for resources like attention to be concentrated on a small number of things at a time, with little left over for everything else.
Through this lens we can make sense of autistic social, sensory and executive functioning differences, as laid out in Monotropism – Explanations.
As time has gone on, it has become clear that many diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) also identify strongly with many aspects of the theory.
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