Comparison of Creativity between Children with and without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Case-Control Study

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare creativity in children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. METHOD This was an analytic and descriptive study. Participants were 33 children aged 7-12 years selected from a child and adolescent psychiatric clinic at Imam Hossein hospital (Tehran, Iran), who were diagnosed with ADHD by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. They met the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for ADHD and had no comorbidity according to K-SADS (Kiddi-Scadule for Affective disorders and Schizophrenia). They were requested not to take any medication. They took the Figural TTCT (Torrance Test of Creativity Thinking) and Raven Intelligence test after using medication. Thirty-three age and sex-matched children selected from the regional schools were recruited for the control group. They did not have any psychiatric disorders according to K-SADS. The Figural TTCT and Raven Intelligence test were conducted for the controls as well. RESULTS No statistically significant difference was found in the intelligence score and the mean±SD of the total score of creativity between children with ADHD (125.2 ± 42.6) and the control group (130.6 ± 47.5) (P value = 0.49). Children with ADHD had worse function in fluency and flexibility items and were not different in originality and elaboration items. CONCLUSION The creativity of children with ADHD is not different from that of the control group.