Athokpam Nidhi Bala Devi and Asem Babina Devi
Manipur University, Manipur
Pages: 90-97
The current study is phenomenological research on adults with ADHD and digital coping.
The study was conducted in two phases. Participants aged 18 years and above were
screened in the first phase using the Adult ADHD self-report scale (ASRS v1.1). 8
participants who scored high on this test was then interviewed to understand their lived
realities with ADHD and in using digital tools and strategies to cope with their overwhelm
related to ADHD. Thematic analysis was conducted and four interrelated themes
emerged. It described overwhelm as a dynamic emotional and cognitive state and also
how digital tools presented a paradox for the participants. As useful as they were,
digital tools also worsened negative emotional states. The study also revealed how for
adults with ADHD, digital coping primarily aimed at reducing emotional overwhelm and
that productivity was a secondary outcome of coping.