Skip to content
Surprising Science

Is A.D.H.D. Causing Divorce?

“In a marriage, the common symptoms of A.D.H.D.—distraction, disorganization, forgetfulness—can easily be misinterpreted as laziness, selfishness and a lack of love and concern.”
Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

“In a marriage, the common symptoms of A.D.H.D.—distraction, disorganization, forgetfulness—can easily be misinterpreted as laziness, selfishness and a lack of love and concern,” says Tara Parker-Pope at her health blog. “Adults with attention disorders often learn coping skills to help them stay organized and focused at work, but experts say many of them struggle at home, where their tendency to become distracted is a constant source of conflict. Some research suggests that these adults are twice as likely to be divorced; another study found high levels of distress in 60 percent of marriages where one spouse has the disorder.”

Sign up for the Smarter Faster newsletter
A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

Related

Up Next
“Is our modern mobility sustainable? We are facing an energy crisis, a climate crisis, and an economic crisis—and perhaps a mobility crisis as well.” An urban studies professor on the car.