Is AI an effective tool in management of ADHD?

As AI becomes a more accessible technology and ever-growing presence in practically every industry, we’ve seen a rise in research surrounding AI as a diagnostic tool. Used for a variety of conditions, including ADHD, with a focus on accuracy and streamlining of processes in recent years, we are interested to see its potential realised for the benefit of patients.

While there still seems to be a long way to go before AI is a regular part of assessments, we are interested in the way it is being used by young people, especially as we approach World Youth Skills Day, whose focus this year is ‘Youth empowerment through AI and digital skills’. In this article we explore research into AI’s use for managing ADHD in young people and the arguments for it being an effective tool.

Table of contents

What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a simulation of human intelligence in machines. AI performs tasks including learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. AI systems analyse data, recognise patterns, and learn through experience to help make decisions.

AI technology that you may be familiar with include virtual assistants, chatbots, recommendation systems, self-driving vehicles, and more. There can be both AI designed for specific tasks and more general AI, which can be used to complete intellectual tasks closely to how humans would.

How is AI being used for therapy?

With a growing need for accessible mental health support in recent years, AI has been incorporated into therapy solutions more, assisting with diagnosis, symptom tracking, and psychoeducation.

We are also seeing chatbots for those seeking therapy as a solution to cost or appointment availability, such as Therabot, which has been used in a study that showed some positive results while the suggestion remained that more research was required. People have also been using AI such as ChatGPT in the place of therapy, with one study finding that one in four Americans said they would rather speak to AI than a therapist, a move that few healthcare professionals would advocate for at this time.

What are the concerns around AI?

While the concerns regarding privacy and data protection when using AI are something you may be aware of, there have been recent studies into how AI could be dangerous to young people, especially when used for guidance.

The core issue when using AI in the place of a therapist is that responses are based on the AI’s learning of the individual and are formed to suit their desires rather than what is necessarily in their best interest. There have been examples of AI suggesting methods of self-harm, offering ways to conceal illegal behaviour, or ignoring children reporting abuse.

Alongside this vulnerability to AI lacking genuine empathy or offering information without ethical consideration, there is also a lack of accountability when AI makes a mistake, making it extremely hard to police.

Benefits of AI for young people with ADHD

With this in mind, there are still practical uses for AI alongside therapeutic interventions and management of conditions such as ADHD. Studies into how AI can support with completing homework tasks by engaging and encouraging children have had promising results, as well as the use of AI during therapy sessions to monitor patient responses, which was also well received by children with ADHD. This is because it creates an environment for children with ADHD to receive feedback on behaviours in a safe environment that supports self-regulation.

Some research specifically into ChatGPT has shown that it has potential in offering support alongside therapy for those with ADHD as well as their families and teachers.

What AI tools are there for ADHD?

Outside of AI such as ChatGPT, there are plenty of apps being developed to help with aspects of ADHD such as focus, time management, and hyperactivity. Some great examples are below.

For focus

Apps such as Forest gamify focus and give visual incentives to not becoming distracted when working on something.

For organisation

To-do list apps such as TickTick can be great for visualising tasks, sorting your tasks into different areas of life, setting reminders and alerts for tasks, and even working alongside your calendar to help you prioritise your time.

For around the house

Like the general organisation apps, there are apps such as Remember the Milk which offer helpful features to ensure you remember the things you need to do. They also have a great feature for sharing lists, perfect for families.

For task management

Perfect for students, apps like My Study Life help to organise classes, assignments, deadlines, and exam dates in one place.

For time management

A great example you likely already have in your smartphone is the timer app. This gives a visual timer countdown helpful for maintaining focus. You can also use the alarm feature to help manage your time.

For finances

Apps like PocketGuard can help with setting budgets and sticking to them thanks to their alert systems, spending insights, and personal finance management tools.

For wellbeing

Apps like Calm can be great for reducing overwhelm, improving mindfulness, and encouraging gentle movement.

How to use ChatGPT for ADHD

  • As a task manager: ChatGPT can help you to prioritise tasks and break tasks down into steps to help you overcome commonly felt ‘task paralysis’.
  • As a productivity planner: ChatGPT can help you plan your time and offer productivity tips to help you focus.
  • As a tool to process information: ChatGPT is great for taking long, complicated pieces of writing or data and offering you clear, easy to understand points to help you to absorb the information.
  • As an editor: While we wouldn’t recommend getting AI to do work for you, it can make proofreading or planning aspects of a task easier.

Why this matters to us

Part of our mission to offer the best, evidence-based care possible means being at the forefront of discovering how processes and people's lives can be improved. We want all our patients to have the best possible resources to use alongside the support they receive from us and for them to feel empowered to take ownership of their wellbeing.

We here at Clinical Partners are excited about the ways AI can be used to build a future with improved ADHD care and support, and embrace advancements in technology with the hope we can continue to push the envelope on what accessible care looks like. We look forward to exploring the findings of future research and delivering up-to-date information to our patients.

Related articles

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ADHD homework strategies: Tips to help a child study

ADHD and reading: Reading help for students with ADHD

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Clinically reviewed

  • Dr Angus McLellan
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