What is the term for the inability to sustain attention in ADHD?

The term for the inability to sustain attention in ADHD is inattention. Inattention refers to challenges in maintaining focus on specific tasks, often leading to difficulties in organizing activities, following through on instructions, and completing assignments. Individuals with ADHD may find their mind wandering frequently, struggle to get details right, and may seem disinterested or forgetful in everyday tasks.

While hyperfocus, distractibility, and impulsivity are related concepts within the context of ADHD, they each describe different aspects of attention and behavior. Hyperfocus refers to a scenario where an individual with ADHD becomes intensely focused on a particular activity to the exclusion of everything else, which contrasts directly with a general inability to sustain attention. Distractibility pertains to the ease with which an individual's focus can be shifted away from a task by external stimuli or internal thoughts. Impulsivity involves acting without thought or consideration for consequences, which can lead to challenges in decision-making and self-control, but does not directly define the inability to sustain attention.

Therefore, inattention specifically encapsulates the core difficulty faced by individuals with ADHD in maintaining focus over time.