Toplak, Maggie E.Eastwood, John D.Bold, Gary Nathaniel2025-11-112025-11-112025-06-252025-11-11https://hdl.handle.net/10315/43228Background: Mental effort is essential in academic, occupational, and daily life, yet its subjective experience remains less understood, particularly in ADHD, where difficulty sustaining effort is a diagnostic criterion. While prior research highlights cognitive aspects, this study examined lived experience, exploring how individuals with ADHD perceive mental effort and its influence on persistence and disengagement. Methods: Five emerging adults (16–24; 2 female, 3 male) with confirmed ADHD were recruited through clinical practices. Semi-structured interviews probed thoughts, feelings, and emotions regarding mental effort. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used. Results: Participants described mental effort as unpredictable and emotionally charged. Six themes emerged: (1) All-in or bored, (2) Stars needing to align, (3) Fearful approach, (4) Caught in a thought spiral, (5) Potential out of reach, (6) Struck by difference. Discussion: Findings show mental effort in ADHD is intertwined with affect and motivation, particularly autonomy, competence, and connectedness.Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.Clinical psychologyMental healthHealth educationElectronic Thesis or Dissertation2025-11-11ADHDMental effortQualitativeInterpretive Phenomenological Analysis