The Impacts of ADHD Tendencies on Mental Health in Elementary School Students: Mediating Effects of Optimism

Purpose: The mental health of elementary school students in South Korea has reached a critical threshold , with a growing number of students exhibiting 'ADHD tendencies'—a condition where core symptoms are presen t but fall below the threshold for a formal diagnosis. The primary objective of this study was to empirically analyze the direct impact of these ADHD tendencies on mental health outcomes, specifically depression and anxiety, among elementary school students. Furthermore, this study aimed to verify the mediating effect of optimism, a positive psychological asset, to determine if it functions as a protective factor in the relationship between ADHD tendencies and mental health deterioration. Method: To achieve these objectives, data were collected from 407 elementary school students in grades 4 through 6 located in the capital area. The participants completed self-report surveys assessing ADHD tendencies, mental health (depression and anxiety), and dispositional optimism. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis to ensure data validity. Subsequently, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to compare model fit and verify the structural relationships among variables, and bootstrapping analysis was conducted to test the significance of the mediating effects. Results: The comprehensive results of the analysis are as follows. First, ADHD tendencies in elementary school students were found to have a significant positive direct effect on mental health problems, indicating that higher levels of ADHD symptoms directly exacerbate depression and anxiety. Second, ADHD tendencies were found to significantly reduce the level of optimism in students. Third, optimism was identified as a partial mediator in the relationship between ADHD tendencies and mental health. This reveals a specific pathway where ADHD tenden-cies deplete a child’s optimism, which in turn accelerates the deterioration of their mental health. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ADHD tendencies, often situated in a diagnostic blind spot, act as a core risk factor threatening the mental health of elementary students regardless of formal diagnosis. The study highlights that the 'loss spiral' of psychological resources, such as optimism, plays a crucial role in this process. Therefore, effective interventions for students with ADHD tendencies should not be limited to symptom management but must also include strategies to preserve and enhance positive psychological capital, such as optimism, to buffer against mental health risks.