Distinguishing spontaneous from deliberate mind wandering in adolescents: The role of attentional control and depressive symptoms

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Research on individual differences in mind wandering (MW) in healthy adults has supported the separation of spontaneous and deliberate MW given their different association with a number of psychological traits. This study aimed to further test this distinction by investigating the associations of the two types of MW with attentional control and depressive symptomatology in adolescents. Data were collected on 439 9–10th graders, who completed measures of spontaneous and deliberate MW, distractibility, difficulty in attentional shifting, and depressive symptomatology. A multivariate three-level multiple regression revealed that distractibility was a significant predictor of only spontaneous MW, whereas difficulties in attentional shifting and depressive symptoms were significant predictors of both types of MW. However, the last two variables were stronger predictors for spontaneous than for deliberate MW. These findings provide support for the distinction, beyond their theoretical and empirical overlap, between the two types of MW also in adolescents and suggest the independent contribution of cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms. Statement of contribution What is already known? Studies on mind wandering (MW) in adults have shown that spontaneous and deliberate MW reflect dissociable cognitive experiences. In adults, trait-level tendency to spontaneous MW seems to reflect difficulties in controlled attentional processing. The majority of studies on MW in adolescents have treated this phenomenon as unitary and found a relation with negative affect, stress, and self-esteem. What does this study add? This is the first study to examine cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms as correlates of spontaneous and deliberate MW in adolescents. We found that distractibility is a significant predictor of only spontaneous MW. Difficulties in attentional shifting and depressive symptoms are significant predictors of both types of MW, although stronger for spontaneous MW. The findings support the distinction, beyond their theoretical and empirical overlap, between the two types of MW also in adolescents and call for future studies on the function of deliberate and spontaneous MW across development.

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