Is aphantasia connected to ADHD or autism?

The best answer is that we don't know yet if there is a direct biological link. Online communities report significant overlap, and classroom observations tend to match that pattern, but large controlled studies confirming a direct connection don't exist yet. The research on aphantasia itself is still young. What's worth knowing is that the behaviors aphantasia produces can look a lot like the behaviors associated with ADHD and other neurodivergent profiles. Difficulty following multi-step directions, apparent inattention when a task goes internal, and anxiety before new situations all overlap enough that aphantasia can be missed entirely when something else is already on the table. Having aphantasia doesn't mean a child also has ADHD or autism, and having ADHD or autism doesn't mean a child also has aphantasia, but they can absolutely show up together. When they do, untangling what's causing what takes patience. What helps in every case is the same shift, which is to stop handing the kid tools that don't fit and watch what they can actually do.