Fidget Spinners May Not Be All They’re Cracked Up to Be
When you have someone who seems to lack focus, whether that be because of the fact that they have Special Educational Needs or simply because of a natural inability to concentrate, you will look for any way of giving them something to help.
If you are the person who has struggled to maintain your focus, then you will have sought out anything that might have been able to offer you assistance.
Fidget spinners hit the headlines when it was claimed that they could do just that, but now experts are saying that they might not be quite the panacea that we’ve been led to believe.
What is a Fidget Spinner?
Even if you’ve never used a fidget spinner yourself, it is entirely possible that you will have seen one at one point or another. Certainly, if you’ve been to a market, then you will have spotted several stalls offering either classical fidget spinners or else a variation on a theme.
The most basic version of the gadget sees three prongs emerging from a circle, with ball bearings in it to allow it to spin and whir in a hypnotic fashion. Those that originally marketed the devices claimed that they provided comfort to people who were stressed, improving your focus as you use it.
@excessorizeme It’s one of a kind… 🤩 #everydaycarry #fidgettoys #fidgetspinner #myristorantecreation ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) – Danilo Stankovic
Released in 2014, they became prevalent three years later when they were the trending toy on the market. The toy was developed by Scott McCoskery, who created a metal spinning device that he labelled a ‘Torqbar’ in order to satisfy his craving to fidget when in a meeting or on a conference call.
When others became aware of the device, demand for them went up and he began selling them online. In the years that followed, these ‘fidget spinners’ became extremely popular, to the point that they had to be banned by some schools when children began using and trading them.
What the Experts Say
From the moment that the fidget spinner hit the market, claims were made about what it was good for. Some said that it helped people who tended to fidget when they were supposed to be focussed by giving them something to release their nervous energy.
Others claimed that they were good for anxiety or psychological stress, with claims that the spinners can calm down those with neurodevelopmental or other disorders also prevalent. They were particularly marketed towards those who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which is better known as ADHD.
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— Traceism (@traceism.bsky.social) 17 April 2025 at 11:12
There were dissenting voices around their use for people with such disorders right from the start, however. There was no specific evidence or peer-reviewed work that suggested that such spinners would be a good addition to an ADHD sufferer’s life, which was summed up by Clinical Psychologist Scott Kollins, who said, “I know there are lots of similar toys, just like there are lots of other games and products marketed towards individuals who have ADHD, and there’s basically no scientific evidence that those things work across the board.
If their description says specifically that this can help for ADHD, they’re basically making false claims because these have not been evaluated in proper research.”
Vulnerable People Given False Hope
Around seven million children aged between four and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, so it is little surprise that both the sufferers themselves and their loved ones might hold out hope that a small, relatively inexpensive device might be able to help them control their issue.
Kollins said, “It’s important for parents and teachers who work with kids who have ADHD to know that there are very well-studied and documented treatments that work, and that they’re out there, so there’s not really quick and easy fixes like buying a toy.” For many, that will feel like heart-breaking news.
Of course, the reality is that you will know yourself and the behaviour of your loved one better than anyone else. If you feel as though a fidget spinner has made a big difference to your productivity or the behaviour of someone in your care, you really should ask how much it matters what a report says about the matter.
It might be ‘false hope’ from a clinical point of view, but if it seems to make a difference, then what does that matter? That is the kind of thing that you will need to think about when looking to make a decision about whether to allow the continued use of such a toy or to ban it because the science doesn’t back up the claims.