Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women

Summary & key facts

Researchers searched three research databases and analyzed eight studies about adult women who had ADHD but were not diagnosed as children. They found four main patterns: living with undiagnosed ADHD hurt women’s social and emotional wellbeing, made relationships harder, left many feeling out of control, and that getting a diagnosis often helped women accept themselves. The review highlights that girls are often missed by current diagnostic practices and that a late diagnosis can change how women understand their past and their identity.

Key facts:

• The authors found and analyzed eight studies that met their strict rules from searches of three databases.
• Across research, the childhood ratio of boys to girls with ADHD is about 3 to 1, while in adulthood it is closer to 1 to 1, which suggests many girls are missed in childhood.
• ADHD is common. About 5% to 10% of school-aged children have ADHD, and roughly 2% to 6% of adults are affected worldwide.
• Four main themes came up across the studies: impacts on social and emotional wellbeing, difficult relationships, a feeling of lacking control, and greater self-acceptance after finally getting diagnosed.
• Many women who were undiagnosed described feeling different, lazy, or unintelligent and often blamed themselves. Getting a diagnosis was often described as a ‘lightbulb moment’ that helped them accept themselves.
• Girls more often show the inattentive form of ADHD, with symptoms like being easily distracted, disorganized, and forgetful. These signs are less likely to be noticed than the more active behaviors often seen in boys.
• Women are more likely to be referred for emotional problems, such as anxiety or depression, and are more often prescribed non-ADHD medications like antidepressants before an ADHD diagnosis is made.
• Past research and diagnostic criteria have focused more on male patterns of ADHD. For example, one study found that about 72% of clinically diagnosed children were boys, showing a bias in who gets noticed and studied.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to explore the impact of living with undiagnosed ADHD and adult diagnosis on women. METHOD: A systematic literature search was completed using three databases. Eight articles were considered relevant based on strict inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the results of the articles. RESULTS: Four key themes emerged: Impacts on social-emotional wellbeing, Difficult relationships, Lack of control, and Self-acceptance after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This knowledge can be used to advance the understanding of ADHD in adult women and the implications for late diagnosis in women.

Topics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Psychiatry and Mental health

Tags

Clinical psychology Developmental psychology Inclusion (mineral) Law MEDLINE Political science Psychiatry Psychology Qualitative research Social psychology Social science Sociology Systematic review Thematic analysis

Conditions & symptoms

ADHD Anxiety Depression Eating Disorder Anxiety or worry Difficulty focusing Feeling disconnected from others Sadness or low mood