This systematic review looked at what it is like for women to live with ADHD that goes undiagnosed until adulthood and then to be diagnosed as adults. The researchers started with 484 records. They screened these down to eight peer-reviewed articles. All eight were published in English after 1997. Each focused on women over age 18 who were diagnosed with ADHD as adults.
The researchers analyzed the articles for shared themes. Four key themes emerged. The first was impacts on social and emotional well-being. The second was difficult relationships. The third was a lack of control. The fourth was self-acceptance after diagnosis.
Negative effects on social and emotional well-being were a main finding in all eight papers. Seven of the eight papers supported difficulty in family and romantic relationships. Six of the eight papers reported feelings of relief and self-acceptance after diagnosis.
The review concluded that living undiagnosed until adulthood can have lasting impacts. These touched social and emotional well-being, the ability to form and keep relationships, and feelings of control.
The review also named its limits. The included studies relied on what women said about themselves in reports and interviews. That can bring in bias, including errors of memory. The studies were also fairly small, so the results may not apply widely. The authors stated that research on this topic is limited, so firm conclusions are not possible.
Source: Darby E. Attoe, Emma A. Climie. Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women. Journal of Attention Disorders (2023). doi:10.1177/10870547231161533