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many girls with adhd They are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthoodMy recent research points to a possible explanation for this,
The study, published with my colleague Sorcha Walsh, found that many of the women we interviewed may have displayed symptoms of ADHD in school, but these were not interpreted as such. This mistaken identity meant more than just Most awaited year for diagnosis -It also had a long-term impact on their sense of self.
The research involved in-depth interviews with 13 women aged 18–35 who were officially diagnosed with ADHD, usually during childhood or after leaving school.
We analyzed their accounts to identify recurring patterns in their school experiences, pathways to diagnosis, and the impact of ADHD on their well-being and identity.
A surprising pattern emerged in the interviews: None of the girls were ignored because they were invisible. Rather, they were ignored because they didn’t fit what adults saw.He is the stereotype of ADHD,
Teachers repeatedly flagged difficulties – such as girls being too talkative at school, not concentrating, being disorganized, “weird” or emotionally reactive. It seems that teachers viewed such behavior as personality traits or typical girls’ behavior.
For example, one participant told us: “I was always known as the talker in school… I just thought it was a girl thing because that’s always been a trait of being a young girl.”
Another participant said: “I think it’s easier with girls to say… that they’re a little talkative or contrarian or a little dreamy… rather than digging down and looking a little deeper…”
Several participants described receiving school reports that essentially listed ADHD indicators without any suggestion that symptoms might be indicative of a neurodevelopmental condition.
This misidentification had long-term consequences. Almost all participants went to school believing that they were lazy, careless, “too emotional” or that they were “not trying hard enough.”
The most profound impact he reported was not on his grades but on his sense of self. Many people internalized the idea that there was something wrong with them — and many were misdiagnosed with anxiety, depression, or even personality disorders before receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood.
An unexpected finding was that early diagnosis did not automatically protect girls from these negative experiences. Some participants who were diagnosed while in school still struggled—not because the diagnosis was wrong, but because teachers did not understand how ADHD manifested in women.
Some received no meaningful support at all and others were treated as if their behavior was intentional rather than symptomatic.
This highlights an important nuance: timing of diagnosis matters, but understanding matters more.
diagnostic culture
Our study highlights a broader issue within today’s clinical culture. We diagnose what we already expect to see. When a situation is viewed through a single stereotype, those who do not fit into that picture fall through the cracks.
For decades, ADHD has been culturally associated with the image of a young boy who can’t sit still, disrupts lessons, or climbs on furniture. But our research showed that most of the girls we interviewed did not behave this way.
About the author
Vlad Glaveanu is Professor of Psychology in the Business School of Dublin City University.
This article was first published Conversation And it is republished under a Creative Commons license. read the original article,
It also shows how society reacts to the behavior of girls. Many women in our study talked about masking (to hide symptoms or avoid judgment), overcompensating, people pleasing, and making every effort not to upset others. These behaviors were rewarded. Their ability to cope, or at least appear to be okay, was taken as proof that they were okay.
But coping is not the same as thriving. Masking and overcompensation in women with ADHD is associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression, burnout, and lower quality of life.
Diagnostic systems for ADHD have historically been designed to identify observable, behavioral signs of the condition – such as hyperactivity, rule-breaking, and disruptive classroom behavior – rather than more internalized forms of distress and impairment.
This means that established criteria may struggle to detect internal difficulties – such as emotional dysregulation (having trouble managing emotions or feeling overwhelmed), cognitive overload (mental exhaustion when faced with too much information or demands) or quiet inattention – which may also be signs of the condition. This creates a systemic inequity: The children who are easiest to ignore are also the most likely to be misunderstood.
Since our study was relatively small, it will be important for future studies to examine whether these patterns can be replicated in larger or more diverse samples.
However, our findings are consistent with other findings in the broader literature, which suggests that girls with ADHD are more likely to exhibit predominantly inattentive and internalizing symptoms. Research has also shown that their difficulties, compared to boys, may be misattributed to anxiety or mood problems and may be diagnosed later or ignored altogether.
Supporting Girls with ADHD
The women we spoke to made clear suggestions of what a difference it would have made.
Schools can support girls with ADHD, and detect the condition earlier by recognizing non-stereotypical signs of ADHD (including daydreaming, talkativeness or restlessness) – and ensuring that teachers are appropriately trained about how to identify ADHD and how it manifests differently in girls.
Participants suggested that it would be helpful if positive strengths such as creativity, humor, quick thinking, and the ability to hyperfocus were seen as assets to be nurtured in school rather than ignored.
Those who were diagnosed with ADHD while they were in school also suggested that meaningful accommodations might have improved their experiences – such as more structure, movement breaks and mentorship for girls with ADHD.
Finally, girls with ADHD don’t need to be loud to be recognized. They need a school system that knows what to look for. Recognizing their earlier experiences can prevent years of misunderstanding, self-doubt, and missed potential.