Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Affects the Sexes in Varying Ways

There has been wide research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which is a neurodevelopmental disorder that has a variety of effects. The vast majority of this research has been on men. Women are more likely to outwardly present the symptoms of the disorder as inattentive rather than as hyperactivity, which is more likely in males. This pattern, along with societal biases and misdiagnosis, means that females with ADHD are underdiagnosed. Through a comparison of the symptoms and presentation across the sexes, the path to diagnosis, and how the disorder is treated in regards to the sex of the affected individual, we can highlight the differences the gender plays in the overall course of ADHD treatment and diagnosis. Understanding these factors can help the medical community and society at large better respond to these differences to better provide for individuals with ADHD.