ADHD: girls’ symptoms are often missed in school because they don’t fit stereotypes – new research

 ADHD in the News 2025-12-18


Many girls with ADHD aren’t diagnosed until their late teens or adulthood. My recent research points to a possible explanation for this. The study, published with my colleague Sorcha Walsh, found that while many of the women we interviewed may have displayed signs of ADHD while at school, these weren’t interpreted as such. This misrecognition not only meant that most waited years for a diagnosis – it also had long-term impacts on their sense of self.