ADHD in Women and Girls

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a significant proportion of the global population. Research has historically focused on males, leaving critical gaps in understanding how ADHD presents, develops, and is managed in women and girls. Females are systematically under-identified, often receiving a diagnosis years later than their male counterparts, and carry distinct clinical, psychosocial, hormonal, and biological features that remain poorly understood. Addressing these gaps is essential to improving diagnosis, care, and quality of life for the substantial proportion of people with ADHD who are female.This Research Topic welcomes contributions spanning the full lifespan of women and girls with ADHD, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood and later life, across clinical, translational, and patient-centred perspectives. Topics of particular interest include, but are not limited to:- Identification and diagnosis: sex and gender biases in screening tools and diagnostic criteria; late and missed diagnosis; disparities across age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status- Masking, camouflaging, and lived experience: self-concealment strategies; the psychological impact of late or absent diagnosis; identity, intersectionality, and qualitative or patient-led perspectives- Comorbidities in females: intersections with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, autism spectrum conditions, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and emotionally unstable personality disorder- Hormonal influences across the lifespan: ADHD across the menstrual cycle; puberty; pregnancy and the postpartum period; perimenopause and menopause; interactions between hormonal change and medication efficacy- Treatment and management: sex and gender differences in pharmacological response and tolerability; psychosocial and behavioural interventions; reproductive health considerations in prescribing- Girls and adolescent development: schooling and academic functioning; peer relationships; early identification and developmental trajectories- Biological and translational research: neuroimaging and genetics; sex hormone effects on brain function and neurotransmitter systems; novel biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment responseAll article types accepted by Frontiers in Global Women’s Health will be considered. Topic editors: Jayashri Kulkarni, Caroline Gurvich, Dora Souleika Rebecca Wynchank Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82070/adhd-in-women-and-girls