Adult women would be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on average five years later than men, even if their symptoms appeared at the same age. This is what a study published in the journal shows European Psychiatry and reported by the online media IFLScience, covering 900 adult individuals who received their first diagnosis in a specialized clinic in Barcelona.
The results of the study, published in April 2025, indicate that on average women in the sample were diagnosed at 28.96 years old, while the average age of men at the time of their diagnosis was 24.13 years old. Other differences also emerged between the two genders: men were around three times more likely to have experienced legal problems (18.1% versus 6.6%) and women generally had more severe symptoms and were more affected by anxiety and depression.
The authors of the study believe that not diagnosing ADHD in women for a long time leads to a decline in their well-being and quality of life. “Our results suggest that we may be missing early signs in girls and women, study lead researcher Silvia Amoretti said in a statement.. Particularly when their symptoms are less disruptive to society but nonetheless important. This has obvious implications for developing earlier, gender-specific screening tools.”
She continues: “Our goal was not to compare age of diagnosis in men and women. Rather, we were seeking to understand the general age of onset of symptoms, regardless of gender. This result was not part of our initial hypotheses, but it became clear during the analysis and the magnitude of the difference in diagnosis between the sexes was a surprise.
Different symptoms
This study is not the first to highlight that men with ADHD have higher rates of substance use disorders and behavioral disorders. The authors therefore argue that a better understanding of differences in comorbidities affecting men and women could help optimize screening and treatment programs.
Thus, still according to Silvia Amoretti, ADHD in boys and young men tends to often manifest itself through hyperactive or impulsive behavior, which allows it to be detected earlier. In contrast, girls and young women may be considered “inattentive.” “It is very significant at the clinical levelcontinues the researcher, because this means that women are not treated early enough and often simply go undiagnosed.”
It is not yet clear exactly why ADHD manifests itself differently in men and women. However, awareness of this disorder among adults has grown exponentially in recent years and has become a major topic of conversation on social media. Several celebrities have also publicly shared their diagnosis.
While ADHD diagnosis rates are also on the rise, this study reinforces concerns about persistent gender disparities. “The very nature of the disease leads to more difficult diagnosis in women everywhere, completes Silvia Amoretti. That means that women can lose an average of five years of treatment, or five years of a better life.”
