Women with ADHD and Risky Behaviors: A Groundbreaking Study
Sunday, December 1, 2024.
A new study published in BMC Psychiatry has revealed that women with ADHD are more likely than men with the condition to engage in risky behaviors.
This finding underscores the importance of recognizing and addressing sex-specific differences in how ADHD manifests and is treated, offering valuable insights for clinicians and women navigating this condition.
ADHD in Women: The Underdiagnosed Reality
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, affects individuals across all ages.
Historically, boys are more frequently diagnosed in childhood, while girls often go unnoticed until much later in life.
This is partly because ADHD symptoms present differently in females—emotional dysregulation and internalized struggles like anxiety or depression often replace the hyperactive behaviors more commonly seen in males.
This delayed diagnosis can have profound implications for women, affecting their self-esteem, relationships, and even career trajectories. Understanding these unique challenges is essential to providing better care.
Key Findings: Women with ADHD and Risk-Taking
The research, led by Alexandra Philipsen and Silke Lux from the University of Bonn, examined how ADHD influences decision-making in adults, focusing on emotional and physiological differences between men and women.
Using the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART), a tool designed to measure risk-taking, researchers explored behaviors in 29 adults with ADHD and 33 healthy controls.
Participants faced a digital balloon that inflated automatically. A bigger balloon promised higher monetary rewards but increased the risk of explosion, which would result in losing all earnings.
The Results
Higher Risk-Taking in Women: Women with ADHD were more likely to take risks compared to men with ADHD. This pattern was unique to the ADHD group and did not appear in the control group.
Disconnect in Self-Perception: Women with ADHD reported lower sensitivity to their risky behaviors, suggesting a gap between their self-awareness and actual decision-making patterns.
Physiological Responses: Interestingly, no significant differences were found in skin conductance responses (SCR) between men and women, indicating that emotional arousal during decision-making may not differ as much physiologically.
Emotional and Social Implications
This study highlights an important reality: women with ADHD may be engaged in a hidden struggle to recognize or manage their risky behaviors, which can impact their lives in significant ways.
These tendencies might manifest as impulsive financial decisions, unsafe relationships, or even challenges with substance use.
For many women, this disconnect can lead to a cycle of frustration, self-blame, and emotional exhaustion. Clinicians must address these patterns with empathy and offer tools to help women better identify, understand and navigate their ADHD-driven behaviors.
Why This Matters
The findings emphasize the need for gender-specific approaches in diagnosing and treating ADHD.
For too long, ADHD has been understood primarily through the lens of male-centric research, leaving women underserved and misunderstood.
This study is a call to action for a more nuanced perspective—one that considers the emotional, social, and physiological realities women face.
Limitations and Future Directions
While this study offers valuable insights, some limitations must be considered. Participants discontinued ADHD medication 24 hours before the study, but residual effects could still have influenced outcomes. Additionally, the small sample size means further research is needed to validate these findings.
Building a Compassionate Path Forward
There’s a research gap for women and ADHD. Women with ADHD deserve more tailored support and understanding. This study offers hope that the medical and psychological communities will continue advancing their understanding of ADHD through a gender-inclusive lens.
If you or someone you know struggles with ADHD, consider seeking therapy to explore the emotional and relational challenges this condition brings. I can help with that.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
REFERENCES:
Halbe, E., Heger, A. S., Kolf, F., Hüpen, P., Bergmann, M., Harrison, B. J., Davey, C. G., Philipsen, A., & Lux, S. (2024). Sex differences in physiological correlates of affectively driven decision-making behavior in adult ADHD. BMC Psychiatry.