The Clinical Profile of ADHD in Adult Women: Psychiatric Comorbidities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13129/2612-4033/0110-5426Abstract
ADHD is historically underdiagnosed in females. This systematic review examines the main psychopathological comorbidities in adult women, focusing on internalizing disorders and affective correlates across the lifespan. Following PRISMA guidelines, a search was conducted across Google Scholar, PubMed, and PsycINFO (2015–2025) for studies analyzing psychiatric comorbidities in adult women with ADHD. Out of 218 records, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The review synthesized data from 3,563,887 women (45,856 diagnosed with ADHD). Women with ADHD present a more complex clinical profile than both men with ADHD and neurotypical peers. Major depression and anxiety disorders are the most frequent comorbidities, alongside high prevalences of eating disorders, borderline personality disorder, and suicidal ideation. Emerging evidence underscores a critical interaction between ADHD and female reproductive life-cycle stages, showing significantly worsened emotional distress during premenstrual phases, the postpartum period, and perimenopause. Methodologically, emotional dysregulation and alexithymia remain under-measured and are largely inferred indirectly. ADHD in women is a multidimensional condition characterized by persistent internalizing vulnerabilities that cause severe diagnostic delays. Clinical practice must adopt gender-sensitive diagnostic tools and integrated interventions targeting emotional regulation and hormonal life-stage transitions.
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