Unveiling the mystery about adult ADHD: one woman's journey.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurobiological disorder, affects millions of individuals and can significantly impact an individual's life course. Research guidelines used in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment have focused primarily on Caucasian males generating, in part, the need to redress how gender and other contextual factors are considered. Consequently many women and persons from diverse cultural groups can be ignored or misdiagnosed. Undiagnosed and untreated women with ADHD are therefore limited in their potential to flourish socially, academically, interpersonally, and in their family roles. This case example of a 38-year-old African American woman illustrates how her life journey was affected by undiagnosed ADHD.
Waite
Roberta
R
School of Nursing, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA. rlw26@drexel.edu
Ivey
Nicole
N
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000208:ethnology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012944:Social Support; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D017748:Time Management