Comprendre et exploiter les différences chez les femmes atteintes de TDAH : une étude qualitative

Titre original en anglais : Understanding and harnessing differences in women with ADHD: A qualitative study

Bradley, S., Parzych, I., Platts, J., & Powell, L. (2025). Understanding and harnessing differences in women with ADHD: A qualitative study. Neurodiversity, 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330251317199

Date de publication: 01/01/2025 Ajout dans AutiHub: 09/08/2026 Type: Article Langue de l’article: Anglais

Cette publication est intégrée dans AutiHub via :

Auteurs

Auteur·ices des publications
4
Auteur·ices de la publication identifié·es comme autistes
1 / 4 (25,0 %)

Résumé

Les femmes atteintes de trouble du déficit de l'attention avec ou sans hyperactivité (TDAH) sont souvent mal comprises, ce qui est renforcé par des recherches centrées sur les déficits et par des attentes sociétales genrées qui négligent les femmes neurodivergentes. Ancré dans l'approche de la neurodiversité, ce travail considère le TDAH comme une différence cognitive, et non comme un déficit. Les auteurs reconnaissent l'importance de partager et de comprendre ces différences, car elles peuvent favoriser les réussites, l'autonomisation, les compétences d'auto-représentation et l'acceptation identitaire. Cette étude a invité 11 femmes atteintes de TDAH à faire entendre leur voix afin de contribuer à une compréhension holistique du TDAH chez les femmes, en mettant particulièrement l'accent sur la manière dont les différences peuvent faciliter des expériences gratifiantes et positives. Une analyse thématique réflexive a identifié quatre thèmes : (1) les différences sociales et de communication peuvent faciliter des relations positives chez les femmes atteintes de TDAH ; (2) les expériences gratifiantes chez les femmes atteintes de TDAH sont motivées par les différences, et non par les déficits ; (3) les diagnostics de TDAH chez les femmes peuvent être « majeurs » pour la construction de sens identitaire ; et (4) les difficultés genrées créent des obstacles au soutien des femmes atteintes de TDAH (sous-thème : le langage peut renforcer des conceptions nuisibles et stigmatisées du TDAH chez les femmes). Ce travail favorisera de meilleurs résultats pour les femmes atteintes de TDAH en partageant leurs différences et la manière dont la société peut s'adapter pour exploiter ces différences grâce à des approches plus sensibles au genre. Résumé grand public Les femmes atteintes de trouble du déficit de l'attention avec ou sans hyperactivité (TDAH) rencontrent des difficultés différentes de celles des hommes atteints de TDAH. Il existe peu de recherches sur les femmes atteintes de TDAH, et les recherches existantes se concentrent généralement sur leurs déficits, et non sur leurs différences ou sur la manière dont leurs différences peuvent faciliter des expériences positives. Il est important que cela change, car nous savons que cela peut être bénéfique pour les femmes atteintes de TDAH. Les bénéfices comprennent une meilleure estime de soi, une réduction de la stigmatisation ainsi qu'un meilleur soutien et une meilleure compréhension des femmes atteintes de TDAH. Par conséquent, cette étude interroge 11 femmes atteintes de TDAH sur leurs expériences, en se concentrant sur la manière dont les différences peuvent faciliter des expériences gratifiantes et positives. Les participantes ont expliqué comment leurs différences liées au TDAH peuvent les aider à acquérir des expériences de vie positives en poursuivant des loisirs, en développant des relations significatives et en prenant des décisions gratifiantes concernant leurs études et leurs professions. Les participantes ont également fait part des difficultés qu'elles ont rencontrées pour obtenir leur diagnostic de TDAH, ainsi que de l'incompréhension de leur TDAH par les autres, qui se reflétait souvent dans l'emploi d'un langage négatif par autrui. En incluant dans ce travail les voix de l'expérience vécue, nous pouvons améliorer la compréhension des différences vécues par les femmes atteintes de TDAH et montrer comment la société peut s'adapter pour les soutenir.

Women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often misunderstood which is reinforced by deficit-focused research and gendered societal expectations that overlook neurodivergent women. Grounded in the neurodiversity approach, this work views ADHD as a cognitive difference, not deficit. Authors recognise the importance of sharing and understanding these differences as they can harness achievements, empowerment, self-advocacy skills and identity acceptance. This study invited 11 women with ADHD, to share their voices to contribute to a holistic understanding of ADHD in women with particular focus on how differences can facilitate rewarding and positive experiences. Reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes: (1) Social and communication differences can facilitate positive relationships in women with ADHD; (2) Rewarding experiences in women with ADHD are driven by differences, not deficits; (3) ADHD diagnoses in women can be ‘massive’ for identity sense-making and (4) Gendered challenges create barriers to support for women with ADHD (subtheme: Language can reinforce harmful and stigmatised views of ADHD in women). This work will facilitate improved outcomes for women with ADHD by sharing their differences, and how society can adapt to harness these differences through more gender-sensitive approaches. Lay abstract Women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience challenges that are different to men with ADHD. There is little research around women with ADHD and the research that does exist usually focuses on their deficits, not their differences or how their differences can facilitate positive experiences. It is important that this changes, because we know this can be beneficial for women with ADHD. Benefits include improved self-esteem, reduced stigma and improved support and understanding women with ADHD. Therefore, this study interviews 11 women with ADHD about their experiences, with a focus on how differences can facilitate rewarding and positive experiences. Participants shared how their ADHD-related differences can help them to gain positive life experiences through pursuing hobbies, developing meaningful relationships and making rewarding decisions around their studies and occupations. Participants also shared challenges they had with gaining their ADHD diagnosis, and others misunderstanding their ADHD which was often reflected through use of negative language by others. By including the lived experience voices in this work, we can improve understanding of the differences experienced by women with ADHD and share how society can adapt to support women with ADHD.

Bibliographie citée par cette référence

Les références citées sont importées depuis des sources externes de métadonnées lorsqu’elles sont disponibles. La liste peut être partielle.

Vue d’ensemble de l’inclusion dans la bibliographie

Ces indicateurs décrivent la bibliographie citée importée pour cette publication. Les métriques de références citées utilisent le total des références citées comme dénominateur. Les métriques d’auteurices cité·es indiquent si elles utilisent toutes les occurrences d’auteurices cité·es ou seulement les occurrences rattachées à des auteurices déjà intégré·es à la base de données AutiHub. Ils utilisent les rattachements mis en cache entre les auteurices cité·es et les auteurices intégré·es à la base de données AutiHub. Dernier calcul : 16/08/2026 11:31.

Références citées
60
Nombre total de références citées intégrées pour cette publication.
Références citées avec un·e auteur·ice identifié·e comme autiste
5 / 60 (8,3 %)
Occurrences d’auteur·ices cité·es identifié·es comme autistes
7 / 241 (2,9 %)
Parmi les occurrences rattachées à des auteurices intégré·es à la base de données AutiHub : 7 / 27 (25,9 %). Auteurices cité·es distinct·es identifié·es comme autistes : 6 / 231 (2,6 %).
Occurrences citées rattachées à la base AutiHub
27 / 241 (11,2 %)
Auteurices cité·es distinct·es rattaché·es : 21 / 231 (9,1 %)
Occurrences rattachées, non identifiées comme autistes
20 / 27 (74,1 %)
Parmi les seules occurrences rattachées. Sur l’ensemble des occurrences d’auteurices cité·es : 20 / 241 (8,3 %). Auteurices cité·es distinct·es rattaché·es, non identifié·es comme autistes : 15 / 21 (71,4 %).
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