Abstract
The well-established sexual dimorphism in human neurobiological development extends to the patterns of behavior observed along the developmental course of ADHD. Current research suggests that the prevalence of ADHD among females is approaching that of males. Given the proposed changes in the ADHD diagnostic criteria for DSM-5 (which will raise the required age of onset of symptoms from 7 to 12), it is likely that the rate of diagnosis among girls will continue to increase. Cross-sectional research that compared boys and girls with ADHD has yielded inconsistent findings, because adolescent girls are at a different point in their development than boys of the same age. More recent longitudinal studies highlight the pattern of adolescent and adult risks associated with ADHD in females and bring to fo-cus the importance of making clinical judgments in assessment and treatment of ADHD on the basis of sex-specific comparisons. Continued work examining the sex differences in expression of ADHD from early childhood (ie, preschoolers) through adulthood is encouraged.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Journal | Psychiatric Times |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| State | Published - Oct 1 2012 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Phychiatric Mental Health
- Psychiatry and Mental health