Effectiveness of a Tailored Occupational Therapy Intervention for Women With ADHD

Although woman are diagnosed with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at a 1:3 ratio with men, recent research suggests that woman may experience the same levels of adult ADHD as men but are underdiagnosed because symptoms may be less severe and/or mistaken for anxiety and depression. Women with ADHD typically experience problems in managing worker, student, spousal, and parenting roles dues to disorganization, poor time management, difficulty regulating internal and external stressors, and difficulty maintaining daily schedules and routines. Intervention effectiveness research has largely focused on pharmacological treatment of ADHD symptoms; however, while such pharmacological treatment tends to enhance concentration and reduce motor restlessness, it does not address the skills needed to successfully carry out daily life roles and activities dependent upon time management, prioritization of tasks, and regulation of emotional responses within the home, school/work, and community environments. In this study, the investigators aim to determine whether a 7-week tailored occupational therapy intervention addressing organization, time management, stress management, and sensory regulation in the home, school/work, and community environments can increase satisfaction in desired daily life activities, and reduce ADHD symptoms and stress levels in women with ADHD.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is believed to be neurologically based and characterized by enduring attentional problems, motor restlessness, and cognitive and motor impulsivity that impact one's ability to function optimally in daily life activities. ADHD is commonly diagnosed in childhood at a prevalence rate of 11% and a male to female ratio of 3:1. The prevalence of adult ADHD varies from 4 to 6% and it is estimated that two-thirds of adult ADHD disorders are extensions of childhood ADHD. Researchers have suggested that the male to female prevalence ratio is inaccurate and that females experience ADHD at similar levels to males but are underdiagnosed. While boys with ADHD are often identified by their teachers because of motor impulsivity and inattention, girls with ADHD who may experience attentional problems and impulsivity without significant hyperactivity, may fail to be identified by teachers as needing evaluation and treatment. Some studies have found that female children and adolescents who experience the ADHD symptoms of inattention, disorganization, poor time management, and distractibility are more likely to be misdiagnosed with depression and anxiety. When depression and anxiety occur in children and adolescents with undiagnosed ADHD symptoms, they may result from the inability to manage ADHD symptoms as they impact functional performance in the home, school, and community.

Much of the research exploring ADHD has been devoted to children and adolescents. The research examining adult ADHD has thus far largely attempted to describe the phenomenon of adult ADHD. Research investigating intervention effectiveness for adult ADHD has primarily focused on pharmacological treatment. The small body of research examining non-pharmacological treatment has found moderate effectiveness for pharmacological intervention combined with cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoeducation.

Missing from this body of literature is research specifically examining interventions for women with ADHD, who present symptoms that are both overlapping with and unique from their male counterparts.

Studies have found that women with ADHD tend to have difficulty maintaining and succeeding in employment, school, and parenting and spousal roles. The ability to organize and implement tasks associated with each role, follow daily schedules and routines needed to support desired roles, prioritize and manage tasks in a timely manner, and regulate internal and external stressors to maintain consistent emotional responses may be difficult for with women with ADHD.

In this study, the investigators aim to provide a 7-week tailored intervention for women with ADHD who have difficulty carrying out student, worker, spousal, and parenting roles due to poor time management, organization of their physical environments, management of internal and external stressors, and regulation of internal and external stimulation.

This intervention effectiveness study will use randomization and control. Twenty-four women who self-report diagnoses of ADHD will be recruited to participate and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=12) or control group (n=12). The intervention group will receive the 6-week intervention; the control group will not receive intervention (bit will receive an organization toolkit at study end).

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Females aged 21-55 years
* English-speaking
* Self-reported ADHD

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe co-morbid condition such as an eating disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, or substance use disorder