Behind The Mask: Gender, Neurodiversity and the Hidden Struggles of Adult Women with ADHD
(2025) TKAM02 20251Division of Ethnology
- Abstract (Danish)
- Dette speciale undersøger de levede erfaringer hos kvinder med Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), som er diagnosticeret i voksenalderen i Danmark, med fokus på, hvordan kulturelt forankrede normer og diagnostiske rammer bidrager til maskeringsadfærd, forsinket genkendelse samt systemisk udelukkelse. Baggrunden for specialet er en vedvarende underdiagnostisering af ADHD hos kvinder og de deraf følgende negative effekter på mental sundhed, social deltagelse og selvopfattelse. Underdiagnostiseringen hos kvinder tilskrives ofte diagnostiske redskaber og praksisser, der historisk har fokuseret på mandlige symptompræsentationer.
Med udgangspunkt i et kulturelt og kritisk handicapperspektiv benytter specialet teorier om... (More) - Dette speciale undersøger de levede erfaringer hos kvinder med Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), som er diagnosticeret i voksenalderen i Danmark, med fokus på, hvordan kulturelt forankrede normer og diagnostiske rammer bidrager til maskeringsadfærd, forsinket genkendelse samt systemisk udelukkelse. Baggrunden for specialet er en vedvarende underdiagnostisering af ADHD hos kvinder og de deraf følgende negative effekter på mental sundhed, social deltagelse og selvopfattelse. Underdiagnostiseringen hos kvinder tilskrives ofte diagnostiske redskaber og praksisser, der historisk har fokuseret på mandlige symptompræsentationer.
Med udgangspunkt i et kulturelt og kritisk handicapperspektiv benytter specialet teorier om performativitet, crip-teori og “den kronisk syge rolle” til at undersøge, hvordan normative forventninger former adfærdsmæssige præstationer og forstærker stigmatisering. Specialet bygger på en kvalitativ metodologi. Det empiriske materiale består af syv dybdegående, semistrukturerede interviews med otte kvinder, alle diagnosticeret med ADHD som voksne, suppleret med narrativ analyse af podcast-episoder. Dette materiale danner grundlaget for at afdække samspillet mellem individuelle strategier og institutionelle barrierer.
Nøglefundene viser, at kvinder med ADHD benytter omfattende maskeringsstrategier for at leve op til normative idealer om femininitet og produktivitet, hvilket ofte forsinker deres diagnose. Undersøgelsen understreger det presserende behov for at gentænke institutionelle strukturer inden for uddannelse, sundhedspleje og på arbejdsmarkedet for at fremme en mere inkluderende forståelse af neurodiversitet.
Ved at belyse den systemiske produktion af handicap gennem normativ rigiditet går specialet ind for en transformerende tilgang, der sætter neurodivergente kvinders stemmer i centrum og omdefinerer, hvad det vil sige at være “able”. (Less) - Abstract
- This thesis investigates the lived experiences of women with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diagnosed in adulthood in Denmark, focusing on how culturally ingrained norms and diagnostic frameworks contribute to masking behaviours, delayed recognition and systemic exclusion. The reason behind this thesis is a persistent underdiagnosis of ADHD in women and the subsequent resultant negative effects on mental health, social participation and self-perception. The under-diagnosis of women is often attributed to diagnostic tools and practices historically centered on male symptom presentations.
Adopting a cultural and critical disability studies perspective, this thesis utilises theories of performativity, crip theory and the... (More) - This thesis investigates the lived experiences of women with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diagnosed in adulthood in Denmark, focusing on how culturally ingrained norms and diagnostic frameworks contribute to masking behaviours, delayed recognition and systemic exclusion. The reason behind this thesis is a persistent underdiagnosis of ADHD in women and the subsequent resultant negative effects on mental health, social participation and self-perception. The under-diagnosis of women is often attributed to diagnostic tools and practices historically centered on male symptom presentations.
Adopting a cultural and critical disability studies perspective, this thesis utilises theories of performativity, crip theory and the ‘chronic sick role’ to explore how normative expectations shape behavioural performances and reinforces stigma. A qualitative methodology underpins the thesis. The empirical material consists of 7 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 8 women, all diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, supplemented by narrative analysis of podcast-episodes. These provide the empirical material to uncover the interplay between individual strategies and institutional barriers.
Key findings reveal that women with ADHD engage in extensive masking to adhere to normative ideals of femininity and productivity, a practice that often delays their diagnosis. The study underscores the urgent need for reimagining institutional structures in education, healthcare and the workplace to foster a more inclusive understanding of neurodiversity.
By highlighting the systemic production of disability through normative rigidity, the thesis advocates for a transformative approach that centers the voices of neurodivergent women and redefines what it means to be ‘able’. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9212354
- author
- Christiansen, Cecilie LU
- supervisor
-
- Rui Liu LU
- organization
- course
- TKAM02 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- ADHD diagnosis, Adult women, Neurodiversity, Masking, Gender norms, Ableism, Crip Theory
- language
- English
- id
- 9212354
- date added to LUP
- 2025-12-17 13:12:53
- date last changed
- 2025-12-17 13:12:53
@misc{9212354,
abstract = {{This thesis investigates the lived experiences of women with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diagnosed in adulthood in Denmark, focusing on how culturally ingrained norms and diagnostic frameworks contribute to masking behaviours, delayed recognition and systemic exclusion. The reason behind this thesis is a persistent underdiagnosis of ADHD in women and the subsequent resultant negative effects on mental health, social participation and self-perception. The under-diagnosis of women is often attributed to diagnostic tools and practices historically centered on male symptom presentations.
Adopting a cultural and critical disability studies perspective, this thesis utilises theories of performativity, crip theory and the ‘chronic sick role’ to explore how normative expectations shape behavioural performances and reinforces stigma. A qualitative methodology underpins the thesis. The empirical material consists of 7 in-depth semi-structured interviews with 8 women, all diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, supplemented by narrative analysis of podcast-episodes. These provide the empirical material to uncover the interplay between individual strategies and institutional barriers.
Key findings reveal that women with ADHD engage in extensive masking to adhere to normative ideals of femininity and productivity, a practice that often delays their diagnosis. The study underscores the urgent need for reimagining institutional structures in education, healthcare and the workplace to foster a more inclusive understanding of neurodiversity.
By highlighting the systemic production of disability through normative rigidity, the thesis advocates for a transformative approach that centers the voices of neurodivergent women and redefines what it means to be ‘able’.}},
author = {{Christiansen, Cecilie}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Behind The Mask: Gender, Neurodiversity and the Hidden Struggles of Adult Women with ADHD}},
year = {{2025}},
}