A quick analysis of the qualitative data pertaining to the lived experiences of people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
The estimated prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults worldwide is 7%. Historically, ADHD has been seen as a childhood disorder; nevertheless, 40–50% of children with ADHD may continue to satisfy criteria as adults. ADHD diagnosis criteria include impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattentional symptoms that have existed since childhood. These criteria are primarily based on presentations in children, though they have evolved over time to better take adult experiences into account, though not entirely.
ment Adults with ADHD are disproportionately prone to be jailed; 26% of inmates suffer from ADHD. Given the significant rise in ADHD diagnoses in recent years, many adults with the disorder are probably not among the many who did not receive a childhood diagnosis. Even in more recent times, mood or personality problems, as well as other psychiatric diseases, are sometimes misunderstood or underdiagnosed as ADHD. Less than half of adults with ADHD continue to take stimulant medicine, possibly because many patients lose access to resources as they go from child to adult health services, even after being diagnosed with ADHD as children.
While therapy does not totally eliminate symptoms, non-pharmacological approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have demonstrated promise in helping people manage their symptoms of ADHD. More effective or focused treatment interventions may be possible with a deeper comprehension of the symptoms experienced by adults with ADHD and the impact these symptoms have on their life.
Qualitative research can shed light on real-world experiences, and the conclusions drawn from these investigations might guide further investigations into possible symptoms and treatment approaches. This review's objective is to provide an overview of the most recent qualitative research on adult ADHD patients' lived experiences. This review aims to establish knowledge gaps, highlight areas where patient needs could be better served, and shed light on the symptomatology of adult ADHD.
On October 11, 2021, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Embase were searched without any time constraints using the rapid review process. "ADHD" and associated terms were included in the search, along with "qualitative methods" if they were found in the abstracts or titles. A clinical librarian assisted in conducting the entire search. After 417 articles from the search were uploaded to Endnote X9, 111 duplicates were eliminated. After removing one duplication, the remaining 307 articles were uploaded to the Covidence Systematic Review Management Software for screening. An earlier review on the real-world experiences of adults with ADHD was also found through the search. The ten papers included in this review were also submitted to Covidence, where 314 unique articles were found after two duplicates were eliminated.
Studies, including mixed-methods studies, that presented original, peer-reviewed qualitative data on the lived experience of individuals with ADHD were eligible for inclusion. The term "adult" was defined as 18 years of age or older. Studies involving participants in their adolescent and young adult years were only accepted if the results were broken down by age. Studies that reported outcomes separately by diagnosis were included, even if some individuals did not have ADHD. Studies on family members, healthcare professionals, or other groups commenting on adults with ADHD were deemed outside the purview of this study, as were any including adult participants who were just reflecting on their experiences with ADHD as children. Articles had to have been published in English, although they might come from any nation. The exclusion of individual case studies was motivated by concerns over generalizability.
Two reviewers examined twenty percent of the titles and abstracts to see if they met the inclusion criteria. Since many titles and abstracts omitted age information, studies were first included without consideration for the age of participants. Two reviewers reviewed the abstracts that were left out and the remaining abstracts. To guarantee uniformity, ten papers were screened for full-text screening by both reviewers. Two reviewers screened the papers that were left out, while one reviewer screened the remaining pieces.Despite this, stimulant medication is a highly effective treatment for adult ADHD. Adults with ADHD frequently have unfulfilled desires. people with ADHD have a roughly 2.5-fold higher prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) than people without ADHD
One reviewer used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for qualitative research to perform the quality assessment. Only two studies addressed reflexivity, approximately one-third of the included studies contained no explicit information about ethics approval, two-thirds did not place researchers theoretically or culturally, and half of the included studies did not specify philosophical perspectives. All studies were included, regardless of methodological rigor, due to the tiny body of literature and the varying quality rating outcomes.
The study aims, participant characteristics (such as country of residence, demographics, and sample size), basic study characteristics and methods, and text samples of qualitative results were among the data retrieved. The characteristics of the study were input into a Google Sheets spreadsheet. All study PDFs were imported into NVivo 12, and grounded theory was used to code the findings sections. Data was extracted and coded by one reviewer, and then it was subjected to a second reviewer for thematic consistency.
123 publications with relevant titles and abstracts were selected through screening. 35 of these were included following the evaluation of the whole text. The majority of the methodology used in the articles, which were published between 2005 and 2021, was individual interviews (91%), with focus groups being used in other studies (14%). Three studies were exclusive to senior persons (>50 years), and eight concentrated on young adults (18–35 years). Three included participants who were exclusively female, while two had individuals who were exclusively male. Three were carried out in Asia, nine in North America, and nine in Europe. Participants from Oceania, South America, or Africa were not included in any study. Participants with current or past SUDs were included in six studies; college students were the subject of six studies; adults with diagnoses were included in four research; and highly studies were included in two studies.
The identified themes are outlined in, which also offers a synopsis of the key discoveries. There are several themes that cross over, and the main text notes these regions.