Kvinder med ADHD: Behandlingsoplevelser i en dansk kontekst

Women with ADHD: Treatment Experiences in a Danish Context

Henning, Akacia Abigail Reng ; Nielsen, Julie Bütow

4. semester

Psykologi, Kandidat

2026

2026-05-29

107

Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan voksne kvinder med ADHD i Danmark oplever medicinsk behandling og psykosocial støtte, og hvilke forhold der hænger sammen med gode eller mindre gode behandlingsforløb. Baggrunden er, at tidligere forskning især har fokuseret på selve udredningen og oplevelsen af at blive overset, mens erfaringer med behandling efter diagnosen er dårligere beskrevet. Undersøgelsen er en tværsnitsbaseret spørgeskemaundersøgelse (et øjebliksbillede) blandt voksne kvinder med ADHD. I alt gennemførte 358 deltagere spørgeskemaet. Det omfattede spørgsmål om baggrund og behandling, standardiserede målinger af ADHD-symptomer, forventninger til behandling og oplevelsen af at blive inddraget i behandlingsbeslutninger (fælles beslutningstagning), samt egne spørgsmål om internaliserede symptomer (fx angst og nedtrykthed), forhold til menstruationscyklus og oplevede behov. Åbne svar blev brugt til at nuancere tallene. Deltagerne var ofte diagnosticeret sent og havde høj symptombelastning, mange internaliserede symptomer og andre samtidige psykiske lidelser (komorbiditet). Medicin var den klart mest udbredte indsats: Næsten alle, der modtog behandling, havde erfaring med ADHD-medicin, mens færre havde fået psykoedukation (viden om ADHD) eller terapi. Medicin blev generelt oplevet som hjælpsom for kernesymptomer, men mange efterlyste yderligere støtte. Der var kun få stabile sammenhænge mellem, hvor alvorlige symptomerne var, og hvordan behandlingen blev oplevet. Det mest tydelige fund handlede om inddragelse i beslutninger: Jo mere deltagerne følte sig inddraget, desto bedre oplevede de effekten og desto mere tilfredse var de – både med medicinsk og terapeutisk behandling. Det peger på, at oplevelsen af relevant, individualiseret og responsiv behandling er vigtig, ud over ren symptomreduktion. Mange beskrev, at deres menstruationscyklus påvirkede både ADHD-symptomer og hvor godt medicinen virkede. Alligevel oplevede de fleste, at der sjældent blev taget højde for cyklus i behandlingen. Når der blev gjort det, var tilfredsheden højere. Det tyder på, at hormonelle og cyklusrelaterede forhold kan være klinisk relevante for nogle kvinder, men de er ofte underbelyst i praksis og forskning. De åbne svar fremhævede yderligere mangler og barrierer: ønsket om "noget andet end medicin", mangel på psykoedukation, negative behandlingsoplevelser, manglende inddragelse, ventetider, egenbetaling samt cyklusrelaterede problematikker. Mange efterspurgte terapi, viden om ADHD, konkrete strategier til hverdagen og længerevarende opfølgning efter diagnosen. Samlet peger resultaterne på, at mange voksne kvinder med ADHD har komplekse behandlingsbehov, som ikke indfanges af et snævert fokus på kernesymptomer og medicin alene. Oplevelserne synes at blive formet af sen diagnosticering, internaliserede symptomer, komorbiditet, kønsspecifikke forhold og graden af inddragelse i behandlingsbeslutninger. Da studiet er eksplorativt, tværsnitsbaseret og bygger på selvrapportering, kan det ikke fastslå årsagssammenhænge eller generaliseres til alle kvinder med ADHD i Danmark. Alligevel peger det på behovet for mere individualiseret, psykosocial og kønssensitiv behandling til voksne kvinder.

This thesis explores how adult women with ADHD in Denmark experience medical treatment and psychosocial support, and which factors are linked to positive or negative treatment experiences. The study responds to earlier work that focused mainly on diagnosis and feeling overlooked, while post-diagnosis treatment experiences have been less described. We conducted a cross-sectional survey (a one-time snapshot) of adult women with ADHD; 358 participants completed it. The survey included questions about background and treatment, standardized measures of ADHD symptoms, treatment expectations, and how involved people felt in treatment decisions (shared decision-making). It also included items on internalized symptoms (e.g., anxiety and low mood), menstrual cycle factors, and perceived needs, plus open-ended responses to add context. Participants were often diagnosed late and reported high symptom burden, many internalized symptoms, and other concurrent mental health conditions (comorbidity). Medication was by far the most common intervention: almost everyone who had received treatment had tried ADHD medication, while fewer had received psychoeducation (education about ADHD) or therapy. Medication was generally seen as helpful for core symptoms, but many still wanted additional support. There were few consistent links between symptom severity and how treatment was experienced. The most robust finding concerned involvement in decisions: the more participants felt included, the better they perceived the effect and the more satisfied they were—with both medication and therapy. This suggests that treatment experiences depend not only on symptom reduction but also on whether care feels relevant, individualized, and responsive to personal needs. Many reported that their menstrual cycle affected both ADHD symptoms and how well medication worked, yet most felt that cycle-related factors were rarely considered in their care. When they were considered, satisfaction was higher. This indicates that hormonal and cycle-related experiences may be clinically relevant for some women, but are often under-addressed in practice and research. Open comments highlighted additional gaps and barriers: a desire for “more than medication,” lack of psychoeducation, negative care experiences, limited involvement in decisions, waiting times, out-of-pocket costs, and cycle-related issues. Many asked for therapy, ADHD education, practical daily-life strategies, and longer-term follow-up after diagnosis. Overall, the findings suggest that many adult women with ADHD have complex needs that are not captured by a narrow focus on core symptoms and medication alone. Experiences appear shaped by late diagnosis, internalized symptoms, comorbidity, gender-specific factors, and involvement in decisions. Because the study is exploratory, cross-sectional, and based on self-report, it cannot establish causality or be generalized to all women with ADHD in Denmark. Even so, it points to the need for more individualized, psychosocial, and gender-sensitive care for adult women.

[Dette resumé er omskrevet med hjælp fra AI baseret på projektets originale resumé]

ADHD ; Kvinder ; SDM-Q-9 ; Behandling ; TEX-Q ; ASRS-S ; ASRS ; Internaliserede symptomer ; Kernesymptomer ; Inddragelse ; Forventninger ; Behandlingsoplevelser ; Oplevet effekt ; Behandlingstilfredshed ; Cyklus ; Sendiagnosticeret ; Hormonelle påvirkninger ; Medicin ; Terapi ; Psykoedukation ; Psykiatri ; Survey ; Spørgeskema ; Klinisk ; ADHD-behandling ; Selvrapporteret ; Komorbiditet ; Behandlingsforløb

Download PDF
Vis denne rapport i AAU Studenterprojekter