Sexuality and sexual challenges among women with ADHD
Translated title
Seksualitet og seksuelle utfordringer hos kvinner med ADHD
Author
Sletten, Tone Dorthe
Term
4. term
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-05-08
Pages
33
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan ADHD kan hænge sammen med seksualitet hos kvinder. Studiet er et kvalitativt, semistruktureret interviewstudie med fem kvinder med en ADHD-diagnose. Formålet er at identificere særlige seksuelle udfordringer og at forstå, hvordan deltagerne selv forklarer dem. Kvalitativt og semistruktureret betyder her, at der er tale om dybdegående samtaler med åbne spørgsmål, som giver plads til deltagernes egne erfaringer. ADHD er en almindelig neuro-udviklingsforstyrrelse. Tidligere blev den især forbundet med drenge og barndommen, men i dag ved man, at omtrent lige så mange piger som drenge har ADHD, og at tilstanden for de fleste er livslang. Hos mange kvinder viser symptomerne sig især som problemer med opmærksomhed og koncentration, og i mindre grad som hyperaktivitet og impulsivitet. Tidligere forskning har beskrevet, at kvinder med ADHD oftere oplever vanskeligheder som orgasmeproblemer, nedsat lyst og smerter ved sex. De rapporterer også oftere seksuelle overgreb, partnervold, kønssygdomme, flere seksuelle partnere og lavere tilfredshed med deres seksualitet. Interviewene i dette studie peger i samme retning. Deltagerne forklarede deres udfordringer med blandt andet koncentrations- og opmærksomhedsbesvær, frygt for afvisning og et behov for bekræftelse. Denne viden er vigtig for fagpersoner, der arbejder med ADHD, samt for sexologer og seksualrådgivere i klinisk praksis, som med stor sandsynlighed vil møde patienter med ADHD.
This thesis examines how ADHD may relate to sexuality in women. It is a qualitative, semi-structured interview study with five women diagnosed with ADHD. The aim is to identify specific sexual challenges and to understand how participants themselves explain them. Qualitative and semi-structured here means in-depth conversations guided by open questions, allowing participants to describe their experiences in their own words. ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. It was once mainly associated with boys and childhood, but it is now known to affect approximately as many girls as boys and, for most, to be lifelong. In many women, symptoms center on attention and concentration, with less hyperactivity and impulsivity. Previous research has described that women with ADHD more often experience difficulties such as problems reaching orgasm, reduced desire, and pain during sex. They also report higher rates of sexual abuse, partner violence, sexually transmitted diseases, more sexual partners, and lower satisfaction with their sexuality. The interviews in this study point in the same direction. Participants linked their difficulties to challenges with attention and concentration, fear of rejection, and a desire for confirmation. This knowledge is important for professionals who work with ADHD, as well as for sexologists and sexual counselors in clinical practice, who are likely to meet patients with ADHD.
[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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