What are the perspectives of late-diagnosed women with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and how do the conflicting symptoms impact their experience of secondary school?

The aims of this research were to explore the perspectives of women, late diagnosed with AuDHD, find out how they experienced secondary school and what conflicting issues their AuDHD symptoms caused. The literature review investigates the wider experiences of missed/ undiagnosed women with AuDHD and also prescriptive data on the etiology of ADHD, autism and AuDHD. This data was then compared to data found in three unstructured interviews with women who went through school without a diagnosis. The interviews found that in school, missed or undiagnosed women faced similar struggles that were echoed in the literature. The key findings in this research were that schools need to prioritise discussions around classroom sizes, with smaller classrooms and more individualised learning for all students – not just those with additional learning needs. More training for teachers is needed to help them understand children’s needs better, and to support empathetic approaches to teaching. Early intervention is key to help support girls with AuDHD, and a wider understanding of how girls display symptoms is needed within the path to diagnosis. This research has highlighted the issues girls face on this path to diagnosis and why more female specific support is needed across the board.