ERIC Number: ED661674
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 305
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3844-5465-6
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Raising Their Voices: Lived Experiences of Gifted Women with ADHD
Jessica Williams
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Denver
Given the imbalance in the ratio of male to female ADHD diagnosis, there is a dearth of information on the profile for women with ADHD, especially in adulthood and with those of higher intelligence levels (Rommelse et al., 2016). Each, if not all, diagnoses of ADHD or giftedness come from a parent, teacher, or outside observer's scale of symptoms and behaviors (Hay et al., 2007; Klesfjo et al., 2020; Polderman et al., 2007). In this study, ten gifted women with ADHD aged 29-77 completed semi-structured interviews to examine their lived experiences of education, career, and relationships. Using a dual framework of neurodiversity and self-concept, a narrative storytelling methodology was used to frame each perception of giftedness, ADHD, and intersectionality. Key findings from this study included the humanization of giftedness and ADHD characteristics, a societal mistrust of intuition, a need for stable, low-maintenance relationships, and the purpose of masking when defining how individuals construct their personal definition of giftedness and ADHD. New terms were determined to frame the twice-exceptional individual's lived experiences, including neurobordering, neurojuxtaposition, neuromixture, neuro-opposition, and social mistrust of intuition. Implications of this study include a need for more robust vignettes of giftedness and ADHD, understanding twice-exceptional communication needs, therapy and identification protocols, consideration of heritability in diagnosis, and representation in film, literature, and media. Future research consists of an auto narrative of the researcher, demographic variable isolation, widening of inclusion criteria, the impact of adverse life outcomes, intersectional narrative research, and lifetime perspectives. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Females, Gifted, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Adults, Older Adults, Attitudes, Educational Experience, Interpersonal Relationship, Career Development, Employment Experience, Gender Differences, Intersectionality, Humanization, Intuition, Gifted Disabled, Empowerment
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
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Language: English
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