Overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys: Stereotype impact on neuropsychological assessment

Abstract

There is vigorous debate regarding the possibility that ADHD is overdiagnosed in boys. We investigated the impact of the gender stereotype depicting boys as inattentive and impulsive on neuropsychological assessment (observation of psychology students and child's cognitive performance). In experiment 1, after the stereotype was activated, psychology students rated a "boy," a "girl," or a "child" on a behavioral assessment scale. In experiment 2, 103 children (boys and girls) completed neuropsychological tasks under stereotype threat or neutral conditions. The gender stereotype led psychology students to assess a child's behaviors more negatively if they thought the child was a boy. Boys' performance on one cognitive score declined following stereotype threat. Regression path analyses suggested moderation by stigma consciousness. Additionally, there were mediating and suppressing (through stereotype endorsement) effects. Our results suggest that the gender stereotype might contribute to the overdiagnosis of ADHD in boys.

ADHD in children and adolescents: Review of current practice of non-pharmacological and behavioural management

“…It is important to acknowledge that most clinical studies of ADHD in CYP are based on a predominantly male population, which has been partly attributed to gender stereotyping and symptomatology differences [28] . The effectiveness of various non-pharmacological therapies may therefore need to be interpreted with caution among young females with ADHD, who are more likely to present with psychological comorbidities [29] .…”

The Influence of Diagnostic Labels on the Evaluation of Students: a Multilevel Meta-Analysis

“…Given the greater prevalence of ADHD in boys than in girls (with a male/female ratio of 2:1 to 3:1, Cuffe et al, 2005), behavior that is indicative of ADHD might be more strongly associated with boys. Therefore, people might interpret the presence of the ADHD label in boys as more indicative of problematic behavior than the presence of the same label in girls (Fresson et al, 2019). However, the opposite might also be true.…”

Exploring the current crisis of masculinity and rise of feminism amongst younger youth

“…This disparity highlights the trend of boys being disciplined more which can distort their mental growth and curb confidence. On top, today young boys in larger proportion are diagnosed with learning disabilities, disorders, and are more prone to be on prescribed medications for disorders like ADHD or OCD which may hinder their long-term performance (Freeson et al, 2019).…”