TDAH na vida adulta: as implicações do diagnóstico tardio

Abstract

This Final Course Project aims to analyze the impacts of late diagnosis in adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The study was conducted through a scoping review, focusing on national scientific literature on the subject. Although ADHD is widely associated with childhood, many adults remain undiagnosed until later stages of life, which can result in academic, professional, and interpersonal difficulties. Concerned with the aforementioned implications, we sought to conduct this research with a view to contributing theoretical constructs to the field. To this end, as specific objectives, we prioritized: categorizing the articles included in the scoping review based on the methodology used and the participants; identifying gaps in the national scientific literature on the topic (late diagnosis of ADHD in adults); and analyzing the negative impacts of late ADHD diagnosis on the daily lives of affected individuals. The results show that late identification can bring relief to patients while highlighting the importance of therapeutic and medicinal interventions to improve quality of life. However, the literature on ADHD in adults is still scarce, evidencing the need for more research in the area.