Abstract
BACKGROUND: Employees with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face various risks in the workplace. Little is known of the specific challenges women with ADHD experience. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experiences of working women with ADHD and learn the strategies and accommodations that facilitate their maintaining employment. METHOD: Qualitative phenomenological approach was used to echo women's subjective perceptions and experiences representing their daily interactions in their workplace. In-depth interviews were conducted with eleven tertiary-educated employed women (M = 33.5; SD = 6.61 years), diagnosed with ADHD and the transcripts were analyzed by three researchers, using the qualitative phenomenological approach. RESULTS: Most interviewed women with ADHD described interactions with their workplace as confusing, overwhelming, and chaotic. They perceived their ADHD as a significant obstacle to success in employment that also conferred some advantages. Three interviewthemes are explored here (1) challenges in coping with job demands and theworkplace, including the disclosure dilemma; (2) personal coping strategies; (3) useful accommodations. CONCLUSIONS: For the women interviewed, employment was important for their self-identity, beyond simply making a living. Their experiences indicate impaired executive functioning and inhibition and sensory sensitivity, consistently with theoretical models for ADHD. They identified gender-specific issues, such as using medication during pregnancy, which led them to seek for non-pharmacological coping mechanisms. They contributed practical knowledge regarding employee-led adaptations and employer-provided workplace accommodations.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 429-441 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Work |
Volume | 56 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 - IOS Press and the authors.
Keywords
- Accommodations
- Attention deficit
- Gender
- Hyperactivity disorder
- Qualitative method
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rehabilitation
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health