Influence of sex and depressive symptoms on diagnostic delay of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescent psychiatric patients

This study examined diagnostic delays in ADHD diagnosis among 252 adolescent psychiatric outpatients, finding girls experienced significantly longer delays (4.9 years) compared to boys (1.4 years). Comorbid depressive symptoms were associated with prolonged diagnostic delay, particularly in girls, suggesting that depression may mask or complicate early ADHD identification in female adolescents.