What is ADHD? 

ADHD stands for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects how a person’s brain regulates attention, energy, impulses, emotions, motivation, and action. In real life, ADHD can impact a person by making it more challenging to: 

• start tasks 

• remember instructions 

• stay organised 

• manage time 

• sit still 

• avoid interrupting others 

• shift between tasks 

• ignore impulses 

Having ADHD is not the same as a person misbehaving or laziness. Rather, it is an invisible disability that involves hard-wired differences in the brain. 

ADHD also comes with strengths, including creativity, problem-solving skills, high energy, and hyperfocus.1

How common is ADHD? 

ADHD is very common. Across international research, it is estimated that up to 1 in every 10 young people has ADHD.2 However, some young people, especially girls and people presumed female at birth are missed and go undiagnosed until adulthood.3 

How common is ADHD in trans young people? 

Some studies indicate that trans people are more likely to have ADHD.4 5 For example, one study found that trans 3-9 year olds were 2.4–5.6 times more likely to have ADHD, and 10–17 year olds were 4.7–12.6 times more likely to have ADHD.4 This doesn’t mean that ADHD causes people to be trans, or that being trans causes ADHD. It may be that trans young people have greater engagement with medical and mental health care, increasing the likelihood that they will be screened and diagnosed. This is a good thing, as going undiagnosed can negatively impact a person’s quality of life.6 

What should I know about ADHD in trans young people?  

The level of impairment that ADHD can have on a person’s life varies depending on a range of factors, including stress, sleep, sensory environment, psychological wellbeing, life demands, and access to supports.7 For example, higher levels of anxiety and depression can negatively impact concentration, memory, and impulse control.8  

Trans young people face the same stressors as other young people, but they also face additional stressors that can make ADHD more impairing to their lives. Self-advocating, navigating their safety, determining when and who it is safe to “come out” to, and managing medical appointments related to gender-affirming medical care are all additional executive function demands.9 

What helps? 

ADHD is not something that needs to be ‘cured’, but there are different supports and treatments that can help reduce the challenges of ADHD and make everyday life more manageable. 

• Medication: Stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), dexamfetamine, and lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), have strong evidence supporting their efficacy. Non-stimulant medications, such as atomoxetine, guanfacine, or clonidine, may be used when stimulants are not suitable, not tolerated, or aren’t effective.10 11 

• Less common medication options: Some other medicines, such as bupropion, tricyclic antidepressants, or modafinil, have been studied for ADHD, but they aren’t commonly used in children.10 

• Parent and family support: Parent training can help families understand ADHD and use strategies that work better for ADHD brains, such as clearer routines, positive reinforcement, predictable responses, and support before behaviour escalates. Behavioural parent training is one of the main non-medication supports recommended for children.12 

• School-based support: Children and teens with ADHD often need support at school as well as at home. School support can include classroom structure, visual instructions, support with task initiation, movement breaks, breaking down tasks, organisation support, homework support, and behaviour support plans.13 14 

• Psychological therapy: Therapy can help with emotional regulation, self-esteem, anxiety, low mood, problem-solving, social difficulties, family conflict, and coping with ADHD-related stress.10 

• ADHD coaching: Support from an ADHD coach may help older children, teens, and adults with planning, time management, prioritising, routines, and turning goals into practical systems.15 

• Physical activity: Exercise and movement are not a replacement for ADHD treatment, but can improve attention, executive functioning, and motor skills.16 

• Sleep support: Sleep difficulties are common in people with ADHD and can worsen the challenges that come with ADHD. Sleep support may include consistent bedtime routines, sleep hygiene, behavioural strategies, treating underlying sleep problems, and sometimes medications such as melatonin.17 

• Mindfulness: Mindfulness-based programs can help some people with ADHD to manage their stress, attention, and emotional regulation.18

References

1. Hoogman, M., Stolte, M., Baas, M., & Kroesbergen, E. (2020). Creativity and ADHD: A review of behavioral studies, the effect of psychostimulants and neural underpinnings. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 119, 66–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.09.029 
2. May, T., Birch, E., Chaves, K., Cranswick, N., Culnane, E., Delaney, J., Derrick, M., Eapen, V., Edlington, C., Efron, D., Ewais, T., Garner, I., Gathercole, M., Jagadheesan, K., Jobson, L., Kramer, J., Mack, M., Misso, M., Murrup-Stewart, C., … Bellgrove, M. (2023). The Australian evidence-based clinical practice guideline for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 57(8), 1101–1116. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674231166329 
3. Martin, J., Rouquette, O. Y., Langley, K., Cooper, M., Sayal, K., Ford, T. J., John, A., & Thapar, A. (2026). Antecedents and outcomes of a later attention–deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis in females. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2026.10556 
4. Becerra-Culqui, T. A., Liu, Y., Nash, R., Cromwell, L., Flanders, W. D., Getahun, D., Giammattei, S. V., Hunkeler, E. M., Lash, T. L., Millman, A., Quinn, V. P., Robinson, B., Roblin, D., Sandberg, D. E., Silverberg, M. J., Tangpricha, V., & Goodman, M. (2018). Mental health of transgender and gender nonconforming youth compared with their peers. Pediatrics, 141(5), e20173845. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-3845 
5. Cheung, A. S., Ooi, O., Leemaqz, S., Cundill, P., Silberstein, N., Bretherton, I., Thrower, E., Locke, P., Grossmann, M., & Zajac, J. D. (2018). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of transgender adults in Australia. Transgender Health, 3(1), 229–238. https://doi.org/10.1089/trgh.2018.0019 
6. Martínez Del Río, C., Cuellar-Flores, I., López De Lara, D., Castañeda-Vozmediano, R., Miguélez González, M., Gaitero Pérez, A., Pérez Rodríguez, O., & García Ron, A. (2025). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder risk, mental health diagnoses and experience of discrimination in transgender adolescents and youth. Endocrinología, Diabetes y Nutrición, 72(8), 501593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.endien.2025.501593 
7. Faraone, S. V., Bellgrove, M. A., Brikell, I., Cortese, S., Hartman, C. A., Hollis, C., Newcorn, J. H., Philipsen, A., Polanczyk, G. V., Rubia, K., Sibley, M. H., & Buitelaar, J. K. (2024). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 10(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-024-00495-0 
8. Park, J., & Moghaddam, B. (2017). Impact of anxiety on prefrontal cortex encoding of cognitive flexibility. Neuroscience, 345, 193–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.06.013 
9. Strang, J. F., Chen, D., Nelson, E., Leibowitz, S. F., Nahata, L., Anthony, L. G., Song, A., Grannis, C., Graham, E., Henise, S., Vilain, E., Sadikova, E., Freeman, A., Pugliese, C., Khawaja, A., Maisashvili, T., Mancilla, M., & Kenworthy, L. (2022). Transgender youth executive functioning: relationships with anxiety symptoms, autism spectrum disorder, and gender-affirming medical treatment status. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 53(6), 1252–1265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01195-6 
10. Caye, A., Swanson, J. M., Coghill, D., & Rohde, L. A. (2019). Treatment strategies for ADHD: An evidence-based guide to select optimal treatment. Molecular Psychiatry, 24(3), 390–408. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-018-0116-3 
11. Cortese, S., Adamo, N., Del Giovane, C., Mohr-Jensen, C., Hayes, A. J., Carucci, S., Atkinson, L. Z., Tessari, L., Banaschewski, T., Coghill, D., Hollis, C., Simonoff, E., Zuddas, A., Barbui, C., Purgato, M., Steinhausen, H.-C., Shokraneh, F., Xia, J., & Cipriani, A. (2018). Comparative efficacy and tolerability of medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, adolescents, and adults: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(9), 727–738. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(18)30269-4 
12. Marquet-Doléac, J., Biotteau, M., & Chaix, Y. (2024). Behavioral parent training for school-aged children with ADHD: A systematic review of randomized control trials. Journal of Attention Disorders, 28(3), 377–393. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547231211595 
13. Bikic, A., Reichow, B., McCauley, S. A., Ibrahim, K., & Sukhodolsky, D. G. (2017). Meta-analysis of organizational skills interventions for children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 52, 108–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2016.12.004 
14. Gaastra, G. F., Groen, Y., Tucha, L., & Tucha, O. (2016). the effects of classroom interventions on off-task and disruptive classroom behavior in children with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic review. PLOS ONE, 11(2), e0148841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148841 
15. Ahmann, E., Saviet, M., & Otto, M. (2026). Coaching for adults with ADHD: A prospective study. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 15598276261432960. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276261432960 
16. Sun, W., Yu, M., & Zhou, X. (2022). Effects of physical exercise on attention deficit and other major symptoms in children with ADHD: A meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research, 311, 114509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114509
17. Larsson, I., Aili, K., Lönn, M., Svedberg, P., Nygren, J. M., Ivarsson, A., & Johansson, P. (2023). Sleep interventions for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic literature review. Sleep Medicine, 102, 64–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2022.12.021 
18. Liu, Y., Yan, Q., Zhao, S., Ng, S., Wang, X., & Ning, Z. (2026). Mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A Bayesian meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in Psychology, 17, 1711994. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1711994