TABLE 1.
Article characteristics of included studies.
| Author | Aim | Country | Method | N | Age, years1 | Sex/gender | Race/ethnicity |
| Ando et al. (34) | How COVID-19 affects living conditions for adults receiving an adaptive coaching intervention | Japan | Interviews | 4 | 20s–40s | 50% male | – |
| Aoki et al. (25) | Experience of being diagnosed in adulthood | Japan | Interviews | 12 | 20–60 | 50% male | – |
| Brod et al. (20) | Burden of illness of ADHD | Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and United States | Focus groups and interviews | 108 | 52% male | 74% white, 3% black, 3% Hispanic, 13% mixed | |
| Brod et al. (33) | Examine quality of life issues | United States | Focus groups and interviews | 29 | 18–59 | 65% male | – |
| Canela et al. (46) | Skills and coping strategies used before diagnosis or treatment | Switzerland | Interviews | 32 | 34% > 45 | 56% male | – |
| Canela et al. (48) | Opinions and attitudes toward testing and stimulant treatment of children with ADHD | Switzerland | Interviews | 32 | 25% > 51; 22% 21–30 | 56% male | – |
| Ek et al. (42) | How adults with ADHD perform everyday activities | Sweden | Interviews | 12 | 21–38 | 50% male | – |
| Goffer et al. (35) | Occupational experiences of college students | Israel | Interviews | 20 | 25.4 (3.67) | 35% male | – |
| Hansson Halleröd et al. (26) | Experience of being diagnosed in adulthood | Sweden | Interviews | 21 | 32 (9) | 48% male | – |
| Henry and Jones (31) | Experiences of women in late adulthood | United States | Interviews | 9 | >60 | 100% female | 78% white 22% Hispanic |
| Kronenberg et al. (44) | Consequences of SUDs2 for everyday life | Netherlands | Interviews | 11 | 43 | 73% male | – |
| Kronenberg et al. (30) | Process of recovery from SUDs2 | Netherlands | Interviews | 9 | 36 (29–54) | 89% male | – |
| Kwon et al. (38) | Difficulties in university life | South Korea | Interviews | 12 | 22.2 (20–29) | 41% male | – |
| Lasky et al. (39) | Role of context in declining symptoms in adulthood for people diagnosed as children | 7 North American sites | Interviews | 125 | 24 (1.7) | 76% male | 72% white, 10% black, 12% mixed |
| Lefler et al. (27) | What is it like to be a college student and what resources are utilized | United States | Focus groups | 36 | 18–39; median 20 | 66% male | 88% white |
| Liebrenz et al. (53) | Perceptions of cigarette use | Switzerland | Interviews | 20 | 25–54 | 50% male | – |
| Liebrenz et al. (50) | Perceptions of smoking cessation and withdrawal | Switzerland | Interviews | 12 | 25–53, 40 | 41% male | |
| Maassen et al. (21) | What do participants consider to be good healthcare | Netherlands | Focus groups | 30 | – | – | – |
| Matheson et al. (22) | Experience of diagnosis, treatment, and impairments between those diagnosed as children and adults | United Kingdom | Interviews | 30 | 18–56+ | 43% male | 80% white |
| Meaux et al. (32) | Factors that help and hinder college students | United States | Interviews | 15 | 18–21 | 60% male | 87% white |
| Meaux et al. (47) | Experience of stimulant use in college students diagnosed as children | United States | Interviews | 15 | 18–21 | 60% male | 86% white |
| Michielsen et al. (36) | How ADHD affects lives of older adults unaware of diagnosis | Netherlands | Interviews | 17 | 67–86 | 41% male | – |
| Mitchell et al. (23) | Factors that delay diagnosis in children and why symptoms may emerge in adulthood | United States | Interviews | 14 | 22–25 | 85% male | 71% white |
| Mitchell et al. (51) | Relationship between substance use and disrupted emotional functioning in those diagnosed as children | United States | Interviews, mixed methods | 70 | 21–26 | 74% male | 77% white, 10% black, 10% mixed |
| Nehlin et al. (52) | Perception of substances in people with SUDs2 | Sweden | Interviews | 14 | 29.6 (7.8), median 25.5 | 42% male | – |
| Nordby et al. (49) | Experience of participating in a group-based intervention for goal management training | Norway | Interviews | 10 | 21–49 | 70% male | – |
| Nystrom et al. (43) | Day to day life of people older than 50 | Sweden | Interviews | 10 | 51–74 | 70% female | – |
| Schreuer et al. (40) | Experiences of women in the workplace; strategies and accommodations used | Israel | Interviews | 11 | 33.5 (6.61) | 100% female | – |
| Schrevel et al. (41) | Perspectives, problems, and needs in daily life | Netherlands | Focus groups | 52 | 43 (9.5) | 46% male | – |
| Sedgwick et al. (45) | Positive aspects of ADHD among highly successful adults | United Kingdom | Interviews | 6 | 30–65 | 100% male | |
| Toner et al. (24) | How people manage their symptoms | Australia | Interviews | 10 | 30–57 | 100% male | – |
| Waite and Tran (28) | Experience of ethnic minority women in college | United States | Interviews | 16 | 18–45 | 100% female | 31% black 19% Hispanic 6% American Indian 13% Asian 25% other |
| Watters et al. (37) | Lived experience | Ireland | Interviews | 11 | 20–54, mean 37 | 81% male | – |
| Weisner et al. (54) | Beliefs on ADHD, stimulant use, and substance use among those diagnosed as children | United States | Interviews | 125 | 24.4 (1.18) | 76% male | 72% white 10% black 12% mixed |
| Young et al. (29) | Experience of diagnosis in adulthood | United Kingdom | Interviews | 8 | 21–50 (mean 39) | 50% male | – |
1Ages not reported consistently across studies.
2Substance use disorder.