--- title: Are women with ADHD more likely to have PMDD? | Niyora description: Yes. Women with ADHD had PMDD at rates of 31.4% to 41.1%, compared to 9.8% without ADHD. We cannot be completely certain because this study relied on self-rep url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/increased-risk-of-provisional-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd-among-females-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Are women with ADHD more likely to have PMDD? Survey study, 2025 # Are women with ADHD more likely to have PMDD? Yes. Women with ADHD had PMDD at rates of 31.4% to 41.1%, compared to 9.8% without ADHD. We cannot be completely certain because this study relied on self-reported diagnoses. Early or limited evidence 715 women aged 18 to 34 ## What they did Cross-sectional survey of 715 women aged 18 to 34 recruited online via Prolific.com. Participants reported whether they had been diagnosed with ADHD and were screened for PMDD using a standard questionnaire. ## What they found Women with a self-reported ADHD diagnosis had PMDD at 31.4%, compared to 9.8% without ADHD. Women with high ADHD symptoms had PMDD at 41.1%. Those with ADHD and depression or anxiety had a relative risk of 4.53 for PMDD. ## What it means for you Women with ADHD and a menstrual cycle may be at higher risk for PMDD, so doctors should check for it. The main limitation is that women self-reported their diagnoses rather than being formally assessed. 31.4% PMDD in women with self-reported ADHD diagnosis 9.8% PMDD in women without ADHD 4.53 Relative risk increase with ADHD and depression or anxiety ## About the study Original title Increased risk of provisional premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) among females with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): cross-sectional survey study Authors Broughton T, Lambert E, Wertz J et al. Journal The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 715 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.104](https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.104) Original abstract Background: Due to historical under-recognition of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among girls and women, little is known about female-specific factors that may affect individuals with ADHD, including those related to changes in ovarian hormones (e.g. across the menstrual cycle). Aims: We investigated whether females with a self-reported clinical diagnosis of ADHD are more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We also examined associations between PMDD and ADHD defined by a symptom and impairment threshold. Method: Participants were aged between 18 and 34 years, were assigned female at birth and were recruited via Prolific.com ( n = 715). Participants self-reported clinician diagnosis of ADHD, depression and anxiety. ADHD symptoms were assessed via the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), to which we applied a DSM-5-based symptom and impairment cut-off ('ASRS-based ADHD'). PMDD symptoms were assessed via the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST), which identifies provisional PMDD. Using Poisson regression models, we compared risk for provisional PMDD among females with ADHD (self-reported clinical diagnosis [ n = 102] or ASRS-based [ n = 229]) with a non-ADHD reference group ( n = 305). We additionally compared risk for provisional PMDD among individuals with ADHD and depression/anxiety diagnoses, ADHD only and a non-ADHD reference group. Results: The prevalence of provisional PMDD was elevated among individuals with a self-reported clinical ADHD diagnosis (31.4%), and among participants with ASRS-based ADHD (41.1%), compared with the non-ADHD reference group (9.8%). Individuals with ASRS-based ADHD and depression and/or anxiety diagnoses were at highest risk for provisional PMDD (relative risk 4.53 [3.10, 6.61]) compared with the non-ADHD reference group. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware that individuals with a diagnosis of ADHD, or with high ADHD symptom levels, and who have a menstrual cycle may be more likely to experience PMDD. Future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms that link ADHD and disorders associated with hormonal sensitivity, such as PMDD. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[ADHD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-adhd/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2026 Are menstrual characteristics linked to depression and anxiety in teenage girls? Survey study, 2026 Do women with ADHD and autism have more premenstrual problems than women without these conditions? Survey study, 2025 Is the PSST a good screening tool for PMS in Bangladesh? Cohort study, 2014 How common are PMDD, subthreshold PMDD, and PMS in adolescent girls, and how much do they affect their lives? Randomised trial, 2013 Does psychological education reduce PMS symptoms in teenagers? Survey study, 2026 Do girls who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have higher PMDD symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗