Gender-Role Attitudes Mediate the Effects of Adult ADHD on Marriage and Relationships

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Adult ADHD has dramatic impacts on various aspects of life and relationships. This study investigates how "gender roles" mediate the effects of ADHD on marriage. METHOD: Sixty-two heterosexual couples were included in the study. The Marital Impact Checklist is used to assess the effects of ADHD on marriage. The Gender Roles Attitude Scale is used to measure gender roles in both the patient and the spouse. RESULTS: The Turkish version of the Marital Impact Checklist is found to have good internal consistency and utility in research and clinical work with ADHD couples. The female non-ADHD partners reported feeling of "Unloved" and "Negative Impact" more than their male counterparts. Some subdomains of the gender roles of both the patient and their non-ADHD spouse seem to mediate the effect of adult ADHD's impact on marriage. CONCLUSION: Sex and gender roles diversify how ADHD affects marriage.