ADHD Research

Mission

Juliette Cavendish is currently undertaking a PhD into adult ADHD with the hope of developing better screening tools as well as better after-diagnostic care. Juliette is interested in how well we diagnose ADHD initially and what supports are in place after diagnosis. Currently, Juliette thinks that the DSM-5 doesn't hit the mark terribly well when asking the diagnostic questions for ADHD. The questions are at times confusing and not specific to ADHD.

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​Her research explores how ADHD is experienced in adult life - especially the everyday realities of memory lapses, time blindness, disorganisation, emotional intensity, overwhelm, and the way intentions don’t always translate into action. Using a framework and discursive lens, she is interested in the stories people tell about their inner world (what it feels like, what it means, and how they make sense of it), as well as the language used in clinical and cultural settings that can either clarify or obscure ADHD.

The goal is to inform more accurate, humane screening approaches, particularly in busy, high-risk clinical contexts, by developing prompts and tools that capture lived experience, reduce misdiagnosis, and better differentiate ADHD from stress, trauma, burnout, anxiety, depression, and sleep-related impairment. Ultimately, Juliette wants screening to reflect the nuanced ways ADHD manifests, so people can access earlier understanding, practical supports, and care pathways that actually fit their needs.