ADHD in Women · Independent Editorial
Dr Sally Cubbin on ADHD in women: research, clinical contribution and reading guide.
If you're researching ADHD in women, it helps to distinguish expert insight from viral shorthand - and to know exactly which research a claim comes from.
Dr Sally Cubbin is a UK consultant psychiatrist with specialist experience in adult ADHD. This independent editorial page explains her published contribution, what the evidence supports and where uncertainty remains. It is not a clinic profile or an endorsement of ADHD Assessment UK.
Who is Dr Sally Cubbin?
The UK Adult ADHD Network lists Dr Cubbin (MBChB, MRCPsych, MSc, DipCBT) as a consultant psychiatrist specialising in adult ADHD assessment and medical management, and as a member of its executive board and training committee. Her professional biography describes previous NHS service roles and teaching activities.
Those credentials relate to Dr Cubbin herself. They should not be used to imply that she assesses our patients, supervises our clinicians, or approves this page.
The 2020 expert consensus: why women can be missed
Dr Cubbin is a named co-author of the 2020 open-access paper "Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach", published in BMC Psychiatry and led by Susan Young and colleagues. It was a multidisciplinary expert-consensus article, not a clinical trial led solely by Dr Cubbin.
The paper discusses recognition of ADHD in girls and women, differences in presentations, masking or compensatory strategies, coexisting conditions and the importance of assessment across life stages. Its value is clinical guidance and synthesis; it is not proof that every symptom commonly attributed to female ADHD is specific to ADHD.
Her book: Women and ADHD
Dr Cubbin and Gillian Johnson co-authored "Women and ADHD: From Puberty to Menopause and Beyond", published in October 2026. The book takes a lifespan view of women's ADHD experiences.
Use the book as an expert-authored learning resource, alongside NICE and peer-reviewed research. A published book may contain interpretation and clinical examples; do not confuse every assertion in a book with a separately proven scientific result.
What the hormones evidence currently supports
A separate 2025 systematic review of sex hormones and ADHD in females found suggestive associations across hormonal phases, but only 11 eligible studies and significant methodological limitations. This is relevant context, not research authored by Dr Cubbin.
Combining the 2020 consensus with later systematic-review evidence supports thoughtful discussion about menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause while avoiding statements that a specific hormone change reliably causes or predicts ADHD symptoms.
How to use expert research in a real assessment
Use it to prepare an accurate history: childhood signs, current difficulties in two or more settings, masking strategies, mood and sleep concerns, and any hormonal patterns. NICE still requires a comprehensive individual assessment and the consideration of alternative explanations.
If you are choosing an assessment provider, judge them by the qualifications of the clinician who will actually assess you and the quality of the pathway - not by proximity to a well-known expert's name.
Your next step: practical actions
- Read the free 2020 BMC Psychiatry consensus and note where it says "expert consensus".
- Use the 2026 Cubbin/Johnson book for wider discussion without treating it as diagnostic evidence.
- Compare claims about hormones with the 2025 systematic review's limitations.
- Ask any prospective clinic who will personally assess you; do not infer an expert endorsement.
Frequently asked questions
Does Dr Sally Cubbin work for ADHD Assessment UK?
We have no verified affiliation with Dr Cubbin in the sources used for this page. This independent overview does not imply one.
Did Dr Cubbin single-handedly conduct the 2020 women-and-ADHD research?
No. She was one of the named co-authors of a multidisciplinary expert-consensus paper led by Susan Young.
Is her book a clinical guideline?
No. It is a book by named authors. For UK clinical recommendations, consult NICE and appropriate specialist guidance.
Sources
- UK Adult ADHD Network: Dr Sally Cubbin biography
- Young et al. (2020), Females with ADHD: expert consensus, BMC Psychiatry
- Cubbin and Johnson (2026), Women and ADHD: From Puberty to Menopause and Beyond
- Osianlis et al. (2025), ADHD and sex hormones in females: systematic review
- NICE NG87: ADHD diagnosis and management
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