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Title: Emotional and Cognitive Disruption of Sexual Identity Development in Adults with Elevated ADHD Symptoms

Poster Session B - Sunday, March 8, 2026, 8:00 – 10:00 am PDT, Fairview/Kitsilano Ballroom

David M. Roberts¹ (), Alannah T. Wallace², Todd C. Handy³; ¹University of British Columbia

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impairments in executive functioning (EF), including emotional regulation, metacognition, and self-reflection. While the neurocognitive architecture of EF has been well characterized in recent decades, less is known about how EF-related traits influence identity development across diverse populations. One critical but underexplored domain is sexual identity formation—particularly how ADHD symptomatology may alter the emotional and cognitive processes involved in recognizing and disclosing one’s sexual identity. In this study, 585 undergraduates completed the CAARS-S:S and a custom sexual identity questionnaire assessing developmental milestones (e.g., age of first crush, first sexual experience), emotional clarity, and identity-related confusion. Participants were grouped by sexual orientation and ADHD symptom severity (T-score ≥ 60). Among non-heterosexual participants (n = 270), those in the ADHD group (n = 52) reported significantly greater sexual identity confusion in adulthood (p = .015, d = 0.38), more difficulty understanding feelings in sexual relationships (p = .038, d = 0.41), and more negative emotional responses during first sexual experiences (p = .003, d = 0.95). These group differences emerged despite no significant differences in age of first crush or first sexual experience, suggesting that ADHD may disrupt emotional processing rather than delay exposure. Qualitative analyses further revealed a higher proportion of negatively valenced narratives (e.g., confusion, fear, anxiety) in early romantic experiences among the ADHD group. These findings highlight the need for identity development models that account for neurodivergent cognition and may inform future neuroimaging research on executive function and self-concept, particularly as it relates to identity formation in neurodivergent populations.

Topic Area: EMOTION & SOCIAL: Emotion-cognition interactions