adhd commentary essay

162 ADHD Essay Topics & Examples

Looking for ADHD topics to write about? ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a very common condition nowadays. It is definitely worth analyzing.

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🏆 best adhd essay examples, 💡 most interesting adhd topics to write about, 🎓 exciting adhd essay topics, 🔥 hot adhd topics to write about, 👍 adhd research paper topics, ❓ research questions about adhd.

In your ADHD essay, you might want to focus on the causes or symptoms of this condition. Another idea is to concentrate on the treatments for ADHD in children and adults. Whether you are looking for an ADHD topic for an argumentative essay, a research paper, or a dissertation, our article will be helpful. We’ve collected top ADHD essay examples, research paper titles, and essay topics on ADHD.

• ADHD and its subtypes
• The most common symptoms of ADHD
• The causes of ADHD: genetics, environment, or both?
• ADHD and the changes in brain structures
• ADHD and motivation
• Treating ADHD: the new trends
• Behavioral therapy as ADHD treatment
• Natural remedies for ADHD
• ADD vs. ADHD: is there a difference?
• Living with ADHD: the main challenges
• Everything You Need to Know About ADHD The frontal hemisphere of the brain is concerned with coordination and a delay in development in this part of the brain can lead to such kind of disorder.
• Learning Disabilities: Differentiating ADHD and EBD As for the most appropriate setting, it is possible to seat the child near the teacher. It is possible to provide instructions with the help of visual aids.
• Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism It is possible to state that the book provides rather a high-quality review of the issues about the identification, education, and upbringing of the 2e children.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD / ADHD) Some critics maintain that the condition is a work of fiction by the psychiatric and pharmacists who have taken advantage of distraught families’ attempts to comprehend the behaviour of their children to dramatise the condition.
• Psychology: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder It is important to pay attention to the development of proper self-esteem in children as it can negatively affect their development and performance in the future.
• ADHD and Its Effects on the Development of a Child In particular, this research study’s focus is the investigation of the impact of household chaos on the development and behavior of children with ADHD.
• The History of ADHD Treatment: Drug Addiction Disorders Therefore, the gathered data would be classified by year, treatment type, and gender to better comprehend the statistical distribution of the prevalence of drug addiction.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Recommended Therapy The condition affects the motivational functioning and abnormal cognitive and behavioural components of the brain. Dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex contributed to a lack of alertness and shortened attention in the brain’s short-term memory.
• Rhetorical Modes Anthology on Attention Deficit Disorder It clearly outlines the origin and early symptoms of the disorder and the scientist who discovered attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Summary & Validity: This article describes the causes of hyperactivity disorder and the potential factors […]
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a Young Girl The particular objective was to assist Katie in becoming more focused and capable of finishing her chores. The patient received the same amount of IR Ritalin and was required to continue taking it for an […]
• Similarities and Differences: SPD, ADHD, and ASD The three disorders, Sensory Processing Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder, are often confused with each other due to the connections and similarities that exist.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness According to Sayal et al, ADHD is common in young boys as it is easier to identify the problem. The disorder is well-known, and there is no struggle to identify the problem.
• Assessing the Personality Profile With ADHD Characteristics On the contrary, the study was able to understand significant changes in the emotional states and mood of the children when the observations and the tests ended.
• Aspects of ADHD Patients Well-Being This goal can be achieved through the help of mental health and behavioral counselors to enhance behavioral modification and the ability to cope with challenges calmly and healthily.
• ADHD and Problems With Sleep This is because of the activity of a person in the middle of the day and the condition around them. The downside of the study is that the study group included 52 adults with ADHD […]
• The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Treatment It has been estimated that when medicine and therapy are applied as treatment together, the outcomes for children with ADHD are excellent.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Organization’s Mission Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is an organization that is determined to handle individuals affected by ADHD. The organization was founded in 1987 following the rampant frustration and isolation that parents experienced due to […]
• Case Conceptualization: Abuse-Mediated ADHD Patient The case provides insight into the underlying causes of James’s educational problems and the drug abuse of his parents. The case makes it evident that the assumption from the first case conceptualization about James’s ADHD […]
• Change: Dealing With Patients With ADHD In the current workplace, the most appropriate change would be the increase in the awareness of nurses regarding the methods of dealing with patients with ADHD.
• Dealing With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Although my experience is not dramatic, it clearly shows how untreated ADHD leads to isolation and almost depression. However, the question arises of what is the norm, how to define and measure it.
• Parents’ Perception of Attending an ADHD Clinic The main principles of the clinic’s specialists should be an objective diagnosis of the neurological status of the child and the characteristics of his/her behavior, the selection of drug treatment only on the basis of […]
• ADHD: Mental Disorder Based on Symptoms The DSM-5 raised the age limit from 6 to 12 for qualifying the disorder in children and now requires five instead of six inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.
• Understanding Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Thus, the smaller sizes of the reviewed brain structures associated with ADHD result in problems with attention, memory, and controlling movement and emotional responses.
• Effective Therapies for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The problem at hand is that there is a need to determine which of the therapies administered is effective in the management of ADHD.
• Participants of “ADHD Outside the Laboratory” Study The participants in the testing group and those in the control group were matched for age within 6 months, for IQ within 15 points and finally for performance on the tasks of the study.
• Variables in “ADHD Outside the Laboratory” Study The other variables are the videogames, matching exercise and the zoo navigation exercise used to test the performance of the boys.
• Different Types of Diets and Children’s ADHD Treatment The last factor is a trigger that can lead to the development of a child’s genes’ reaction. Thus, diet is one of the factors that can help prevent the development of ADHD.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children The consistent utilization of effective praises and social rewards indeed results in the behavioral orientation of the child following the treatment goals.
• Vyvanse – ADD and ADHD Medicine Company Analysis It is produced by Shire and New River Pharmaceuticals in its inactive form which has to undergo digestion in the stomach and through the first-pass metabolic effect in the liver into L-lysine, an amino acid […]
• Dealing With the Disruptive Behaviors of ADHD and Asperger Syndrome Students While teaching in a class that has students with ADHD and Asperger syndrome, the teacher should ensure that they give instructions that are simple and easy to follow.
• Current Issues in Psychopharmacology: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder This is the area that is charged with the responsibility for vision control as well as a regulation of one’s brain’s ability to go to aresynchronize’ and go to rest.
• Cognitive Psychology and Attention Deficit Disorder On top of the difficulties in regulating alertness and attention, many individuals with ADD complain of inabilities to sustain effort for duties.
• Adult and Paediatric Psychology: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder To allow children to exercise their full life potential, and not have any depression-caused impairment in the social, academic, behavioral, and emotional field, it is vital to reveal this disorder as early in life, as […]
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Biological Testing The research, leading to the discovery of the Biological testing for ADHD was conducted in Thessaloniki, Greece with 65 children volunteering for the research. There is a large difference in the eye movement of a […]
• Issues in the Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Children Concept theories concerning the nature of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder influence treatment, the approach to the education of children with ADHD, and the social perception of this disease.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Care Controversy The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy, in terms of symptoms and function, and safety of “once-daily dose-optimized GXR compared with placebo in the treatment of children and adolescents aged 6 17 […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Interventions The authors examine a wide range of past studies that reported on the effects of peer inclusion interventions and present the overall results, showing why further research on peer inclusion interventions for children with ADHD […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in a Child A child counselor works with children to help them become mentally and emotionally stable. The case that is examined in this essay is a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Drug-Free Therapy The proposed study aims to create awareness of the importance of interventions with ADHD among parents refusing to use medication. The misperceptions about ADHD diagnosis and limited use of behavioral modification strategies may be due […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Psychosocial Interventions The mentioned components and specifically the effects of the condition on a child and his family would be the biggest challenge in the case of Derrick.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Comorbidities Due to the effects that ADHD has on patients’ relationships with their family members and friends, the development of comorbid health problems becomes highly possible.
• Medicating Kids to Treat ADHD The traditional view is that the drugs for the disorder are some of the safest in the psychiatric practice, while the dangers posed by untreated ADHD include failure in studies, inability to construct social connections, […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Signs and Strategies Determining the presence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a child and addressing the disorder is often a rather intricate process because of the vagueness that surrounds the issue.
• Cognitive Therapy for Attention Deficit Disorder The counselor is thus expected to assist the self-reflection and guide it in the direction that promises the most favorable outcome as well as raise the client’s awareness of the effect and, by extension, enhance […]
• “Stress” Video and “A Natural Fix for ADHD” Article There certainly are some deeper reasons for people to get stressed, and the video documentary “Stress: Portrait of a Killer” and the article “A Natural Fix for A.D.H.D”.by Dr.
• Attention Deficit Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment The patient lives with her parents and 12-year-old brother in a middle-class neighborhood. Her father has a small business, and her mother works part-time in a daycare center.
• Treatment of Children With ADHD Because of the lack of sufficient evidence concerning the effects of various treatment methods for ADHD, as well as the recent Ritalin scandal, the idea of treating children with ADHD with the help of stimulant […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Medicalization This paper discusses the phenomenon of medicalization of ADHD, along with the medicalization of other aspects perceived as deviant or atypical, it will also review the clash of scientific ideas and cultural assumptions where medicalization […]
• Medication and Its Role in the ADHD Treatment Similar inferences can be inferred from the findings of the research conducted by Reid, Trout and Schartz that revealed that medication is the most appropriate treatment of the symptoms associated with ADHD.
• Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The purpose of the present research is to understand the correlation between the self-esteem of children with ADHD and the use of medication and the disorder’s characteristics.
• Natural Remedies for ADHD The key peculiarity of ADHD is that a patient displays several of these symptoms, and they are observed quite regularly. Thus, one can say that proper diet can be effective for the treatment of attention […]
• Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Children With ADHD The study revealed that the skills acquired by the children in the sessions were relevant in the long term since the children’s behaviors were modeled entirely.
• Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Real? In fact, the existence of the condition, its treatment and diagnosis, have been considered controversial topics since the condition was first suggested in the medical, psychology and education.
• Is Attention Deficit Disorder a Real Disorder? When Medicine Faces Controversial Issues In addition, it is necessary to mention that some of the symptoms which the children in the case study displayed could to be considered as the ones of ADHD.
• Foods That Effect Children With ADHD/ ADD Therefore, it is the duty of parents to identify specific foods and food additives that lead to hyperactivity in their children.
• Toby Diagnosed: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The symptoms of the disorder are usually similar to those of other disorder and this increases the risks of misdiagnosing it or missing it all together.
• Identifying, Assessing and Treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder For these criteria to be effective in diagnosing a child with ADHD, the following symptoms have to be present so that the child can be labelled as having ADHD; the child has to have had […]
• ADHD Should Be Viewed as a Cognitive Disorder The manifestation of the disorder and the difficulties that they cause, as posited by the American Psychiatric Association, are typically more pronounced when a person is involved in some piece of work such as studying […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Influence on the Adolescents’ Behavior That is why the investigation was developed to prove or disprove such hypotheses as the dependence of higher rates of anxiety of adolescents with ADHD on their diagnosis, the dependence of ODD and CD in […]
• Stroop Reaction Time on Adults With ADHD The model was used to investigate the effectiveness of processes used in testing interference control and task-set management in adults with ADHD disorder.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Causes Family studies, relationship studies of adopted children, twin studies and molecular research have all confirmed that, ADHD is a genetic disorder.
• Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD The diagnosis of ADHD has drawn a lot of attention from scientific and academic circles as some scholars argue that there are high levels of over diagnosis of the disorder.
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder As it would be observed, some of the symptoms associated with the disorder for children would differ from those of adults suffering from the same condition in a number of ways.
• Working Memory in Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Whereas many studies have indicated the possibility of the beneficial effects of WM training on people with ADHD, critics have dismissed them on the basis of flawed research design and interpretation.
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: The Basic Information in a Nutshell In the case with adults, however, the definition of the disorder will be quite different from the one which is provided for a child ADHD.
• How ADHD Develops Into Adult ADD The development of dominance is vital in processing sensations and information, storage and the subsequent use of the information. As they become teenagers, there is a change in the symptoms of ADHD.
• Medical Condition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder A combination of impulsive and inattentive types is referred to as a full blown ADHD condition. To manage this condition, an array of medical, behavioral, counseling, and lifestyle modification is the best combination.
• Effects of Medication on Education as Related to ADHD In addition, as Rabiner argues, because of the hyperactivity and impulsivity reducing effect of ADHD drugs, most ADHD suffers are nowadays able to learn in an indistinguishable class setting, because of the reduced instances of […]
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment Generally the results indicate that children with ADHD had a difficult time in evaluating time concepts and they seemed to be impaired in orientation of time.
• The Ritalin Fact Book: Stimulants Use in the ADHD Treatment Facts presented by each side of the critical issue The yes side of the critical issue makes it clear that the drugs being used to control ADHD are harmful as they affect the normal growth […]
• Behavior Modification in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Introduction The objective of the article is to offer a description of the process of behavior modification for a child diagnosed with ADHD.
• What Is ADHD and How Does It Affect Kids
• The Benefits of Physical Activities in Combating the Symptoms of ADHD in Students
• The Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity as Intervention for Children with ADHD
• What Are the Effects of ADHD in the Classroom
• Are Children Being Diagnosed with ADHD too Hastily
• The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on ADHD
• Understanding ADHD, Its Effects, Symptoms, and Approach to Children with ADHD
• ADHD Stimulant Medication Abuse and Misuse Among U.S. Teens
• Severity of ADHD and Anxiety Rise if Both Develop
• The Best Approach to Dealing with Attention Deficit/Herpactivity Disorder or ADHD in Children
• An Analysis of the Potential Causes and Treatment Methods for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Young Children
• The Best Way to Deal with Your Child Who Struggles with ADHD
• Response Inhibition in Children with ADHD
• Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatment of Children with ADHD
• Symptoms And Symptoms Of ADHD, Depression, And Anxiety
• Bioethics in Intervention in the Deficit Attention Hyperkinetic Disorder (ADHD)
• The Effects of Children’s ADHD on Parents’ Relationship Dissolution and Labor Supply
• The Effects of Pharmacological Treatment of ADHD on Children’s Health
• The Educational Implications Of ADHD On School Aged Children
• Differences in Perception in Children with ADHD
• The Effects Of ADHD On Children And Education System Child
• Students With ADD/ADHD and Class Placement
• The Advantage and Disadvantage of Using Psychostimulants in the Treatment of ADHD
• How to Increase Medication Compliance in Children with ADHD
• Effective Teaching Strategies for Students with ADHD
• Scientists Probe ADHD Treatment for Long Term Management of the Disease
• Should Stimulants Be Prescribed for ADHD Children
• The Rise of ADHD and the an Analysis of the Drugs Prescribed for Treatment
• The Correlation Between Smoking During Pregnancy And ADHD
• Exploring Interventions Improving Workplace Behavior In Adults With ADHD
• The Promise of Music and Art in Treating ADHD
• The Struggle Of ADHD Medication And Over Diagnosis
• The Problems of Detecting ADHD in Children
• The Harmful Effects of ADHD Medication in Children
• The Symptoms and Treatment of ADHD in Children and Teenagers
• The Impact of Adult ADD/ADHD on Education
• The Experience of Having the ADHD Disorder
• The Young Children And Children With ADHD, And Thinking Skills
• The Use of Ritalin in Treating ADD and ADHD
• The Ethics Of Giving Children ADHD Medication
• The Importance of Correctly Diagnosing ADHD in Children
• The Rise in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment within the United States of America
• The World of ADHD Children
• The Use of Drug Therapies for Children with ADHD
• What Are the Effects of ADHD in the Classroom?
• Does ADHD Affect Essay Writing?
• What Are the Three Main Symptoms of ADHD?
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• Is ADHD Legitimate Medical Diagnosis or Socially Constructed Disorder?
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• Can Sports Affect Impulse Control in Children With ADHD?
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• Should Antihypertensive Drugs Be Used for Curing ADHD?
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• Is Adult ADHD a Risk Factor for Dementia or Phenotypic Mimic?
• How Are People With ADHD Seen in Society?
• Can Additional Training Help Close the ADHD Gender Gap?
• How Does School Systems Deal With ADHD?
• Are Children With Low Working Memory and Children With ADHD Same or Different?
• How Does ADHD Affect School Performance?
• Should Children With ADHD Be Medicated?
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What’s behind the increase in ADHD?

The number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has been rising rapidly over the last few decades. Today, nearly one out of every 10 youths in the United States is diagnosed with ADHD, an increase also reflected in other nations. This makes ADHD the most common mental health condition among children worldwide — a fact that’s spurred scientific debate over what’s behind the uptick.

Marginal, or borderline, diagnoses are believed to have swollen the number of ADHD cases. Numerous studies have documented that children who are relatively young for their grade level are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than those who are older. This diagnosis gap is typically interpreted as reflecting differences in maturity between classmates who are almost one year apart in age — the younger kids naturally have more difficulties paying attention than their older peers.

A new Stanford study provides empirical evidence that not only affirms the existence of many such marginal cases, but also reveals a significant snowball effect: The younger siblings and cousins of children who receive these marginal ADHD diagnoses are often diagnosed with the condition as well.

And those additional diagnoses and drug treatments among family members lead to greater health care costs and spiraling caseloads, often with no clear benefits to patient well-being, say the study’s co-authors. 

The researchers follow the younger siblings and cousins who receive the borderline diagnoses until age 26 and find no improvements in their educational outcomes and economic well-being. 

The research by Petra Persson and Maya Rossin-Slater — both faculty fellows at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) — was published this week as a  working paper  by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The paper was co-authored by Xinyao Qiu, an economics PhD student at Stanford.

The study also examines how screening and diagnostic procedures lead to the snowball effect among siblings and other close relatives.

“The key issue is that we don’t have a precise diagnosis technology for ADHD, and many mental health conditions are similar,” said Persson, an assistant professor of economics at Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences. 

In other words, she said, there is no genetic test or other diagnostic procedure that can definitively determine whether a patient does or does not have ADHD. Instead, doctors rely on an imperfect screening protocol. Subject to interpretation, the process therefore produces these “marginal” cases. 

“When you combine that subjectivity with the use of family medical history in the screening and diagnostic processes for ADHD, then that can dramatically amplify any costs associated with marginal diagnoses,” said Rossin-Slater, an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and a core faculty member at Stanford Health Policy.

The authors show that the younger siblings and cousins of children who are diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to be referred to screenings by their schools and family members. 

In addition, physicians likely play a key role. Because ADHD is in part a genetic condition, the screening protocol accounts for an older relative’s diagnosis. But the diagnostic protocols do not call for doctors to consider whether that older relative was one of the older or younger kids in class. If medical protocols are revised to attach less weight to a family history of ADHD diagnoses involving someone comparably young for their grade, then the number of additional diagnoses and related treatments stemming from the snowball effect are likely to drop, the researchers suggest.

December versus January

ADHD — estimated to affect 7 percent of children worldwide — is characterized by a range of symptoms, including trouble with concentrating, paying attention, staying organized, and remembering details.

To better understand the rise in ADHD caseloads, the researchers used population, education and health data from Sweden on children born in 1990 to 1996 as well as data through 2017 on their younger siblings and cousins. Doctors in Sweden — where ADHD cases increased five-fold and ADHD drug treatments rose six-fold from 2006 to 2017 — use the same screening protocols as the American Psychiatric Association to evaluate their patients.

When the researchers examined ADHD outcomes in relation to the Swedish school entry cutoff of Jan. 1, they found a large diagnosis gap between students born in December and those born in January. While born just a month apart, children born in December are the youngest in their class, while those born in January are the oldest.

Specifically, December-born children were 30 percent more likely than their January-born peers to be diagnosed with ADHD and to get prescription drug treatment for it. These marginal diagnoses among December-born children, in turn, triggered additional diagnoses among younger family members, both within and outside of the household of the initially diagnosed child.

The younger siblings and cousins of those December-born students were, respectively, 12 percent and 13 percent more likely to be also diagnosed with ADHD — and about 9 percent more likely to get drug treatment — regardless of their own birth months. 

Schools, families play a role in the spread

Because screenings are usually initiated by referrals from schools and parents in families with a history of ADHD, the authors believe that younger members in the family are more likely to be referred to ADHD screenings when they have older siblings or cousins with ADHD. 

Doctors, in turn, use information about family medical history when evaluating the younger children, but they are equally likely to diagnose them with ADHD regardless of the older child’s relative age for grade. Thus, the “diagnosis gap” among older children translates into a gap among their younger family members as well.

More generally, the perpetuation of marginal diagnoses across family members helps explain a sizable share of the increase in ADHD cases, the researchers concluded.

“There are kids who are being treated with ADHD medications when maybe they would not be, had they not been the younger family members of somebody born just before the January school cutoff,” Rossin-Slater said. “And we don’t know the long-term implications of that drug treatment.”

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Blog > Common App , Essay Advice , Personal Statement > How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

How to Write a College Essay About ADHD

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University Admissions

Key Takeaway

ADHD and ADD are becoming more prevalent, more frequently diagnosed, and better understood.

The exact number of college students with ADHD is unclear with estimates ranging wildly from just 2% to 16% or higher.

Regardless of the raw numbers, an ADHD diagnosis feels very personal, and it is not surprising that many students consider writing a college essay about ADHD.

If you are thinking about writing about ADHD, consider these three approaches. From our experience in admissions offices, we’ve found them to be the most successful.

First, a Note on the Additional Information Section

Before we get into the three approaches, I want to note that your Common App personal statement isn’t the only place you can communicate information about your experiences to admissions officers.

You can also use the additional information section.

The additional information section is less formal than your personal statement. It doesn’t have to be in essay format, and what you write there will simply give your admissions officers context. In other words, admissions officers won’t be evaluating what you write in the additional information section in the same way they’ll evaluate your personal statement.

You might opt to put information about your ADHD (or any other health or mental health situations) in the additional information section so that admissions officers are still aware of your experiences but you still have the flexibility to write your personal statement on whatever topic you choose.

Three Ways to Write Your College Essay About ADHD

If you feel like the additional information section isn’t your best bet and you’d prefer to write about ADHD in your personal statement or a supplemental essay, you might find one of the following approaches helpful.

1) Using ADHD to understand your trends in high school and looking optimistically towards college

This approach takes the reader on a journey from struggle and confusion in earlier years, through a diagnosis and the subsequent fallout, to the present with more wisdom and better grades, and then ends on a note about the future and what college will hold.

If you were diagnosed somewhere between 8th and 10th grade, this approach might work well for you. It can help you contextualize a dip in grades at the beginning of high school and emphasize that your upward grade trend is here to stay.

The last part—looking optimistically towards college—is an important component of this approach because you want to signal to admissions officers that you’ve learned to manage the challenges you’ve faced in the past and are excited about the future.

I will warn you: there is a possible downside to this approach. Because it’s a clear way to communicate grade blips in your application, it is one of the most common ways to write a college essay about ADHD. Common doesn’t mean it’s bad or off-limits, but it does mean that your essay will have to work harder to stand out.

2) ADHD as a positive

Many students with ADHD tell us about the benefits of their diagnosis. If you have ADHD, you can probably relate.

Students tend to name strengths like quick, creative problem-solving, compassion and empathy, a vivid imagination, or a keen ability to observe details that others usually miss. Those are all great traits for college (and beyond).

If you identify a strength of your ADHD, your essay could focus less on the journey through the diagnosis and more on what your brain does really well. You can let an admissions officer into your world by leading them through your thought processes or through a particular instance of innovation.

Doing so will reveal to admissions officers something that makes you unique, and you’ll be able to write seamlessly about a core strength that’s important to you. Of course, taking this approach will also help your readers naturally infer why you would do great in college.

3) ADHD helps me empathize with others

Students with ADHD often report feeling more empathetic to others around them. They know what it is like to struggle and can be the first to step up to help others.

If this rings true to you, you might consider taking this approach in your personal statement.

If so, we recommend connecting it to at least one extracurricular or academic achievement to ground your writing in what admissions officers are looking for.

A con to this approach is that many people have more severe challenges than ADHD, so take care to read the room and not overstate your challenge.

Key Takeaways + An Example

If ADHD is a significant part of your story and you’re considering writing your personal statement about it, consider one of these approaches. They’ll help you frame the topic in a way admissions officers will respond to, and you’ll be able to talk about an important part of your life while emphasizing your strengths.

And if you want to read an example of a college essay about ADHD, check out one of our example personal statements, The Old iPhone .

As you go, remember that your job throughout your application is to craft a cohesive narrative —and your personal statement is the anchor of that narrative. How you approach it matters.

Liked that? Try this next.

The Incredible Power of a Cohesive College Application

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You have now completed your study of the free course Understanding ADHD . Hopefully as you have studied this material you have both challenged and consolidated some of your previously held beliefs about this common neurodevelopmental disorder. You have learnt how ADHD is experienced, diagnosed and managed, but you should also now recognise that there is much still to be understood about the condition. For example, the exact cause is unknown. It is also not yet clear exactly how child and adult forms of ADHD relate to one another, or indeed if they are distinct from each other at all. The exact mechanism of action of current drug treatments to reduce symptoms of ADHD is also not fully understood.

A summary of key learning points from this course:

• ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental condition which affects around 6 in 100 children and adolescents, and around 3 in 100 adults. The condition has three core symptoms: inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. It is also associated with difficulties in social interactions and a range of comorbid conditions.
• Diagnosis of ADHD can be made using DSM-5, in which three different presentation types are possible based on the type of core symptoms an individual displays. Symptoms must be present from childhood and found in more than one setting for a minimum of 6 months. It is expected that similar criteria will be found in ICD-11 which will be the first time this diagnostic system has recognised ADHD.
• The search for risk factors for ADHD has been extensive. The condition is known to be highly heritable but genetic studies have yet to reveal a clear genetic basis. Studies indicate multiple genes are likely to be involved. Environmental risk factors also exist, with several prenatal events identified as increasing risk of ADHD.
• The brain basis of ADHD is likely to revolve around the brain circuitry involved in selective attention, including structures such as the prefrontal cortex and a range of neurotransmitters, but most notably dopamine.
• Management of ADHD varies with the age of the individual. Psychosocial and biological treatments are available at all ages, but in younger individuals medication is used with caution because the precise long-term effects on the developing brain are unknown.

This OpenLearn course is an adapted extract from the Open University course SK298 Brain, mind and mental health [ Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. ( Hide tip ) ] .

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How to Remove Hurdles to Writing for Students with ADHD

Half of all kids with adhd struggle with writing, which can make every assignment — from straightforward worksheets to full-length essays — feel like torture. boost your child’s skills with these 18 strategies for school and home..

Studies suggest that more than half of children with attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD ) struggle with writing. These students may have an overflow of creative ideas , but often struggle when it comes to getting these ideas onto paper.

Children with ADHD have a hard time getting started — and following through — on writing assignments because they have difficulty picking essay topics, locating appropriate resources, holding and manipulating information in their memory, organizing and sequencing the material, and getting it down on paper — all before they forget what they wanted to say.

But these hurdles don’t have to stop them from writing. Discuss the following ADHD writing strategies with your child’s teacher so you can work together to ease the difficulties attention deficit children have with writing.

Solutions in the Classroom: Guide the Writing Process

—Set up a note system. Ask the student to write her notes about a topic on individual sticky notes. She can then group the notes together that feature similar ideas so she’ll be able to easily identify the major concepts of the subject from the groupings.

—Start small and build skills. Ask students with ADHD to write a paragraph consisting of only two or three sentences. As their skills improve, the students can start writing several paragraphs at a time.

[ Free Download: 18 Writing Tricks for Students with ADHD ]

—Demonstrate essay writing. With the use of an overhead projector, write a paragraph or an entire essay in front of the class, explaining what you are doing at each step. Students can assist you by contributing sentences as you go. Students with ADHD are often visual learners , and tend to do better when they see the teacher work on a task.

—Give writing prompts. Students with ADHD usually don’t generate as many essay ideas as their peers. Help the children with ADHD increase their options for essay assignments by collecting materials that stimulate choices. Read a poem, tell a story, show pictures in magazines, newspapers, or books.

If the student is still struggling to get started, help him by sitting down and talking about the assignment with him. Review his notes from the brainstorming session and ask, “What are some ways you could write the first sentence?” If he doesn’t have an answer, say, “Here’s an idea. How would you write that in your own words?”

—Encourage colorful description. Students with ADHD often have difficulty “dressing up” their written words. Help them add adjectives and use stronger, more active verbs in sentences.

[ How Teens with Learning Differences Can Defeat Writing Challenges ]

—Explain the editing process. Students with ADHD have a hard time writing to length and often produce essays that are too short and lacking in details. Explain how the use of adjectives and adverbs can enhance their composition. Show them how to use a thesaurus, too.

Solutions in the Classroom: Use Accommodations Where Necessary

—Allow enough time. Students with ADHD, especially those with the inattentive subtype, may take longer to process information and should receive extended time to complete assignments.

—Don’t grade early work. Sensitive students are discouraged by negative feedback as they are developing their writing skills. Wait until the paper is finished before assigning it a grade.

—Don’t deduct points for poor handwriting or bad grammar. Unless an assignment is specifically measuring handwriting and grammar skills, when a child is working hard to remember and communicate, let some things slide.

—Use a graphic organizer. A graphic organizer organizes material visually in order to help with memory recall. Distribute pre-printed blank essay forms that students with ADHD can fill in, so they’ll reserve their efforts for the most important task — writing the essay.

—Grade limited essay elements. To encourage writing mastery and avoid overwhelming students, grade only one or two elements at any given time. For example, “This week, I’m grading subject-verb agreement in sentences.” Tighter grading focus channels students’ attention to one or two writing concepts at a time.

Solutions at Home

—Encourage journals. Have your child write down his thoughts about outings to the movies, visits with relatives, or trips to museums. Add some fun to the activity by asking your child to e-mail you his thoughts or text-message you from his cell phone.

—Assist with essay topic selection. Children with ADHD have difficulty narrowing down choices and making decisions. Help your student by listening to all of his ideas and writing down three or four of his strongest topics on cards. Next, review the ideas with him and have him eliminate each topic, one by one – until only the winner is left.

—Brainstorm. Once the topic is identified, ask him for all the ideas he thinks might be related to it. Write the ideas on sticky notes, so he can cluster them together into groupings that will later become paragraphs. He can also cut and paste the ideas into a logical sequence on the computer.

—Stock up on books, movies, games. These materials will introduce new vocabulary words and stimulate thinking. Explore these with your child and ask him questions about them to solicit his views.

—Be your child’s “scribe.” Before your child loses his idea for the great American novel, or for his next English assignment, have him dictate his thoughts to you as you write them out by hand or type them into the computer. As his skills improve over time, he’ll need less of your involvement in this process.

—Go digital. Children with ADHD often write slower than their classmates. Encourage your child to start the writing process on a computer. This way, she’ll keep her work organized and won’t misplace her essay before it’s finished. Also, by working on the computer she can easily rearrange the order of sentences and paragraphs in a second draft.

—Remind your child to proofread. Let your child know that he’ll be able to catch errors if he proofreads his rough draft before handing it in.

High-Tech Writing Helpers for Kids with ADHD

Portable word processor

These battery-operated devices look like a computer keyboard with a small calculator screen. Light and durable, portable word processors can be used at school for note-taking and writing assignments. Back home, files can be transferred to a PC or Mac. Basic models cost about $20.

Speech-recognition software

Word-prediction software

Software such as Co:Writer Solo ($325) helps with spelling and builds vocabulary, providing a drop-down list of words from which a student can choose. It also fills in words to speed composition. Some programs read sentences aloud, so the writer can hear what he has written and catch mistakes as they occur.

Electronic spell-checkers and dictionaries

Enter a word phonetically, and these portable gadgets define the word and provide the correct spelling. Talking devices read the words aloud. Franklin Electronics offers models beginning at about $20.

[ The Common Problems that Lead to Writer’s Block ]

Chris Zeigler Dendy, M.S., is a member of ADDitude’s  ADHD Medical Review Panel .

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Overdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Luise kazda.

1 Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

2 Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Kevin McGeechan

Rebecca sims, alexandra barratt.

Accepted for Publication: February 13, 2021.

Published: April 12, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.5335

Open Access: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License . © 2021 Kazda L et al. JAMA Network Open .

Author Contributions: Ms Kazda had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Concept and design: Kazda, Bell, Thomas, Barratt.

Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors.

Drafting of the manuscript: Kazda, Barratt.

Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors.

Statistical analysis: McGeechan.

Obtained funding: Barratt.

Administrative, technical, or material support: Kazda.

Supervision: Kazda, Bell, Thomas, Barratt.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Ms Kazda reported receiving grants from the Australian government National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) during the conduct of the study. Dr Bell reported receiving grants from the NHMRC during the conduct of the study and grants from the NHMRC outside the submitted work. Dr Thomas reported receiving support from the NHMRC outside the submitted work. Dr McGeechan reported receiving grants from the NHMRC during the conduct of the study. Ms Sims reported receiving other support from the Australian government Research Training Program Scholarship outside the submitted work. Dr Barratt reported receiving grants from the NHMRC during the conduct of the study and serving as a member of the Scientific Committee of Preventing Overdiagnosis International Conferences. No other disclosures were reported.

Funding/Support: This study was supported by program grant 1113532 and Centre for Research Excellence grant 1104136 from Wiser Healthcare, funded by the NHMRC.

Role of the Funder/Sponsor: The funders had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Additional Contributions: Justin Clark, BA, Bond University, assisted with the search strategy development. Mr Clark received no financial compensation for his contribution. Benjamin Trevitt, MPH, MBBS, University of Sydney, assisted with the full text reviews of papers. Dr Trevitt received financial compensation as a research assistant for this study.

Associated Data

eAppendix 2. Data Extraction Template

eAppendix 3. Flow Diagram of Included Studies

eAppendix 4. Qualitative Data Extraction

eAppendix 5. Critical Appraisal Results

eAppendix 6. Results Table

eReferences

This systematic scoping review evaluates the multidecade pattern of diagnosis in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young people using a framework for identifying overdiagnosis for noncancer conditions.

Is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) overdiagnosed in children and adolescents?

In this systematic scoping review of 334 published studies in children and adolescents, convincing evidence was found that ADHD is overdiagnosed in children and adolescents. For individuals with milder symptoms in particular, the harms associated with an ADHD diagnosis may often outweigh the benefits.

This finding suggests that high-quality studies on the long-term benefits and harms of diagnosing and treating ADHD for youths with milder or borderline symptoms are needed to inform safe and equitable practice and policy.

Reported increases in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses are accompanied by growing debate about the underlying factors. Although overdiagnosis is often suggested, no comprehensive evaluation of evidence for or against overdiagnosis has ever been undertaken and is urgently needed to enable evidence-based, patient-centered diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in contemporary health services.

To systematically identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence on overdiagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents using a published 5-question framework for detecting overdiagnosis in noncancer conditions.

Evidence Review

This systematic scoping review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews and Joanna Briggs Methodology, including the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library databases were searched for studies published in English between January 1, 1979, and August 21, 2020. Studies of children and adolescents (aged ≤18 years) with ADHD that focused on overdiagnosis plus studies that could be mapped to 1 or more framework question were included. Two researchers independently reviewed all abstracts and full-text articles, and all included studies were assessed for quality.

Of the 12 267 potentially relevant studies retrieved, 334 (2.7%) were included. Of the 334 studies, 61 (18.3%) were secondary and 273 (81.7%) were primary research articles. Substantial evidence of a reservoir of ADHD was found in 104 studies, providing a potential for diagnoses to increase (question 1). Evidence that actual ADHD diagnosis had increased was found in 45 studies (question 2). Twenty-five studies showed that these additional cases may be on the milder end of the ADHD spectrum (question 3), and 83 studies showed that pharmacological treatment of ADHD was increasing (question 4). A total of 151 studies reported on outcomes of diagnosis and pharmacological treatment (question 5). However, only 5 studies evaluated the critical issue of benefits and harms among the additional, milder cases. These studies supported a hypothesis of diminishing returns in which the harms may outweigh the benefits for youths with milder symptoms.

Conclusions and Relevance

This review found evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents. Evidence gaps remain and future research is needed, in particular research on the long-term benefits and harms of diagnosing and treating ADHD in youths with milder symptoms; therefore, practitioners should be mindful of these knowledge gaps, especially when identifying these individuals and to ensure safe and equitable practice and policy.

Introduction

Public debate over the appropriateness of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis has grown along with diagnosis rates. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 Disagreement continues about how much of the increased diagnoses can be attributed to true increases in frequency, improved detection, or diagnostic inflation because of misdiagnosis and/or overdiagnosis. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 The concept of overdiagnosis is well established in cancer, 13 , 14 but it also occurs in noncancer conditions. 15 , 16 , 17 Methods to investigate overdiagnosis in noncancer conditions were published recently 18 but have not been applied to ADHD yet.

Overdiagnosis of ADHD could happen because of diagnostic inflation 10 , 19 by widening the definition to include ambiguous or mild symptoms, by explicitly changing the diagnostic definition, 10 , 20 or by implicitly medicalizing behavioral patterns that previously would not have been considered abnormal 1 , 21 (eg, those behaviors that are typical of children who are relatively young for their school year 22 ). However, for increased detection to represent current overdiagnosis rather than previous underdiagnosis of ADHD, we also need evidence that these additional cases do not derive a net benefit from diagnosis (ie, these children’s overall health is not improved because the harms of diagnosis and treatment outweigh the benefits 23 , 24 , 25 ). Although the benefits of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of ADHD may be well known, 12 harms are less well appreciated. Physical and psychosocial harms (and financial costs) may be experienced directly by the young patients and their family, but economic and opportunity costs are experienced by the wider society. 7

In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature to identify, appraise, and synthesize the evidence on overdiagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents. Moreover, we aimed to highlight any existing evidence gaps. We used a 5-question framework for detecting overdiagnosis in noncancer conditions.

Because of the broad research question, we conducted a systematic scoping review that adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses ( PRISMA ) Extension for Scoping Reviews 26 and Joanna Briggs Methodology, 27 including the provision of a PRISMA-ScR Checklist. A summary of the methods is given here, and the details are published elsewhere. 28

Overdiagnosis is defined here as occurring when a person is clinically diagnosed with a condition, but the net effect of the diagnosis is unfavorable. 18 , 23 , 29 Misdiagnosis (when a child is incorrectly labeled with an ADHD diagnosis instead of an alternative condition 10 , 23 ) and false-positive diagnosis (when a subsequent clinical encounter reveals a wrong initial diagnosis 23 ) are not the focus of this article.

The conceptual basis for this review was a previously published framework for identifying characteristics that are consistent with overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment in noncancer conditions. 18 All included data were mapped to these 5 questions: (1) Is there potential for increased diagnosis? (2) Has diagnosis actually increased? (3) Are additional cases subclinical or low risk? (4) Have some additional cases been treated? (5) Might harms outweigh benefits of diagnosis (5a) and treatment (5b) ( Figure 1 )?

The model of an iceberg illustrates how the framework relates to subsets of the population who may be diagnosed with ADHD. Question 1 concerns youths who may be diagnosable with ADHD, question 2 concerns youths who are diagnosed with ADHD according to newer criteria or those who were already diagnosed with ADHD using older thresholds, and questions 3 to 5 concern youths who are newly diagnosed vs those who are already diagnosed (adapted from Bell et al 18 ).

Peer-reviewed primary and secondary studies in children and adolescents that were published in English between January 1, 1979, and August 21, 2020, were eligible for inclusion. Studies with mixed-age populations were included if it was possible to extract data from them separately or if most participants were aged 18 years or younger. Given the overwhelming amount of evidence on pharmacological ADHD treatment outcomes, we included systematic reviews and cohort studies only for question 5b. Studies needed to have a clear emphasis on ADHD.

Searches were performed on August 21, 2020, in MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, and the Cochrane Library (eAppendix 1 in Supplement 1 ). These database searches were supplemented by backward citation searches of all included articles and forward citation searches on key research.

After the removal of duplicates and a pilot phase, 2 of us (L.K. and R.S.) independently screened abstracts using the web-based text mining tool Abstrackr (Brown University). 30 , 31 Subsequently, the full texts of all potential articles were independently reviewed by 1 of us (L.K.) and another researcher. Any discrepancies were resolved through discussion.

Data Extraction and Quality Assessment

Data were extracted into a standardized template, which was developed through an iterative process (eAppendix 2 in Supplement 1 ). Data from qualitative studies were mapped using NVivo, version 12 Plus (QSR International). Uncertainties were resolved by team discussion. A quality assessment of included studies was conducted by one of us (L.K.) using critical appraisal checklists developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. 32

Data Synthesis and Analysis

Data were considered in the context of the 5 questions and then stratified into themes and subthemes for analysis. Each study could contribute data to more than 1 question.

To investigate whether a reservoir of potentially diagnosable ADHD existed (question 1), we looked for prevalence variations and other indicators, such as evidence of a spectrum of symptoms. For example, the lack of biological explanations for large prevalence variations among populations or among diagnostic standards would indicate a reservoir of potentially diagnosable disease. To analyze the data on ADHD diagnosis and treatment patterns (questions 2 and 4), we included any studies that provided time-trend data on clinical diagnosis or medication rates.

The question of whether additional diagnoses were predominantly mild cases (question 3) was central to ascertaining whether extra detection represented a net benefit or harm. However, severity of ADHD was not consistently defined or assessed, relying heavily on subjective interpretations. 25 We grouped the evidence for this question into 2 categories: studies that reported ADHD severity and studies that reported degree of impairment as a proxy.

We divided the evidence on benefits and harms (question 5) into outcomes of the diagnosis and outcomes of any subsequent treatment, with a focus on the ratio of benefits to harms specifically for youths with milder ADHD-related behaviors. 18 In addition, we considered the evidence on benefits and harms across the wider ADHD spectrum.

Of the 12 267 records retrieved, 334 studies (2.7%) were included. eAppendix 3 in Supplement 1 outlines the selection process in a PRISMA flow diagram. 26

Of the 334 included studies, 61 (18.3%) were secondary and 273 (81.7%) were primary research articles. Most studies were published within the past 10 years (n = 217 [65.0%]) and were most commonly from North America (n = 128 [38.3%]), Europe (n = 93 [27.8%]), or Oceania/Asia (n = 35 [10.5%]) ( Table 1 ; eAppendix 4 in Supplement 1 and Supplement 2 ).

The quality of included studies varied; approximately one-third of the studies were classified as having low (n = 129), moderate (n = 102), or high (n = 103) risk of bias. Studies that provided evidence for question 5 were more likely to be at high risk of bias (n = 69 [45.7%]) ( Figure 2 and eAppendix 5 in Supplement 1 ).

The full results from the critical appraisals are found in eAppendix 5 in Supplement 1 .

Table 2 maps the evidence against the framework. 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 10 , 11 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120 , 121 , 122 , 123 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 , 150 , 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 , 158 , 159 , 160 , 161 , 162 , 163 , 164 , 165 , 166 , 167 , 168 , 169 , 170 , 171 , 172 , 173 , 174 , 175 , 176 , 177 , 178 , 179 , 180 , 181 , 182 , 183 , 184 , 185 , 186 , 187 , 188 , 189 , 190 , 191 , 192 , 193 , 194 , 195 , 196 , 197 , 198 , 199 , 200 , 201 , 202 , 203 , 204 , 205 , 206 , 207 , 208 , 209 , 210 , 211 , 212 , 213 , 214 , 215 , 216 , 217 , 218 , 219 , 220 , 221 , 222 , 223 , 224 , 225 , 226 , 227 , 228 , 229 , 230 , 231 , 232 , 233 , 234 , 235 , 236 , 237 , 238 , 239 , 240 , 241 , 242 , 243 , 244 , 245 , 246 , 247 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 , 253 , 254 , 255 , 256 , 257 , 258 , 259 , 260 , 261 , 262 , 263 , 264 , 265 , 266 , 267 , 268 , 269 , 270 , 271 , 272 , 273 , 274 , 275 , 276 , 277 , 278 , 279 , 280 , 281 , 282 , 283 , 284 , 285 , 286 , 287 , 288 , 289 , 290 , 291 , 292 , 293 , 294 , 295 , 296 , 297 , 298 , 299 , 300 , 301 , 302 , 303 , 304 , 305 , 306 , 307 , 308 , 309 , 310 , 311 , 312 , 313 , 314 , 315 , 316 , 317 , 318 , 319 , 320 , 321 , 322 , 323 , 324 , 325 , 326 , 327 , 328 , 329 , 330 , 331 , 332 , 333 , 334 , 335 , 336 , 337 , 338 , 339 , 340 , 341 , 342 , 343 , 344 , 345 , 346 , 347 , 348 , 349 , 350 , 351 , 352 , 353 , 354 , 355 , 356 A summary of the findings is described here. The full results are provided in eAppendix 6 in Supplement 1 .

Abbreviations: ADHD, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; AE, adverse event; DSM , Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; ED, emergency department; ICD-10 , International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision ; MVA, motor vehicle accident; SES, socioeconomic status.

Large Reservoir of Potentially Diagnosable ADHD

A total of 104 studies were included to answer question 1. Large variations in ADHD diagnosis were found between subpopulations in 48 studies. Twenty-five studies provided evidence of variation between the sexes, showing lower diagnosis of ADHD in girls than in boys. Although biological reasons may exist, 38 , 45 equally symptomatic girls were less likely to be diagnosed than boys in 2 studies. 54 , 55 Eight studies showed decreasing ratios over time, which were indicative of a reservoir of diagnosable ADHD in girls. 5 , 6 , 34 , 37 , 40 , 41 , 44 , 47

Of the 12 included studies that focused on relative age, 11 studies showed that the youngest children in class were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest children. 22 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 One study did not confirm this finding. 78 It was conducted in a low-prevalence setting in which only specialists diagnosed ADHD, suggesting that variation (and a potential reservoir) is much smaller where stricter adherence to diagnostic criteria may occur.

Youths from various migrant backgrounds were traditionally less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD in 15 studies. 6 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 41 , 42 , 45 , 48 , 49 , 53 , 56 , 62 , 63 , 65 , 66 However, there is evidence that diagnosis rates increased rapidly (especially in young Black youths, often overtaking the rates in White youths). 6 , 37 , 39 , 41 , 51 , 52 , 56 , 66 , 67 Twenty-one studies 5 , 6 , 35 , 36 , 39 , 41 , 43 , 45 , 46 , 49 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 on diagnostic variation by socioeconomic or health insurance status and 8 studies 6 , 33 , 35 , 36 , 39 , 46 , 56 , 59 on regional variation all demonstrated substantial differences.

Eighteen of 20 studies that compared diagnostic prevalence between 2 or more diagnostic criteria described a concurrent increase in potential cases with the broadening of criteria. 10 , 20 , 52 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 Twenty-two studies reported a spectrum of ADHD-related behaviors showing that problems existed on a continuum, with ADHD on the extreme end in 7 studies 119 , 124 , 125 , 126 , 127 , 128 , 129 and subthreshold behaviors on the other end displayed by a considerable proportion of young people in 8 studies, 108 , 109 , 110 , 114 , 115 , 121 , 122 , 123 indicating a large reservoir of potentially diagnosable ADHD. This continuum was also described by a higher risk of adverse outcomes with increasing ADHD symptoms from subthreshold symptom levels to severe behaviors in 13 studies. 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 , 118 , 119 , 120

Evidence of expanding reservoirs attributed to the medicalization of behavior was found in 3 studies. 57 , 96 , 97 Four of 5 phenotype change studies reported stable or declining ADHD symptoms in the population, making it unlikely that the expansion was associated with an actual increase in ADHD symptoms over time. 1 , 21 , 98 , 99

Sixteen studies that investigated diagnostic inaccuracies as a reason for variation reported potential underdiagnosis because of false-negative diagnosis 1 , 21 , 38 , 104 , 105 and potential overdiagnosis because of false-positive diagnosis, 54 , 93 , 100 , 106 , 107 often occurring simultaneously. 11 , 64 , 65 , 101 , 102 , 103

Consistent Increases in ADHD Diagnosis Between 1989 and 2017

Of the 45 studies included to answer question 2, 30 studies estimated change in diagnostic prevalence of ADHD over time, with 27 documenting increased trends 3 , 5 , 21 , 34 , 39 , 41 , 44 , 47 , 50 , 61 , 66 , 74 , 130 , 131 , 132 , 133 , 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 and 3 observing a plateau in the early 2000s. 33 , 60 , 145 Similar evidence came from studies that measured trends in annual diagnostic incidence 2 , 3 , 40 , 43 , 44 , 60 , 140 , 142 , 146 , 147 , 148 , 149 or lifetime diagnostic prevalence, 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 21 , 36 , 37 , 40 , 53 , 56 , 58 , 150 with nearly all of these studies (96.0%) confirming continuously increasing ADHD diagnoses.

Many Additional Cases On the Milder End of the ADHD Spectrum

Twenty-five studies were included to answer question 3. Five studies reported that only a small proportion of all diagnosed youths displayed severe ADHD behaviors. 5 , 36 , 132 , 138 , 152

Eleven studies used changes in impairment as a proxy for severity. Eight of these studies confirmed that impairment levels, adverse outcomes, and benefits of medication substantially decreased with the expansion of the group of diagnosed youths. 79 , 85 , 86 , 88 , 93 , 100 , 150 , 151 Six studies that confirmed stable or declining ADHD behaviors in youths over several decades supported this finding. 1 , 21 , 90 , 91 , 98 , 99 Correspondingly, 2 studies 70 , 75 on the relative age effect on ADHD diagnosis reported that the proportion of youngest children in class who received a diagnosis compared with older children had increased in more recent birth cohorts. In contrast, 3 studies 5 , 132 , 138 that reported time trends of parent- or clinician-perceived severity of the disorder showed larger relative increases in more severe cases (which could be associated with a growing tendency to report the same behaviors as more severe).

Substantial Increases in Pharmacological Treatment for ADHD Between 1971 and 2018

Of the 83 studies included to answer question 4, 64 showed an increasing percentage of youths being pharmacologically treated for ADHD. Three studies 194 , 195 , 213 identified a plateau or decrease in this trend for preschool-aged children, with 2 studies 134 , 163 indicating a general declining trend in youths in Germany who received treatment. Annual incident treatment rates were reported to be increasing in 5 studies 142 , 166 , 175 , 196 , 197 and to be stable or without a clear trend in 4 studies, 172 , 198 , 199 , 200 whereas 10 of 11 studies 50 , 201 , 202 , 203 , 204 , 205 , 206 , 207 , 208 , 209 reported increasing trends in medication dispensing or sales.

Benefits May Be Outweighed by Harms in Youth With Milder ADHD Symptoms

A total of 31 studies reported the consequences of diagnosis (question 5a). We focused on the benefits and harms for milder cases. Only 2 studies 64 , 233 provided information on this group and both reported harms and found that the diagnostic label could have adverse social, psychological, and academic effects when compared with undiagnosed youths with similar behaviors.

Regarding the general benefits of a diagnosis (across the full spectrum of ADHD cases), 2 main themes emerged. First, in 14 studies, an ADHD diagnosis was shown to create a sense of empowerment for those involved. It provided a biomedical explanation for experienced problems, supporting a sense of legitimacy 57 , 214 , 215 , 216 , 217 accompanied by understanding and sympathy 215 , 216 , 217 , 218 , 219 , 220 , 221 , 222 as well as decreased guilt, blame, and anger. 57 , 214 , 215 , 219 , 222 , 223 Subsequently, this explanation could increase perceived control, with expectations of solutions, 214 , 215 , 218 , 222 enhanced confidence, 215 , 218 , 220 and a sense of belonging. 215 , 218 , 223 Second, enablement was often experienced 57 , 96 , 214 , 215 , 216 , 217 , 219 , 220 , 222 , 223 and was characterized by increased support accompanying a diagnosis of ADHD and by an enhanced ability to seek and accept help. 215 , 216 , 222 , 223

Two themes related to potential harms also emerged. First, in 22 studies, a biomedical view of difficulties was shown to be associated with disempowerment. By providing an excuse for problems, a decrease in responsibility by all involved can occur, 96 , 214 , 216 , 220 , 224 , 225 often followed by inaction and stagnation. 96 , 103 , 216 , 218 , 220 , 222 , 226 , 227 , 228 , 229 This view can also deflect from other underlying individual, social, or systemic problems, 57 , 214 , 215 which can prompt a self-fulfilling prophecy, wherein the perceived inability to change reduces opportunities 64 , 215 , 217 , 230 , 231 , 232 , 233 , 234 , 235 as well as promotes hopelessness and passiveness. 215 , 216 , 222 This loss of control may be especially high when the diagnosis is used as a step toward coercing young people into correcting arguably problematic behaviors. 96 , 214 , 220 , 223 Second, 14 studies reported on stigmatization. The diagnosis can create an identity that enhances prejudice and judgment, 215 , 216 , 217 , 218 , 220 , 222 , 225 , 230 , 232 , 236 , 237 , 238 , 239 , 240 which are associated with even greater feelings of isolation, exclusion, and shame. 216 , 220 , 225

A total of 120 studies reported on the consequences of pharmacological treatment. Forty studies reported on the direct outcomes of pharmacological treatment of ADHD, including 2 studies 151 , 299 on treatment efficacy stratified by severity of ADHD behaviors. These studies confirmed substantially greater treatment response in youths with more severe symptoms at baseline and diminished benefits in milder cases. None of the 29 studies that reported on direct harms of treatment differentiated between case severity. 196 , 275 , 276 , 277 , 278 , 280 , 281 , 282 , 285 , 286 , 287 , 289 , 290 , 291 , 292 , 294 , 295 , 299 , 338 , 339 , 340 , 341 , 342 , 343 , 344 , 345 , 346 , 347 , 348

Of the 85 studies on indirect outcomes of treatment, 3 studies reported on youths with less severe ADHD. Two of these articles 64 , 233 suggested that treatment was only beneficial to academic outcomes in youths with severe symptoms, with 1 study 64 reporting a potentially harmful outcome in milder cases. Another study 150 found that the benefits of medication in reducing hospital contacts and criminal behavior were smaller in later birth cohorts for whom treatment prevalence was higher (thus likely expanding treatment to milder cases).

Twenty-four studies that reported the direct outcomes of medication across the spectrum of symptoms supported substantial short-term symptom reduction. 196 , 241 , 247 , 275 , 276 , 277 , 278 , 279 , 280 , 281 , 282 , 283 , 284 , 285 , 286 , 287 , 288 , 289 , 290 , 291 , 292 , 293 , 294 , 295 However, only 3 studies 245 , 297 , 298 reported long-term follow-up beyond active treatment, finding no difference in symptoms between youths who were treated and those who were untreated in later life, and another study 296 found no difference in symptoms after a 48-hour washout period. In terms of harms, active treatment was commonly associated with mild and moderate adverse events 276 , 278 , 280 , 281 , 286 , 289 , 291 , 292 , 294 , 295 , 299 , 338 , 339 , 340 , 341 , 342 and high discontinuation rates. 275 , 285 , 290 , 341 , 347 , 348 Ten studies mentioned unsatisfactory reporting of harms. 282 , 287 , 291 , 294 , 338 , 340 , 344 , 345 , 346

Indirect treatment effects (across the spectrum of ADHD symptoms) were documented for diverse outcomes, including academic, 64 , 233 , 244 , 245 , 246 , 247 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 , 253 , 254 , 255 , 256 cardiovascular, 267 , 268 , 269 , 270 , 271 , 272 , 273 , 274 physical, 267 , 297 , 300 , 301 , 302 , 303 , 304 , 305 , 306 , 307 , 308 , 309 , 310 psychological, 311 , 312 , 313 , 314 , 315 , 316 , 327 , 328 , 329 social and emotional, 150 , 246 , 256 , 265 , 331 , 333 , 334 , 335 , 336 , 337 and accidents. 150 , 244 , 257 , 258 , 259 , 260 , 261 , 262 , 263 , 264 , 265 , 266 We found evidence of benefits for academic outcomes, 241 , 242 , 243 , 248 , 249 , 250 , 251 , 252 , 253 , 254 , 255 injuries, 259 , 260 , 261 , 262 , 263 hospital admissions, 150 , 257 , 259 criminal behavior, 150 , 333 and quality of life. 334 , 335 , 336 In addition, harmful outcomes were evident for heart rate and cardiovascular events, 268 , 269 , 270 , 272 , 273 , 274 growth 297 , 302 , 303 , 304 , 305 , 306 , 307 , 308 and weight, 304 , 305 , 308 risk for psychosis and tics, 311 , 312 and stimulant misuse or poisoning. 266 , 322 , 323 , 324 Treatment was associated with reduced physical activity in 2 studies. For suicidal behavior as well as emotional and social impairment, we could not find any favorable or unfavorable patterns.

The findings suggest that relatively large symptom reductions through medication translate to modest decreases in functional impairment at best while carrying risks. This ratio is likely worse for youth with milder ADHD in which large symptom reductions are impossible.

To our knowledge, this study is the first systematic scoping review on overdiagnosis of ADHD in youths. We found evidence of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of ADHD. We confirmed a large reservoir of diagnosable ADHD, consistently increasing rates of ADHD diagnosis and treatment, and a large proportion of newly detected cases with milder symptoms (in which harms may outweigh smaller benefits of diagnosis and treatment). Furthermore, we found few studies that assessed symptom severity among extra cases diagnosed through expanded disease definitions as well as the balance of benefits and harms for these individuals, representing a critical evidence gap.

Implications of Findings

Our findings have implications for these individuals, who may be harmed by overdiagnosis and the adverse effects of medication during childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood. These findings are also relevant to the growing number of adults being newly diagnosed with ADHD 4 and may be applicable to other conditions, such as autism. 358

Several important research questions emerged during this review. Larger studies need to be conducted to confirm whether the additional ADHD cases now being diagnosed have milder symptoms. Future research is also required to evaluate whether diagnosing and treating milder ADHD cases may carry net harm. To reduce health and educational inequities, resources must be shifted from the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of ADHD to the needs of youths with more severe symptoms and who are more likely to benefit, including those currently underdiagnosed. Our research focused on overdiagnosis, and we did not address the misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis of ADHD. Although they are outside of the scope of this study, misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis are important complementary issues in a broader discussion of the principles of “right” care 359 and equitable use of health care resources. 360

We recommend that practitioners, parents, and teachers carefully weigh the potential benefits and harms that can accompany ADHD diagnosis and treatment, especially when identifying youths (or adults) with milder symptoms. For this group, the benefits of diagnosis and treatment may be considerably reduced or outweighed by harms.

An option to improve the balance of benefit to harm in practice may be to follow a stepped-diagnosis approach, as described by Batstra et al 9 and Thomas et al. 25 This approach incorporates the valid need for efficient diagnosis and treatment for severe cases as well as a watch-and-wait approach for borderline cases. It echoes management by active surveillance of low-risk prostate, breast, and thyroid cancers, in which overdiagnosis occurs frequently, 361 and it ensures that resources are allocated where they are needed most and will be most valuable. 359

Strengths and Limitations

This study has several strengths. The 5-question framework enabled us to undertake a systematic scoping review, in accordance with international standards, 26 to synthesize a large, heterogeneous set of studies. We undertook a critical appraisal of the included studies 32 that allowed us to evaluate the quality of the evidence collected globally over many decades. Previous analyses focused on specific aspects of ADHD overdiagnosis, such as the existence of a relative age effect, 72 differences between diagnosis and phenotype trends, 21 or outcomes of medication. 294 , 346 Although they contributed important evidence to the literature, these earlier studies were unable to draw overall conclusions on overdiagnosis of ADHD, which we were able to do.

This study also has several limitations. First, despite the inclusion of studies from many countries over a long period, these findings may not be applicable to all demographic groups. Given the scope of this study, we restricted the evidence for questions 4 and 5 to pharmacological treatment of ADHD, which is the most common and controversial treatment. Second, this review is limited by the availability and quality of evidence. Although our confidence in the outcomes for questions 2 and 4 is high, many studies included for questions 1, 3, and 5 were at high risk of bias. Third, parents or teachers were often the sole reporters of potentially subjective measures (eg, symptom severity, quality of life, and consequences of diagnosis). This lack of self-reported data means that it is unknown whether benefits and harms may have been reported differently by the youths themselves.

Conclusions

In this systematic scoping review, we found convincing evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents. Despite an abundance of research in the field of ADHD, gaps in evidence remain. In particular, high-quality studies on the long-term benefits and harms of diagnosing and treating ADHD in young people with milder symptoms are needed to inform safe and equitable practice and policy.

Supplement 1.

eAppendix 1. MEDLINE Search Strategy

Supplement 2.

Data Extraction Results

The Impact of ADHD on Academic Performance

The importance of advocating for your child with their educators..

Posted February 17, 2023 | Reviewed by Tyler Woods

• What Is ADHD?
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• ADHD symptoms contribute to poor academic performance.
• The symptoms of inattentive-type ADHD make it difficult diagnose in school-age children.
• Advocating for your child with educators can improve their academic performance.
• Working with your child’s ADHD is key to their academic success.

A major concern for parents of ADHD children is their performance in school, and parents often worry over criticizing their children for behaviors like difficulty finishing homework . Poor academic performance can result in failing grades, skipping school, dropping out of high school, or not attending college.

Inattentive-type ADHD is difficult to identify

Children with the inattentive subtype of ADHD can fly under the radar at school and at home with symptoms of inattention, forgetfulness, and disorganization. Michael Jellineck, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, has estimated children with ADHD could receive as many as 20,000 corrections for their behavior in school by the time they are 10 years old. The symptom of inattentive-type ADHD, including behaviors like disappearing to the bathroom or nurse’s office during class to avoid a disliked task, are difficult to identify correctly as the inattentive subtype and can often be confused with other behavioral problems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control 2017 report, nine out of ten children with ADHD received classroom accommodations in school. However, most children with ADHD are not in special education programs and their teachers may know little about ADHD behaviors. Knowledge of ADHD, including symptoms, behaviors, prognosis, and treatment, varies among teachers (Mohr-Jennsen et al., 2019), and educators are most knowledgeable about the “hallmark” symptoms of ADHD, like students fidgeting or squirming in their seat and being easily distracted by extraneous stimuli (Scuitto et al., 2016).

Advocating for your child

Since my son’s inattentive ADHD is not outwardly apparent (i.e., he isn’t hyperactive or disruptive in the classroom), advocating for him, and teaching him to advocate for himself, is one of my most important jobs as a parent. I was inspired by the story of a father who would send letters to his son’s teachers explaining the boy’s learning disability. Knowing my son’s performance did not always reflect his capabilities, I emailed my son’s middle and high school teachers at the beginning of each semester detailing his ADHD, his weaknesses, and, most importantly, his strengths. I was pleasantly surprised that the reaction from many of my son’s teachers over the years was positive; they were grateful for parental communication and support. Teachers with a greater understanding of ADHD recognize the benefit of behavioral and educational treatments and are more likely to help their students (Ohan et al., 2008). In my son’s case, educators who either had ADHD themselves, or sought to learn about it, had the biggest impact in terms of my son’s academic success.

Practical strategies for common academic struggles

Due to the executive function deficits that accompany ADHD, our kids cannot just “try harder” to get good grades. They are already working harder than their peers to stay afloat in school. According to Mayes and Calhoun (2000) more than half of ADHD children struggle with written expression, my son included. Executive function deficits in ADHD make organizing ideas, planning, and editing difficult. I helped my son by having him talk it out when he had to write an essay for school (this was also an accommodation in his 504 plan to help him answer essay questions on tests and other assignments). I would start by asking him to tell me one fact about his essay’s topic. I found that he knew what he wanted to say, but organizing his thoughts on the page was an overwhelming and difficult task for him. I would furiously type while he talked, then gave him the notes, making it much easier for him to compose his essay. Another strategy was to have him incorporate something about a topic he was interested in, if possible. Anytime my son could write something about outer space or rockets he struggled less, even being selected as a national finalist in a NASA-sponsored essay contest about traveling to Mars.

Approximately 25-40% of patients with ADHD have major reading and writing difficulties, and ADHD frequently co-occurs with other learning disabilities like dyslexia, which makes reading difficult. In addition, the inattention symptoms of ADHD likely interfere with reading ability, resulting in reading the same paragraph over and over without retaining the information. As parents, we have to accept that our ADHD kids learn differently and not be concerned with the traditional, or 'right' way of doing something. My son retained information from required reading in school much better when he listened to an audiobook, rather than trying to painstakingly read the book. What did it matter if my son read the book or listened to it being read? Let’s take a cue from our ADHD kids and think outside the box.

Learning to work with my son’s ADHD gave me a better understanding of his strengths and weaknesses when it came to his academic performance. As a result, I was a better advocate for him and was able to work with his teachers to ensure his academic success.

Albert, M., Rui, P., & Ashman, J.J. (2017). Physician office visits for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents Aged 4–17 Years: United States, 2012–2013 . National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/ databriefs/db269.htm.

Mayes, S.D. & Calhoun, S. (2000, April). Prevalence and degree of attention and learning problems in ADHD and LD. ADHD Reports , 8 (2).

Mohr-Jensen, C., Steen-Jensen, T., Bang Schnack, M., &Thingvad, H. (2019). What do primary and secondary school teachers kno about ADHD in children? Findings from a systematic review and a representative, nationwide sample of Danish teachers. Journal of Attention Disorders 23(3): 206-219.

Ohan, J. L., Cormier, N., Hepp, S. L., Visser, T. A. W., & Strain, M. C. (2008). Does knowledge about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder impact teachers' reported behaviors and perceptions? School Psychology Quarterly, 23 (3), 436–449.

Sciutto, M.J., Terjesen, M.D., Kučerová, A., Michalová, Z., Schmiedeler, S., Antonopoulou, K., Shaker, N.Z., Lee, J., Lee, K., Drake, B., & Rossouw, J. (2016). Cross-national comparisons of teachers’ knowledge and misconceptions of ADHD. International Perspectives in Psychology 5(1): 34-50.

Kristin Wilcox, Ph.D. , is the author of Andrew's Awesome Adventures with His ADHD Brain . She has studied ADHD medications and drug abuse behavior at Emory University and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

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