Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its diagnostic precedents have been at the centre of highly fraught public debate for almost four decades. Despite persistent controversy and questions as to its scientific legitimacy, ADHD has been consolidated in federal legislation, public health policy, educational practice and popular understanding of child health and behaviour. In response to a recent campaign proclaiming ADHD the last great public health problem, this article examines the development of ADHD within American psychiatry, and the implications of a narrowing conceptual framework both within and beyond clinical practice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 74-92 |
| Journal | Australasian Journal of American Studies |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
