Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: over here and over there

In the United States, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been the subject of unprecedented attention. As a result, ADHD has undergone an explosive growth in terms of the number of professional publications appearing in journals, presentations at national conferences, and media exposure devoted to this topic. However, ADHD continues to generate a great deal of controversy regarding its etiology, diagnostic criteria, and approaches to treatment. In addition, there appears to be pronounced disparities between American and European perspectives on ADHD. In this article we describe the American view of ADHD, discuss factors that have produced an ‘ADHD epidemic’, and contrast American and British perspectives. We then argue that, for non-medical practitioners, functional analysis, which focuses on intervention rather than diagnosis, is the most effective approach.