ADHD in adults What the science says

Adult attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been discussed for decades, but many of the available books (e.g., Edward Hallowell and John Ratey's Driven to Distraction, 1994) are based on anecdotal clinical experience and have little scientific value. By contrast, the present volume is the work of three prolific research psychologists, and it does much to clear up misconceptions about adult ADHD. Barkley (SUNY Upstate Medical University), Murphy (formerly, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical School), and Fischer (Medical College of Wisconsin) present the results of two long-running research programs, one following children with ADHD diagnoses into adulthood, the other examining individuals not referred to an ADHD clinic until adulthood. Although some topics are quite technical, the narrative is accessible, and statistical analyses are generally relegated to tables so as not to interrupt the flow. Each chapter ends with a review of "conclusions and clinical implications," which connect the research findings to practical concerns. Although some positions the authors take will no doubt be controversial (e.g., that more than 10 million American adults are likely to have ADHD), this book will be the definitive work on the subject for some time. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. B. J. Lovett Elmira College