June 2007

As awareness of adult ADHD has increased, more pharmacological and psychosocial treatments have been developed and tested in adults with this condition.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder afflicting children and adolescents in the United States. Epidemiologic studies in the United States indicate that approximately 5% of youths have ADHD.1 ADHD is characterized by the childhood onset of symptoms of inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and motor hyperactivity that occur in more than one domain of functioning (eg, home, work, school, socially).