ADHD diagnoses are becoming more and more common.
Kevin Antshel, professor of psychology at Syracuse University, explains why.
Kevin Antshel is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the ADHD Lifespan Treatment, Education and Research (ALTER) program at Syracuse University. Dr. Antshel is a licensed psychologist and board certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology.
Examining the Surge of ADHD in U.S. Youth Post-Pandemic
In 2022, researchers found that 7.1 million children and adolescents in the U.S. were diagnosed with ADHD, marking an increase of one million diagnoses since 2016. Why have we seen such a rapid increase?
The pandemic has played a part. Youth, parents, and teachers reported increased mental health concerns—particularly stress, anxiety, and depression—which led more caregivers to seek diagnostic evaluations, subsequently increasing ADHD diagnoses. Remote learning also provided parents with more opportunities to observe their children’s behaviors, prompting many to request evaluations based on what they noticed at home.
While the pandemic played a significant role, other factors also likely contributed to the increase in ADHD diagnoses. Greater awareness and recognition of ADHD, particularly in adults and groups traditionally underdiagnosed (such as women), have also driven more diagnoses.
The pandemic’s mental health effects led many adults to seek evaluations. This trend, combined with heightened awareness of ADHD in adulthood, particularly for women, has led to more adult diagnoses. Furthermore, the high-paced, distraction-filled nature of modern life has made ADHD symptoms more pronounced.
ADHD diagnoses will likely continue to rise. Increased awareness, social media influence, greater acceptance of neurodiversity, and reduced ADHD stigma may all contribute to this trend. However, this rise in diagnoses may also highlight and potentially exacerbate existing inequities in ADHD identification, particularly in marginalized communities.
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