ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 presents an overview of ADHD’s history from 1750 until nowadays. The most important theories that have shaped the current conceptualization of the disorder are presented, along with the social circumstances that may have influenced them. The aim of this chapter is to help the reader comprehend the scientific trajectory of the disorder, and to clarify the impact of the scientific views of each era on the conceptualization and management of ADHD. The paramount question to be addressed by this chapter is the debate regarding ADHD being a ‘real’ disorder or a political/cultural construct, artificially constructed.
