ABSTRACT
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the latest in a long string of names to describe this disorder, is at present the diagnosis given to individuals who present significant symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention. These problems are defined by a set of behavioral and cognitive symptoms that impair normal functioning. It is estimated that 3%-7% of the childhood population can be described as having ADHD (Barkley, 1990). It has now been well documented that ADHD persists into adulthood (Nadeau, 1995; Weiss & Hechtman, 1993; Wender, 1995); however, there is controversy with respect to the percentage of children who grow up to continue to have significant problems in adulthood. Schaffer (1994) presented the most conservative data, with the estimation that only 10% of ADHD children experience significant symptomatology in adult life. By contrast, Weinstein (1994) suggested that 79% of children diagnosed as having ADHD will continue to have significant problems in adulthood. The latest reviews (Barkley, 1997; Jackson & Farrugia, 1997) suggest that the best estimates, based on more objective prospective analyses, are somewhere between 30% and 50%. The variance in percentage may be explained partially by error due to different inclusion criteria over the years and by different operational definitions of significant symptomotology.
