ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a theoretical review and analysis of the development of hyperkinesis as a medical diagnosis. It describes the diagnosis, reviews the pertinent literature relevant to its development, and also presents a sociological analysis of its discovery. In developing an analysis of the discovery of hyperkinesis it is useful to divide the relevant factors into those that might be considered clinical factors and social factors. The social factors affecting the discovery of hyperkinesis can be divided into three areas: the pharmaceutical revolution, trends in the medical profession; and government action. The chapter discusses the three issues: how children's deviant behavior became conceptualized as a medical problem, why this occurred when it did, and what are some of the implications of the medicalization of deviant behavior. The discovery of hyperkinesis highlights important sociological question: Does the invention or discovery of new forms of medical social control lead to new medical labels.
