ABSTRACT
Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a relatively new diagnostic label for children. ADD constitutes a chronic neurobiological condition characterized by developmentally inappropriate attention skills, impulsivity, and, in some cases, hyperactivity (Barkley, 1990). The term is used by many professionals, such as the U.S. Department of Education (1991), to identify these children. An alternative diagnostic term is recommended by the American Psychiatric Association (1994)—namely, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)— and this referent is used in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed.). In practice, both ADD and ADHD describe the same disability and are frequently used interchangeably (Rief, 1993). Even though the designations ADD and ADHD are relatively recent, children with the characteristics of ADD have long been recognized and posed a challenge for parents, psychologists, educators, and physicians.
