The epidemiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders

The objective of this article is to review recent findings on the epidemiology of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prevalence rates obtained from six studies of community populations indicate that ADHD and its subtypes are among the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood. Several problems remain in the measurement of ADHD in a nonclinical population that require resolution before definite conclusions about the epidemiology of this disorder are possible.