Abstract
Attempts to explain the nature of the central problems involved in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) date back to the turn of the 19th century (Still, 1902). Such attempts go beyond mere descriptions of the deficits and excesses of behavior and cognition demonstrated by those diagnosed as ADHD and constitute efforts to explain or understand why those deficits and excesses exist as they do. The descriptions these conceptualizations attempt to explain are often reported as being the “symptoms” of the disorder, implying that some larger, underlying difficulty, construct, or set of constructs exist that comprise the “core” of ADHD and that account for the appearance of these overt symptoms. Over this past century, a number of notable attempts have been made at such explanations or conceptualizations of ADHD. They do not, however, rise to the level of a formal theory as scientific theories are defined but remain at the level of hypothetical conceptualizations or viewpoints. Much more is required of them before they could be granted the status of a psychological theory of ADHD, as I demonstrate here.
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Barkley, R.A. (1999). Theories of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In: Quay, H.C., Hogan, A.E. (eds) Handbook of Disruptive Behavior Disorders. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4881-2_13
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