Research Paper on:
ADHD Literature Review Study

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
22). This author considers himself as lucky that he was never referred to a child psychologist or social worker because he was difficult to handle in school (Newnes, 2005). He  states that his parents were never told that "charging up and down the playground, staring out of windows and falling out of trees was abnormal" (Newnes, 2005, p. 22). Such  statements suggest that modern medicine and perspectives have pathologized normal childhood behavior as "ADHD." Is this accurate? Presumably, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a "diagnosable neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests  through abnormal activity levels, impulsiveness, and (problems with) concentration" (Newnes, 2005, p. 22). Treatment for children diagnosed with this disorder generally includes stimulant, psychoactive medication, such as Ritalin, which are  similar in chemical composition to drugs such as amphetamines (speed) and cocaine (Newnes, 2005). In 1996, six percent of school age boys in the US were prescribed some form of  stimulation medication (Newnes, 2005). However, despite years of study and a research investment amounting in the millions, there is still no medical test for ADHD or any empirical evidence that  supports that this disorder has a neurological cause (Newnes, 2005). Furthermore, there is no evidence that treatment with stimulant medication has any lasting improvement for ADHD children (Newnes, 2005).  In the absence of a physical test, an ADHD diagnosis is completely subjective and based on the opinion of the individual making the diagnosis. DSM-IV criteria lists a series of  symptoms that pertain to inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity (Newnes, 2005). A relevant feature of these symptoms is that all of them apply to "normal" children at some time. For example,  a common symptom of ADHD is the inability to sit still, a "fidgety" child (Newnes, 2005). The difference between what is judged to be normal restlessness and ADHD is purely