Have We Been Thinking About A.D.H.D. All Wrong?

2025-06-17

Over the past three decades, A.D.H.D. diagnoses in the U.S. have been climbing steadily, and so have prescriptions for the medication to manage the symptoms.As the field booms, some longtime researchers are starting to question whether much of the fundamental thinking around how we identify and treat the disorder is wrong.Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains.Guest: Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine who, for the last two decades, has written articles...

Over the past three decades, A.D.H.D. diagnoses in the U.S. have been climbing steadily, and so have prescriptions for the medication to manage the symptoms.

As the field booms, some longtime researchers are starting to question whether much of the fundamental thinking around how we identify and treat the disorder is wrong.

Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, explains.

Guest: Paul Tough, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine who, for the last two decades, has written articles and books about education and child development.

Background reading:

Have we been thinking about A.D.H.D. all wrong?

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Bill Truran/Alamy Stock Photo

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Comments (3)