The Measurement of the Hyperactive Syndrome in Children

Abstract

The hyperactive syndrome in school-aged children has become one of today's major mental health problems. Estimates of the prevalence of the syndrome indicate that from 5% to 20% of the elementary school population are affected (Cantwell, Note 1). Evidence is beginning to accrue that links hyperactivity in childhood with later disorders in adolescence and adulthood (Menkes, Rowe, & Menkes, 1967). In school and at home children with hyperactive behavior are extraordinarily difficult to manage and demand an inordinant amount of a parent's and a teacher's time. Although many children may be treated successfully with stimulant medication, this practice has been hotly debated in the press and in professional publications (Grinspoon & Singer, 1973). Over the last fifteen years an extensive body of studies on the topic of hyperactivity has accumulated, most of which have either described the condition or have evaluated the effectiveness of various treatment regimens for helping children control and change their behavior. Research will undoubtedly continue in this area as new treatments are devised, e.g., diet regulation (Conners, Goyette, Southwick, Lees, & Andrulonis, 1976), and as new medications come onto the market. Other research trends are the prediction of response to medication and the determination of subgroups of hyperactive children on the basis of etiology or other diagnostic information.