Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a serious condition that results
in diverse negative outcomes, including poor school performance, difficulties with
peers and family, increased rates of substance use, and elevated risk of other psychiatric
disorders. Fortunately, or so it would seem, the stimulant drugs have been found to
be safe and effective for the treatment of ADHD. Indeed, methylphenidate is the best-studied
drug in pediatric psychopharmacology (
MTA Cooperative Group, 1999
), and decades of experience bolster reassuring evidence from clinical trials. Despite
these positive findings, stimulant drugs have long been administered under a cloud
of suspicion.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
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© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
