Editorial perspective: Overdiagnosis of ADHD? Here we go again

Thapar, Anita ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3689-737X 2026. Editorial perspective: Overdiagnosis of ADHD? Here we go again. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 10.1111/camh.70075

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Abstract

There is growing preoccupation with whether ADHD is overdiagnosed. That question has already been addressed for the United Kingdom in the recently published National Health Service (NHS)-England independent ADHD Taskforce Report. The administrative prevalence of ADHD in the United Kingdom is lower than the population rate. Regardless of prevalence or country, I argue why a focus purely on diagnosis is unhelpful and overly narrow. A diagnosis is helpful for clinical decision making but, on its own, has multiple limitations. I argue the case for why a needs-based, stepped care, holistic approach is preferable and provide evidence of what sorts of timely support are likely to be effective. The time has come for constructive rather than divisive dialogue on how best to help children and young people.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	1475-357X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	3 March 2026
Date of Acceptance:	3 February 2026
Last Modified:	03 Mar 2026 13:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185427

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