I've long had attention and focus problems, but never explored the possibility that I have ADHD till recently. I understand that it's a standard term, but I'm still a bit suspicious; Psychiatry doesn't seem like the most reliable field.
Are there good reasons for picking out the behaviors associated with ADHD and giving them a name? Obviously this is a different question than whether ADHD is a 'disorder' or 'disease', and whether ADHD medication is good or bad for people.
Answers that would satisfy me
- Behaviors associated with ADHD strongly cluster
- Analyzing questionnaires of attention and focus behaviors with faction analysis naturally produces an 'ADHD dimension' that explains a lot of variance (similar methodology to identifying Big 5 personality traits).
- ADHD diagnosis a strong predictor of anything interesting (income or grades or some contrived but interesting lab test)?
- Something else along these lines.
This is one of those scenarios where there are so many examples that it's difficult to pick one. I'll just link this meta one at random - there's no specific reason why I chose that one, there are so many others.
In general, any cognitive test which involves sustained attention (working memory tests require a lot of focus) will have a robust effect.
There's all sorts of effects with GPA, dropout rates, crime rates, unemployment rates, and other life outcomes...just do a quick google.scholar search for any of these.
I would say that, of the various mental illnesses I've researched, ADHD is actually particularly well defined and well understood. Relatively speaking, when compared to other common mental illnesses, it's a straightforward deficit (Difficulty with attention and inhibition) with a straightforward biological mechanism (hypoarousal in the prefrontal cortex) and treatment (stimulants to increase arousal).
(Also, I think this belongs in discussion - not because it's bad or anything, but because it's primarily a request for information rather than an informative article that everyone benefits from viewing.)