ADHD among Black youth could be higher than previously thought

A new review suggests that Black people in the U.S. may be at a higher risk for ADHD than previously thought. The finding counters the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which mental health experts use to diagnose conditions, and which states that the prevalence of ADHD among Black individuals is lower than the general population. Looking at 21 studies representing data from nearly 155,000 Black individuals, scientists found that the prevalence of ADHD in this population was around 15%. Previous estimates, however, have suggested that ADHD prevalence in the general population could be 2%-12%. Black people are not often included in datasets that calculate ADHD prevalence, which the authors cite as a possible reason why previous estimates seem low. Other factors, including low socioeconomic status and the fact that teachers tend to overreport symptoms among Black youth from low-income backgrounds, could also explain the differences.