Black children are significantly underdiagnosed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when compared to their white peers, as their actions are routinely considered discipline issues instead of neurological conditions, according to a new report.
A Penn State University study, published in Psychiatry Research in September, studied 10,000 elementary students between kindergarten and fifth grade across the nation, and researchers estimate that Black students were diagnosed with ADHD at a 40% lower rate when all things are equal, including economic status, student achievement, and behavior.
Additionally, the study determined the odds of Black young males being diagnosed with ADHD were 60% lower than young white males under similar circumstances.