 ADHD , its diagnosis , and its treatment have been controversial since the 1970s . The controversies involve clinicians , teachers , policymakers , parents , and the media . Positions range from the view that ADHD is within the normal range of behavior to the hypothesis that ADHD is a genetic condition . Other areas of controversy include the use of stimulant medications in children , the method of diagnosis , and the possibility of overdiagnosis . In 2012 , the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence , while acknowledging the controversy , states that the current treatments and methods of diagnosis are based on the dominant view of the academic literature . In 2014 , Keith Conners , one of the early advocates for recognition of the disorder , spoke out against overdiagnosis in a New York Times article . In contrast , a 2014 peer @-@ reviewed medical literature review indicated that ADHD is underdiagnosed in adults . 
