The unexplored void of ADHD and African-American research: A review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To identify the body of knowledge exploring the subject of ADHD and African- Americans. Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted through the Medline, Psychlit and Psychlnfo databases. Results: In contrast to thousands of articles on ADHD, only 16 articles were identified that dealt with ADHD in African-American youth. Additionally, only a handful of these articles had ethnicity as the primary focus of research. Studies that examined ADHD among African-Americans in a school context showed that race may affect how teachers diagnose hyperactivity. Treatment studies suggested that African-Americans may respond similarly to the same ADHD medications as do Caucasians. Studies evaluating ADHD assessment tools were so sparse that they were largely inconclusive. Discussion: The paucity of studies on the subject of ADHD and African-Americans suggests the urgent need for more research to be done in this area. Such studies should be based on culturally sensitive designs.