Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity: a critique.

The DSM III category of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity is considered within a framework of Rutter's (1977) outline of criteria for adequacy of psychiatry classification. Discussion of problems with the operationalization and definition of 'attention deficit' and the difficulty of using this rubric in distinguishing between ADDH and other related childhood disorders, along with the consequent failure to meet other important criteria, leads to the conclusion that the concept needs re-appraisal.