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    Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

    注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）

    Clinical diagnosis
    Also called
    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

    A neurodevelopmental disorder marked by ongoing inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that are frequent, show up across settings and interfere with daily life.[1][2]

    The circles are the two symptom groups: the part only in one circle is the presentation where that group predominates, and the overlap is the combined presentation. Select a region for details. Circle size does not reflect how many people fall in each.

    Other DSM-5-TR requirements include

    1. Number of symptoms Six or more in a group for children, five or more from age 17.
    2. Age of onset Several symptoms before age 12.
    3. More than one setting For example, both at school and at home.
    4. Effect on functioning Interferes with social, school or work life.

    This is not a self-test. Whether someone meets the criteria is for a professional to assess.

    Adult prevalence estimates (2020)

    Childhood onset required 2.58%
    Childhood onset not required 6.76%

    Lines show 95% confidence intervals. From Song et al.'s (2021) global meta-analysis: change the definition and the estimate more than doubles.

    DSM-5-TR’s two symptom groups and three presentations, the other conditions a diagnosis requires, and how adult prevalence shifts with the definition. This is not a self-test. Point at or tap parts of the figure for details
    DSM-5-TR’s two symptom groups and three presentations, the other conditions a diagnosis requires, and how adult prevalence shifts with the definition. This is not a self-test. Save as image (PNG)

    Key points

    • DSM-5-TR sorts symptoms into inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Children need six or more symptoms in a group, people 17 and older five or more, and several must appear before age 12.[1]
    • Depending on which symptoms dominate, there are three presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined.[3]
    • Symptoms start in childhood and usually continue into the teen years and adulthood.[2] A 2021 global meta-analysis put adult ADHD with childhood onset at about 2.6%.[4]
    • Standard treatments are medication and psychosocial interventions such as Cognitive behavioral therapy, parent training and school-based support.[2]

    An example

    After watching a short video’s ADHD checklist, Yu feels every item fits: she zones out and loses her keys. Everyone does these things now and then. A clinical assessment looks at whether they are frequent, appear across settings and have affected life since childhood, and a professional carries it out.

    Misreadings and limits

    Occasional distraction or restlessness is not ADHD. NIMH notes that many people show these behaviors some of the time; in ADHD they are frequent, appear across settings and interfere with daily life.[2] Without the childhood-onset requirement, the adult estimate rises to 6.8%, so figures depend heavily on definitions.[4]

    Sources

    1. 1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026). Clinical care of ADHD in children. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (DSM-5-TR criteria in shortened form; last reviewed October 21, 2026). View source
    2. 2 National Institute of Mental Health (2026). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). National Institute of Mental Health (last reviewed August 2026). View source
    3. 3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026). Symptoms of ADHD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (last reviewed July 30, 2026). View source
    4. 4 Song, P., Zha, M., Yang, Q., Zhang, Y., Li, X., & Rudan, I. (2021). The prevalence of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A global systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Global Health, 11, 04009. doi:10.7189/jogh.11.04009

    Last checked against sources: October 26, 2026