Sammanfattning
From a condition that has previously been linked to a relatively limited
percentage of children and adolescents, the ADHD diagnosis has now been
given a greater role and importance in Swedish society. The aim of this article
is to analyse and discuss the prevalence of the ADHD diagnosis among
adolescents who attend outpatient care for alcohol and drug problems and
how the diagnosis can be related to social conditions, drug use and mental
health. The study is based on structured interviews with 2169 adolescents
from nine cities during the years 2013, 2014 and 2015. The results show
that a significant proportion of the adolescents who turn to outpatient care
also have an ADHD diagnosis; that there has been a major increase of the
diagnosis in recent years; that there is a large local variation; and that this
group of adolescents are psychosocially vulnerable, with extensive problems
in many life areas. The increasing prevalence among both boys and girls,
and the great local variation, raises questions about the cause, reliability and
consequences of the ADHD diagnosis.