To the possible unintended consequences of standardized school testing, add another: a rise in the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.
A new book, “The ADHD Explosion: Myths, Medication, Money and Today’s Push for Performance,” suggests that the increased use of ADHD drugs correlates with a rise in standardized testing. One possible explanation is that, as schools come under pressure to raise their test scores, administrators feel motivated to suggest that parents have their children tested, and medicated, for ADHD.
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