Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a substantial social impact on the lives of millions across the world. The most common effects are problems with learning emotional, social and behavioral skills as well as issues at home and in relationships. With the large number of people troubled with ADHD everyone should take time to understand the problems that it incurs and the effect it has on the lives of millions and avoid falling victim of the fundamental attribution error. First, let’s take a look at what causes ADHD. Due to the fact that this condition affects a person’s ability to learn and get along with others, many people falsely believe that this behavior is merely a lack of discipline from parents or things such as too much television or a dysfunctional family life. Research shows that the cause of ADHD is actually a genetic disorder which causes a chemical …show more content…
They do this by looking at the child’s social context instead of focusing on the child’s brain like American doctors. Perhaps this is why only .5 percent of kids have been diagnosed with ADHD in France, versus the 9 percent that have been diagnosed in the United States. French doctors view ADHD as a medical condition that has psycho-social and situational causes. Their style of treatment is much different than what American doctors who view this as a biological disorder such as a chemical imbalance in the brain and treat it with prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall. French doctors treat ADHD with psychotherapy and/or family counseling. In 1983 the French Federation of Psychiatry developed CFTMEA (Classification Française des Troubles Mentaux de L'Enfant et de L'Adolescent), which is focused on identifying and addressing the underlying psychosocial causes of the child’s symptoms instead of prescribing medicine to mask the symptoms (Wedge,