Neurofeedback has greater treatment effects than non-active controls for up to 6 months and possibly a year following treatment, and may have treatment effects comparable to active controls (controls proven to have a clinical effect) over that time period. Despite efficacy in research, there is insufficient regulation of neurofeedback practice, leading to ineffective applications and false claims regarding innovations. Parent training may improve a number of behavioral problems including oppositional and non-compliant behaviors.There is little high-quality research on the effectiveness of family therapy for ADHD—but the existing evidence shows that it is similar to community care, and better than placebo. ADHD-specific support groups can provide information and may help families cope with ADHD.Social skills training, behavioral modification, and medication may have some limited beneficial effects in peer relationships. Stable, high-quality friendships with non-deviant peers protect against later psychological problems. Medication
Stimulants
Methylphenidate and amphetamine or its derivatives are first-line treatments for ADHD as they are considered the most effective pharmaceutical treatments. About 70 percent respond to the first stimulant tried and as few as 10 percent respond to neither amphetamines nor methylphenidate. Stimulants may also reduce the risk of unintentional injuries in children with ADHD. Magnetic resonance imaging studies suggest that long-term treatment with amphetamine or methylphenidate decreases abnormalities in brain structure and function found in subjects with ADHD.
Otherwise, the disorder was classified as disturbance of activity and attention, other hyperkinetic disorders or hyperkinetic disorders, unspecified. The latter was sometimes referred to as hyperkinetic syndrome. Social construct theory
The social construct theory of ADHD suggests that, because the boundaries between normal and abnormal behavior are socially constructed (i.e. jointly created and validated by all members of society, and in particular by physicians, parents, teachers, and others), it then follows that subjective valuations and judgements determine which diagnostic criteria are used and thus, the number of people affected. This difference means using DSM-IV criteria could diagnose ADHD at rates three to four times higher than ICD-10 criteria. Thomas Szasz, a supporter of this theory, has argued that ADHD was "invented and then given a name". Adults
Adults with ADHD are diagnosed under the same criteria, including that their signs must have been present by the age of six to twelve. The individual is the best source for information in diagnosis, however others may provide useful information about the individuals symptoms currently and in childhood; a family history of ADHD also adds weight to a diagnosis. : 7, 9  While the core symptoms of ADHD are similar in children and adults, they often present differently in adults than in children: for example, excessive physical activity seen in children may present as feelings of restlessness and constant mental activity in adults.