In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported an estimated 7 million U.S. children aged 3-17 years (11.4%) have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to a national survey of parents. While the debate on the causes of the rising cases of ADHD may go on forever, school systems and educators are grappling with the reality of these numbers and what it means to effectively teach students in classrooms daily.
It doesn’t take much interrogation of the ADHD data for obvious disparities to surface and raise questions. For example, in their study, the CDC reported that boys (15%) were more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder than girls (8%). Furthermore, many of the children grappling with ADHD also experience co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, behavior disorders, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), etc.
For many educators, navigating the needs of many culturally divergent students, in addition to the demands of high-stakes testing and other administrative obligations, may leave them underprepared to meet the needs of the students when problematic behaviors manifest in their classrooms.
One unintended consequence of this overwhelm is evident in the disparities that emerge in how children of color are over-disciplined in classrooms when compared to their white counterparts.
Black and Latina boys over-disciplined
In a video experiment of over 1,339 teachers in 295 schools, the American Sociological Review found that, compared to white boys, Black and Latino boys experience both (1) individual-level teacher bias, where they are perceived as being more “blameworthy” and referred more readily for identical misbehavior, and (2) racialized organizational climates of heightened blaming, where students of all races/ethnicities are perceived as being more “blameworthy” for identical misbehavior in schools with large minority populations versus in predominantly white schools.
In other words, teachers were more likely to write a discipline referral for students of color when they witnessed them commit the same offense as white students, but they were also more likely to blame students for behavioral issues when they worked in a school that had a large population of students of color.
Claire Sibonney expresses a similar sentiment in her article, ”Underdiagnosed and Undertreated, Young Black Males With ADHD Get Left Behind.” According to Sibonney, educators disciplining Black kids, specifically, leads to them receiving more criminal prosecution and less of the mental and medical support they may need to manage their behavioral issues effectively.
In a study of 4,297 children and parents surveyed over three waves (fifth, seventh, and 10th grades), the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that African American and Latino children had fewer odds of receiving an ADHD diagnosis, and even when they did, they were less likely to receive medical treatment for the disorder.
For example, among 10th-grade children at the highest symptom level, 65% of white children were taking ADHD medication, according to a parental report, compared with 36% of African American children and 30% of Latino children.
Parents/guardians must be advocates
Parents are the first line of defense for helping students of color get the diagnosis and support they need to navigate educational institutions and secure their future success. Many parents are unaware of all the factors at play or the rights and protections policies afford them and their children.
Parents, unlike educators, become the connectors between medical professionals and educational organizations. For instance, when a parent enrolls their child in therapy, a child’s therapist may be able to identify recurring symptoms (typically six or more for inattention and six or more for hyperactivity and impulsivity for more than six months).
The therapist can make recommendations to a psychologist and psychiatrist for testing, diagnosis, and treatment for ADHD. This process requires resources and time that many parents may not have available. However, parents are uniquely positioned to see a child’s problematic patterns of behavior before any educator and for longer than the course of a year.
When symptoms of ADHD start to surface, many parents, who may often not be mindful of their own mental health, may default to punitive disciplinary measures that are more culturally accepted than going down a path to diagnosis and treatment with children of color.
Culturally engaging educators
One of the other pieces to this puzzle is the need for educators to commit to creating culturally relevant classrooms for the students they serve. Decades of research have shown that students of color see more academic success and decreased behavioral referrals when their teachers create learning experiences and environments that are culturally responsive to them.
In a time where we are learning so much more about ADHD and its impact on students in schools, parents and educators have many opportunities to partner and ensure that each child receives what he or she may need to navigate and have a successful schooling experience.
Fortunately, we are learning more about what is required and where the disparities exist so that more collaboration and partnerships may be created to propel students forward to having all the support they need as they navigate living with their differences and becoming the most productive citizens our communities need them to be.
The post Disparities in ADHD Diagnosis and Collective Solutions appeared first in Dallas Weekly. Dr. Stephanie Boyce contributes to the Dallas Weekly. She currently serves as Stephanie Boyce & Associates, LLC.’s CEO and executive director of its giving arm, The FRESH Classroom, a 501(c)(3.