Book Review
Child Psychiatry
Hyperactivity and Attention Disorders of Childhood. 2nd ed. Seija Sandberg, editor. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2002. 504 p. US$65.00.
Reviewer
rating*: Very Good
Review by: Margaret Weiss, MD, PhD, FRCP
Vancouver, British Columbia
The first edition of this text was published in 1996. This fully updated revision brings together a truly international perspective on new research on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the last 5 years. This in itself represents a unique contribution, especially for North American readers who are unfamiliar with research being done elsewhere. The authorship list includes experts from Britain, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, and the US. Thus, the tone of the book establishes a sense of a worldwide scientific community dedicated to a better understanding of this disorder from various perspectives.
The book’s topics include areas of new research or controversy. The first chapter, by the editor, reviews the historical development of our understanding of this disorder, allowing the reader to place subsequent discussion into a useful historical context. Her review is original and well researched. Other topics include reviews of epidemiology, sex differences, classification, and the role of attention. The chapter on cross-cultural and ethnic aspects of ADHD is an original contribution. In addition, Michael Rutter’s chapter on institutional care as a risk factor for inattention or overactivity was unique and insightful. The chapter by Castellanos and Swanson, “Biological Underpinnings of ADHD,” and the chapter by Peter Jensen on the Multisite Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA) study represent the most current and competent reviews on these subjects. This is the only textbook that I am aware of that combines an international and a truly biopsychosocial viewpoint in a well-researched volume. In some ways, this reflects the evolution of the field itself.
Weaknesses are evident in both overlap between chapters and in the quality of some chapters. Several chapters begin with a discussion about the differences between DSM-IV and ICD-10 that makes for tedious reading when the book is read as a whole but that could be seen as necessary for the integrity of each chapter in its own right. The book does not attempt to be comprehensive, but the various discussions of developmental issues in preschool, adolescence, and adulthood are weak relative to the sophistication of other sections. One of the difficulties here seems to have been the editor’s perspective.
Many authorities, however, continue to question the very existence of the disorder in adults, and there are keen debates about its prevalence and indications for pharmacological treatment (p xiii).
Discussion of presentation in older age groups seems to focus more on grown-up ADHD children, rather than on cross-sectional studies of older populations.
This volume represents a significant contribution that will interest those who wish to remain current with new trends in understanding attention disorders and those who wish to broaden their perspective beyond the American literature. Sections of the book represent outstanding scientific reviews or original publications. The emphasis is academic, not clinical, and there are relatively few attempts to draw out the possible clinical implications of new research findings. The volume is more useful as a reference to individuals who are already familiar with this literature than it is as an introductory text or a guide to clinical work. I rate it as very good.
*Reviewer
Rating Scale/ Échelle d’évaluation du réviseur
Excellent / Excellent
Very Good / Très bon
Good / Bon
Fair / Passable
Not recommended / Pas recommandé
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