Too Much Homework, Too Much ADHD?

To test the hypothesis that increased academic burden might account for the secular increase in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), investigators combed public policy and educational publications from 1970 onward, focusing on academic demands placed on young children.

From 1981 to 1997, the time that 3- to 5-year-olds spent on reading increased from 29 to 84 minutes per week. From 1993 to 2005, the proportion of family members who frequently taught words, letters, and numbers to 3- to 5-year-olds increased from 58% to 77%. Finally, from 1970 to the mid-2000s, the proportion of preschool children enrolled in formal out-of-home programs increased from 17% to 58%.