Taking stock of the present and looking to the future of ADHD research: a commentary on Sonuga-Barke et al. (2022)

The review by Sonuga-Barke and colleagues offers a thoughtful and wide-ranging appraisal of the current state of ADHD research, while also looking into the future to consider unresolved questions and critical next steps. Furthermore, it grapples with the tension between the need to define a coherent conceptualisation of ADHD for clinical and research purposes, while keeping an open mind to new research that challenges current consensus. In our commentary, we consider several cross-cutting ideas discussed in Sonuga-Barke et al., including the heterogeneous nature of ADHD, ensuring equity of translational research, and the importance of participatory research to support equitable and acceptable clinical practices for all individuals with ADHD.

Automated summary

The review provides an insightful assessment of the current ADHD research and explores unresolved questions for future directions. It acknowledges the challenge of defining a coherent conceptualization of ADHD while remaining open to new research. The commentary highlights the heterogeneous nature of ADHD, the importance of equitable translational research, and the need for participatory research to support fair and acceptable clinical practices for individuals with ADHD.