This second edition of a classic volume demonstrates that fifty percent of hyperactive children continue to face problems of impulsivity, restlessness, low self-esteem, and social skill deficits when they become adults. Providing a complete developmental analysis of the symptoms evinced from infancy through adolescence, the authors show how the disorder is manifested and what happens during treatment at different ages. The authors attempt to distinguish patterns that can be linked to early hyperactivity and examine predictive factoRs related to adult outcome. Clinical vignettes present psychotherapy sessions with children and a poignant rendering of one individual's experience of growing up hyperactive.

The new section of the second edition begins with a postscript by this same individual where he relays how he has met the various challenges posed by ADHD. This section also contains a summary of recent research on genetic transmission, neurobiological aspects, and the importance of coexistance of other conditions in ADHD. An extensive update of the treatment for both children and adults has been added to the second edition to present a summary of recent findings regarding the use of medications and various psychosocial treatments.