Children Whose Parents Get a Divorce Twice as Likely to be Prescribed Ritalin?
An interesting Canadian study has found that children whose parents get a divorce are twice as likely to have Ritalin prescribed to them after the breakup as compared to children whose parents are married. Lisa Strohschein, a sociologist from the University of Alberta, was described in a Canadian Press story as saying that this finding may be the result of some kids needing the drug to cope with divorce and other kids who legitimately have Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Strohschein suggested that other kids may be getting the drug from doctors who have misdiagnosed them with ADHD and then clarified that she was not saying that the drug was being overused to treat children.
Strohschein theorized at the end of the study that the effect of divorces on children’s emotions may affect their behavior patterns and thus necessitate the need for Ritalin. She also hypothesized that doctors may be misdiagnosing common feelings of sadness, anxiety and anger that children often experience after divorce as being symptoms of ADHD. While the study proved that children whose parents have gotten a divorce are more likely to be given Ritalin, Strohschein said that she now wants to prove why this is.
We’ll keep you updated on any more developments with this study on the psychological effects of divorce on children. And if you want to learn more about ADHD, check out the ADD ADHD Blog!
