A startling report in New York Times Magazine has brought to light how the scientific consensus on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has changed. According to one of the scientists interviewed for the piece, the concept of ADHD is facing an “empirical crisis.”

ADHD’s hallmark symptoms of inattentiveness and restlessness present in a variety of ways. Individuals are easily distracted, forgetful, and impulsive. They have difficulty staying organized and lose or misplace their belongings frequently. Severe symptomatology can interfere with not only productivity at school or work, but the ability to complete mundane tasks associated with daily life.