Lauren's Story

Lauren Smith has always been bright, creative, and articulate. Test scores reveal a well-rounded student with well-above-average intelligence. However, as early as the first grade, Lauren also had severe attention and organization problems that kept her from staying focused, getting her work done, and getting it turned in. She was also impulsive and had trouble reading social cues and keeping friends. Ultimately, her self-esteem plummeted; she withdrew socially, feeling dumb, unpopular, and lonely.

Though her grades suffered and her parents and teachers were frustrated, they also knew how bright, capable, and outgoing Lauren was. They attributed her lack of success to laziness, never realizing the true extent of her learning problems.



Lauren was eventually diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention characterize ADHD as, “one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can persist through adolescence and into adulthood. Currently the causes are unknown.

A person with ADHD has a chronic level of inattention, impulsive hyperactivity, or both such that daily functioning is compromised. The symptoms of the disorder must be present at levels that are higher than expected for a person's developmental stage and must interfere with the person's ability to function in different settings (e.g., in school and at home). A person with ADHD may struggle in important areas of life, such as peer and family relationships, and school or work performance.”

If you were Lauren’s parent, what would you do after finding out her diagnosis? What treatment options are available to help Lauren? And what decisions would you make regarding the treatment of her condition?

Determining the best treatment for children with ADHD is a controversial issue. Current treatment options for children with ADHD focus on different underlying causes to treat this condition: biochemical (treatment with drugs such as Ritalin) and behavioral (treatment with behavioral modification and social skills training). Some believe that ADHD is a label given to children who do not exhibit behaviors that fit within what society considers"normal", and that ADHD symptoms are not supported by sufficient data to classify it as a condition or disorder. In addition, ethical concerns have been raised about placing children on medication that has a high potential for abuse.

Nature versus Nurture

The issues regarding the proper treatment of ADHD in children are grounded in the nature versus nurture debate. The nature versus nurture debate refers to the controversy over the relative importance of heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) in the causation of human behavior (Encyclopedia.com). The influence of an individual’s heredity compared to an individual’s environment in human development is a longstanding debate that spans across multiple disciplines. Issues with a basis in the nature versus nurture debate include: homosexuality, aggression, and substance abuse.


Goal of this exercise:

You will identify the underpinnings of the nature versus nurture debate through the exploration of a current controversial issue impacting millions of families in the United States - determining the best treatment options for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As you explore the various themes and multiple perspectives concerning the treatment of ADHD, you will reflect on the major issues surrounding this debate, form your own perspectives on treatment options, and discuss and debate this issue in small groups.

Go to How to Use Nature versus Nurture wiki page to begin your exploration!