Educational hyperactivity: The historical emergence of a concept

Abstract

In this article, I discuss the historical emergence of the medical concept of ‘behavioural disorders’, ‘attentional disorders’ and hyperactivity among schoolchildren. Present concepts of hyperactivity, which are becoming more frequent when describing the disruptive behaviour of children in schools in Europe and the United States, have a long history. This history in Europe can perhaps best be viewed in the context of the introduction of education for the masses which took place at the end of the nineteenth century throughout Europe. The subsequent history of dealing with ‘dysfunctional’ children in schools has been defined by a tug-of-war between various professions (medical, psychiatric, educational, psychological) as to the nature of such behaviour and the possible remedies.