ADHD and autism diagnoses have surged. A massive study may help explain why

A large Danish study found that children diagnosed with ADHD or autism today more closely resemble their peers in the general population than those diagnosed 10 years ago. The shift suggests that rising diagnosis rates may partly reflect broader identification and changing diagnostic patterns, rather than only an increase in the underlying conditions. ADHD and autism diagnoses have surged. A massive study may help explain why.

A massive study may help explain why Date: September 24, 2026. Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email 1 million young people in Denmark. The study, led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, and Aarhus University, found that young people diagnosed with ADHD or ASD in Denmark now more closely resemble the broader population than those who received the same diagnoses 10 years earlier.

The findings suggest that the increase in ADHD and ASD diagnoses may partly reflect changes in who is being identified and diagnosed, alongside any possible changes in the underlying likelihood of developing these conditions. The research was published in JAMA Psychiatry. Tracking changes in ADHD and autism diagnoses Previous studies have identified several characteristics that occur more often among people diagnosed with ADHD or ASD than among the general population.