Psychologists debate adding another attention disorder to the books

Soon, children may be diagnosed with another attention disorder. Psychologists are working to determine if sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) — marked by daydreaming, mind-wandering, and lethargy — has a clear set of symptoms and can join the ranks as a legitimate disorder. If it does, it’d open up an opportunity for more pharmaceutical treatments in an area that some experts argue is already over-diagnosed and over-medicated due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). As detailed in a New York Times article, experts question whether proponents of minting another attention disorder are merely interested in expanding what’s already a multi-billion dollar business spurred by marketing efforts.