Fifty years of executive control research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:What we have learned and still need to know

For 50 years, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been considered a disorder of executive control (EC), the higher-order, cognitive skills that support self-regulation, goal attainment and what we generally call “attention.” This review surveys our current understanding of the nature of EC as it pertains to ADHD and considers the evidence in support of eight hypotheses that can be derived from the EC theory of ADHD. This paper provides a resource for practitioners to aid in clinical decision-making. To support theory building, I draw a parallel between the EC theory of ADHD and the common gene–common variant model of complex traits such as ADHD. The conclusion offers strategies for advancing collaborative research. •Evidence for eight hypotheses for the role of executive control (EC) in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considered.•The review concludes that there is growing evidence in support of the key hypotheses derived from the EC theory of ADHD.•Suggestions are made for future research based, in part, on the similarities between research in genetics of ADHD and that of EC.