About one in five children and adolescents has symptoms of a psychological disorder, according to the United States Surgeon General. Equally worrying, both the number of children diagnosed with a psychological disorder and the number receiving medications (including stimulants, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and other medications) have risen dramatically in recent years. The medications include stimulants for attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.

The ethical concerns are numerous and varied, ranging from questions about whether these drugs are being overused or misused in children to long-term safety, the accuracy of diagnosis, and the influence on clinical diagnosis and public debate of special interest groups—both organizations ideologically opposed to psychotropic medications in children and pharmaceutical companies intent on making a profit.