I have an extended family where the boys especially were in and out of foster care, in the reform type schools, reprobates etc etc. Thos would have been 70s to early 80s.
Now, it's pretty apparent on talking together with older aunties and watching all these cousins of mine being diagnosed, that there's a huge genetic prevalence in the family for ADHD at the least. It makes absolute sense when I think on behaviour that just seemed out of control. Now many cousins are diagnosed as Autistic. My own child diagnosed, my ex certainly masking and very successful and hiding true self.
We have different systems now and don't have those type of ' boys units ' and are therefore trying to manage people with all sorts of needs in one awful rigid system.
I would love to read studies on what's going on here. Whether we have a genuine increase in ND people who are finding this particular society set up harder than ever with it's rigid conformist requirements. Or, have people stopped masking. Or do we now see that these people aren't actually ' naughty'. Some are both of course. Many just can't conform to the rigid requirements of school especially and are absolutely losing it, understandably!
I look at people now and think so many people would be diagnosed as ND now. I would bet my life it would include Kurt Cobain, Eminem, maybe Bowie, lead singer of the Cure, David Beckham. I could go on. People who just cannot and refuse to conform are going to have a horrible time if there aren't other opportunity and chances.
Bit of a ramble! I enjoy philosophising on this subject. I wish it wasn't so tragic for so many though.