The case for: Researchers David Finkelhor and Lisa Jones argued that psychiatric medications, such as antidepressants and anti-ADHD drugs, helped decrease violent acts against and by children by improving people’s moods and behavior.
The case against: Richard Rosenfeld of the University of Missouri St. Louis calls this theory plausible, but he says there’s no significant research to support it yet. That doesn’t mean these medications didn’t contribute to the drop, but there’s no evidence at the moment — beyond simple correlation — that they did.
The bottom line: Still unclear. Rosenfeld said the issue needs research, although he wouldn’t put it at the top of his priority list.
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