Research and evidence
Practical books often make every idea sound equally proven. This work does not. Every claim is labeled by how strongly it is supported, and the original frameworks are labeled as what they are.
The evidence key
- A
- Established
- Supported by a respected guideline, a strong consensus statement, or replicated systematic evidence.
- B
- Supported
- The evidence is meaningful but has limits: small studies, differing methods, or stronger for some people than others.
- C
- Reasonable extension
- Supported in behavioral science or clinical practice, but direct ADHD-specific evidence is limited. A sensible design choice, not a medical fact. The book's own frameworks carry this label.
- D
- Personal experiment
- Low risk and commonly useful in lived experience, but strong research may be absent. Test it. Keep it only if it helps.
What is practical synthesis
The Three-Gear Rule, the Restart Protocol, Current / Next / Check, Protect / Progress / Polish, backlog quarantine, the comeback tax, restart latency and the 30-Day Build are original practical syntheses. They combine evidence-supported principles with implementation design. They have not been validated as one standardized clinical intervention. They are Level C.
What Built to Restart does not claim
- that one consumer framework treats or cures ADHD
- that a practical tactic has stronger evidence than it does
- that medication is either mandatory for everyone or a moral failure
- that trauma is the single cause of ADHD
- that supplements replace qualified care
- that a community term is a formal diagnosis
- that a testimonial predicts another person's outcome
Sources
Checked against the book's Notes and Sources on 2 October 2026. Guidance changes, so check the current version before relying on it.
- S1
Faraone SV, et al. The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021;128:789-818.
Supports: ADHD as a neurodevelopmental condition with functional impairment. Open source
- S2
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management. NG87. 2018, updated 2019.
Supports: Assessment, environmental modification and individualized care. Open source
- S3
Australian ADHD Professionals Association. Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD. 1st ed., 2022.
Supports: Qualified assessment and multimodal care.
- S4
Yang X, et al. Short-term and long-term effect of non-pharmacotherapy for adults with ADHD: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry. 2025;16:1516878.
Supports: Some structured non-drug treatments can help some adults; confidence in most evidence is low. Open source
- S5
Gollwitzer PM. Implementation intentions: strong effects of simple plans. Am Psychol. 1999;54(7):493-503.
Supports: Cue-linked plans (when X happens, I will do Y). Open source
- S6
McDaniel MA, Howard DC, Butler KM. Implementation intentions facilitate prospective memory under high attention demands. Mem Cognit. 2008;36(4):716-724.
Supports: Cue-linked plans and remembering future actions. Open source
- S7
Landais LL, et al. Choice architecture interventions to change physical activity and sedentary behavior: a systematic review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020;17(1):47.
Supports: Environmental design shapes behavior. Not ADHD-specific. Open source
- S8
Barkley RA, Murphy KR. Impairment in occupational functioning and adult ADHD. Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2010;25(3):157-173.
Supports: Executive-function difficulties and work. Open source
- S9
Turjeman-Levi Y, et al. Executive function deficits mediate the relationship between employees' ADHD and job burnout. AIMS Public Health. 2024;11(1):294-314.
Supports: Executive function, ADHD and burnout at work. Open source
- S10
Bodalski EA, Flory K, Meinzer MC. A scoping review of factors associated with emotional dysregulation in adults with ADHD. J Atten Disord. 2023;27(13):1540-1558.
Supports: Emotion dysregulation is frequently seen in adults with ADHD. Open source
- S11
Díaz-Román A, Mitchell R, Cortese S. Sleep in adults with ADHD: systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2018;89:61-71.
Supports: Sleep problems in adults with ADHD. Open source
- S12
Bangma DF, et al. Financial decision-making in adults with ADHD. Neuropsychology. 2019;33(8):1065-1077.
Supports: One study (45 adults with ADHD, 51 controls) on financial decision-making. Open source
Clinical decisions belong with qualified professionals
This work is educational. It does not diagnose ADHD or any other condition, and it does not replace assessment, treatment, therapy, medication management or crisis support. Do not start, stop or change medication based on it. If anyone is at risk of harm, contact emergency or crisis services first: in the United States, call 911, or call or text 988.