There is a lack of economic studies on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents with a broader societal perspective.

We present a probabilistic model of methylphenidate osmotic-release oral system (OROS) versus methylphenidate immediate-release (IR), considering and integrating relevant broader societal aspects.

The base case scenario resulted in lower incremental costs (€−5815) of OROS compared with IR and higher incremental quality-adjusted life-year gains (0.22).

Scenario analyses showed particular sensitivity to changes in transition rates.

The study contributes to the movement towards broader societal considerations in cost-effectiveness analyses and to the provision of comprehensive health economic evidence for policymakers and clinicians in mental health care.

Like other authors in the field, we recognize a lack of data; future research should be especially directed at the collection of empirical data on transition estimates, utility values of caregivers and broader societal aspects of the disorder, such as criminal justice costs.