Longitudinal evaluation of the importance of homework assignment completion for the academic performance of middle school students with ADHD

Abstract

The primary goal of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the homework assignment completion patterns of middle school age adolescents with ADHD, their associations with academic performance, and malleable predictors of homework assignment completion. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 104 middle school students comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD and followed for 18 months. Multiple teachers for each student provided information about the percentage of homework assignments turned in at five separate timepoints and school grades were collected quarterly. Results showed that agreement between teachers with respect to students’ assignment completion was high, with an intraclass correlation of .879 at baseline. Students with ADHD were turning in an average of 12% fewer assignments each academic quarter in comparison to teacher-reported classroom averages. Regression analyses revealed a robust association between the percentage of assignments turned in at baseline and school grades 18 months later, even after controlling for baseline grades, achievement (reading and math), intelligence, family income, and race. Cross-lag analyses demonstrated that the association between assignment completion and grades was reciprocal, with assignment completion negatively impacting grades and low grades in turn being associated with decreased future homework completion. Parent ratings of homework materials management abilities at baseline significantly predicted the percentage of assignments turned in as reported by teachers 18 months later. These findings demonstrate that homework assignment completion problems are persistent across time and an important intervention target for adolescents with ADHD.

Preschool Predictors of ADHD Symptoms and Impairment During Childhood and Adolescence

“…A robust literature shows a negative association between ADHD and academic outcomes. 33,34 Most recent studies support earlier findings that inattention is more strongly related to achievement than hyperactivity/impulsivity. 35–37 Schmideler and Schneider 37 showed this irrespective of whether predicting reading or math, and even after controlling for pre-academic skills (e.g., phonological awareness, quantity-number competencies).…”

Evaluating the Factor Validity of the Children’s Organizational Skills Scale in Youth with ADHD

“…This empirical support is paired with strong theoretical support for the presence of a domain-general factor within the COSS, as OTMP skills are rarely used in isolation. For example, successfully completing a task such as a homework assignment requires a student to remember the assignment, have all necessary materials to complete the assignment, and execute a plan to complete the assignment (Langberg et al, 2016). OTMP skills are also considered part of the set of broader cognitive abilities known as executive functions, and these functions often act in unison to complete a task or achieve a goal (Pennington & Ozonoff, 1996).…”

Jeux d’argent et de hasard et troubles attentionnels chez des jeunes

“…Ces résultats correspondent aux niveaux estimés par les étudiants selon trois items (M = 1.99, ET = 0.62). Nos résultats sont cohérents avec la littérature puisque le TDAH durant l'enfance est communément associé à un risque accru de faibles performances académiques qui vont perdurer à l'âge adulte (Weiss et al, 1985 ;Barckley et al, 2002 ;Hodgkins et al, 2011 ;Langberg et al, 2016 ;DuPaul, Morgan, Farkas, Hillemeier, & Maczuga, 2016 ;Salla et al, 2016). Dans un second temps, cette étude révèle que les sujets ayant les symptômes d'un TDAH pressentaient plus de problèmes de pratiques excessives des jeux de hasard et d'argent.…”