Occurrence and pattern of impaired reading and written language in children with attention deficit disorders

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence and severity of reading, spelling, and written language impairment in children clinically referred for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Specific questions involved 1) whether ADD subgroups with and without hyperactivity differ in reading, spelling, and written language achievement, 2) whether age and gender interact with ADD sub-group class to affect reading/written language achievement, and 3) whether prevalence of impaired reading/written language in these subgroups is consistent with previous reports in heterogeneous samples. Subjects were 115 ADD children aged 6-12 who were subclassified as ADD + H(72 percent) and ADD - H(28 percent) by objective teacher ratings. Dependent measures included tests of single word recognition and vocabulary, word attack, contextual comprehension, written spelling, written sentence construction, and writing fluency, in addition to a structured behavioral observation, during which aspects of inattention and motor activity were coded. A large fraction of this sample met public school LD criteria (54 percent), and achievement on most measures was globally poorer than the respective test normative groups. The ADD + H subgroup showed significantly poorer word attack skills, while the subgroups did not significantly differ from each other on other reading/written language measures. However, 17 percent of the total ADD sample were ≥ 1.5 SD below the mean in total reading achievement, and 29 percent were ≥ 1.5 SD below the mean on measures of written spelling/language. Gender X age interactions, indicating poorer performance in the middle age group of females, were likely related to lower IQ.

Emerging Adulthood and Developmental Co-ordination Disorder

“…• Specific Language Impainnent (Hill (1998); Powell & Bishop (1992);Elbert (1993), Powell & Bishop (1992)). …”

Adhd and Emergent Literacy: Influence of Language Factors

“…Thus, Wood and Felton concluded that ADHD may impair long-term outcome to a greater extent than it impairs reading acquisition (Wood & Felton, 1994). This more global pattern of low achievement in children diagnosed as ADHD has also been found in other studies (e.g., Elbert, 1993).…”

“…A number of studies have focused on phonological processing and word attack skills (e.g., Ackerman & Dykman, 1993;Elbert, 1993;Hynd et al, 1995;Pennington, et al, 1993;Wood & Felton, 1994), rapid naming (e.g., Ackerman & Dykman, 1993;Felton, Wood, Brown, Camp- Kupietz (1990) Robbins (1992) Ackerman & Dykman Deficits in rapid naming were found to be associated with RD; deficits in verbal rote learning and memory were found to be associated with ADHD; no specific effects were found to be attributable to RD with ADHD. Children in the RD group demonstrated significant deficits on recall of verbal items.…”

“…It has gradually been reconceptualized as a developmental behavior disorder distinct from the developmental learning disabilities (APA, 1980(APA, , 1987(APA, , 1994. Despite this separation in theory, it is not uncommon that children with ADHD demonstrate academic underachievement, at times sufficient for identification as having a specific learning disability and most frequently in the area of reading (e.g., Dykman & Ackerman, 1991;Elbert, 1993). Estimates of co-occurrence of ADHD and learning disability range from 10% (August & Holmes, 1984) to 92% (Silver, 1981), with many studies reporting approximately 50% co-occurrence.…”

“…For example, Wood and Felton (1994) found that 45% of the third graders with reading problems also met criteria for ADHD. In another study, Elbert (1993) found that 54% of children with ADHD met the criteria for specific learning disability. Variability in the reported prevalence of ADHD with learning disability has been attributed to differences in the way in which learning disability is defined or the way in which ADHD is assessed (Shaywitz, Fletcher, & Shaywitz, 1994).…”