Psychosocial Status of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities With and Without Comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Some researchers suggest that having a learning disability (LD) may act as a risk factor, increasing the likelihood that adolescents experience more negative outcomes in many areas of their lives. However, researchers have yet to examine in one study how having LD with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is related to a comprehensive set of psychosocial variables across a diverse set of domains (e.g., peer, family, school, intrapersonal). The purpose of the present study was to address that limitation by comparing the perceptions of adolescents with LD (N = 230), with comorbid LD/ADHD (N = 92), and without LD or ADHD (N = 322) regarding their academic orientation, temperament, well-being, loneliness, parental relationships, victimization, activities, and friendships. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that LD may indeed act as a risk factor increasing the likelihood of more negative outcomes. The results also indicate that for some psychosocial variables this likelihood may be increased in adolescents with comorbid LD/ADHD. The findings have important implications for stakeholders concerned about supporting adolescents with LD with and without comorbid ADHD.

Loneliness and Social Support in Adolescent Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…On the one hand, studies of loneliness in ADHD have not found that the impaired social functioning associated with this disorder increases the risk of loneliness (Diamantopoulou et al 2005;Heiman 2005;McNamara et al 2005), which could indicate that the high prevalence of loneliness reported in this study may be specifically associated with ASD rather than developmental disorders in general.…”

Internalizing correlates of dyslexia

“…Finally, they become victims of direct (shoves, insults, derisions) and indirect bullyism (threats, gossip and group exclusion) to a greater extent. [65][66][67][68] Studies have shown how children and adolescents with LD present a weaker sense of school competence [69] and a lower social acceptance by children and adolescents of the same age. [70] However, children with learning disabilities who have comorbid psychiatric diagnoses have a signifi cantly higher amount of peer victimization than children without a comorbid psychiatric condition.…”

Childhood Placement in Special Education and Adult Well-Being

“…Several studies indicate higher rates of substance use among adolescents in special education in comparison to adolescents in general education (Kepper et al, 2011; McNamara & Willoughby, 2010). Additionally, children with learning disabilities (LD) tend to report higher depressive symptoms, lower self-esteem, and less general life satisfaction than their non-LD peers (McNamara, Willoughby, Chalmers, & YLC-CURA, 2005). …”