Relationship between early language skills and the development of inattention/hyperactivity symptoms during the preschool period: Results of the EDEN mother-child cohort

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aims to examine bidirectional relationships between children’s language skills and Inattention/Hyperactivity (IH) symptoms during preschool.MethodChildren (N = 1459) from the EDEN mother-child cohort were assessed at ages 3 and 5.5 years. Language skills were evaluated using the WPPSI-III, NEPSY and ELOLA batteries. Children’s behavior, including IH symptoms, was assessed using the parent-rated Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach, we examined the relationship between language skills and IH symptoms, as well as potential mediating processes.ResultsSEM analyses indicated a small negative effect of language skills at 3 years on ADHD symptoms at 5.5 years after adjusting for IH symptoms at 3 years (β =−0.12, SE = 0.04, p-value = 0.002). Interpersonal difficulties did not mediate the relationship between early language skills and later IH symptoms, nor was this association reduced after adjusting for a broad range of pre- and postnatal environmental factors and performance IQ. Among different language skills, receptive syntax at 3 years was most strongly related to IH symptoms at 5.5 years.ConclusionsPoor language skills at age 3 may predict IH symptoms when a child enters primary school. Implications for the understanding and the prevention of the co-occurrence of language disorders and ADHD are discussed.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-016-1091-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Discovery of the first genome-wide significant risk loci for ADHD

“…Comorbidity of ADHD with specific developmental disorders of language and learning is common (7-11%) 62,63 , and poor language skills have been associated with higher inattention/hyperactivity symptoms in primary school 64 .…”

The effect of siblings on language development as a function of age difference and sex

“…Before looking into the mediating role of sex and age gap, we checked that having an older sibling (either brother or sister) was indeed detrimental for language outcomes, as found in previous research (e.g., Black, Devereux, & Salvanes, 2005) and by Peyre et al (2016) when analyzing the five-to-six-year-olds' data in the same cohort.…”

“…All tests and questionnaires described below were combined to create a single score at each age, except at age two, when only one test was conducted. Using the same data set, Peyre and colleagues have found that a single latent factor provided an excellent fit to the data at both three and five-to-six years of age (Peyre, Galera, Waerden, Hoertel, & Bernard, 2016), thus providing a general index of language skills. (Kern, Langue, Zesiger, & Bovet, 2010).…”

“…Verbal intelligence is more affected by birth order than non-verbal intelligence (Peyre et al, 2016), suggesting that the effect of older siblings is greater for language development.…”

“…The number of older siblings a child has is negatively correlated with their verbal skills, including verbal intelligence, language development measures, and educational attainment (e.g., Black, Devereux, & Salvanes, 2005;Peyre et al, 2016). According to the resource dilution model (Blake, 1981), a family has a limited amount of resources to distribute between siblings, and the more children the family has, the less resources are allocated to each child.…”