Faculty Collaboration Database

The written expression abilities of adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Res Dev Disabil 2016;51-52:49-59

Date

01/24/2016

Pubmed ID

26802631

Pubmed Central ID

PMC5134244

DOI

10.1016/j.ridd.2016.01.005

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84955557615 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   17 Citations

Abstract

Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience deficits in academic achievement. Written expression abilities in this population have not been extensively studied but existing prevalence estimates suggest that rates of comorbid writing underachievement may be substantially higher than rates of comorbid reading and mathematics underachievement. The current study examined written expression abilities in a school-based sample of 326 middle school age students with ADHD. The prevalence of written expression impairment, the associations between written expression and academic outcomes, and specific patterns of written expression were investigated. Students with ADHD in this sample experienced written expression impairment (17.2-22.4%) at a similar rate to reading impairment (17.0-24.3%) and at a slightly lower rate than mathematics impairment (24.7-36.3%). Students' written expression abilities were significantly associated with school grades and parent ratings of academic functioning, above and beyond the influence of intelligence. Analyses of patterns suggest that students with ADHD exhibit greater deficits in written expression tasks requiring organization and attention to detail, especially in the context of a complex task.

Author List

Molitor SJ, Langberg JM, Evans SW

Author

Stephen Molitor PhD Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Achievement
Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Child
Female
Humans
Male
Writing