Faculty Collaboration Database

Writing abilities longitudinally predict academic outcomes of adolescents with ADHD. Sch Psychol Q 2016 Sep;31(3):393-404

Date

01/20/2016

Pubmed ID

26783650

Pubmed Central ID

PMC5134247

DOI

10.1037/spq0000143

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84954434168 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   16 Citations

Abstract

Students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience a host of negative academic outcomes, and deficits in reading and mathematics abilities contribute to these academic impairments. Students with ADHD may also have difficulties with written expression, but there has been minimal research in this area and it is not clear whether written expression abilities uniquely contribute to the academic functioning of students with ADHD. The current study included a sample of 104 middle school students diagnosed with ADHD (Grades 6-8). Participants were followed longitudinally to evaluate whether written expression abilities at baseline predicted student grade point average (GPA) and parent ratings of academic impairment 18 months later, after controlling for reading ability and additional relevant covariates. Written expression abilities longitudinally predicted both academic outcomes above and beyond ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms, medication use, reading ability, and baseline values of GPA and parent-rated academic impairment. Follow-up analyses revealed that no single aspect of written expression was demonstrably more impactful on academic outcomes than the others, suggesting that writing as an entire process should be the focus of intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record

Author List

Molitor SJ, Langberg JM, Bourchtein E, Eddy LD, Dvorsky MR, 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

Academic Success
Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Educational Measurement
Female
Humans
Intelligence
Male
Mathematics
Midwestern United States
Reading
Writing