Abstract
This study compared the high school academic experience of adolescents with and without childhood ADHD using data from the
Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS). Participants were 326 males with childhood ADHD and 213 demographically similar
males without ADHD who were recruited at the start of the follow-up study. Data were collected yearly from parents, teachers
and schools. The current study used assessment points at which the participants were currently in or had recently completed
grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Results indicated that adolescents with ADHD experienced significant academic impairment in high
school relative to comparison adolescents, including lower overall and main academic subject grade point averages (GPA), lower
levels of class placement (e.g. remedial vs. honors), and higher rates of course failure. In addition, teacher reports indicated
that adolescents with ADHD completed and turned in a significantly lower percentage of assignments and were significantly
less likely to be working up to their potential. Adolescents with ADHD were also significantly more likely to be absent or
tardy during the academic year, and they were over eight times more likely than adolescents without ADHD to drop out of high
school. These findings demonstrate that children with ADHD continue to experience severe academic impairment into high school.
Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study (PALS). Participants were 326 males with childhood ADHD and 213 demographically similar
males without ADHD who were recruited at the start of the follow-up study. Data were collected yearly from parents, teachers
and schools. The current study used assessment points at which the participants were currently in or had recently completed
grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Results indicated that adolescents with ADHD experienced significant academic impairment in high
school relative to comparison adolescents, including lower overall and main academic subject grade point averages (GPA), lower
levels of class placement (e.g. remedial vs. honors), and higher rates of course failure. In addition, teacher reports indicated
that adolescents with ADHD completed and turned in a significantly lower percentage of assignments and were significantly
less likely to be working up to their potential. Adolescents with ADHD were also significantly more likely to be absent or
tardy during the academic year, and they were over eight times more likely than adolescents without ADHD to drop out of high
school. These findings demonstrate that children with ADHD continue to experience severe academic impairment into high school.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-010-9472-4
- Authors
- Kristine M. Kent, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY USA
- William E. Pelham, Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, AHC-1, Room 140, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33174, USA
- Brooke S. G. Molina, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA USA
- Margaret H. Sibley, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY USA
- Daniel A. Waschbusch, Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, AHC-1, Room 140, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33174, USA
- Jihnhee Yu, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY USA
- Elizabeth M. Gnagy, Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, AHC-1, Room 140, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33174, USA
- Aparajita Biswas, Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, AHC-1, Room 140, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33174, USA
- Dara E. Babinski, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY USA
- Kathryn M. Karch, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627