Abstract
ADHD is associated with academic underachievement, but it remains unclear what mechanism accounts for this association. Semantic
language is an underexplored mechanism that provides a developmental explanation for this association. The present study will
examine whether semantic language deficits explain the association between ADHD and reading and mathematics underachievement,
taking into account alternative explanations for associations, including verbal working memory (WM) impairments, as well as
specificity of effects to inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Participants in this cross-sectional
study were 546 children (54 % male) ages six to twelve (M = 9.77, SD = 1.49). ADHD symptoms were measured via maternal and teacher report during structured interviews and on standardized rating
forms. Children completed standardized semantic language, verbal WM, and academic testing. Semantic language fully mediated
the ADHD-reading achievement association and partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics achievement association. Verbal WM also
partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics association but did not mediate the ADHD-reading achievement association. Results
generalized across inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Semantic language explained the association
between ADHD and reading underachievement and partially explained the association between ADHD and mathematics underachievement.
Together, language impairment and WM fully explained the association between ADHD and reading underachievement, in line with
developmental models suggesting that language and WM conjointly influence the development of attention and subsequent academic
achievement. This work has implication for the development of tailored interventions for academic underachievement in children
with ADHD.
language is an underexplored mechanism that provides a developmental explanation for this association. The present study will
examine whether semantic language deficits explain the association between ADHD and reading and mathematics underachievement,
taking into account alternative explanations for associations, including verbal working memory (WM) impairments, as well as
specificity of effects to inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Participants in this cross-sectional
study were 546 children (54 % male) ages six to twelve (M = 9.77, SD = 1.49). ADHD symptoms were measured via maternal and teacher report during structured interviews and on standardized rating
forms. Children completed standardized semantic language, verbal WM, and academic testing. Semantic language fully mediated
the ADHD-reading achievement association and partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics achievement association. Verbal WM also
partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics association but did not mediate the ADHD-reading achievement association. Results
generalized across inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Semantic language explained the association
between ADHD and reading underachievement and partially explained the association between ADHD and mathematics underachievement.
Together, language impairment and WM fully explained the association between ADHD and reading underachievement, in line with
developmental models suggesting that language and WM conjointly influence the development of attention and subsequent academic
achievement. This work has implication for the development of tailored interventions for academic underachievement in children
with ADHD.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-012-9650-7
- Authors
- Monica L. Gremillion, Psychology Department, University of New Orleans, 2109 Geology & Psychology Building 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA
- Michelle M. Martel, Psychology Department, University of New Orleans, 2109 Geology & Psychology Building 2000 Lakeshore Drive, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627