Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Reading Skills

• In Event: Park Central Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable Session: Literacy Instruction in Special Education

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and reading disabilities (RD) have a high comorbidity rate, and both demonstrate executive functioning (EF) deficits. However, reading comprehension seems to more heavily involve EF as compared to word-level reading. If ADHD and RD are co-diagnosed at least in part due to shared EF deficits, it is possible that the reading skill most impacted by ADHD is comprehension. Taking a dimensional view, we investigate the relationships among ADHD symptoms, reading comprehension, word reading, and EF in a representative sample of 5th graders. We use hierarchical linear modeling to provide evidence that ADHD symptoms are more highly associated with reading comprehension than with word reading, and that EF mediates the relationship between ADHD symptoms and reading comprehension.

Authors

• Masha R Jones, University of California - Irvine

• Carol M. Connor, University of California - Irvine