Specific Learning Difficulties in Children With Symptoms of ADHD, DCD, or Both

• In Event: 2-103 - Comorbidity in Specific Developmental Disorders: Examining Prevalence Rates, Cognitive Causes, and Implications for Treatment

Integrative Statement

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) have impaired fine and / or gross motor skills, without a clear neurological or physiological cause (Kastner et al., 2011). Although DCD appears one of the most frequently occurring developmental problems in pre- and primary school children (Kastner & Petermann, 2009), it has been studied relatively infrequently (Bishop, 2010). A comorbidity of up to 50% exists with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Missiuna et al., 2009; Watemberg, Waiserberg, Zuk & Lerman-Sagie, 2007). Both disorders are comparable in terms of their average age of onset, neurological basis, and gender differences, with more boys than girls exhibiting the disorder. However, despite various theories, it is not yet clear what mechanism underlies the comorbidity (Goulardins et al., 2015).
Both DCD (e.g., Gomez et al. 2015; 2017) and ADHD (e.g., DuPaul, Gormley & Laracy, 2013) are associated with higher rates of specific learning difficulties. However, clear prevalence rates for these comorbidities do not yet exist (Landerl, 2009). First results suggest that the comorbidity is linked to more severe impairments in reading and writing (Kadesjö & Gillberg, 2001; Willcutt et al., 2005). No studies exist yet on the relationship with math difficulties.
The current study aims to answer the question of how the presence of symptoms of DCD and / or ADHD (hereafter referred to as briefly “DCD” and “ADHD”) is related to difficulties in reading, writing, and math. We hypothesise that (1) DCD and ADHD are related to difficulties in all learning areas, and (2) children with comorbid DCD and ADHD have more difficulties in all areas than children with DCD or ADHD only. In addition, we will exploratively investigate (3) if there is a difference between children with DCD and ADHD in learning difficulties, (4) if interindividual variation can be captured using disability profiles including the presence of DCD, ADHD, and the different types of learning difficulties, and (5) if classification into these profiles can be predicted by factors like gender, intelligence, or parent’s psychopathology.
In an online study, a representative sample of 3170 3rd and 4th grade children in Germany filled in intelligence, reading, writing, and math tests via a smartphone or tablet. Parents filled in online questionnaires about i.a. symptoms of DCD and ADHD. We divided the children into groups without DCD/ADHD, DCD only, ADHD only, and comorbid DCD/ADHD. We used multivariate analysis of variance with gender and intelligence as covariates to study differences in learning difficulties between these groups (hypotheses 1 to 3). The results showed that children without DCD/ADHD have less difficulties in all learning domains. Children with only DCD showed less learning difficulties than children with ADHD and the comorbid group. Differences between children with DCD and those with ADHD were most evident in the area of writing. At the symposium, theoretical implications of these results will be discussed.

Authors

• Linda Visser, German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF)
  Presenting Author

• Johanna Röschinger, Goethe University Frankfurt
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katja Barck, Goethe University Frankfurt
  Non-Presenting Author

• Gerhard Büttner, Goethe University Frankfurt
  Non-Presenting Author

• Marcus Hasselhorn, German Institute for International Educational Research (DIPF)
  Non-Presenting Author