Article 4 [W3] - ADHD and academic performance Flashcards
Abstract
This paper reviews the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) and academic performance.
First, the relationship at different developmental stages is examined; focusing on preschoolers, children, adolescents and adults.
Second, the review examines the factors underpinning the relationship between ADHD and academic underperformance: the literature suggests that it is the symptoms of ADHD and underlying cognitive deficits (not comorbid conduct problems) that are at the root of academic impairment.
The review concludes with an overview of the literature examining strategies that are directed towards remediating the academic impairment of individuals with ADHD.
Academic Disadvantage and ADHD
Preschoolers: ADHD has been identified in 2% of preschool age children. These pre-schoolers have been shown to have impairments for memory, reasoning, academic skills, conceptual development, general cognitive ability, and acquiring basic pre-reading and mathematics skills. Reading disability increases over age, into high school. However pre-schoolers diagnosed with ADHD do not have to spiral down to the negative effects ADHD has if they are exposed to proactive, firm limit-setting at home and appropriately structured classrooms. Relationship with poor academic achievements is Higher for Children with Inattentive ADHD symptoms.
Childhood: Childhood hyperactivity also predicts adolescent behavioral problems, as well as academic, such as leaving school before getting a degree.
Adults: Only 12% of adults that had ADHD as a child were shown to have finished a bachelor or higher, compared to 50% for controls. Also for adults with ADHD it is harder to fulfill the requirements of higher education settings such as note taking, planning, summarizing, test taking, time management, motivation, information processing and self-testing.
Can the academic difficulties associated with ADHD be explained by conduct disorder?
No.
One study found CD strongly predicted later offending whereas childhood ADHD has a very weak association.
Another study found that childhood CD had no significant correlation to later academic achievement.
ADHD and an individual’s academic difficulties cannot be explained by CD. ADHD individuals do score lower on IQ than their control peers. They also score lower than their actual IQ would suggest!
Cognitive deficits, academic performance, and ADHD
Cognitive deficits or executive function deficits in ADHD include response inhibition and working memory.
Response inhibition as the core deficit, also gives way to other EF deficiencies like cognitive flexibility, planning and fluency.
Impaired EF in ADHD is unrelated to academic achievement, but it is a good predictor.
ADHD behavior is a stronger predictor of academic performance than EF. It was found that (with the dual-pathway model in mind) delay aversion was only present for symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity.
EF deficits are only related to symptoms of inattention. Symptoms of inattention again were related to academic achievement and symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity were not.
Academic Interventions and ADHD
Interventions for ADHD should be focused on EF deficits and inattentive symptoms!
Training ADHD children’s working memory skills improved response inhibition, reasoning and parent-rated inattentive symptoms.
More academic interventions are:
- Peer and parent tutoring; one on one instruction and assistance, at the individuals own pace.
- Task instructional modifications; manipulate tasks and instructions to adjust them to the needs of ADHD individuals.
- Classroom functional assessment procedures; intervention specific to child, based on the identification and manipulation of environmental variables that initiate, maintain or increase the child’s problematic behavior in a particular setting.
- Self-monitoring: setting goals for classwork completion, monitoring these goal and administrating awards for successful completions.
- Strategy training; teaching children a specific skill so they can implement it in academic situations, to improve performance. However little supporting research.
- Homework focused interventions; time spent on homework is best predictor of achievement. So helping parents develop good ways to stimulate their kids doing their homework would be helpful. However this should be combined with other interventions.
