The characteristics of academic achievements in children of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with comorbid conditions and its correlations with executive function

Abstract

Objective \nTo investigate the differences of academic achievements between children patients of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with comorbidities and pure ADHD children. And the correlations between their academic achievements and executive functions were also explored. \n \n \nMethod \n65 children with pure ADHD, 20 children with ADHD comorbid oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), 17 children with ADHD comrobid tics disorder (TD) and 50 healthy children as the control were enrolled. Each subject was tested by the China Revises Wechsler Children′s Intelligence Scale (C-WISC), Raven′s Standard Progressive Matrices (R′SPM), Graded Mathematical Achievement, Graded Reading Achievement, simple subtraction, complex subtraction and word semantics for their IQ, fluid intelligence, the best level of mathematical and reading achievement, computational fluency and semantic comprehension. The phonological and spatial working memory, inhibition and conversion functions of children were assessed by Digital Span Test, Spatial Span Test, Stroop Color-Word Test and Trail Making Test. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to compare the differences of academic achievements and executive functions among children with pure ADHD, ADHD+ODD, ADHD+TD and the control group. Furthermore in the overall ADHD group (integrated pure ADHD group, ADHD+ODD group and ADHD+TD group), a Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyze the effects of executive functions on academic achievements. \n \n \nResult \n(1) The academic achievements of children with ADHD was lower than those of the control group (all P 0.05). (2) The phonological working memory, inhibition function and conversion function had significant effects on all academic achievements (P 0.05). \n \n \nConclusion \nChildren with ADHD have lower academic achievement than normal peers. Different components of executive functions in children with ADHD had different effects on academic achievements. \n \n \nKey words: \nAttention deficit disorder with hyperactivity;\xa0Child;\xa0Academic achievements;\xa0Executive function