Cognitive Profiles are Better Predictors of Literacy Attainment Than Diagnostic Outcomes in Children with High ADHD Symptoms.
Sinead Rhodes, Josephine N Booth, Emily McDougal and 4 others
PMID 38879858WHAT IT FOUND
Cognitive profiles predicted literacy skills in children with high ADHD symptoms, but a clinical diagnosis did not.
Children on waiting lists showed similar difficulties to those diagnosed, suggesting support should start based on cognitive needs rather than waiting for a formal diagnosis.
Key findings
01Children grouped by cognitive profile showed significant differences in reading comprehension, spelling, and oral expression, whereas children grouped by diagnosis (ADHD vs subclinical) showed no significant differences in these literacy skills.
02There was no significant association between a child's cognitive profile cluster and whether they received a clinical ADHD diagnosis.
03Children with high ADHD symptoms who did not meet diagnostic criteria had similar cognitive and literacy difficulties to those who did, indicating that diagnostic status alone does not capture the need for support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (55 children), which limits the generalisability of the findings. The study did not screen for other mental health conditions like anxiety or depression, which can also affect cognitive performance. The findings are based on children referred for ADHD assessment, so they may not apply to children with high ADHD symptoms who are not referred.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing interests. The study was conducted within a wider cohort study, and ethical approval was granted by the Northwest Haydock Research Ethics Committee.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a child with high ADHD symptoms who does not receive a diagnosis has normal literacy skills. The study found that children with high symptoms but no diagnosis had similar difficulties to those with a diagnosis, so the absence of a label does not mean the absence of a need for support.
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