Examining the effects of ADHD symptoms and parental involvement on children's academic achievement.
Jaida S Condo, Elizabeth S M Chan, Michael J Kofler
PMID 35007980WHAT IT FOUND
Higher inattentive symptoms predicted lower reading and math scores.
Contrary to expectations, greater parental involvement did not buffer this risk. Instead, higher reported parental involvement uniquely predicted further academic difficulties in math and overall achievement.
Key findings
01Children's inattentive symptoms significantly predicted lower academic achievement in reading and math.
02Higher levels of parental involvement did not buffer against the risk of elevated ADHD inattentive symptoms.
03Parental involvement uniquely predicted further academic difficulties in math and overall achievement, suggesting a negative association rather than a protective one.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used a cross-sectional design, so it cannot determine cause and effect. The negative association between parental involvement and achievement may reflect parents becoming more involved in response to their child's existing academic difficulties, rather than involvement causing poor outcomes. Parental involvement was measured using a single global subscale from parent report. This method cannot distinguish between different types of involvement, such as supportive versus controlling interactions, or involvement occurring at home versus school. The sample was clinically heterogeneous, including children with various comorbidities and neurotypical controls, which may limit the generalizability of findings to a pure ADHD population. The study relied on teacher reports for ADHD symptoms to avoid mono-informant bias, but teacher ratings may still introduce variability depending on the classroom context.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that parental involvement causes academic underachievement. The cross-sectional design means the relationship could be reversed: parents may become more involved because their child is already struggling academically. The study shows an association, not causation.