Association between childhood specific learning difficulties and school performance in adolescents with and without ADHD symptoms: a 16-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE

The authors investigated whether childhood specific learning difficulties (SLDs) predict later school performance in adolescents with ADHD symptoms (ADHDs) and how SLDs associate with educational aspirations.

METHOD

In the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (n = 9,432), data about children were collected using questionnaires for parents and teachers at ages 7 and 8 and for parents and adolescents at ages 15/16. Information on school performance was obtained from a national register.

RESULTS

The occurrence of SLDs at 8 years was 19.9% (n = 1,198), ADHDs at 15/16 years was 8.0% (n = 530), and comorbid ADHDs and SLDs was 3.0% (n = 179). Having ADHDs but not SLDs or having both was associated with a significantly lower mean value in school grades for theoretical subjects. Adolescents with comorbid ADHDs and SLDs repeated a grade more often, and their educational aspirations were less ambitious than those in other groups.

CONCLUSION

ADHDs and SLDs have a negative influence on academic achievements.