Are Reading Interventions Effective for At-Risk Readers with ADHD? A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objective: Utilizing a multi-level meta-analytic approach, this review is the first to systematically quantify the efficacy of reading interventions for school-aged children with ADHD and identify potential factors that may increase the success of reading-related interventions for these children. Method: 18 studies (15 peer-reviewed articles, 3 dissertations) published from 1986 to 2020 ( N = 564) were meta-analyzed. Results: Findings revealed reading interventions are highly effective for improving reading skills based on both study-developed/curriculum-based measures ( g = 1.91) and standardized/norm-referenced achievement tests ( g = 1.11) in high-quality studies of children with rigorously-diagnosed ADHD. Reading interventions that include at least 30 hours of intervention targeting decoding/phonemic awareness meet all benchmarks to be considered a Level 1 (Well-Established) Evidence-Based Practice with Strong Research Support for children with ADHD based on clinical and special education criteria. Conclusions: Our findings collectively indicate that reading interventions should be the first-line treatment for reading difficulties among at-risk readers with ADHD.