An Examination of Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Language Learning Disabilities: A Clinical Study

Abstract

This study examined the performance of 96 youth hospitalized at an acute-care psychiatric hospital on a battery of language measures. The participants were separated into four groups: (a) participants with language learning disabilities (LLD; n = 14), (b) participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 26), (c) participants with both ADHD and LLD (ADHD/LLD; n = 18), (d) participants with neither ADHD nor LLD (Neither; n = 38). Participants with ADHD/LLD performed significantly more poorly than did the ADHD group or the Neither group on measures of phonology and syntax, but not semantics. However, participants with ADHD/LLD did not significantly differ from participants with LLD on a majority of language-based measures. This finding suggests that participants with ADHD/LLD have profiles more similar to those of participants with LLD than participants with ADHD. Educational implications for instruction for students with ADHD/LLD are presented.