Differences in Language and Literacy Competence According to the Comorbidity of Speech Sound Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: for Preschool 6-Year-Olds

Abstract

Objectives: This study analyzed the differences in language and literacy skills in the groups (None, SSD, ADHD, and SSD+ADHD) classified according to the comorbidity of Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).Methods: The Korean Children’s Panel Study (PSKC) conducted SSD and ADHD screening tests on 1,489 6-year-old preschoolers. In this study, cross-analysis was conducted by dividing the two disability groups into Absent and Present to measure the significance of the degree of accompanying disability. In addition, multivariate covariance analysis (MANCOVA) was conducted using intelligence as covariance as the result of scoring language and literacy skills of the four groups (None, SSD, ADHD, and SSD+ADHD).Results: First, through the results of this study, it was confirmed that SSD and ADHD are significantly more likely to be comorbid. Second, both children with SSD and those with ADHD had significantly lower language skills than Typically Developing children. Third, there was a difference in the detailed items of the SSD and ADHD group literacy. A notable distinction between the two groups is that the ADHD group had a higher rate of writing problems. Fourth, the comorbidity of SSD and ADHD showed different characteristics from None, SSD, and ADHD in reasoning areas such as “predicting the next story”.Conclusion: Speech problems that receive a lot of attention in preschool age childhood should be able to be interpreted and diagnosed in relation to problems with language development and language learning delays in school age children. From this point of view, this study is expected to serve as a basic study on the early diagnosis of language academic ability development.