Reading difficulties and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity behaviours: evidence of an early association in a nonclinical sample |
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| Authors: | Chiara Luoni Umberto Balottin Maria Zaccagnino Laura Brembilla Giulia Livetti Cristiano Termine |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy;2. Department of Clinical & Child Neurology and Psychiatry, IRCCS ‘C, Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often co‐occurs with reading disability. A cross‐sectional study in an Italian‐speaking, nonclinical sample was conducted in an attempt to document the existence of an early association between reading difficulties (RD) and ADHD behaviours. We recruited a sample of 369 children in their first year at primary school. Of the sample, 8.4% displayed RD; 7.0% had ADHD; 3.5% presented both RD and ADHD behaviours; 50% of the children with ADHD displayed RD; 41.9% of those with RD displayed ADHD behaviours. Low socioeconomic status was associated with a fourfold increased probability of displaying RD (odds ratio = 3.98), but not ADHD behaviours. In this nonclinical sample, we detected an early association between ADHD behaviours and RD. A key role in this association may be played by inattention symptoms, which occurred with significantly increased frequency also in the group presenting only RD. |
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