The Incremental Validity of Parent-Reported Executive Functioning in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders and Reading Achievement

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a commonly diagnosed neuropsychological disorder in childhood. Children with ADHD are at an increased risk for comorbid learning disorders, particularly in reading. Attempts to understand the factors that contribute to the high co-occurrence of these disorders have identified Executive Functioning (EF) as a potential explanatory mechanism for this relationship. However, previous findings regarding the role of EF have been mixed. Additionally, much of the research regarding the influence of EF on reading achievement among children with ADHD has been limited to performance-based measures of EF. Subsequently, there is little research regarding the relative influence of behavioral ratings of EF on academic achievement in reading among children with ADHD. The present study evaluates whether behavioral parent-reported measurements of EF provide incremental validity relative to behavioral measures of inattention and hyperactivity on reading achievement. Data were obtained from psychoeducational evaluations completed between 2015 and 2017. The results of the present study failed to provide evidence that parent-reported EF, inattention, or hyperactivity are useful predictors in understanding the relationship between ADHD and co-occurring reading disorders. Instead, the results indicated that intellectual functioning is the sole significant predictor of reading achievement. The results of this study may inform theoretical work regarding the relationship of EF, ADHD, and reading achievement, as well as assessment considerations for children and adolescents with ADHD and comorbid reading disorders