Examining Associations between ADHD Symptoms, Parent Involvement, and Child Achievement

Youth with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience significant difficulties in school. Parent involvement in education (PI), defined as caregiver participation in the educational process, is an underutilized resource in improving academic performance for youth with ADHD. However, there may be unique transactional patterns between child ADHD symptoms and PI behavior that need to be better understood. For example, ADHD symptoms may uniquely influence parent-child interactions during educational tasks. If such interactions are characterized as aversive, parents may be less likely to engage in PI behaviors during these tasks. The current project investigates the transactional nature of relationships among PI, child ADHD symptoms, and child achievement.

Data are from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study comprised of 4,898 births in 20 U.S cities. Initial interviews occurred directly following the birth of a child, and follow-ups occurred when children were 1, 3, 5, and 9 years old. The current study includes data from the birth year, age, 5 and age 9. PI at ages 5 and 9 was assessed through the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment inventory. ADHD symptoms at ages 5 and 9 were assessed through the parent Child Behavior Checklist. Achievement at ages 5 and 9 was assessed through the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement. Covariates included child sex, parental marital status, and family income. Cross-lagged panel analysis was utilized.

Significant associations were found from higher PI at age 5 to lower ADHD symptoms at age 9 (B = -0.185, p < .05) and from higher PI at age 5 to higher achievement at age 9 (B = 2.595, p < .05). In addition, higher achievement at age 5 was associated with lower ADHD symptoms at age 9 (B = -0.015, p < .05).

These findings suggest that early school age PI and achievement are both meaningfully linked to lower ADHD symptoms at age 9. Further, early school age PI is also associated with higher achievement at age 9. Contrary to hypotheses, child ADHD symptoms at age 5 were not negatively associated with later PI at age 9. These findings highlight the potentially protective role that early PI may play in promoting academic and behavioral functioning. Interventions aimed to increase high quality PI for children at elevated risk for ADHD symptoms may be useful in promoting more optimal academic and behavioral functioning.