Longitudinal Study of Reading Disability and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnostic Stability and Developmental Outcomes in Late Adolescence

Volume 1—Number 4 © 2007 the Authors Journal Compilation © 2007 International Mind, Brain, and Education Society and Blackwell Publishing, Inc. 181 ABSTRACT — The majority of children who receive special education services meet criteria for reading disability (RD) or attention-defi cit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but additional research is needed to understand the long-term academic outcome of children in these groups. Individuals with RD only ( N = 71), ADHD only ( N = 66), both RD and ADHD ( N = 51), or neither disorder ( N = 118) were identifi ed through the ongoing Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center twin study and retested 5 years later. Results of the follow-up testing indicated that, in addition to ongoing reading diffi culties, individuals with RD exhibited higher rates of academic diffi culties, depression, and adolescent-onset conduct disorder. Initial ADHD status was associated with academic and social diffi culties and elevated rates of nearly all comorbid disorders 5 years later. The group with comorbid RD and ADHD had more stable reading defi cits than the group with RD without ADHD and exhibited greater impairment than groups with either disorder alone on outcome measures of academic functioning and social diffi culties. These results suggest that individuals with both RD and ADHD are at increased risk for negative outcomes as adolescents and young adults and that when RD and ADHD co-occur, interventions should be provided for both disorders. LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF READING DISABILITY AND ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER: DIAGNOSTIC STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES IN LATE ADOLESCENCE