The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents
Abstract Background Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired school performance, but the impact of ADHD may vary across sex, family background, and school subjects. By using prospective population‐wide register data, we describe impairment in academic performance r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | JCPP Advances |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12064 |
| _version_ | 1818776195488022528 |
|---|---|
| author | Hans Fredrik Sunde Thomas H. Kleppestø Kristin Gustavson Magnus Nordmo Bjørn‐Atle Reme Fartein Ask Torvik |
| author_facet | Hans Fredrik Sunde Thomas H. Kleppestø Kristin Gustavson Magnus Nordmo Bjørn‐Atle Reme Fartein Ask Torvik |
| author_sort | Hans Fredrik Sunde |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired school performance, but the impact of ADHD may vary across sex, family background, and school subjects. By using prospective population‐wide register data, we describe impairment in academic performance related to ADHD across different school subjects and investigate how this impairment differ across sex and parental education. Methods We examined grades and Grade Point Averages (GPA) at age ∼16 among 344,152 Norwegian children born between 1997 and 2002. We linked grades with diagnoses from publicly funded general practitioners and with demographic information. Associations between ADHD diagnosed between age 10 and 16 and school performance were estimated with linear models, including sibling‐models which control for unobserved variables shared within families. Results Children with ADHD (4.0%) had −1.11 standard deviations lower GPAs compared to children without ADHD. This difference remained substantial after adjusting for demographic factors (−0.87), comorbid mental disorders (−0.82), early school performance (−0.54), and when comparing full siblings (−0.60). The relative ADHD deficit was 22% larger for girls than for boys and 39% larger for children with highly educated parents than for children of parents without completed high school, but the absolute deficit was smaller. Conclusion The ADHD deficit in school performance was large and not easily attributable to other factors. Because the ADHD deficit was large in all school subjects, interventions should ideally address factors that affect school performance broadly, although targeting theoretical subjects specifically may be most effective given limited resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:09:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ba2339cba7eb4881aa1a9b01194db4f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2692-9384 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T11:09:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JCPP Advances |
| spelling | doaj.art-ba2339cba7eb4881aa1a9b01194db4f62022-12-21T21:10:01ZengWileyJCPP Advances2692-93842022-03-0121n/an/a10.1002/jcv2.12064The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescentsHans Fredrik Sunde0Thomas H. Kleppestø1Kristin Gustavson2Magnus Nordmo3Bjørn‐Atle Reme4Fartein Ask Torvik5Centre for Fertility and Health Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo NorwayCentre for Fertility and Health Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo NorwayDepartment of Psychology University of Oslo Oslo NorwayCentre for Fertility and Health Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo NorwayCentre for Fertility and Health Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo NorwayCentre for Fertility and Health Norwegian Institute of Public Health Oslo NorwayAbstract Background Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is associated with impaired school performance, but the impact of ADHD may vary across sex, family background, and school subjects. By using prospective population‐wide register data, we describe impairment in academic performance related to ADHD across different school subjects and investigate how this impairment differ across sex and parental education. Methods We examined grades and Grade Point Averages (GPA) at age ∼16 among 344,152 Norwegian children born between 1997 and 2002. We linked grades with diagnoses from publicly funded general practitioners and with demographic information. Associations between ADHD diagnosed between age 10 and 16 and school performance were estimated with linear models, including sibling‐models which control for unobserved variables shared within families. Results Children with ADHD (4.0%) had −1.11 standard deviations lower GPAs compared to children without ADHD. This difference remained substantial after adjusting for demographic factors (−0.87), comorbid mental disorders (−0.82), early school performance (−0.54), and when comparing full siblings (−0.60). The relative ADHD deficit was 22% larger for girls than for boys and 39% larger for children with highly educated parents than for children of parents without completed high school, but the absolute deficit was smaller. Conclusion The ADHD deficit in school performance was large and not easily attributable to other factors. Because the ADHD deficit was large in all school subjects, interventions should ideally address factors that affect school performance broadly, although targeting theoretical subjects specifically may be most effective given limited resources.https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12064ADHDregister dataschool performancesex differencessocioeconomic status |
| spellingShingle | Hans Fredrik Sunde Thomas H. Kleppestø Kristin Gustavson Magnus Nordmo Bjørn‐Atle Reme Fartein Ask Torvik The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents JCPP Advances ADHD register data school performance sex differences socioeconomic status |
| title | The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents |
| title_full | The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents |
| title_fullStr | The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents |
| title_short | The ADHD deficit in school performance across sex and parental education: A prospective sibling‐comparison register study of 344,152 Norwegian adolescents |
| title_sort | adhd deficit in school performance across sex and parental education a prospective sibling comparison register study of 344 152 norwegian adolescents |
| topic | ADHD register data school performance sex differences socioeconomic status |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/jcv2.12064 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hansfredriksunde theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT thomashkleppestø theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT kristingustavson theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT magnusnordmo theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT bjørnatlereme theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT farteinasktorvik theadhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT hansfredriksunde adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT thomashkleppestø adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT kristingustavson adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT magnusnordmo adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT bjørnatlereme adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents AT farteinasktorvik adhddeficitinschoolperformanceacrosssexandparentaleducationaprospectivesiblingcomparisonregisterstudyof344152norwegianadolescents |