Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T05:32:44.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Phenotypic and genetic associations between reading and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder dimensions in adolescence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 December 2016

Vickie Plourde ,
Michel Boivin ,
Mara Brendgen ,
Frank Vitaro  and
Ginette Dionne
Vickie Plourde
Affiliation:
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Québec Université Laval, Québec
Michel Boivin
Affiliation:
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Québec Université Laval, Québec Tomsk State University
Mara Brendgen
Affiliation:
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Québec Université du Québec à Montréal Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal
Frank Vitaro
Affiliation:
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Québec Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal Université de Montréal, Québec
Ginette Dionne*
Affiliation:
Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment, Québec Université Laval, Québec
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Ginette Dionne, École de psychologie, Université Laval, Pavillon Félix-Antoine-Savard, 2325 rue des Bibliothèques, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6, Canada; E-mail: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Multiple studies have shown that reading abilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, mainly inattention symptoms, are phenotypically and genetically associated during childhood. However, few studies have looked at these associations during adolescence to investigate possible developmental changes. The aim of the study is to examine the genetic and environmental etiology of the associations between inattention and hyperactivity reported by parents, and reading accuracy, reading speed, and word reading in a population-based twin sample (Quebec Newborn Twin Study). Participants were between 14 and 15 years of age at the time of testing (N = 668–837). Phenotypic results showed that when nonverbal and verbal abilities were controlled, inattention, but not hyperactivity/impulsivity, was a modest and significant predictor of reading accuracy, reading speed, and word reading. The associations between inattention and all reading abilities were partly explained by genetic and unique environmental factors. However, the genetic correlations were no longer significant after controlling for verbal abilities. In midadolescence, inattention is the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder dimension associated with reading abilities, but they could also share genetic factors with general verbal skills.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 29 , Issue 4 , October 2017 , pp. 1215 - 1226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

This research was supported by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Quebec Research Funds. Vickie Plourde was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Fellowship. The study received ethical approval from Laval University and Sainte-Justine Hospital. Special thanks to Bei Feng and Hélène Paradis for their assistance in data management; to Marie-Élyse Bertrand for project coordination; and to the children, parents, and teachers who participated in the studies.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.Google Scholar
Betjemann, R. S., Willcutt, E. G., Olson, R. K., Keenan, J. M., DeFries, J. C., & Wadsworth, S. J. (2007). Word reading and reading comprehension: Stability, overlap and independence. Reading and Writing, 21, 539–558.Google Scholar
Biederman, J., Mick, E., & Faraone, S. V. (2000). Age-dependent decline of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Impact of remission definition and symptom type. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157, 816–818.Google Scholar
Boivin, M., Brendgen, M., Dionne, G., Dubois, L., Pérusse, D., Robaey, P., … Vitaro, F. (2013). The Quebec Newborn Twin Study into adolescence: 15 years later. Twin Research and Human Genetics, 16, 64–69.Google Scholar
Brasseur-Hock, I. F., Hock, M. F., Kieffer, M. J., Biancarosa, G., & Deshler, D. D. (2011). Adolescent struggling readers in urban schools: Results of a latent class analysis. Learning and Individual Differences, 21, 438–452.Google Scholar
Brook, U., & Boaz, M. (2005). Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities (LD): Adolescents perspective. Patient Education and Counseling, 58, 187–191.Google Scholar
Byrne, B., Coventry, W. L., Olson, R. K., Samuelsson, S., Corley, R., Willcutt, E. G., … DeFries, J. C. (2009). Genetic and environmental influences on aspects of literacy and language in early childhood: Continuity and change from preschool to Grade 2. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 22, 219–236.Google Scholar
Byrne, B., Samuelsson, S., Wadsworth, S., Hulslander, J., Corley, R., DeFries, J. C., … Olson, R. K. (2006). Longitudinal twin study of early literacy development: Preschool through Grade 1. Reading and Writing, 20, 77–102.Google Scholar
Cain, K., & Oakhill, J. (2011). Matthew effects in young readers: Reading comprehension and reading experience aid vocabulary development. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 44, 431–443.Google Scholar
Chang, Z., Lichtenstein, P., Asherson, P. J., & Larsson, H. (2013). Developmental twin study of attention problems: High heritabilities throughout development. JAMA Psychiatry, 70, 311–318.Google Scholar
Cirino, P. T., Romain, M. A., Barth, A. E., Tolar, T. D., Fletcher, J. M., & Vaughn, S. (2013). Reading skill components and impairments in middle school struggling readers. Reading and Writing, 26, 1059–1086.Google Scholar
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L.S. (2003). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Dalpé, V., Giroux, C., Lefebvre, P., & St.-Pierre, M.-C. (2010). Composantes de la lecture et de l’écriture. In St.-Pierre, M.-C., Dalpé, V., Lefevbre, P., & Giroux, C. (Eds.), Difficultés de lecture et d’écriture: Démarche de prévention et d’évaluation orthophonique (pp. 29–45). Québec: Presse de l'Université du Québec.Google Scholar
Dennis, M., Francis, D. J., Cirino, P. T., Schachar, R., Barnes, M. A., & Fletcher, J. M. (2009). Why IQ is not a covariate in cognitive studies of neurodevelopmental disorders. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society, 15, 331–343.Google Scholar
Ebejer, J. L., Coventry, W. L., Byrne, B., Willcutt, E. G., Olson, R. K., Corley, R., & Samuelsson, S. (2010). Genetic and environmental influences on inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and reading: Kindergarten to Grade 2. Scientific Studies of Reading, 14, 293–316.Google Scholar
Faraone, S. V., Biederman, J., & Mick, E. (2006). The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis of follow-up studies. Psychological Medicine, 36, 159–165.Google Scholar
Forget-Dubois, N., Pérusse, D., Turecki, G., Girard, A., Billette, J.-M., Rouleau, G., … Tremblay, R. E. (2003). Diagnosing zygosity in infant twins: Physical similarity, genotyping, and chorionicity. Twin Research, 6, 479–485.Google Scholar
Frazier, T. W., Youngstrom, E. A., Glutting, J. J., & Watkins, M. W. (2007). ADHD and achievement: Meta-analysis of the child, adolescent, and with college students. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40, 49–65.Google Scholar
Galéra, C., Cote, S. M., Bouvard, M. P., Pingault, J.-B., Melchior, M., Michel, G., … Tremblay, R. E. (2011). Early risk factors for hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention trajectories from age 17 months to 8 years. Archives of General Psychiatry, 68, 1267–1275.Google Scholar
Ghelani, K., Sidhu, R., Jain, U., & Tannock, R. (2004). Reading comprehension and reading related abilities in adolescents with reading disabilities and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dyslexia, 10, 364–384.Google Scholar
Giannopulu, I., Escolano, S., Cusin, F., Citeau, H., & Dellatolas, G. (2008). Teachers’ reporting of behavioural problems and cognitive-academic performances in children aged 5–7 years. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 78, 127–147.Google Scholar
Goldsmith, H. H. (1991). A zygosity questionnaire for young twins: A research note. Behavior Genetics, 21, 257–269.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greven, C. U., Harlarr, N., Dale, P. S., & Plomin, R. (2011). Genetic overlap between ADHD symptoms and reading. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20, 6–14.Google Scholar
Greven, C. U., Rijsdijk, F. V, Asherson, P., & Plomin, R. (2012). A longitudinal twin study on the association between ADHD symptoms and reading. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 234–242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harlaar, N., Cutting, L., Deater-Deckard, K., DeThorne, L., Justice, L., Schatschneider, C., … Petrill, S. (2010). Predicting individual differences in reading comprehension: A twin study. Annals of Dyslexia, 60, 265–288.Google Scholar
Haworth, C. M., Wright, M. J., Luciano, M., Martin, N. G., de Geus, E. J. C., van Beijsterveldt, C. E. M., … Plomin, R. (2010). The heritability of general cognitive ability increases linearly from childhood to young adulthood. Molecular Psychiatry, 15, 1112–1120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Larsson, H., Lichtenstein, P., & Larsson, J.-O. (2006). Genetic contributions to the development of ADHD subtypes from childhood to adolescence. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 45, 973–981.Google Scholar
Leblanc, N., Boivin, M., Dionne, G., Brendgen, M., Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R. E., & Prusse, D. (2008). The development of hyperactive-impulsive behaviors during the preschool years: The predictive validity of parental assessments. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 977–987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lefavrais, P. (2005). Test de l'Alouette—Révisée. Paris: Centre de Psychologie Appliquée.Google Scholar
Levy, F., Hay, D. A., McStephen, M., Wood, C., & Waldman, I. (1997). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A category or a continuum? Genetic analysis of a large-scale twin study. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 36, 737–744.Google Scholar
McLoughlin, G., Ronald, A., Kuntsi, J., Asherson, P., & Plomin, R. (2007). Genetic support for the dual nature of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Substantial genetic overlap between the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive components. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 999–1008.Google Scholar
Muthén, B. O., & Muthén, L. K. (2013). Mplus (Version 7.3) [Computer software]. Los Angeles: Author.Google Scholar
Ouellet, G. (2010). La relation entre le trouble déficitaire de l'attention avec hyperactivité et le développement du langage. Retrieved from http://www.theses.ulaval.ca/2010/27289/27289.pdf Google Scholar
Ouellette, G., & Beers, A. (2010). A not-so-simple view of reading: How oral vocabulary and visual-word recognition complicate the story. Reading and Writing, 23, 189–208.Google Scholar
Paloyelis, Y., Rijsdijk, F., Wood, A., Asherson, P., & Kuntsi, J. (2010). The genetic association between ADHD symptoms and reading difficulties: The role of inattentiveness and IQ. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38, 1083–1095.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pennington, B. F. (2006). From single to multiple deficit models of developmental disorders. Cognition, 101, 385–413.Google Scholar
Pham, A. V. (2013). Differentiating behavioral ratings of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in children: Effects on reading achievement. Journal of Attention Disorders. Advance online publication.Google Scholar
Plomin, R., DeFries, J. C., McClearn, G. E., & McGuffin, P. (2008). Behavioral genetics (5th ed.). New York: Worth.Google Scholar
Plourde, V., Boivin, M., Forget-Dubois, N., Brendgen, M., Vitaro, F., Marino, C., … Dionne, G. (2015). Phenotypic and genetic associations between reading comprehension, decoding skills, and ADHD dimensions: Evidence from two population-based studies. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 56, 1074–1082.Google Scholar
Polderman, T. J. C., Derks, E. M., Hudziak, J. J., Verhulst, F. C., Posthuma, D., & Boomsma, D. I. (2007). Across the continuum of attention skills: A twin study of the SWAN ADHD Rating Scale. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48, 1080–1087.Google Scholar
Rabiner, D., & Coie, J. D. (2000). Early attention problems and children's reading achievement: A longitudinal investigation. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 39, 859–867.Google Scholar
Rodriguez, A., Jarvelin, M.-R., Obel, C., Taanila, A., Miettunen, J., Moilanen, I., … Olsen, J. (2007). Do inattention and hyperactivity symptoms equal scholastic impairment? Evidence from three European cohorts. BMC Public Health, 7, 327.Google Scholar
Rogers, M., Hwang, H., Toplak, M., Weiss, M., & Tannock, R. (2011). Inattention, working memory, and academic achievement in adolescents referred for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Child Neuropsychology, 17, 444–458.Google Scholar
Shaywitz, S. E., Escobar, M. D., Shaywitz, B. A., Fletcher, J. M., & Makuch, R. (1992). Evidence that dyslexia may represent the lower tail of a normal distribution of reading ability. New England Journal of Medicine, 326, 145.Google Scholar
Shaywitz, S. E., Shaywitz, B. A., Fulbright, R. K., Skudlarski, P., Mencl, W. E., Constable, R. T., … Gore, J. C. (2003). Neural systems for compensation and persistence: Young adult outcome of childhood reading disability. Biological Psychiatry, 54, 25–33.Google Scholar
Sibley, M. H., Pelham, W. E., Molina, B. S. G., Gnagy, E. M., Waschbusch, D., Garefino, A. C., … Karch, K. M. (2012). Diagnosing ADHD in adolescence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 139–150.Google Scholar
Tremblay, R. E., Desmarais-Gervais, L., Gagnon, C., & Charlebois, P. (1987). The Preschool Behaviour Questionnaire: Stability of its factor structure between cultures, sexes, ages and socioeconomic classes. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 10, 467–484.Google Scholar
Tremblay, R. E., Loeber, R., Gagnon, C., Charlebois, P., Larivée, S., & LeBlanc, M. (1991). Disruptive boys with stable and unstable high fighting behavior patterns during junior elementary school. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 19, 285–300.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wechsler, D. (1991). Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd ed.). San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.Google Scholar
Wechsler, D. (2005). WIAT-II Test de rendement individuel de Wechsler: Version pour francophones du Canada. Toronto: Pearson.Google Scholar
Willcutt, E. G., Betjemann, R. S., McGrath, L. M., Chhabildas, N. A., Olson, R. K., DeFries, J. C., & Pennington, B. F. (2010). Etiology and neuropsychology of comorbidity between RD and ADHD: The case for multiple-deficit models. Cortex, 46, 1345–1361.Google Scholar
Willcutt, E. G., Betjemann, R. S., Wadsworth, S. J., Samuelsson, S., Corley, R., DeFries, J. C., … Olson, R. K. (2007). Preschool twin study of the relation between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and prereading skills. Reading and Writing, 20, 103–125.Google Scholar
Willcutt, E. G., & Pennington, B. F. (2000). Comorbidity of reading disability and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Differences by gender and subtype. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33, 179–191.Google Scholar
Woolley, G. (2011). Reading comprehension. In Woolley, G. (Ed.), Reading comprehension: Assisting children with learning difficulties (pp. 15–34). New York: Springer.Google Scholar