P01-295-Communication impairments in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Introduction

Communication disorders are often described in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), but language related problems are neither among the cardinal features nor required to fulfil diagnostic criteria of AD/HD.

Objective

To investigate communication impairments in a group of children with AD/HD compared to a group of Typically Developing (TD) children.

Methods

Fifty-six Norwegian children aged 6–15 years participated. The AD/HD group consisted of 28 children and was matched on age and gender with a TD group. The parents completed a Norwegian translation of the Children's Communication Checklist Second Edition (CCC-2).

Results

In the AD/HD group communication impairment was identified in 23 out of 28 children (82.1%) compared to only one child in the TD group (3.6%). The two groups differed significantly on 9 out of 10 subscales of the CCC-2, as well as on the GCC (MANOVA, p ≤ .001).

Conclusions

Children with AD/HD are likely to exhibit communication problems relative to typically developing children. The two groups differed on 9 out of 10 subscales on the CCC-2. These results add to the growing body of research showing that communication disorders are frequent among children with AD/HD. They underline the importance of routine screening of communication to be performed as part of the assessment procedure in children with AD/HD.