ADHD symptoms and reading-related skills in school-age children: Findings from the network analysis

The current study conducted a network analysis of ADHD symptoms and reading-related skills of school-age children and compared with the networks of typically developing (TD) peers, to reveal possible important developing stage and reading patterns of children with ADHD. A total of 1,541 children (including 663 ADHD and 878 TD) were assessed on measures of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV and reading-related tasks. The results suggested that denser ADHD symptoms and reading networks with stronger global connectivity were observed in the ADHD group compared to the TD group. Age from ten to twelve was found to be a potentiate critical stage of the development of ADHD symptoms. Furthermore, the current study emphasizes the significance of word reading for other reading-related abilities in children with ADHD. It also highlights the central role of inattention symptoms in reading networks of school-age children. These findings may provide insight for future diagnostic systems.