Does the family situation impact academic achievement differently in students with versus without neurodevelopmental disorders?

Background Youth with neurodevelopmental disorders are at risk for school failure, but little is known about the contextual factors influencing academic achievement. Aims Drawing on a bioecological system framework, we examined how ADHD and autism, parental educational attainment and aspects of the parent–child relationship influence educational achievement at the end of primary school, and to what extent these factors have independent as opposed to interactive effects on educational achievement. Sample A total of 12,477 twins born 1994–2005 from Sweden. Methods ADHD and autism were assessed at age nine with a structured telephone interview with parents. Among participants, n = 996 and n = 249 met screening criteria for ADHD and autism, respectively. At age 15, data on parent–child relationships and parental educational attainment were gathered. Children's school grades and eligibility for upper secondary school were obtained from a register, and used as main outcome measures. Multiple regression models with interaction terms were used to explore if the effects of family‐related factors differed in students with or without ADHD or autism. Results ADHD or autism was associated with low academic achievement, as were all the family‐related variables in multiple regression models (all p < .005). However, there was no statistical evidence (all p > .005) that the influence of family‐related variables differed (i.e., were either less or more important in the prediction of educational achievement) in students with or without ADHD or autism. Conclusions Results were in keeping with a bioecological model of non‐interacting multiple risks for educational underachievement in students with ADHD and/or autism.