Naming Speed of Adolescents and Young Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Differences in Alphanumeric Versus Color/Object Naming.

Whipple, Brittany D.; Nelson, Jason M.

This study investigated the performance of adolescents and young adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Reading Disorder (RD), and ADHD/RD on measures of alphanumeric and nonalphanumeric naming speed and the relationship between naming speed and academic achievement. The sample (N ¼ 203) included students aged 17-28 years diagnosed with ADHD (n ¼ 83), RD (n ¼ 71), or ADHD/RD (n ¼ 49). Individuals with ADHD performed significantly faster on measures of alphanumeric naming compared with RD and comorbid groups and, within group, demonstrated significantly quicker naming of letters/digits compared with colors/objects. Both alphanumeric rapid naming scores and processing speed scores variably predicted academic achievement scores across groups, whereas nonalphanumeric rapid naming only predicted reading comprehension scores within theADHDgroup. Results support findings that older individuals withADHD show relative weakness in rapid naming of objects and colors. Implications of these findings in regard to assessment of older individuals for ADHD are discussed.

ATTENTION-deficit hyperactivity disorder; READING disability; ONOMASIOLOGY; DISEASES in teenagers; DISEASES in young adults; PSYCHOLOGY

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 2016, Vol 31, Issue 1, p66

0887-6177

Academic Journal

10.1093/arclin/acv061