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Comorbid ADHD and DCD: examining cognitive functions using the WISC-IV

Pek Ru Loh1, Jan P Piek, Nicholas C Barrett

  • 1School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Western Australia, Australia. P.loh@curtin.edu.au

Research in Developmental Disabilities
|March 8, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) show poorer perceptual reasoning, unlike those with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This suggests distinct cognitive profiles for ADHD and DCD, questioning a shared cause for their comorbidity.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry

Background:

  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) frequently co-occur in children.
  • The underlying reasons for this comorbidity, specifically shared etiological factors, remain debated.
  • Understanding distinct cognitive profiles is crucial for accurate diagnosis and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cognitive performance differences in children with ADHD and/or DCD.
  • To examine the specific cognitive deficits associated with ADHD, DCD, and their comorbidity.
  • To evaluate the common etiology hypothesis for ADHD and DCD comorbidity.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (WISC-IV) to assess cognitive abilities.
  • Included 62 children aged 9 years 8 months to 12 years 7 months.
  • Grouped participants into Comparison, ADHD, DCD, and ADHD+DCD categories, assessing ADHD symptoms and motor abilities via validated scales.

Main Results:

  • Children in the DCD and ADHD+DCD groups exhibited significantly poorer perceptual reasoning compared to the comparison group.
  • The ADHD-only group did not show significant deficits in perceptual reasoning.
  • Findings suggest visuo-spatial deficits may underlie DCD, but not necessarily ADHD.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive profiles differ between ADHD and DCD, indicating distinct underlying mechanisms.
  • The results do not support a common etiological factor for the comorbidity of ADHD and DCD.
  • Highlights the importance of differentiating cognitive abilities in comorbid conditions for tailored support.

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