Work

Neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of the simple view of reading in clinically evaluated children with and without ADHD.

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often exhibit difficulties across multiple reading domains. The "simple view of reading" model posits that reading comprehension skills-both for children with and without ADHD-can be understood by skills in two components: decoding and language comprehension. At the same time, research suggests that weaknesses in neurocognitive abilities, along with behavioral symptoms of ADHD, are closely linked to reading difficulties in this population. However, the most parsimonious set of neurocognitive and behavioral predictors of reading comprehension, and the pathways through which associations are conveyed, remains unclear. METHOD: = 1.39; 172 girls; 68.9% White not Hispanic or Latino). RESULTS: Results revealed that working memory and fluid intelligence were the strongest neurocognitive predictors of reading skills and inattention and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms each predicted reading in the behavioral model. Consistent with the simple view of reading, associations between neurocognitive or behavioral predictors and reading comprehension were conveyed via decoding and language comprehension. When examining neurocognitive and behavioral predictors together, working memory and fluid intelligence predicted ADHD symptoms and reading skills, whereas ADHD symptoms no longer predicted reading skills, suggesting that neurocognitive weaknesses may help explain the link between inattention and reading. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the role of neurocognitive weaknesses for comprehensively understanding reading difficulties in clinically evaluated children with and without ADHD. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

Source: Neuropsychology

DOI: 10.1037/neu0001078

Authors: Alissa M. Cole-Olsen, Fatou Gaye, Julia O. Obi, Christian J. Padron, Michael J. Kofler

Institution: Florida State University

Language: English

Topic: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health