Early literacy and parental writing mediation in young children with and without ADHD

Abstract

The study compared early literacy of Israeli children aged five to six years with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), contrasted parental writing mediation in the two groups and tested the relations between parents’ mediation characteristics and children’s early literacy skills. Each of 62 parent‐child dyads (32 with ADHD) was videotaped at home while writing words. Videotapes were transcribed and analysed for mediation (specific writing task measures, emotional measures typical of problem‐solving tasks, and general measures of interactions). Children’s early literacy (word writing, letter knowledge and phonological awareness) was assessed at home. Results showed that children with ADHD already exhibited lower literacy achievements at ages five to six compared to their peers without ADHD. Parents of children with ADHD scored lower than parents of children without ADHD on the writing‐specific, emotional and general mediation measures. In both groups, the specific writing mediation measures correlated significantly with children’s early literacy. More emotional mediation measures correlated significantly with children’s early literacy in the ADHD than in the non‐ADHD group. Discussion focused on parent‐child writing interactions as a context of early literacy development among young children with ADHD.

Keywords:

• early literacy
• parent–child interaction
• ADHD
• writing

Acknowledgements

We extend warm thanks to Dr Miki Davidovich, Dr Orit Pomerantz and Mrs Tamar Shimoni from the Attention Clinic of Maccabi Healthcare Services for their assistance in the participants’ recruitment and to Dee B. Ankonina for her editorial contribution. We are also grateful to all the families for their cooperation.