Association between academic impairment and clinical features in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

LIN Yuxiong; JIANG Wenqing; LI Yan; SUN Zhixin; LI Nan; DU Yasong

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-0349

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2026, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (6) : 588-593. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-0349

Special Column on Attention-Dificit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Association between academic impairment and clinical features in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

LIN Yuxiong¹, JIANG Wenqing¹, LI Yan¹, SUN Zhixin¹, LI Nan², DU Yasong¹

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Abstract

Objective To analyze the correlation between academic impairment and clinical features in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to analyze the mediating effects of intelligence. Methods A total of 305 medication-naive children with ADHD aged 6 - 16 years were enrolled from Shanghai Mental Health Center between June 2020 to November 2021.Intelligence, clinical symptoms, and academic function were assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Ⅳ (WISC-Ⅳ), the SNAP-Ⅳ Rating Scale, and the Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ), respectively. Results Both attention deficit and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms were positively correlated with learning problems (P<0.01), while full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) and various IQ indices were negatively correlated with learning problems (P<0.01).Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that attention deficit (β=0.717, P<0.001) and age (β=0.097, P=0.010) positively predicted learning problems, whereas working memory negatively predicted learning problems (β=-0.115, P=0.002).Mediation analysis indicated that working memory partially mediated the effect of attention deficit on learning problems (β=0.012, P<0.01), and perceptual reasoning partially mediated the effect of hyperactivity/impulsivity on learning problems (β=-0.013, P<0.01). Conclusions Clinical symptoms and intellectual characteristics are important factors influencing academic function impairment in children with ADHD.Clinical symptoms play a dominant role in affecting learning behavior, with working memory and perceptual reasoning serving as partial mediators.

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attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder / intelligence / clinical symptoms / academic function / mediating effect

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LIN Yuxiong, JIANG Wenqing, LI Yan, SUN Zhixin, LI Nan, DU Yasong. Association between academic impairment and clinical features in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2026, 34(6): 588-593 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-0349

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