Symposia
ADHD - Child
Jennifer Piscitello, Ph.D.
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Kellina Lupas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Stefany Coxe, Ph.D
Associate Professor
FIU
Miami, FL
Emily Robertson, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Shaniya Morris, PhD
Research Assistant
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Amy Altszuler, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Devon Tower, M.S.
Program Coordinator
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Elizabeth Gnagy, M.S.
Research Scientist
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Fiona Macphee, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, Washington
Marcela Ramos, M.S.
Graduate Student
Florida International University
Miami, Florida
Brittany M. Merrill, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Associate
Florida International University
Buffalo, NY
Leah Ward, B.S.
Graduate Research Assistant
University at Buffalo
Miami, Florida
Chanelle Gordon, PhD
Research Scientist
Boys Town National Research Hospital
Omaha, NE
Gregory A. Fabiano, Ph.D.
Professor
Florida International University
Buffalo, New York
William E. Pelham Jr., Ph.D.
Distinguished University Professor
Center for Children and families, Florida International University
Miami, FL
Families continue to experience the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The starkest example of this is the fluid nature of current schooling, with children moving in and out of remotely delivered instruction to mitigate the spread of the disease. There is an immediate need to understand the impact of these mitigation strategies on the wellbeing of children who are at increased risk for academic and mental health impairments, such as children with disabilities like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The goal of the study was to identify profiles of student response to remote instruction.
The study included 116 children attending 1st through 5th grade during the 2019-2020 academic year who were a part of a larger, multi-site, federally funded grant to examine adaptive interventions in schools for students with ADHD (c.f., Lupas et al., 2021). Based on hypothesized predictor variables Latent Profile Analysis was conducted to identify profiles of child functioning.
One through five profiles were examined, with a three-class model demonstrating the best statistical fit, as well as consistency with theoretical understanding of academic risk in children with ADHD. The three profiles included children with High (34.6%), Moderate (37.1%), and Low Impairment (28.3%). Groups did not differ on covariates, including age, gender, or parent education; however, children in the Moderate Impairment group were more likely to identify as Black compared to the Low Impairment group. Children in the High Impairment group were characterized by greater parent and teacher-reported academic and overall impairment, lower IQ, smaller academic gains in math, and were more likely to have comorbid behavioral problems compared to the Moderate and Low Impairment groups. Preliminary analysis comparing groups on children’s response to remote instruction via teacher and parent-report suggest that children in the Low Impairment and Moderate Impairment group adapted more successfully to remote instruction, while children in the High Impairment group’s behavior worsened during remote instruction. In sum, children with ADHD who have higher levels of related impairment, comorbid behavior problems, and greater need for services (e.g., special education supports or learning problems) may be at higher risk for poor response to mitigation practices like remote instruction.
Results of this study have important implications for identifying students at increased risk for negative outcomes and for informing decisions regarding implementation of remote instruction.