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Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and home learning environment (HLE): findings from a longitudinal study

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Abstract

The concept of “Home Learning Environment” (HLE) covers activities in a family providing intellectual stimulation for a child, such as reading to him or her or visiting libraries. Numerous studies have shown an association between HLE and children's cognitive development. In this longitudinal study, we focus on HLE as a predictor for children's behavioral development, namely, for later symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), controlling for relevant aspects like socioeconomic status (SES), or television viewing behavior. We analyzed the development of ADHD symptoms from kindergarten to the end of grade 2 and possible associations with HLE, SES, and television exposure, using a German community sample (N = 924). Results indicated that ADHD symptoms were negatively and significantly correlated to HLE for all five measurement points as well as to SES (except T4) and to television exposure for T1 to T4. Observing later development, only early HLE but not SES or television exposure served as a significant predictor for ADHD symptoms at school, when age, sex, and ADHD symptoms in kindergarten were controlled for. A structural equation model showed that HLE acted as a mediator between SES and later ADHD symptoms. Our results highlight the importance of the concept of home learning environment also for children's behavioral development. As a consequence, parents should be supported in offering their children a more favorable learning environment.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports in Baden-Wuerttemberg for the support of this study as well as all involved investigators, the children, their parents, and teachers for their commitment. Especially, we would like to thank our cooperation partners of the scientific advisory team of the project “school-prepared child” in Würzburg (Robin Segerer), Heidelberg (Eva Randhawa, Isabelle Keppler, Miriam Johnson and Hermann Schöler), and Frankfurt (Katja Krebs, Hanna Wagner, Jan-Henning Ehm and Marcus Hasselhorn). Without their input, planning, and realization of the study, this article could not have been written.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Sandra Schmiedeler, Frank Niklas & Wolfgang Schneider

  2. Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology, University of Würzburg, Röntgenring 10, 97070, Würzburg, Germany

    Sandra Schmiedeler, Frank Niklas & Wolfgang Schneider

Authors
  1. Sandra Schmiedeler
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  2. Frank Niklas
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  3. Wolfgang Schneider
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Correspondence to Sandra Schmiedeler.

Additional information

Sandra Schmiedeler is a post doc researcher at the University of Würzburg. Her research focuses on the development of externalizing disorders with particular interest in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Most relevant publications of Sandra Schmiedeler in the field of Psychology of Education:

Schmiedeler, S., & Schneider, W. (2013). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHS) in the early years: Diagnostic issues and educational relevance. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. doi:10.1177/1359104513489979

Schmiedeler, S. (2013). Wissen und Fehlannahmen von deutschen Lehrkräften über die Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS). [German teachers´ knowledge and misconceptions about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)]. Psychologie in Erziehung und Unterricht, 60, 143–153.

Frank Niklas is a post doc researcher at the University of Würzburg. His research focuses on learning environments provided by families (Home Literacy Environment and Home Numeracy Environment) as well as the development of mathematical and linguistic competencies.

Most relevant publications of Frank Niklas in the field of Psychology of Education:

Niklas, F., & Schneider, W. (2013). Casting the die before the die is cast: The importance of the home numeracy environment for preschool children. European Journal of Psychology of Education. doi:10.1007/s10212-013-0201-6

Niklas, F., & Schneider, W. (2013). Home literacy environment and the beginning of reading and spelling. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 38, 40–50. doi:10.1016/j.cedpsych.2012.10.001

Wolfgang Schneider is Professor of Developmental and Educational Psychology at the University of Würzburg, and Fellow of the International Academy of Education. His research interests concern the development of memory and metacognition, precursors of reading and spelling, dyslexia and dyscalculia, as well as expertise and giftedness.

Most relevant recent publications of Wolfgang Schneider in the field of Psychology of Education:

Schneider, W. & Berger, N. (2012). Why phonological awareness is causally important in the acquisition of reading, and spelling. In S. Suggate & E. Reese (Eds.), Contemporary debates in early childhood (pp. 216–226). London: Routledge.

Schneider, W. (2010). Metacognition and memory development in childhood and adolescence. In H. S. Waters & W. Schneider (Eds.), Metacognition, strategy use, and instruction (pp. 54-81). New York: Guilford Press.

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Schmiedeler, S., Niklas, F. & Schneider, W. Symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and home learning environment (HLE): findings from a longitudinal study. Eur J Psychol Educ 29, 467–482 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-013-0208-z

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