Neurolinguistic and Neuropsychological Assessment of Reading and Writing in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Comparative Exploratory Case Study

Abstract

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, affecting approximately 3–5% of children worldwide. Beyond its behavioral and attentional symptoms, ADHD is associated with significant academic and linguistic difficulties, particularly in reading and writing. This exploratory multiple-case study aimed to conduct a neuropsychological and neurolinguistic assessment of reading and writing in children with ADHD compared to their typically developing peers. The sample consisted of 10 primary school pupils (5 with ADHD and 5 typically developing), selected purposively from primary schools in Tizi Ouzou, Algeria. The Reading Test by Ghellab (1997) and the Writing Test by Bouzid (1991) were administered. The Mann-Whitney U test revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in both reading (U = 1.000, p = 0.016, r = -0.76) and writing (U = 0.000, p = 0.009, r = -0.83), with large effect sizes. Children with ADHD exhibited slower reading fluency, higher error rates (predominantly omissions and substitutions), poorer general text organization, handwriting distortions, and moderate to severe writing difficulties. These findings are consistent with previous research and highlight the need for early assessment and specialized intervention. The study concludes with recommendations for neuropsychologists, speech-language pathologists, teachers, and parents.