Associations of inattention, hyperactivity, and sex with behavioral–emotional symptoms among children with mathematical disability

Abstract

Objective We studied the association between inattention and hyperactivity symptoms and other behavioral–emotional symptoms among children with mathematical disability after controlling for severity of the mathematical disability and comorbid reading disability. We also analyzed the effects of sex.

Method Participants were 362 Finnish elementary school children (Mage = 10.25; SDage = 1.08) who attended a clinic which specialized in assessment of learning disabilities. Inattention, hyperactivity, and other behavioral–emotional symptoms were assessed with teacher ratings (TRF/ASEBA). Mathematics and reading were assessed as part of the clinical assessment with grade-normed tests. The mathematical disability was identified during the assessment process. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the associations.

Results The percentages of children showing behavioral–emotional problems were high varying between 10 and 42% depending on the problem scale and sex. Problems of inattention and hyperactivity were also common, and the direct contributions of inattention to internalizing symptoms (explaining 2–20% of the variability) and of hyperactivity to externalizing symptoms (explaining 20–22% of the variability) were substantial. Mathematical disability severity and comorbid reading disability had minimal contribution, and inattention and hyperactivity partially negated these contributions. Inattention and hyperactivity had additional contributions to internalizing and externalizing symptoms moderated by sex. Inattention increased somatic (7%), affective (22%), and conduct symptoms (4%) only among boys. Hyperactivity increased oppositional defiant symptoms (21%), especially among boys.

Conclusions The results underline the importance of addressing behavioral–emotional problems among children with mathematical disability. As inattention symptoms and hyperactivity symptoms contribute to the occurrence of other behavioral–emotional symptoms, they should be considered in the assessment process and support planning of children with mathematical disability. Longitudinal design is needed to understand how especially inattention contributes to the formation of behavioral–emotional symptoms among children with mathematical disability.