(PS4-3) Examining School Engagement in Diverse Youth with ADHD: Focusing on Resilience Promoting Factors

Abstract Text: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with a greater likelihood of experiencing poor academic outcomes (Kent et al., 2011). School engagement, or behavioral, cognitive, and emotional commitment to school, can be a protective factor given its association with positive functional outcomes (Fredricks et al., 2016). However, research has yet to examine factors that are associated with school engagement in children with ADHD, a clinical population with wide sociodemographic differences and at risk for both disengagement and negative downstream outcomes. Accordingly, the current study examined sociodemographic differences in and correlates of school engagement domains in a community-based sample of youth with ADHD intentionally recruited to have an approximately even female: male distribution.
Children (N=151, 46% female; 35% non-White) in fifth grade (Mage = 10) with ADHD completed measures of school engagement (BEC-SES; Fredricks et al., 2005). Caregivers completed measures of emotion regulation (ER) (range 1-5) ERQ–CA; Gullone & Taffe, 2012), attention problems (AP), and hyperactivity (H) (BASC-3; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015). Teachers reported prosocial behaviors (PB) with peers (CBS; Ladd et. al., 2009). Sociodemographic group differences in school engagement were computed with t-tests and ANOVAs, and multiple regression models controlling for race, sex, and parent education were used to evaluate relative effects with each school engagement domain.
Girls endorsed significantly higher levels of behavioral engagement compared to boys (MG= 4.11, SDG= 0.69, MB= 3.88, SDB= .70, t(149)=-2.00, p=.047). White youth endorsed significantly higher levels of behavioral engagement compared to youth of color (MW= 4.11, SDW= .65, MYC= 3.76, SDYC= .75, t(144)=2.89, p=.004). Youth of color endorsed significantly higher levels of cognitive engagement compared to White youth (MYC= 3.09, SDYC= .77, t(144)= -2.30, p=.023, MW= 2.77, SDW= .82). Youth with parents with a high school degree or less endorsed significantly higher levels of cognitive engagement compared to those with a college (p=.008) or graduate (p=.012) degree, F(3, 147)=4.94, p=.003. In regression models, PB was the only variable independently associated with significantly higher behavioral engagement (B=.22, p=.012) as well as with higher cognitive engagement (B=.21, p=.018). Both PB (B=.20, p=.026) and H (B=.30, p=.007) were independently associated with higher emotional engagement.
Results indicate group differences in school engagement by both sex, race, and parent education in children with ADHD. Also, results suggest prosocial behaviors with peers may be particularly important for school engagement. Thus, future interventions for diverse youth with ADHD should account for sociodemographic factors and promote prosocial behaviors with peers to address the unique school engagement needs of this population.