Research has indicated that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) demonstrate significant difficulty on tasks used to assess central auditory processing skills. These findings have raised the question of whether ADHD and central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) represent a singular disorder.
Objective: The current study explored the incidence of ADHD in a group of 30 children who met diagnostic criteria for CAPD.
Method: Consecutive referrals specifically for this project were assessed on a variety of measures. In addition, rating scales were completed by teachers and structured interviews were completed with parents.
Results: Results indicate that although the incidence rate of ADHD (50%) in this sample significantly exceeds that found in the normative population (p < .001), not all children with CAPD demonstrated behaviors consistent with diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Furthermore, there was a low incidence of any other behavioral disorder in this sample. In contrast, it was found that the sample as a whole demonstrated impaired language abilities. No significant differences emerged across cognitive, auditory, or language measures.
Conclusion: This study further supports the need for increased collaboration of those professionals who work with these children given the extent of overlap of language and behavioral difficulties in this sample.