Relationship between early language skills and the development of inattention/hyperactivity symptoms during the preschool period: Results of the EDEN mother-child cohort.
BACKGROUND
This study aims to examine bidirectional relationships between children's language skills and Inattention/Hyperactivity (IH) symptoms during preschool.


METHODS
Children (N = 1459) from the EDEN mother-child cohort were assessed at ages 3 and 5.5 years. Language skills were evaluated using the WPPSI-III, NEPSY and ELOLA batteries. Children's behavior, including IH symptoms, was assessed using the parent-rated Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach, we examined the relationship between language skills and IH symptoms, as well as potential mediating processes.


RESULTS
SEM analyses indicated a small negative effect of language skills at 3 years on ADHD symptoms at 5.5 years after adjusting for IH symptoms at 3 years (β =-0.12, SE = 0.04, p-value = 0.002). Interpersonal difficulties did not mediate the relationship between early language skills and later IH symptoms, nor was this association reduced after adjusting for a broad range of pre- and postnatal environmental factors and performance IQ. Among different language skills, receptive syntax at 3 years was most strongly related to IH symptoms at 5.5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor language skills at age 3 may predict IH symptoms when a child enters primary school. Implications for the understanding and the prevention of the co-occurrence of language disorders and ADHD are discussed.
Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (ENS, EHESS, CNRS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France. peyrehugo@yahoo.fr.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Robert Debré Hospital, APHP, Paris, France. peyrehugo@yahoo.fr.
Hugo
H
Peyre
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charles Perrens Hospital, Bordeaux, France.|The Bordeaux School of Public Health (Institut de Santé Publique, d'Epidémiologie et de Développement), Centre INSERM U897, Epidemiology-Biostatistics, Bordeaux, France.
Cedric
C
Galera
INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP UMRS 1136), Department of Social Epidemiology, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, 75012, France.
Judith
J
van der Waerden
Department of Psychiatry, Corentin Celton Hospital, APHP, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.|Paris Descartes University, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.|INSERM UMR 894, Psychiatry and Neurosciences Center, Paris Descartes University, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
Nicolas
N
Hoertel
Paris Descartes University, PRES Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.|Epidemiology and Biostatistics Sorbonne Paris Cité Center (CRESS), Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (ORCHAD) Team, INSERM UMR 1153, F-94807, Villejuif, France.
Jonathan Y
JY
Bernard
INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'épidémiologie et de Santé Publique (IPLESP UMRS 1136), Department of Social Epidemiology, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Paris, 75012, France.
Maria
M
Melchior
Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique (ENS, EHESS, CNRS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, 29 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France.
Franck
F
Ramus
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006948:Hyperkinesis; D007802:Language; D007804:Language Development; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D012574:Schools
ADHD; Language; Preschool; Structural equation modeling