Pragmatic Language Difficulties in Children with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

Boshnaq, Maha Hussein Abdelalim; Abdalla, Eman Abdalla Fadel; Hassan, Sabah Mohamed

doi:10.21608/asmj.2025.398862.1481

Pragmatic Language Difficulties in Children with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Phoniatric Unit, ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

² Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

³ Phoniatric Unit, Otorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/asmj.2025.398862.1481

Abstract

Background: In Arabic-speaking communities, evaluating pragmatic language development has only recently gained attention. The Egyptian Arabic Pragmatic Language Test (EAPLT) is a newly introduced tool designed to assess this area. While language impairments are commonly associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), particularly in young children, no prior research has utilized the EAPLT to examine pragmatic language abilities in this population.
Aim of the Work: This study aimed to evaluate the pragmatic language skills of children diagnosed with ADHD using the EAPLT.
Methods: A case-control design was employed. The study included 50 children diagnosed with ADHD, aged 4 to 8 years, selected randomly. A control group of 50 typically developing children, matched by age and gender, was selected using systematic random sampling from various schools in Cairo. Collected data included demographic variables (age, sex), cognitive and language development indicators (IQ, mental age), and language abilities assessed by the Modified Preschool Language Scale – Fourth Edition (PLS-4), which measured both receptive and expressive language ages. Pragmatic language abilities were evaluated using EAPLT, including skill age range, percentile ranks, as well as acquired and delayed skills.
Results: The findings revealed that children with ADHD exhibited significant delays in overall language development compared to their peers. Specifically, 50% of the ADHD group showed delayed receptive language, while 56% had delayed expressive language. Assessment of pragmatic language showed marked deficits across nearly all areas when compared to the control group. Notably, conversational skills were significantly impaired in the ADHD group.
Conclusion: The study demonstrates that children with ADHD tend to have delayed development in general language abilities, particularly in pragmatic and conversational aspects, despite having similar chronological age and IQ levels as their typically developing peers.

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