A recent study published in BMC Psychiatry has revealed significant differences in syntax comprehension between Persian-speaking children with ADHD and their typically developing (TD) peers.
The research focused on how children with ADHD process complex language structures, particularly syntax, which is the structural framework governing sentence formation. The study involved 140 children aged 7-10, with half diagnosed with ADHD and the other half being typically developing. The Persian Syntax Comprehension Test (PSCT) was used to evaluate their understanding of simple, moderate, and complex syntactic structures.
The results showed that TD children scored significantly higher on the PSCT compared to children with ADHD, especially when it came to complex syntax. This suggests that children with ADHD may face specific challenges in understanding hierarchical sentence constructions and non-canonical word orders. TD children performed better on 58% of the test items, highlighting potential areas for targeted educational strategies to support children with ADHD in language comprehension.
The study underscores the importance of culturally and linguistically sensitive research in neurodevelopmental disorders and highlights the intersection of language and executive function systems. The use of Persian in this study provides valuable insights for cross-linguistic studies, and the PSCT proves to be a useful tool for identifying subtle linguistic deficits in children.