Inattention, hyperactivity, oppositional-defiant symptoms and school failure.

BACKGROUND Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with school failure. Inattention has been mainly implicated for this association. Oppositional-defiant disorder's (ODD) impact on academic performance remains controversial, because of the high comorbidity between ODD and ADHD. OBJECTIVE To understand the role of inattention (IN), hyperactivity (H/I) and ODD in school failure. METHOD Parents and teachers filled out SNAP-IV questionnaires for 241 / 6th grade students. The associations of the scores of oppositional-defiant (OP), H/I and IN symptoms with school year failure were calculated. RESULTS IN was strongly correlated with school failure. H/I and OP were not associated with school failure, when controlled for IN. CONCLUSION OP and H/I symptoms do not play an important role in school failure, when controlled for IN symptoms. Our study supports the cross-cultural role of IN as a major predictor of school failure.