Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale clinically useful for detecting learning disorders in children with ADHD

Langberg JM. Pediatrics. 2010;126:e1033-e1038.

Issue: December 2010

The Vanderbilt Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale is a reliable tool for ruling out comorbid reading or spelling learning disorders among children with diagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to data from a recent study.

“This is important clinical information, given the high rates of ADHD [learning disorder] comorbidity and the fact that community physicians are relied on to determine whether children with ADHD should be referred for psychoeducational testing,” the researchers wrote.

The researchers aimed to determine whether the Vanderbilt Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (VARS) is a reliable screening tool for learning disorders and, if so, can identify cutoff scores that physicians can use to make referrals. The study included 128 stimulant-naive children with ADHD aged 7 to 11 years; parents and teachers of these children completed VARS. Children with comorbid learning disorders were identified using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test—Second Edition, reading, numerical operations and spelling subsets.

The criteria for comorbid learning disorders were met by 38% of children. Both reading and spelling learning disorders could be ruled out using a cutoff score of 7.5 for both parent and teacher reading VARS items. Comorbid reading and spelling learning disorders were successfully ruled out using cutoff scores of 4 for both the VARS teacher reading and writing items. However, math learning disorders were neither identified nor ruled out by any of the VARS performance items.

“The VARS performance items should be used with an interview about school functioning and a review of school records to rule out the presence of a comorbid reading or spelling learning disorder for children with diagnosed ADHD,” the researchers wrote.

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