Health-related quality of life and participation in adolescents: The role of ADHD, and co-occurrence of DCD.
ADHD plus DCD drags teen quality of life down across the board—screen for both and widen your support plan.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Zaguri-Vittenberg et al. (2025) asked how having both ADHD and DCD affects teens' health-related quality of life.
They compared three groups: ADHD plus DCD, ADHD alone, and typical peers.
All teens filled out a quality-of-life survey covering body, feelings, friends, school, and free time.
What they found
The ADHD+DCD group scored lower than every other group in almost every area.
Having both diagnoses explained about one eighth of why quality-of-life scores dropped.
How this fits with other research
Engel-Yeger (2020) saw the same pattern in adults, showing the double burden lasts past high school.
Loh et al. (2011) first mapped the unique cognitive profile of ADHD+DCD kids; Shahar now links that profile to real-life struggles.
Abu Raya-Ghanayem et al. (2025) found that teens who feel good about their ADHD label enjoy life more. Shahar's work flips the coin: when DCD rides along, the outlook is darker even if the teen feels positive.
Why it matters
If you work with teens who have ADHD, screen for motor issues. One quick DCD checklist can flag the kids who need extra help. When both conditions show up, plan supports that hit movement, self-care, and mood together. Team up with OT, add peer groups, and track quality of life as a real outcome.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that often co-occur. Existing research highlights impairments in participation and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among individuals with a sole diagnosis of ADHD or DCD. Yet, there is a notable gap in understanding how the co-occurrence of these disorders, compare to a sole diagnosis, affect health-related outcomes. This study explored the participation and HRQoL of adolescents with a sole diagnosis of ADHD, and with co-occurring diagnoses of ADHD+DCD, compared to their typical peers. METHODS: Ninety-seven adolescents with ADHD (n = 29), co-occurring ADHD+DCD (n = 23), and their typically developing peers (n = 45), underwent an assessment battery to ensure their diagnostic status, and then completed the Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. RESULTS: There were no significant group differences in participation. However, adolescents with co-occurring ADHD+DCD exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) lower physical and social HRQoL, compared to typical peers and adolescents with ADHD; and lower emotional and school-related HRQoL, compared to typical peers. Adolescents with ADHD demonstrated lower HRQoL compared to typical peers only in the school-related domain. Diagnosis status, including no diagnosis, a sole diagnosis of ADHD, or co-occurring ADHD+DCD, significantly accounted for 12.9 % of the overall HRQoL, beyond the influence of participation levels (25.3 %) and age and sex (4.2 %). CONCLUSION: Co-occurrence of ADHD and DCD have a negative impact on multiple domains of HRQoL, which differs from the effect of a sole diagnosis of ADHD. The results reinforce the importance of considering the implications of co-occurring ADHD and DCD when planning interventions aimed at improving quality of life.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104938