Pritchard, A. E., Koriakin, T., Carey, L., Bellows, A., Jacobson, L., & Mahone, E. (2016). Academic testing accommodations for ADHD: Do they help ? Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal , 21 (2), 67–78. https://ldaamerica.org/info/learning-disabilities-a-multidisciplinary-journal/

The effectiveness of testing accommodations on the reading and math outcomes of students identified as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was investigated. Specifically, the extended time, frequent breaks, reduced distractions, oral presentation, and calculator use accommodations were examined.

Ninety-six caregivers and their children with ADHD in grades 3–8 who lived in Maryland (U.S.) participated. 85% of caregivers were mothers, and 68% of students were male.

Results from the ADHD Rating Scale-IV, (ADHD-RS-V), the Colorado Learning Difficulties Questionnaire (CLDQ), and the Maryland School Assessment (MSA), as well as data extracted from educational records (the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV), the Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence, 2nd Edition (WASI-II), the Stanford Binet, 5th Edition (SB-V), and the Differential Abilities Scales, 2nd Edition (DAS-II)), were used to measures students’ academic outcomes and abilities.

Accommodation use was not associated with higher performance on the Maryland School Assessment for students with ADHD. Additionally, no moderating effects of processing speed between accommodations use and test performance were observed. Researchers suggested that testing accommodations did not have a strong effect on test outcomes for students with ADHD.