Understanding why learning disabilities co-occur with ADHD and other disorders in children
Official title: Understanding comorbidity between specific learning disabilities and developmental psychopathology
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11400045 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-year study looks at why certain learning disabilities happen together with ADHD, anxiety, and other challenges in kids and teens.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | December 1, 1996 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $384,095 |
| NIH project number | 5P50HD027802-34 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400045 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents with specific learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety, or related psychopathology who are referred to assessment clinics and/or are part of longitudinal twin or preschool-to-adulthood follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Children without learning disabilities or ADHD may be involved in control comparisons but may not directly benefit from targeted interventions.
What this research studies
This project follows children referred to assessment clinics to collect comprehensive data on reading, math, writing, and related thinking skills, along with measures of attention and behavior. Researchers use multiple methods and partner with ongoing studies to create a large, diverse sample, including families with lower income and twins for long-term follow-up. Children will complete a thorough battery of cognitive tests and questionnaires to understand how learning disabilities relate to other conditions over time. A separate longitudinal element tracks development from preschool age into adulthood to map long-term trajectories of SLDs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve how clinicians recognize co-occurring learning and attention problems and tailor interventions for children with complex needs.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CLDRC projects have built a rich, multi-method dataset; this study extends that work with larger samples and longitudinal follow-up.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Willcutt, Erik G — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Willcutt, Erik G
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.