Abstract
Anecdotally and empirically, there is clear evidence that children with the Combined subtype of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience disturbed peer relations, yet the field has not clearly established the origin of these difficulties. This is the first known investigation to examine the role of peer entry as a means to determine the social competence of boys with ADHD as they joined lab-based games played by age-mates who were good friends but unfamiliar with entry boys. Observational data of entry boys and their hosts, plus coders’ ratings, indicate that 7- to 12-year-old boys with and without ADHD did not differ in the use of competent entry strategies known to lead to acceptance from peers. However, boys with ADHD relied more heavily on incompetent entry strategies (e.g., disruptive attention-getting) known to exacerbate negative peer reputation. In addition, they failed to apply a frame-of-reference that was relevant to host boys’ ongoing activity. As such, host boys considered boys with ADHD less likeable as they spent more time with them. This pattern of findings has theoretical implications and informs the foci of social skills interventions for children with ADHD.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asch, S. E. (1946). Forming impressions of personality. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 41, 258–290.
Barkley, R. A. (1997). Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychological Bulletin, 121, 65–94. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.121.1.65.
Borja-Alvarez, T., Zabatany, L., & Pepper, S. (1991). Contributions of male and female guests and hosts to peer group entry. Child Development, 62, 1079–1090. doi:10.2307/1131153.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Conners, C. K. (1997). Conners’ rating scales-revised. North Tonawanda: Multi-Health Systems.
de Boo, G. M., & Prins, J. M. (2007). Social incompetence in children with ADHD: possible moderators and mediators in social-skills training. Clinical Psychology Review, 27, 78–97. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2006.03.006.
Dirks, M. A., Treat, T. A., & Weersing, V. R. (2007). Integrating theoretical, measurement, and intervention models of youth social competence. Clinical Psychology Review, 27, 327–347. doi:10.101016/j.cpr.2006.11.002.
Dodge, K. A. (1983). Behavioral antecedents of peer social status. Child Development, 54, 1386–1399. doi:10.2307/1129802.
Dodge, K. A., Pettit, G. S., McClaskey, C. L., & Brown, M. M. (1986). Social competence in children with commentary by John M. Gottman. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 51, (2, Serial No. 213).
Dodge, K. A., Schlundt, D. C., Schocken, I., & Delugach, J. D. (1983). Social competence and children’s sociometric status: the role of peer group entry strategies. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 29, 309–336.
DuPaul, G. J., Power, T. J., Anastopoulos, A. D., & Reid, R. (1998). ADHD rating scale-IV: Checklists, norms, and clinical interpretation. New York: Guilford.
Erhardt, D., & Hinshaw, S. P. (1994). Initial sociometric impressions of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and comparison boys: predictors from social behaviors and nonbehavioral variables. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 833–842.
Fabiano, G. A., et al. (2007). The single and combined effects of multiple intensities of behavior modification and methylphenidate for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in a classroom setting. School Psychology Review, 36, 195–215.
Hartup, W. W., & Stevens, N. (1997). Friendships and adaptation in the life course. Psychological Bulletin, 121, 355–370.
Hoza, B. (2007). Peer functioning in children with ADHD. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 32(6), 655–6663. doi:10.1093/jpepsy/jsm024.
Hoza, B., Mrug, S., Gerdes, A. C., Hinshaw, S. P., Bukowski, W. M., Gold, J. A., et al. (2005). What aspects of peer relationships are impaired in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73, 411–423. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.73.3.411.
Hoza, B., Pelham, W. E., Dobbs, J., Owens, J. S., & Pillow, D. R. (2002). Do boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have positive illusory self-concepts? Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 111, 268–278. doi:10.1037/0021-843X.111.2.268.
Huang-Pollock, C. L., Mikami, A. Y., Pfiffner, L., & McBurnett, K. (2009). Can executive functions explain the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and social adjustment? Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 679–691. doi:10.1007/s10802-009-9302-8.
King, S., Waschbusch, D. A., Pelham, W. E., Frankland, B. W., Andrade, B. F., Jacques, S., et al. (2009). Social information processing in elementary-school aged children with ADHD: medication effects and comparisons with typical children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 579–589. doi:10.1007/s10802-008-9294-9.
Levy, F., Hay, D. A., Bennett, K. S., & McStephen, M. (2005). Gender differences in ADHD subtype comorbidity. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 44(4), 368–376. doi:10.1097/01.chi.0000153232.64968.c1.
Martel, M. M. (2009). Research review: a new perspective on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: emotion dysregulation and trait models. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50, 1042–1051. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02105.x.
Marton, I., Wiener, J., Rogers, M., Moore, C., & Tannock, R. (2009). Empathy and social perspective taking in children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37, 107–118. doi:10.1007/s10802-008-9262-4.
Mellers, B. A., Richards, V., & Birnbaum, M. H. (1992). Distributional theories of impression formation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 51, 313–343.
Miers, A. C., Blöte, A. W., & Westenberg, P. M. (2010). Peer perceptions of social skills in socially anxious and nonanxious adolescents. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38, 33–41. doi:10.1007/s10802-009-9345-x.
Nigg, J. T. (2001). Is ADHD a disinhibitory disorder? Psychological Bulletin, 127, 571–598. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.127.5.571.
Normand, S., Schneider, B. H., Lee, M. D., Maisonneuve, M.-F., Kuehn, S. M., & Robaey, P. (2010). How do children with ADHD (mis)manage their real-life dyadic friendships? A multi-method investigation. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. doi:. doi:10.1007/s10802-010-9450-x.
Nunnally, J. C., & Bornstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment: are low-accepted children at risk? Psychological Bulletin, 102, 357–389. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.102.3.357.
Pelham, W. E., & Bender, M. E. (1982). Peer relations in hyperactive children: descriptions and treatment. In K. D. Gadow & I. Bialer (Eds.), Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (pp. 365–436). Greenwich: JAI.
Pelham, W. E., & Fabiano, G. A. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 184–214. doi:10.1080/15374410701818681.
Pelham, W. E., Fabiano, G. A., & Massetti, G. M. (2005). Evidence-based assessment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 34, 449–476.
Power, T. J., Costigan, T. E., Leff, S. S., Eiraldi, R. B., & Landau, S. (2001). Assessing ADHD across settings: contributions of behavioral assessment to categorical decision making. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, 399–412.
Putallaz, M. (1983). Predicting children’s sociometric status from their behavior. Child Development, 54, 1417–1426. doi:10.2307/1129804.
Putallaz, M., & Gottman, J. M. (1981). An interaction model of children’s entry into peer groups. Child Development, 52, 986–994. doi:10.2307/1129103.
Putallaz, M., & Wasserman, A. (1990). Children’s entry behavior. In S. R. Asher & J. D. Coie (Eds.), Peer rejection in childhood (pp. 60–89). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Rose, A. J., & Rudolph, K. D. (2006). A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 98–131.
Sunnafrank, M., & Ramirez, A. (2004). At first sight: persistent relational effects of get-acquainted conversations. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21, 361–379. doi:10.1177/0265407504042837.
Tryon, A. S., & Keane, S. P. (1991). Popular and aggressive boys’ initial social interaction patterns in cooperative and competitive settings. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 19, 395–406. doi:10.1007/BF00919085.
Walcott, C., & Landau, S. (2004). The relation between disinhibition and emotion regulation in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 33, 772–782. doi:10.1207/s15374424jccp3304_12.
Zarbatany, L., Van Brunschot, M., Meadows, K., & Pepper, S. (1996). Effects of friendship and gender on peer group entry. Child Development, 67, 2287–2300. doi:10.2307/1131623.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ronk, M.J., Hund, A.M. & Landau, S. Assessment of Social Competence of Boys with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Problematic Peer Entry, Host Responses, and Evaluations. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39, 829–840 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-011-9497-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-011-9497-3