Social Preference of Children at Risk for ADHD in Schools: Do They Have Limited Social Resources and can Friends Protect Against Peer Rejection?

Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated social opportunities in children at risk for ADHD in regular primary education classrooms. First, we aimed to compare social preference of children at risk for ADHD and of their unilateral friends, with their classmates. Second, we hypothesized that for the at risk-group higher levels of problem behaviors would be related to having friends with lower social preference, via own lower preference (limited social resources-hypothesis). Third, we hypothesized that having friends with higher social preference could buffer against lower social preference of children in the at-risk group (interpersonal contact-hypothesis).

Method: Our sample consisted of 112 Dutch primary school children at risk for ADHD (84% boys, Mage = 8.89, SD = 1.85), and 2,526 classmates serving as controls. Social preference and preference of unilateral friends was assessed with peer nominations of friendships and peer ratings of preference. Behavioral problems of children at risk for ADHD were assessed by teacher questionnaires.

Results: T-tests revealed that children at risk for ADHD and their unilateral friends had lower social preference than their classmates. Children at risk for ADHD nominated classmates with higher preference than themselves as friends, while they were nominated by classmates with similar preference. A path model and two linear regression models showed that higher levels of conduct problems were indirectly related to lower social preference of received unilateral friends, via own lower preference. We found no evidence that interpersonal contact could protect against lower social preference.

Conclusion: Clearly, children at risk for ADHD suffer from problems in their relationships with classmates.