Interventions to enhance social competence

Social Impairment associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is difficult to treat. Stimulant treatment often improves social functioning, but rarely results in normalization. Behavioral approaches to improving social skills have progressed from unimodal techniques (contingency management) to packages that may combine multiple cognitive and behavioral techniques targeted directly to children and mediated by parents, teachers, other adults, and peers. Medication and behavioral treatment may improve different aspects of social impairment and may complement each other when used together. Much of the progress of treating social problems can be attributed to efforts to increase generalization across settings and durability of effects. A promising multimodal psychosocial approach is presented in detail.