[Social skills in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heterogeneous disorder that is often accompanied by poor social functioning and competence. Sixty to seventy per cent of children with ADHD are socially rejected and stigmatised because of their provocative, aggressive or disruptive behaviour. These patients have difficulty in monitoring and interpreting social cues, resolving interpersonal conflicts and in creating practical solutions. This has repercussions on their appreciation and relationships with their peers and educators, from the earliest pre-school ages even up to adulthood. Different hypotheses exist regarding its origins, ranging from the dysfunctional involvement of areas of the brain that play a part in executive and emotional functioning to perceptive defects in recognising emotions and failure in the socio-cognitive skills needed to perform competent social activity.

Early diagnosis and pharmacological and psycho-educational intervention are essential for improving the cardinal symptoms of ADHD, as well as the social problems associated with or originated by it.