Social Skill Profiles in ADHD and Comorbid Disorders

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is frequently comorbid with other conditions.
• Social skill deficits are common in children with ADHD.
• Few studies examine social skill patterns based on comorbidity status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize social skill deficit profiles in children with ADHD based on comorbid internalizing, externalizing, or both types of disorders.
• To investigate informant (parent vs. teacher) and demographic (age, gender) influences on social skill performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large dataset of 1400 children (ages 7-12) with ADHD from the US and Canada.
• Assessed social skills using parent and teacher ratings on a consistent measure, analyzing global skills and specific subdomains.
• Examined profiles associated with internalizing (depression/anxiety) and externalizing (ODD/CD) comorbidities.

Main Results:

• Parent ratings showed both comorbidities impacted global social skills, responsibility, and self-control. Internalizing comorbidity affected assertion, while externalizing affected communication, cooperation, and empathy.
• Teacher ratings indicated externalizing comorbidity was linked to poorer social skills across all domains.
• Gender and age influenced social skill performance, with girls and younger children showing poorer global skills, and girls and older children showing better specific skills.

Conclusions:

• Children with ADHD and comorbidities exhibit poorer social skills compared to those with ADHD alone, as reported by parents and teachers.
• Social skill profiles differ based on the specific comorbid condition and the reporting informant.
• Findings support the development of tailored social skill interventions for children with ADHD and co-occurring disorders.