Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
Friendship Quality in Children With ADHD Seeking Treatment for Peer Problems: A Comparison of Boy-Boy, Girl-Girl, and
Andrés E Montiel1, Sébastien Normand2,3, Amori Yee Mikami4
1Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. aemontiel95@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience friendship difficulties, yet little is known about whether friendship quality differs according to the gender composition of their friendships. Drawing on developmental models of gendered friendship processes, we examined whether friendship quality differed across boy-boy, girl-girl, and mixed-gender dyads among children with ADHD. This secondary analysis used baseline data from a randomized clinical trial of children with ADHD aged 6 to 11 who were seeking treatment for peer problems. The sample included 149 children who brought a reciprocated friend to the baseline assessment: 87 boy-boy dyads, 44 girl-girl dyads, and 18 mixed-gender dyads. Friendship quality was assessed using multi-informant questionnaires and direct observations of dyadic interactions. Contrary to hypotheses, girl-girl dyads showed significantly higher observational positive friendship quality than boy-boy dyads, an effect that remained robust across sensitivity analyses. Questionnaire measures did not consistently differentiate boy-boy and girl-girl dyads, although sensitivity analyses among "close" and "best" friends suggested higher child-reported positive friendship quality in girl-girl dyads. Mixed-gender dyads generally did not differ from either same-gender group, but these contrasts were underpowered. Findings suggest that gendered friendship patterns among children with ADHD may more closely resemble those observed in neurotypical samples than expected. Results underscore the value of multi-method, multi-informant assessment and highlight the need for further research on friendships among girls with ADHD.
Related Concept Videos
Friendships and Close Friendships
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Adler's Individual Psychology
Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings

