Social difficulties in adolescent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Social motivation, social anxiety and symptom severity as contributing factors

Abstract

Background: Many interventions have been developed to address the social difficulties commonly experienced by adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet they are largely ineffective. Objective: This study examined social impairment among adolescents with and without ADHD, determining whether gender, social anxiety, age, and ADHD symptom type (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity) and severity are associated with social impairment. Method: Parents and primary caregivers of adolescents (aged 13–17) with (n = 76) and without ADHD (n = 36) completed the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD and Normal Behavior, Social Responsiveness Scale 2nd Edition, and Spence Children's Anxiety Scale. Results: Adolescents with ADHD scored significantly higher than TD adolescents across social impairment domains. ADHD symptoms were associated with severity of impairment in all domains excluding Social Motivation. Hyperactivity/impulsivity and social anxiety predicted social impairment, whereas gender did not. Conclusion: Adolescents with ADHD are more likely to experience social impairment than TD adolescents, and interventions targeting symptom reduction and social anxiety may improve these social impairments.