Bullying in Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Analyzing Students’ Social Status and Student–Teacher Relationship Quality

Abstract

The present study investigated how the quality of teacher–student relationships and students’ social status among peers relate to bullying experiences in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and those with typical development (TD). A sample of 135 students (27 with ADHD and 108 with TD; M = 11.37, SD = 1.25) participated. Using a structural equation model, we examined whether ADHD predicted students’ relationships with teachers and peers and whether these variables, in turn, predicted bullying victimization and perpetration. The model showed a good fit. Children with ADHD reported more conflictual relationships with teachers, lower peer preference, and higher social impact compared to their typically developing peers. These relationship characteristics were differentially associated with bullying outcomes, with teacher–student conflict and peer visibility emerging as social risk factors. Although preliminary, the results suggest that the relational context—particularly teacher attention and peer dynamics—may play a critical role in shaping the social experiences of students with ADHD and could have unintended consequences within peer groups.