Discussion Post 6

I have been inclined to study the relationship between

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and friendships in

adolescents. I found that several studies have been conducted during the

past five years about the correlation of these topics. I discovered two

empirical articles of interest that I’d like to discuss with you. The first

article is called ‘Friendship Quality in Adolescents with ADHD.’ This article

was written in 2017 with a research question of: does the quality of

friendships differ for adolescents with and without ADHD? The sample

size was 115 adolescents and 61 of them were diagnosed with ADHD

 The research study utilized a survey method where the

participants self-identified as having or not having an

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis. Their diagnosis was also

confirmed using the third edition of the Conners rating scale. The results

of the dependent variable were gathered using a self-reporting measure

where the participants listed their perceived levels of social support and

negative interactions within their friendships. This information was

gathered using a 24-item survey with a 5-point scale. The results showed

that social support decreased for individuals with ADHD; but the number

of negative friendship interactions did not differ between the two groups.

diagnosis of ADHD. There were four male participants and 5 female

participants. The participants of this study also had their diagnoses

verified using the Conners rating scale. The independent variables for the

study were the adolescents with ADHD and the dependent variable was

their friendship experiences. Interviews were used to collect the data by

asking the participants open-ended questions. Cross-case analysis was

conducted to ensure the questions validly related to social problems

caused by ADHD. The results concluded that the social issues the

adolescents faced were loneliness, isolation, peer rejection, feeling

‘different or weird,’ and conflictual friendships (Beristain & Wiener,2020).

friendships. It studied the types of problems adolescents with ADHD face

in their social lives. Both articles conclude that there is a strong

relationship between ADHD and friendships in adolescents. I believe it

would be conducive to study the relationship between ADHD and

friendships in other populations such as children and adults.

References

American Psychological Association. (2022). Ethical Principles of

Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved

fromhttps://www.apa.org/ethics/code  (Links to an external site.)

Beristain, C. & Wiener J. (2020).Finding True Friendships: The friendship

org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1177/1087054717735380