Social functioning and emotional regulation in the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes

Abstract

Compared 16 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) combined type (ADHD-C), 14 children with ADHD predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-I), and 17 controls on parent and teacher ratings of social status and performance, self-report of social knowledge and performance, and observations of behavior on an emotional regulation task. Analyses revealed distinct patterns of social dysfunction between ADHD subgroups. Children with ADHD-C were rated as showing more aggressive behavior; furthermore, they displayed emotional dysregulation characterized by high intensity and high levels of both positive and negative behavior. In contrast, children with ADHD-I were perceived as displaying social passivity and showed deficits in social knowledge on the self-report measure but did not evidence problems in emotional regulation. Regression analyses revealed that social performance, emotional regulation, and, to a lesser degree, social knowledge, were predictive of social status. The application of these findings to understanding the nature of the social deficits in the ADHD subtypes and directions for future research are discussed.