Abstract
The goal of this study was to examine the ability of friendship to moderate the association between behavioral risk and peer
victimization for girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 140) and comparison girls (n = 88) in a 5-week naturalistic summer camp setting. Participants were an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse group of
girls ages 6–12. Parents and teachers reported on pre-summer internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence.
Participants reported on friendships and peer victimization through a peer report measure at the summer camps; friendship
was scored via mutual nominations. Pre-summer externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, and low social competence predicted
peer victimization at the summer camps. Friendship moderated the association between behavioral risk and victimization for
the entire sample, such that the presence of at least one friend reduced the risk of victimization. Additional analyses suggested
that girls with ADHD were no more or less protected by the presence of a friendship than were comparison girls. Finally, preliminary
analyses suggested that girls having only friends with ADHD were not significantly less protected than girls with at least
one comparison friend. Future directions and implications for intervention are discussed.
victimization for girls with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 140) and comparison girls (n = 88) in a 5-week naturalistic summer camp setting. Participants were an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse group of
girls ages 6–12. Parents and teachers reported on pre-summer internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and social competence.
Participants reported on friendships and peer victimization through a peer report measure at the summer camps; friendship
was scored via mutual nominations. Pre-summer externalizing behavior, internalizing behavior, and low social competence predicted
peer victimization at the summer camps. Friendship moderated the association between behavioral risk and victimization for
the entire sample, such that the presence of at least one friend reduced the risk of victimization. Additional analyses suggested
that girls with ADHD were no more or less protected by the presence of a friendship than were comparison girls. Finally, preliminary
analyses suggested that girls having only friends with ADHD were not significantly less protected than girls with at least
one comparison friend. Future directions and implications for intervention are discussed.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-11
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9517-3
- Authors
- Stephanie L. Cardoos, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Room 3210, Tolman Hall #1650, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Stephen P. Hinshaw, Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627