The Association between Prosocial Behaviour and Peer Relationships with Comorbid Externalizing Disorders and Quality of Life in Treatment-Naïve Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Several recent studies confirmed that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has a negative influence on peer relationship and quality of life in children. The aim of the current study is to investigate the association between prosocial behaviour, peer relationships and quality of life in treatment naïve ADHD samples. The samples included 79 children with ADHD (64 boys and 15 girls, mean age = 10.24 years, SD = 2.51) and 54 healthy control children (30 boys and 23 girls, mean age = 9.66 years, SD = 1.73). Measurements included: The “Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire” and the “Inventar zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen”. The ADHD group showed significantly lower levels of prosocial behaviour and more problems with peer relationships than the control group. Prosocial behaviour has a weak positive correlation with the rating of the child’s quality of life by the parents, both in the ADHD group and in the control group. The rating of quality of life and peer relationship problems by the parents also showed a significant negative moderate association in both groups. The rating of quality of life by the child showed a significant negative weak relationship with peer relationships in the ADHD group, but no significant relationship was found in the control group. Children with ADHD and comorbid externalizing disorders showed more problems in peer relationships than ADHD without comorbid externalizing disorders. Based on these results, we conclude that therapy for ADHD focused on improvement of prosocial behaviour and peer relationships as well as comorbid externalizing disorders could have a favourable effect on the quality of life of these children.

Targeting neuroinflammation with Abscisic Acid reduces pain sensitivity in females and hyperactivity in males of an ADHD mice model

“…asthma [3], celiac disease [4], migraine [5]) which can make diagnosis difficult [6]. ADHD deeply affects patients’ functioning and quality of life (QoL) [7–9]. ADHD’s social impact is also relevant: throughout an individual’s lifetime, ADHD can increase the risk of other psychiatric disorders, educational and occupational failure, accidents, criminality, social disability, and addictions [1,10].…”

Effects of Neurofeedback in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review

“…Throughout childhood, ADHD is related to inattention, poor planning ability, and impulsivity, causing further deterioration as external demands increase [6]. This generates a series of alterations in personal, school, and social functionality, which lead the individual in the full stage of formation of his personality and identity, to interact in an erroneous way with society, causing conflicts with the environment (parents, siblings, colleagues) and that fact can lead to social marginalization [7,8]. These children, from preschool to 13 years of age, show a risk of suicidal ideation almost six times greater than that of a child without ADHD [2,9].…”

Prospective associations of lifestyle patterns in early childhood with socio‐emotional and behavioural development and BMI: An outcome‐wide analysis of the EDEN mother–child cohort

“…Because boys, on average, exhibit lower levels of inhibitory control than girls, scholars have hypothesised that the effect of media on media‐induced arousal and, ultimately, symptoms of hyperactivity‐inattention, may be stronger for boys 54 . Children with inattention symptoms, in turn, may concurrently exhibit lower levels of prosocial behaviours 55 . This may thus partially explain why associations between a healthy lifestyle pattern and symptoms of hyperactivity‐inattention as well as prosocial behaviours were observed in boys and not as clearly in girls.…”

“…54 Children with inattention symptoms, in turn, may concurrently exhibit lower levels of prosocial behaviours. 55 This may thus partially explain why associations between a healthy lifestyle pattern and symptoms of hyperactivityinattention as well as prosocial behaviours were observed in boys and not as clearly in girls. It can be assumed that the girl-specific association between the mixed lifestyle pattern (commonly characterised in boys and girls by high screen and physical activity times)…”