Abstract
Twenty-seven boys diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 18 comparison boys participated in a competitive tetradic interaction task. Boys were individually interviewed before the game about their goals for the interaction, and adult observers inferred boys' social goals from videotapes of the interaction. Social acceptance was determined by combining positive and negative sociometric nominations collected through individual interviews at the end of the summer research program in which the interaction was held. In their self-reports, ADHD-high aggressive boys prioritized trouble-seeking and fun at the expense of rules to a greater extent than did both ADHD-low aggressive and comparison boys. Observers judged ADHD-high-aggressive boys to seek attention more strongly and seek fairness less strongly than the other two groups. Self-reported goals of defiance and cooperation predicted boys' end-of-program social standing, even with interactional behaviors and subgroup status controlled statistically. Observer-inferred goals were differentially associated with social acceptance for ADHD and comparison boys, suggesting discontinuities in peer interaction processes. Differentiation of goals from behavior and the integral role of children's goals in peer acceptance are discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd. ed., rev.) Washington, DC: Author.
Anderson, C. A., Hinshaw, S. P., & Simmel, C. (1994). Mother-child interactions in ADHD and comparison boys: Relationships with overt and covert externalizing behaviors.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 22, 247–265.
Bennet, D. S., & Shroff, J. M. (1991, May).Assessment of peer status: Categorical versus dimensional sociometric measures. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Seattle, WA.
Biederman, J., Newcorn, J., & Sprich, S. (1991). Comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with conduct, depressive, anxiety, and other disorders.American Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 564–577.
Buhrmester, D., MacDonald, V., & Heller, T. (1989).Social goals and sociometric status of hyperactive and normal boys. Poster presented at the Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Kansas City, KS.
Campbell, S. B. (1990). The socialization and social development of hyperactive children. In M. Lewis & S. M. Miller (Eds.),Handbook of developmental psychopathology (pp. 77–92). New York: Plenum Press.
Carlson, C. L., Lahey, B. B., Frame, C. L., Walker, J., & Hynd, G. W. (1987). Sociometric status of clinic-referred children with attention deficit disorders with and without hyperactivity.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 537–547.
Coie, J. D. (1990). Towards a theory of peer rejection. In S. R. Asher & J. D. Coie (Eds.),Peer rejection in childhood (pp. 365–402). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.
Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., & Coppotelli, H. A. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: A cross-age perspective.Developmental Psychology, 18, 557–589.
Coie, J. D., & Lenox, K. F. (1994). The development of antisocial individuals. In D. C. Fowles, P. Sutker, & S. H. Goodman (Eds.),Progress in experimental personality and psychopathology research (pp. 45–72). New York: Springer.
Crick, N. R., & Dodge, K. A. (1994). A review and reformulation of social information-processing mechanisms in children's social adjustment.Psychological Bulletin, 115, 74–101.
Crick, N. R., & Ladd, G. W. (1990). Children's perceptions of the outcomes of social strategies: Do the ends justify being mean?Developmental Psychology, 26, 612–620.
Cunningham, C. E., & Siegel, L. S. (1987) Peer interactions of normal and attention-deficit-disordered boys during free-play, cooperative task, and simulated classroom situations.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 247–268.
Dodge, K. A., & Frame, C. L. (1982). Social cognitive biases and deficits in aggressive boys.Child Development, 53, 620–635.
Dodge, K. A., Petit, G. S., McClaskey, C. L., & Brown, M. M. (1986). Social competence in children.Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 51 (Serial No. 213).
Erdley, C. E., & Asher, S. R. (1993, March).To aggress or not to aggress: Social-cognitive mediators of children's responses to ambiguous provocation. Paper presented at the biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, New Orleans, LA.
Erhardt, D., & Hinshaw, S. P. (1994). Initial sociometric impressions of ADHD and comparison boys: Predictions from social behaviors and non-behavioral variables.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 833–842.
Goyette, C. H., Conners, C. K., & Ulrich, R. F. (1978). Normative data on revised Conners Parent and Teacher Ratings Scales.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 6, 221–236.
Grenell, M. M., Glass, C. R., & Katz, K. S. (1987). Hyperactive children and peer interaction: Knowledge and performance of social skills.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 15, 1–13.
Hinshaw, S. P. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology.Psychological Bulletin, 101, 443–463.
Hinshaw, S. P. (1992). Intervention for social competence and social skill.Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 1, 539–551.
Hinshaw, S. P., Henker, B., Whalen, C. K., Erhardt, D., & Dunnington, R. E. (1989). Aggressive, prosocial, and nonsocial behavior in hyperactive boys: Dose effects of methylphenidate in naturalistic settings.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 636–643.
Hinshaw, S. P., & Melnick, S. M. (1995). Peer relationships in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder with and without comorbid aggression.Development & Psychopathology, 7 627–647.
Hinshaw, S. P., Simmel, C., & Heller, T. L. (1995). Multimethod assessment of covert antisocial behavior in boys with ADHD: Laboratory observations, maternal ratings, and child self-report.Psychological Assessment, 7 209–219.
Horowitz, L. (1974).Elements of statistics for psychology and education. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kenrick, D. T., & Funder, D. C. (1988). Profiting from controversy: Lessons from the person-situation debate.American Psychologist, 43, 23–34.
Klein, R. G., & Mannuzza, S. (1991). Long-term outcome of hyperactive children: A review.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 383–387.
Lochman, J. E., Wayland, K. K., & White, K. J. (1993). Social goals: Relationships to adolescent adjustment and to social problem solving.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 21, 135–151.
Loney, J. (1987). Hyperactivity and aggression in the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder. In B. B. Lahey & A. E. Kazdin (Eds.),Advances in clinical child psychology (Vol. 10, pp. 99–135). New York: Plenum Press.
Madan-Swain, A., & Zentall, S. S. (1990). Behavioral comparisons of liked and disliked hyperactive children in play contexts and the behavioral accommodations by their classmates.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 197–209.
Milich, R., & Dodge, K. A. (1984). Social information processing in child psychiatry populations.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 12, 471–489.
Milich, R., & Landau, S. (1989). The role of social status variables in differentiating subgroups of hyperactive children. In J. M. Swanson & L. Bloomingdale (Eds.),Attention deficit disorder (Vol. 4, pp. 1–24). Oxford, U.K.: Pergamon Press.
Murphy, D. A., Pelham, W. E., & Lang, A. R. (1992). Aggression in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Methylphenidate effects on naturalistically observed aggression, response to provocation, and social information processing.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 20, 451–466.
Newcomb, A. F., Bukowski, W. M., & Pattee, L. (1993). Children's peer relations: A meta-analytic review of popular, rejected, neglected, controversial, and average sociometric status.Psychological Bulletin, 113, 99–128.
Nigg, J. T., Swanson, J. M., & Hinshaw, S. P. (1996).Visual orienting in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Lateral effects, methylphenidate response, and results in parents. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Olson, S. L. (1992). Development of conduct problems and peer rejection in preschool children: A social systems analysis.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 20, 327–351.
Parker, J. G., & Asher, S. R. (1987). Peer relations and later personal adjustment: Are low-accepted children at risk?Psychological Bulletin, 102, 357–389.
Pelham, W. E., & Bender, M. E. (1982). Peer relationships in hyperactive children: Description and treatment. In K. D. Gadow & I. Bialer (Eds.),Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (Vol. 1, pp. 365–436). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
Pelham, W. E., Gnagy, E. M., Greenslade, K. E., & Milich, R. (1992). Teacher ratings of DSM-III-R symptoms for the disruptive behavior disorders.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 31, 210–218.
Perry, D. G., Perry, L. C., & Rasmussen, P. (1986). Cognitive social learning mediators of aggression.Child Development, 57, 700–711.
Pope, A. W., Bierman, K. L., & Mumma, G. H. (1991). Aggression, hyperactivity, and inattention-immaturity: Behavior dimensions associated with peer rejection in elementary school boys.Developmental Psychology, 29, 663–671.
Renshaw, P. D., & Asher, S. R. (1982). Social competence and peer status: The distinction between goals and strategies. In K. H. Rubin and H. S. Ross (Eds.),Peer relationships and social skills in childhood (pp. 375–395). New York: Springer-Verlag.
Renshaw, P. D., & Asher, S. R. (1983). Children's goals and strategies for social interaction.Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 29, 353–374.
Schmidt, C. R., Ollendick, T. H., & Stanowicz, L. B. (1988). Developmental changes in the influence of assigned goals on cooperation and competition.Developmental Psychology, 24, 574–579.
Taylor, A. R., & Asher, S. R. (1984). Children's goals and social competence: Individual differences in a game-playing context. In T. Field, J. L. Roopnarine, & M. Segal (Eds.),Friendships in normal and handicapped children (pp. 52–78). Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex.
Wechsler, D. (1974).Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.
Whalen, C. K., & Henker, B. (1985). The social worlds of hyperactive (ADDH) children.Clinical Psychology Review, 5, 447–478.
Whalen, C. K., & Henker, B. (1992). The social profile of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Five fundamental facets.Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 1, 395–409.
Wyer, R. S., and Srull, T. K. (1986). Human cognition in its social context.Psychological Review, 93, 322–359.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research received primary support from National Institute of Mental Health Grant RO1 MH45064, awarded to Stephen P. Hinshaw. Special acknowledgments are due to the child participants and the many dedicated interviewers and behavior observers who made this study possible.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Melnick, S.M., Hinshaw, S.P. What they want and what they get: The social goals of boys with ADHD and comparison boys. J Abnorm Child Psychol 24, 169–185 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01441483
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01441483