A Novel Look at Peer Problems: Examining Children’s Sociometrics Given to Classmates with ADHD

• In Event: Innovations in Measurement of Social Competence in Child Clinical Populations

Abstract

Existing literature has focused on deficient behaviors in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that contribute to their substantial peer problems, while neglecting factors in the peer group that chooses to reject the children with ADHD (Mikami & Normand, 2015). The typical method used to assess peer problems, sociometrics, follows this focus by computing the average evaluation that the child with ADHD receives from peers. To examine factors in the peer group that predict their rejection of children with ADHD, this requires a novel measurement approach where the outcome variable is sociometric evaluations that peers give to children with ADHD.

Hypotheses
We tested three peer factors that may be related to their evaluations of classmates with ADHD. Based on existing research, we hypothesized that peers’ greater stigma toward ADHD (Na & Mikami, 2017) and peers’ higher social and academic competencies (Hoza et al., 2005) would be associated with them giving lower sociometric ratings to classmates with ADHD.

Study Population
Participants were 194 students (52.4% male, 61.6% White) in 12 classrooms (grades K-4) in Western Canada and Midwest USA. All teachers were participating in a year-long social-emotional learning program (Mikami et al., 2019). Measures were collected at the end of the school year.

Methods
Measures
See Table 1. Teachers rated all children’s ADHD symptoms on the ADHD-5 rating scale (DuPaul et al., 2016), and their academic competence on the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (Owens et al., 2019).
Children completed a vignette measure to assess their inclination to distance themselves from a hypothetical classmate displaying ADHD symptoms (i.e., stigma; Swords et al., 2019), and a sociometric procedure (Coie et al., 1982) where they rated how much they liked each classmate. An average of the sociometric ratings each child received from their peers was used to index their own social competence. Children’s sociometric ratings given to their classmates was the outcome variable.
Data Analytic Plan
We ran cross-classified hierarchical linear models with sociometric ratings given (Level 1) nested within children (Level 2). The outcome of sociometric ratings given to classmates was predicted by the recipient’s ADHD symptom levels at Level 1. At Level 2, we placed children’s stigma, social competence, and academic competence, and tested the cross-level interaction between these factors and the recipient’s ADHD symptom levels. Although children were nested in classrooms, adding the classroom level did not improve model fit.

Results
Children gave lower sociometric ratings to classmates with higher ADHD symptoms, B = -0.020, p <.001, confirming existing research. However, all cross-level interactions were significant. As seen in Table 2, the negative relationship between sociometric ratings given and the recipient’s ADHD symptoms was more pronounced for children who endorsed higher stigma versus lower stigma, who were more socially competent versus less competent, and who were more academically competent versus less competent. Findings underscore the potential utility of assessing sociometric ratings given to classmates when studying peer relationships. In addition to targeting the problematic behaviors of children with ADHD, interventions for peer problems might also consider factors in the peer group.

Authors

• Jennifer Na, University of British Columbia (UBC)
  Presenting Author

• Mario Ferrari, University of British Columbia (UBC)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amori Yee Mikami, University of British Columbia (UBC)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julie Sarno Owens, Ohio University
  Non-Presenting Author