Positive Illusions of Social Competence in Girls with and Without ADHD

• DOI: 10.1007/s10802-010-9484-0
• Publication Date: 2011-01-24T06:29:19Z
• Authors: Jeneva L. Ohan; Charlotte Johnston
• Keywords: Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Depression; Girls; 05 social sciences; Anxiety; Personality Assessment; Social Skills; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Self-esteem; ADHD; Humans; Self-perceptions; Female; Interpersonal Relations; 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences; Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; Child; Social Behavior; Positive Illusory Bias; Personality

We compared social self-competence ratings in 9 to 12 year old girls with (n=42) versus without (n=40) ADHD, relative to ratings of the girls’ social competence made by mothers, teachers, and blind raters duringa social laboratory task. Relative to scores from mothers, teachers, and the lab-task, girls with ADHD over-estimated their competence significantly more than control girls. Over-estimates were greater for girls with ADHD who also had heightened oppositional-defiant symptoms, or lower depressive symptoms. Over-estimates were positively related to a socially desirable reporting bias for girls with ADHD, but not for control girls, suggesting that girls with ADHD attempt to present themselves in an unduly positive, self-protective light. For girls with ADHD, over-estimates also were positively related to maladjustment and negatively related to adjustment. However, for girls without ADHD, over-estimates were positively related to adjustment. Overall, over-estimates of competence function differently in girls with and without ADHD.