The Role of Social Support in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Promoting Resilience in an At-Risk Population
Date
2013-04-25
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Abstract
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) face significantly increased risk for poor outcomes across domains; however, not all children with ADHD experience poor outcomes (Lee et al., 2008; Owens et al., 2009). Resilience perspectives can provide a valuable avenue through which to explore the factors and processes contributing to more positive trajectories among children with ADHD. The current study took a resilience approach to investigate the role of a potential protective factor, perceived social support, in promoting emotional well-being among children with ADHD. Social support has long been recognized as an important factor in promoting well-being among both typically-developing and at-risk populations (e.g., Cohen & Wills, 1985; Demaray et al., 2005), but has yet to be explored in this capacity within the ADHD population. This study specifically examined how school-age children with ADHD perceive support from key individuals in their lives (e.g., parents, teachers, peers, other adults) and the relationships between perceived social support and various indicators of emotional well-being (internalizing problems, self-concept). Additionally, main versus buffering models of social support were explored by evaluating the relationships of social support and emotional adjustment in the context of lower or higher social preference status. A total of 55 children ages 8 to 11 with ADHD-C or ADHD-HI and their parents participated in this study. Overall, results indicate positive and moderate associations between perceived social support and several aspects of self-concept, with parent and classmate support most consistently associated with these outcomes. Results further support a main effect model of perceived social support, with no interaction detected between social support and social preference status. Results of this study are discussed within the context of applying a resilience lens to the study of ADHD, and implications for both research and practice are discussed.
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Educational Psychology, Psychology--Clinical
Citation
Mastoras, S. M. (2013). The Role of Social Support in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Promoting Resilience in an At-Risk Population (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28352