(PS11-B34) ADHD Symptom Severity and Depression as an Indication of Peer Victimization

Problem: Children with ADHD experience peer victimization more than children without ADHD. 20% - 30% of children with ADHD have comorbid depression symptoms. Although children with ADHD have higher rates of depression, studies have typically focused on peer victimization in normal functioning children, and not those with ADHD. Studies in typically developing children suggest that depression is a strong indicator of peer victimization. This study examined the relation of depression to peer victimization in children with ADHD.

Procedure: 141 children ages 7 - 12 with ADHD; (Mage=8.96, SDage=1.391; male=91, female=50; 67.4 white, 22.7 Black, 3.5 Hispanic, 6.4 biracial) and their parents participated in the study. Parents and children completed the Perception of Peer Support Scale (PPSS) to assess peer victimization in children. Children complete the Children's Depression Inventory short-form (CDIT) and parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) depression subscale to assess depression in children. Parents completed the Vanderbilt ADHD Rating Scale (VARS) to assess ADHD symptom severity.

Results: Hierarchical multiple regression assessed depression as an estimator of child- and parent-report of children’s peer victimization. Covariates including age, sex and medication status were entered into step 1. Child and parent report of depression (CDI & CBCL) and ADHD severity (VARS) was entered into Step 2. No covariates were significant in step 1 for either analysis. Step 2 was significant for both child-report (ΔR²=.091, p< .005) and parent-report of peer victimization (ΔR²=.17, p< .001). Within the step, parent (βs=.18, p< .05), and child report (βs=.25, p< .005) of depression were both associated with greater child-report peer victimization and parent-report depression was associated with greater parent-report victimization (βs=.38, p< .001) independent of ADHD severity. ADHD severity was not significant in either analysis.

Conclusion: Among children with ADHD, depression estimated rates of peer victimization above and beyond severity of ADHD such that children with greater depressive symptoms experienced greater rates of concurrent peer victimization. While the majority of research on peer relations in children with ADHD have focused on ADHD symptomotology and behavior, this study adds to the growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of emotional functioning in the peer relations of children with ADHD.