Abstract
Several recent studies confirmed that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has a negative influence on peer relationship and quality of life in children. The aim of the current study is to investigate the association between prosocial behaviour, peer relationships and quality of life in treatment naïve ADHD samples. The samples included 79 children with ADHD (64 boys and 15 girls, mean age = 10.24 years, SD = 2.51) and 54 healthy control children (30 boys and 23 girls, mean age = 9.66 years, SD = 1.73). Measurements included: The “Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire” and the “Inventar zur Erfassung der Lebensqualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen”. The ADHD group showed significantly lower levels of prosocial behaviour and more problems with peer relationships than the control group. Prosocial behaviour has a weak positive correlation with the rating of the child’s quality of life by the parents, both in the ADHD group and in the control group. The rating of quality of life and peer relationship problems by the parents also showed a significant negative moderate association in both groups. The rating of quality of life by the child showed a significant negative weak relationship with peer relationships in the ADHD group, but no significant relationship was found in the control group. Children with ADHD and comorbid externalizing disorders showed more problems in peer relationships than ADHD without comorbid externalizing disorders. Based on these results, we conclude that therapy for ADHD focused on improvement of prosocial behaviour and peer relationships as well as comorbid externalizing disorders could have a favourable effect on the quality of life of these children.
Highlights
We examined if a better understanding of peer relationship and prosocial behavior can improve the quality of life of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The aim of the current study was to investigate the levels of prosocial behaviour and peer relationship problems among samples which were carefully selected: 1. a treatmentnaïve ADHD group of children who were diagnosed both by a child psychiatrist and a structured diagnostic interview, and 2. a control group of children with no previously recognized psychiatric disorders or any psychiatric disorders currently diagnosed by a structured diagnostic interview
The current study was the first to investigate the association between prosocial behaviour and peer relationship problems and quality of life among treatment naïve children diagnosed with ADHD
Summary
Prosocial behaviour does not have a generally accepted, unified definition, but researchers tend to agree to use it as an umbrella term for several behaviours, including helper, supportive, sharing, cooperative and politeness behaviour, without the expectation of a possible reward [1,2]. The first appearance of these behaviours is at around 2 years of age; emotional atonement and empathy play an important role in their development [3]. Previous studies found that with age and the development of selfhood, prosocial behaviour develops through the experience of social interactions [4]. Prosocial behaviour contributes to harmonic relationships in the family, positive social relationships and friendships [5,6,7]. Primary school children, who perform high in measures of prosocial behaviour, perceive acceptance and positive social relationships from their peers [5] Prosocial behaviour contributes to harmonic relationships in the family, positive social relationships and friendships [5,6,7]. 4.0/).
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