Treatment of Friendship Problems in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Initial Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology 2020-10, Vol.88 (10), p.871-885
• Main Authors: Mikami, Amori Yee, Normand, Sébastien, Hudec, Kristen L, Guiet, Joanna, Na, Jennifer Jiwon, Smit, Sophie, Khalis, Adri, Maisonneuve, Marie-France
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological - physiology; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - psychology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Behavior change; Behavior Therapy; Canada; Child; Children; Children & youth; Clinical research; Clinical trials; Coaching; Comorbidity; Coping; Coping Behavior; Efficacy; Externalizing problems; Families & family life; Female; Friends - psychology; Friendship; Human; Humans; Intervention; Male; Moderation; Parent-Child Relations; Parents; Parents - psychology; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial therapy; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000607

Objective: This study evaluated a novel intervention for friendship problems in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC) teaches parents to coach their children in targeted friendship behaviors that are lacking in children with ADHD and that help children develop good quality friendships. Method: Participants were 172 families of children with ADHD and social impairment (ages 6-11; 29.7% female) at two Canadian sites, randomized to PFC or to an active comparison intervention (Coping with ADHD through Relationships and Education; CARE) to control for common therapy factors. Questionnaire and observational measures assessing primary outcomes of children's friendship quality and secondary outcomes of children's friendship behaviors were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 8-month follow-up. Results: Across both treatment conditions, children showed improvements in positive friendship quality and in friendship behaviors. Relative to CARE, PFC was associated with somewhat more positive and less negative friendship behaviors at posttreatment and follow-up, but no difference between conditions was found in friendship quality. However, moderation analyses suggested that PFC may contribute to better friendship quality among families who had previous psychosocial treatment, as well as children with comorbid externalizing disorders. Conclusions: Although PFC showed some efficacy for affecting children's friendship behaviors, these changes may not translate into friendship quality. Nevertheless, PFC may improve friendship quality for at-risk subgroups of children with ADHD. What is the public health significance of this article? The Parental Friendship Coaching intervention may improve children's friendship behaviors, and may improve friendship quality in some at-risk subgroups of children with ADHD.