Risk and Protective Factors for Peer Victimization in Adolescents with ADHD. (2nd April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Monopoli, W. John; Margherio, Samantha M.; Evans, Steven W.; Xiang, Joe; Brickner, Megan A.; Langberg, Joshua M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of school violence. Volume 19:Number 2(2020)
• Page Start: 234
• Page End: 247
• Publication Date: 2020-04-02
• Subjects: ADHD -- victimization -- risk and resilience -- anxiety -- depression; School violence -- Prevention -- Periodicals; School environment -- Periodicals; 371.78205
• DOI: 10.1080/15388220.2019.1660181
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1538-8220

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Youth with ADHD are more at-risk for peer victimization than their typically developing peers, and may not be benefiting from current interventions. Thus, we sought to examine risk (i.e., anxiety, depression, and forms of aggression) and protective (i.e., social skills and social acceptance) factors for peer victimization in this group. Participants were 123 young adolescents diagnosed with ADHD, who were attending grades six through eight. We found that relational aggression (i.e., excluding others from activities) and anxiety symptoms were among the strongest risk factors for victimization. Anxiety symptoms were associated with victimization over and above depressive symptoms. Social acceptance buffered risk conferred by the risk factors. Future work is needed to investigate the degree to which the relations among internalizing symptoms and victimization differ in youth with ADHD relative to typically developing youth, and assess causality of the relations.