title: Aspects of social and emotional competence in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: Social and emotional competence were evaluated using self-report and behavioral measures in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and controls. Adults with ADHD viewed themselves as less socially competent but more sensitive toward violations of social norms than controls. Films depicting emotional interactions were used to assess linguistic properties of free recall and perceived emotional intensity. Although adults with ADHD used more words to describe the scenes, they used fewer emotion-related words, despite rating the emotions depicted as more intense than did controls. In contrast, no group differences for words depicting social or cognitive processes were observed. Overall, adults with ADHD appear more aware of their problems in social versus emotional skills. Findings may have implications for improving the psychosocial functioning of these adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Sara R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Lisa J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Rapport
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lumley
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzelepis
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: VanVoorhis
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stettner
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kakaati
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D014705:Verbal Behavior