title: Examination of a Parent-Assisted, Friendship-Building Program for Adolescents With ADHD.
abstract: Youth with ADHD experience significant impairment in peer functioning. Based on recommendations from the literature, the current pilot study examined the effectiveness of a parent-assisted, friendship-building program at establishing mutual friendships and improving peer relationships in adolescents with ADHD.
  
  
  
  Participants included 20 adolescents with ADHD (ages 11-16 years) and their parent(s). Families completed the Program for the Evaluation and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS). Measures of friendship quality, social knowledge, social self-efficacy, get-togethers, and peer conflict were completed at baseline and post-treatment. At post-treatment, participants also reported on the initiation of a new friendship.
  
  
  
  Baseline to post-treatment differences were examined using paired-samples t tests. The majority of participants reported the initiation of a new friendship at post-treatment. Adolescents also demonstrated significantly improved social knowledge and increased get-togethers. Effect sizes were large.
  
  
  
  Following participation in PEERS, adolescents improved in several peer functioning domains and many initiated new friendships.
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Denise M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Alyson C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gerdes
authors.affiliation: 1 Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weinberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy
keywords: ADHD; adolescence; friendship; treatment