Did you know that approximately half of children and adolescents with ADHD will experience peer rejection, compared to 10-15 percent of non-ADHD youth?
Adolescents with ADHD are less likely to develop close friendships and romantic relationships.
Our kids are usually regarded by their peers as immature or as social outcasts, with an exception for peers that have ADHD or related conditions themselves, or a high level of tolerance for such symptoms.
It doesn’t have to be this way!
Training in social skills and behavioral modification has shown to have huge benefits for kids with ADHD. It is important for youth with ADHD to form friendships with people who are not involved in the “bad” crowd.
I was one of these kids. In high school, I had a very difficult time making friendships with positive role models and fell into the “bad crowd.” I self-medicated for years. Personally, I was saved by a counselor in college who could see my potential. She helped me find speech pathology and “my people.” I went from getting C’s and D’s in high school to straight A’s in college.
My goal is to never let kids like me fall in the crack. I want to make a difference in our kids’ lives so that they don’t experience poor peer relationships that can lead to depression, criminal behavior, school failure, and drug use.
If you need help supporting your child as he or she navigates relationships, check out my Support Vault, which offers all of my previous workshops, interviews, exercises, and handouts. You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Let me help you!
Photo by Ivonne Lecou on Unsplash