The peer relations of disruptive children with reference to hyperactivity and conduct disorder

Literature reviews indicate that children with disruptive behaviour disorde rs have peer relationship problems, but little information is available con cerning the differential effects of hyperactivity and conduct disorder on p eer relationships. Using a database from North of England research, this pa per uses standard frequency analysis complemented by multivariate analyses to explore the independent effects of pervasive hyperactivity and conduct d isorder on the sociometry of peer relations among 7- to 8- and 11- to 12-ye ar-olds. The findings suggest that (a) social isolation in 7-8-year-olds sh ows no significant association with hyperactivity. However there is a signi ficant association with conduct disorder in 11-12-year-olds. (b) Rejection is not significantly associated with hyperactivity alone nor with conduct d isorder alone in 7-8-year-olds. However, it is associated with a combinatio n of hyperactivity and conduct disorder. In 11-12-year-olds rejection is as sociated with conduct disorder alone and with conduct disorder and hyperact ivity in combination. It is also associated with low cognitive ability alon e and in combination with conduct disorder. Overall, these findings provide some limited evidence of adverse sociometric responses to both hyperactivi ty and below average cognitive ability. However, in the at-risk samples ana lysed here, conduct disorder emerges as the most powerful independent predi ctor of isolation and rejection, and this is especially so among older chil dren.