EFFECTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS OF BOYS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER - A TEST OF THE SELF-PROTECTIVE HYPOTHESIS

Tested the hypothesis that inflated self-assessments offered by childr en with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) serve a self-p rotective function. This was accomplished by examining the effects of positive feedback on self-perceptions and social interactions of boys with ADHD and comparison boys. Boys with ADHD and comparison boys, 8 t o 11 years old, were paired in 60 dyads and interacted in two unstruct ured cooperative tasks. Following the first interaction, 1 boy in half of the dyads received positive feedback, supposedly from his partner, concerning his performance. Results indicated that following the firs t interaction, but prior to feedback, boys with ADHD had an overly pos itive view of how much their partner liked them. However, following th e second interaction, boys with ADHD who received positive feedback ac tually showed a significant decrease in their self-perceptions, wherea s comparison boys who received feedback showed an increase. These resu lts are seen as supportive of the self-protective hypothesis that chil dren with ADHD offer inflated self-perceptions to counter feelings of inadequacy. When presented with positive feedback, they are able to re lax this defensive posture and offer more realistic self-assessments.