Examining the Relationships Among Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms, Sluggish Cognitive Tempo Symptoms, Internalizing Problems, and Friendship Features in Emerging Adults

Previous literature has demonstrated that those with ADHD show difficulties in social functioning including obtaining and maintaining quality friendships. Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms, which have been studied in relation to ADHD, have also been shown to influence social functioning, and are often related to social withdrawal. SCT symptoms have also been connected to internalizing problems (i.e., anxiety and depression), which have been shown to be related to social functioning. However, much of the work in these areas has only been conducted in youth populations. Considering that friendships have been shown be related to positive outcomes in adults' lives generally, and especially in those with ADHD, it is important to examine factors related to friendship features and problems in adults. The present study sought to explore these factors by examining the role of internalizing symptoms in the relation between ADHD symptoms and friendship features as well as the potential impact of SCT symptoms on that relationship. Additionally, to add to the measurement tools needed to study friendship in adults, this study conducted confirmatory factor analyses to validate a measure of positive and negative friendship features. Overall, the findings are somewhat consistent with previous literature. The confirmatory analyses with the current sample demonstrated acceptable fit with the simplest 11-factor model. Our results demonstrated that ADHD symptoms and internalizing symptoms both generally impact positive and negative friendship features directly and internalizing symptoms mediated the relationship between ADHD symptoms and friendship features in most models. SCT symptoms moderated a few of the models in which SCT symptoms were found to buffer the effects of ADHD on negative friendship features.