Rejection sensitivity and social outcomes of young adult men with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been consistently linked to social maladjustment. This study investigated whether elevated rejection sensitivity (RS) could contribute to the relational problems that adults with ADHD encounter. METHOD Undergraduate men in ADHD-Combined Type (ADHD-C; n = 31), ADHD-Primarily Inattentive Type (ADHD-IA; n = 22), and nondiagnosed control (NC; n = 25) groups completed questionnaires concerning RS, relational history, current relationships, and self-esteem. RESULTS The hypothesis that those with ADHD would have elevated RS (versus NC peers) was not supported. However, low RS predicted divergent outcomes across groups. Furthermore, ADHD-IA men reported more negative relational outcomes than their ADHD-C peers, although both groups reported lower general self-esteem than controls. CONCLUSION Perhaps the positive illusory bias associated with childhood ADHD could buffer RS development. Findings provide evidence of ADHD-related impairment in adult relationships, further differentiate the principal ADHD subtypes, and extend the RS literature to this clinical population.