This is a narrative review, which means the authors gathered and summarized earlier studies rather than collecting new data. It looked at children and adolescents with ADHD, with childhood defined as ages 5 to 9 and adolescence as ages 10 to 24.
The review found that these children and teens tend to have fewer friends, weaker friendships, and friendships that do not last as long as those of peers without ADHD. In one cited study, more than half of the children with ADHD had no close mutual friend, compared with about a third of comparison children (56% versus 32%). Another study found their friendships were shorter by roughly 9.6 to 14.4 months. In a third, only a small share had friends over to their homes (6% versus 30% of comparison children).
The authors linked these friendship problems to ADHD symptoms, trouble with planning and self-control, difficulty reading social situations, and trouble managing emotions. They also noted that other conditions often occur alongside ADHD, in 40% to 80% of cases, and that working memory problems affect up to 85% of children with ADHD.
The authors caution that most studies used small samples made up mostly of white, school-aged boys, so the findings may not apply to everyone.
Source: Kirsten Neprily, Emma A. Climie, Adam W. McCrimmon, et al.. Why can't we be friends? A narrative review of the challenges of making and keeping friends for children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Frontiers in Developmental Psychology (2025). doi:10.3389/fdpys.2024.1390791