Collateral Effects of a Peer Relationship Intervention for Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on Typically Developing Classmates

Abstract

.General education teachers often implement classroom practices to address the needs of selected children with clinically significant behavior problems. The extent to which such practices affect the classmates of the selected children is an important question. Making Socially Accepting Inclusive Classrooms (MOSAIC) is a teacher-delivered classroom intervention, designed for and validated to improve the peer relationships of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The current study examined the collateral effects of MOSAIC on 113 typically developing (TD) classmates (ages 6.8–9.8, 47% boys) of the children with ADHD; TD children did not meet criteria for any clinical disorder. All children were enrolled in a summer program containing 16 classrooms with teachers randomly assigned to MOSAIC or to an active comparison intervention condition. Results indicated that TD children showed reduced negative sociometric nominations from peers, increased reciprocated friendships, and reduced negative interactions with peers in MOSAIC. The positive effects of MOSAIC were accentuated for TD children with higher levels of disruptive behavior. In sum, the benefits of a peer relationship intervention targeted for children with ADHD may extend to TD classmates.