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The Social Executive Function Skills That Elude Kids with ADHD

Children and teens with ADHD may lose friends because of deficits in social executive function skills – the underlying processes that are involved in social skills ranging from perspective-taking to reciprocity and cognitive flexibility. Here, learn strategies that help them bolster these skills and strengthen their friendships.

3 Comments: The Social Executive Function Skills That Elude Kids with ADHD

  1. Totally agree with Glieserising. I think the intention behind the “bored” thing isnt terrible- it mirrors how the kid might feel in a similar situation and its also probably accurate- but its really harsh to say that someone is boring you. I think the comment should only be used after the ‘monologue’ lasts 5+ minutes, and then maybe inturrupting, apologizing, and changing the subject based on something the kid said- ex. “Minecraft is my favorite videogame”- “Sorry to cut in, I just want to say thank you for sharing your passion about Minecraft with me, its so cool to know what your favorite video game is. When I was a kid, my favorite game was drawing, a bit like how you like to design your houses in Minecraft. Do you like drawing”? Idk

  2. This article is so helpful and hit on a lot of important contradictions in this complicated topic – thank you so much!

  3. “I’m bored of you talking to me about Minecraft,” right into “Learn how to feign interest in other people’s interests so you can build a relationship with them?” So, the kid shouldn’t talk about what they enjoy because other people don’t like that, but if literally anyone else does it that’s okay and using the “I’m bored, let’s talk about something else” technique that their own family uses on them is inappropriate? Excuse me?

    I’ve also got a number of ADHD/autistic friends whose interests I love hearing about just because it makes them happy, even if I never look into that interest on my own. I cannot say how many times they have said having their family and friends dismiss their interests has led to resentment and destroyed their self-confidence. And that kind of shame is infectious – there’s been so many times where I have been in spaces where we all understand each other’s desire to share what we enjoy, or to work on creative projects together, and I still feel so embarrassed to share anything that I have been working on or enjoying or even how I feel for fear of monopolizing the conversation.

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