A Critical Review of Self-perceptions and the Positive Illusory Bias in Children with ADHD

Objective: Children with ADHD overestimate their own social and behavioral competence when using explicit self-report measures, a phenomenon known as Positive Illusory Bias (PIB). This study examined whether children with ADHD show PIB when self-perceptions are measured implicitly, reflecting associations that are relatively difficult to consciously control. Method: Participants were 23 children (ages 6.8-9.8) with ADHD and 55 typically developing (TD) children. Children’s explicit self-perceptions of competence were measured via self-report on the Self-Perception Profile for Children; their implicit associations were assessed using an Implicit Association Test. Parent and teacher ratings formed an adult-reported composite indicator of children’s competence, to which children’s self-perceptions were compared. Results: Children with ADHD overestimated their competence as compared with adult-informant reports on both explicit and implicit measures, whereas TD children tended to be accurate. Conclusion: Inflated self-perceptions in children with ADHD may exist on an implicit level outside of conscious awareness.

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The Positive Illusory Bias: Do Inflated Self-Perceptions in Children with ADHD Generalize to Perceptions of Others?

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology ◽

10.1007/s10802-007-9210-8 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

pp. 779-791 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Nicole M. Evangelista ◽

Julie S. Owens ◽

Catherine M. Golden ◽

William E. Pelham

Keyword(s):

Positive Illusory Bias ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Self Perceptions

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Parent characteristics and positive illusory bias in children with ADHD

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e625872010-001 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Heather J. Prime ◽

Vicky K. Timmermanis ◽

Angela Varma ◽

Judith Wiener

Keyword(s):

Positive Illusory Bias ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Parent Characteristics

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Cognitive Deficits and Positively Biased Self-Perceptions in Children with ADHD

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology ◽

10.1007/s10802-010-9453-7 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 307-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Julia D. McQuade ◽

Meghan Tomb ◽

Betsy Hoza ◽

Daniel A. Waschbusch ◽

Elizabeth A. Hurt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Deficits ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Self Perceptions

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Positively Biased Self-Perceptions in Children with ADHD: Unique Predictor of Future Maladjustment

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology ◽

10.1007/s10802-015-0056-1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 575-586 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Mary Jia ◽

Yuanyuan Jiang ◽

Amori Yee Mikami

Keyword(s):

Children With Adhd ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Unique Predictor

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The Processes Underlying Positive Illusory Bias in ADHD: The Role of Executive Functions and Pragmatic Language Skills

Journal of Attention Disorders ◽

10.1177/10870547211063646 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108705472110636

Author(s):

Giulia Crisci ◽

Ramona Cardillo ◽

Irene C. Mammarella

Keyword(s):

Social Competence ◽

Executive Functions ◽

Receptive Language ◽

Pragmatic Language ◽

Positive Illusory Bias ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Pragmatic Language Skills ◽

Social Difficulties

Objective: Children with ADHD often show a positive illusory bias (PIB), reporting an extremely positive idea of their own competence, despite their difficulties. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are still poorly understood. In the present study, we examined social PIB and investigated the role of executive functions (EFs) and pragmatic language (PL). Method: Forty-one children with ADHD and 42 typically-developing children matched on age, IQ, and receptive language were administered measures of social competence, EFs and PL. The parents were also asked to estimate their child’s social competence. Results: There was evidence of social difficulties and PIB in children with ADHD. Only PL, not EFs, seemed to mediate the association between ADHD and PIB. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that PL abilities should be considered in efforts to improve self-perception in children with ADHD.

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Changes in Self-Perceptions in Children With ADHD: A Longitudinal Study of Depressive Symptoms and Attributional Style

Behavior Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.beth.2010.05.003 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 170-182 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Julia D. McQuade ◽

Betsy Hoza ◽

Dianna Murray-Close ◽

Daniel A. Waschbusch ◽

Julie S. Owens

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Attributional Style ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Self Perceptions

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Does Positive Illusory Bias Affect Self-Concept and Loneliness in Children With Symptoms of ADHD?

Journal of Attention Disorders ◽

10.1177/1087054718763735 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 23 (11) ◽

pp. 1274-1283 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Agnese Capodieci ◽

Giulia Crisci ◽

Irene Cristina Mammarella

Keyword(s):

Social Skills ◽

Self Concept ◽

Positive Illusory Bias ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Social Difficulties

Objective: Positive illusory bias (PIB) has been amply studied in children with ADHD, but its function is still limited understanding. Method: In a sample of 21 children with symptoms of ADHD, this study investigated whether they were more likely to be rejected by peers and examined PIB, and its influence on self-concept and loneliness, comparing the children with symptoms of ADHD with children who had weak social skills, but no ADHD. The children’s and teachers’ perception of social difficulties were compared, and self-concept and loneliness were analyzed in the two groups, which were also compared with typically developing (TD) children. Results: The results showed the presence of PIB on social skills in children with symptoms of ADHD, but this phenomenon did not give them a higher self-concept, which was similar to that of children with weak social skills and lower than in TD children. Conclusion: The implications of these findings are discussed.

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Assessment of Social Self-perceptions of Acceptance and Enmity in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Canadian Journal of School Psychology ◽

10.1177/08295735211025200 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 082957352110252

Author(s):

Rosa García-Castellar ◽

Desirée Sánchez-Chiva ◽

Pilar Jara-Jiménez ◽

Cristina Fernández-Ramos

Keyword(s):

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Attention Deficit ◽

Ecological Validity ◽

Small Scale ◽

Social Self ◽

Children With Adhd ◽

Hyperactivity Disorder ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Teachers Perspectives ◽

Learning Programming

This study analyzes the self-perceptions of social competence in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It compares two groups of participants, children with ADHD ( N = 20) and children without ADHD ( N = 20) ages between 8 and 12 years old. Sociometric questionnaires were completed by two groups of participants and 707 peers, as well as a questionnaire that evaluates children’s behavior from parents’ and teachers’ perspectives. Results indicate that children with ADHD correctly perceive enmity, but incorrectly perceive friendship. Children with ADHD have low rates of positive reciprocity and qualities that indicate friendship differs considerably from the children without ADHD. The children with ADHD have a different profile of social self-perception than children without ADHD, especially regarding recognizing friendship. The results contribute to the understanding of perceptions of elements of peer relationship and friendships with strong ecological validity. This small scale study provides a proof of concept for improving ecological validity in the methods of evaluating social skills and social emotion learning programming for children with ADHD.

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