New strategies help children with ADHD build friendships and emotional skills

Experts highlight practical approaches to support children with ADHD in forming friendships, managing emotions, and fostering confidence through structured play and communication techniques.

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder often want the same thing as any other child: to join in, be liked and keep friends close. Yet the traits that come with ADHD can make that harder, particularly when impulsiveness, inattention and emotional intensity spill into everyday play. HuffPost UK reported that ADHD is estimated to affect almost 882,000 children in the UK, and research reviewed by Healthline and PubMed suggests that social difficulty is a common part of the condition rather than a sign of poor character or bad manners.

Experts say the issue is rarely one single behaviour. Impulsivity can lead a child to interrupt, talk over others or miss personal boundaries, while inattention can mean they do not notice when a playmate has lost interest or wants to change the game. A systematic review published on PubMed in 2023 found that children and young people with ADHD often struggle to form and maintain meaningful friendships, underlining the wider social cost of these everyday misunderstandings.

That can be especially painful because other children may read the behaviour as rudeness, bossiness or indifference. A clinical article on peer relationships and ADHD says many children with the condition face rejection from classmates, in part because they can seem intrusive or struggle with reciprocity, the give-and-take that holds a friendship together. Emotional regulation can make things harder still: a minor disappointment, such as losing a game, can trigger an outsized reaction that leaves everyone feeling unsettled.

Psychologists and psychiatrists say parents can help by teaching social skills directly rather than assuming they will be picked up naturally. Role-play can be useful, whether the aim is learning how to ask to join in, how to take turns or how to respond when someone wants to stop playing. Research on social skills training in children with ADHD has found that structured practice can improve assertion skills, while a meta-analysis of psychoeducation suggests that teaching children and families about ADHD can strengthen social competence, emotional regulation and general behaviour.

Practical preparation also matters. Short, structured playdates tend to work better than long, unplanned ones, especially when only one friend is involved and the activity is clear from the start. Baking, Lego, crafts or a board game can give the child something concrete to focus on, while a parent can step in quietly if tension rises. Before parties or other social events, it can help to agree a simple goal, explain what will happen and use a discreet signal if the child becomes overwhelmed.

Just as important is giving children language for difficult moments. Phrases such as “I need some space” or “Can we stop for a minute?” can help them ask for help before frustration turns into shouting, lashing out or walking away. Parents are also encouraged to talk through mishaps once everyone is calm, so the child can think about what went wrong and how to repair the damage. That might mean apologising, checking whether a friend is upset or trying again. Praise matters too: children with ADHD often hear more criticism than encouragement, and experts say noticing what goes well can build confidence as well as friendships.