How Can Peer Relationships Impact ADHD Emotional Control?

PostedOctober 3, 2025

UpdatedOctober 3, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Avery Lombardi, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

ADHD peer relationships play a crucial role in a child’s emotional control and development. Positive social connections and supportive friendships can help children with ADHD manage their emotions more effectively. However, challenges in forming or maintaining relationships can contribute to emotional dysregulation, making it important to foster social skills and encourage friendship support.

How Peer Relationships Influence ADHD Emotional Control

Building healthy ADHD peer relationships offers children with ADHD the opportunity to practice emotional learning, empathy, and self-regulation in real-world situations.

Social skills

These are essential for children with ADHD, as they help navigate social situations and manage emotional responses. Strong peer relationships provide opportunities to practice skills like turn-taking, conflict resolution, and emotional expression in a safe environment. Positive interactions with peers help children feel understood and supported, reducing feelings of frustration and isolation.

Friendship support

These can buffer against the emotional challenges of ADHD. Having a close friend can provide stability and comfort during times of stress or frustration. Peer relationships offer a sense of belonging, which can improve self-esteem and emotional regulation.

Emotional learning

This is further enhanced through positive peer interactions. Children with ADHD learn to manage their emotions more effectively when they experience kindness, empathy, and support from friends. This kind of social environment fosters a sense of safety, allowing them to express themselves more freely and calmly.

In conclusion, encouraging peer relationships and social skills development helps children with ADHD gain emotional control and feel more confident in social settings.

Visit providers like ADHD Certify for personal consultations and expert guidance tailored to your unique situation.

For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape, read our complete guide to Emotional Regulation in ADHD.

Avery Lombardi, MSc

Author

Avery Lombardi is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She has professional experience in psychological assessment, evidence-based therapy, and research, working with both child and adult populations. Avery has provided clinical services in hospital, educational, and community settings, delivering interventions such as CBT, DBT, and tailored treatment plans for conditions including anxiety, depression, and developmental disorders. She has also contributed to research on self-stigma, self-esteem, and medication adherence in psychotic patients, and has created educational content on ADHD, treatment options, and daily coping strategies.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.