B – 72 Gender Differences in Social Outcomes for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors in Social Warmth

Abstract Objective This study examined gender differences in social functioning among individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), focusing on how internalizing (e.g., anxiety, depression) and externalizing (e.g., mania, aggression) behaviors relate to social warmth, as measured by the Personality Assessment Inventory–Warmth subscale (PAI-WRM). Method This retrospective cross-sectional study included 58 individuals (ages 17–58, M = 32.12, SD = 12.84) diagnosed with ADHD at an outpatient clinic. The sample was 60% female (n = 35) and 40% male (n = 23). PAI subscales—Depression (DEP), Anxiety (ANX), Mania (MAN), and Aggression (AGG)—were used to assess internalizing (DEP, ANX) and externalizing (MAN, AGG) behaviors. Social warmth was measured via the WRM subscale. The Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) assessed inattentive and hyperactive symptoms. Gender differences and behavioral predictors of WRM were analyzed using correlational and regression analyses. Results There was a significant relationship between internalizing symptoms and WRM across gender (R2 = .230, f = 3.873, p =.008). In males, externalizing behaviors significantly predicted WRM (R2 = .461, f = 3.849, p = .020), whereas this relationship was not significant in females (R2 = .254, f = 5.273, p = .011). Among females, higher inattentive symptoms were associated with lower WRM scores (r = –.345, p = .045), while no significant correlations were found between WRM and either inattentive (r = .133, p = .544) or hyperactive symptoms (r = .258 p = .235) in males. Conclusion Gender-specific behavioral profiles influence social functioning in ADHD. Findings support gender-informed approaches to address social challenges in this population.