This study examined differences in empathy and other emotions between boys with and without attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Empathy was measured by an empathy response task (ERT) and through self- and parent reports of emotion. On the ERT, children responded verbally to 8 fictitious stories. Results from the ERT revealed that boys with ADHD were less empathic than boys without ADHD. Boys with ADHD less frequently matched the emotion they identified in the character with the one identified in themselves and gave fewer character-centered interpretations in their descriptions of the character's emotion. Parent-report data revealed that boys with ADHD exhibited more behavioral manifestations of sadness, anger, and guilt than did boys without ADHD. No differences were found, however, on measures of emotional intensity or emotional reactions to external contingencies. The results are discussed with respect to current theories of ADHD.

This study examined differences in the ability to decode emotion through facial expression, prosody, and verbal content between 14 children with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) and 16 typically developing peers. The ability to decode emotion was measured by the Perception of Emotion Test (POET), which portrayed the emotions of happy, angry, sad, and neutral among the modalities of static and dynamic facial expression, prosody, verbal content, and all modalities combined. Results revealed that children with AS had more difficulty identifying emotions through static facial expression, dynamic facial expression, and prosody than typically developing children. Results are discussed in relationship to an over-reliance on verbal content as a compensatory strategy in social interactions. Treatment implications for individuals with AS are also discussed.

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This study examined differences between college students with high and low symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Fifty-nine introductory psychology students completed ADHD diagnostic measures and were compared on measures of driving anger and driving anger expression; accident-related, aggressive, and risky driving behaviors; general anger; and general anger expression. Results indicated high ADHD symptom college students experience more driving anger, display such anger in more hostile/aggressive ways, are more aggressive and risky on the road, experience more crash-related outcomes, are more generally angry, and tend to display anger in socially unacceptable ways. Results are discussed in regard to the understanding and treatment of ADHD.

This study examined differences in sport behavior between boys with and without AttentionDeficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Sport behavior was measured by parent-report on the Sports Behavior Checklist (SBC). The SBC assessed which sports the child had participated in, length of participation, aggression, emotional reactivity, frequency of injury, and frequency of disqualification across both team and individual sports settings. Results from the study showed that boys with ADHD displayed higher levels of aggression, emotional reactivity, and disqualification than did their non-ADHD peers. Additionally, both groups of boys displayed higher levels of aggression, emotional reactivity, and injury in team sports compared to individual sports. Practical implications for the parents of ADHD boys involved in sports are discussed. Results are also considered with respect to current theories of ADHD.