5 - (SYM 56) Early Social and Emotional Predictors of Individual Differences in Wellbeing in Late Adolescent Among Youth with and Without ADHD

Introduction: To bridge the gap between pathology-oriented and strengths-based research, it is critical to identify risk and promotive mechanisms within individual, family, or social systems that contribute to adjustment. Self-determination theory (SDT) posits need satisfaction and frustration for relatedness, competence, and autonomy support are crucial mechanisms in optimal and nonoptimal well-being in adolescents (Ryan & Deci, 2017). However, little is understood about mechanisms of well-being among clinical populations like ADHD (Dvorsky & Langberg, 2016). This study explored distinct profiles of well-being during adolescence to better understand how some adolescents manifest positive well-being and whether this is unique for adolescents with and without ADHD. 

Method: We conducted latent class analysis (LCA) of adolescent well-being and examined early predictors of well-being profiles including individual, social, and familial characteristics and whether profiles differed for adolescents with/without ADHD. Participants included 188 adolescents with (n=81) and without (n=107) ADHD (43.1% female; 81% White, 9% Multiracial, 5% Black, 5% Asian, Mage=17.5). Well-being was assessed in late adolescence (i.e., spring of 11^th or 12^th grade) using the six subscales of the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (Chen et al., 2015). Early predictors of well-being including parent-teen conflict, school engagement, social acceptance, self-worth, and depressive symptoms were assessed in the fall of 10^th grade.

Results/

Discussion: LCAs identified 3 distinct profiles: high well-being (high satisfaction/low frustration; 35.1%), mixed (high satisfaction/high frustration; 44.7%), and low well-being (low satisfaction/frustration; 20.2%). Adolescents with ADHD were more likely to fall in the low satisfaction class compared the two high satisfaction classes (χ²=3.88-4.08, p< .05). Greater school engagement (χ²=7.19, p=.007), belonging (χ²=21.21, p< .001), social acceptance (χ²=14.13, p< .001), self-worth (χ²=36.58, p< .001), and lower depression (χ²=20.41, p< .001) early in adolescence was associated with the high wellbeing class. Adolescents in high well-being class also demonstrated lower parent-teen conflict (χ²=4.43, p=.03) compared to the mixed well-being class. Results have implications for refining interventions for adolescents with ADHD as well as developing universal strategies for bolstering individual, social, and structural supports for promoting well-being in adolescence.