3 - (SYM 34) Strength as a Superpower: Examining the Associations Between Mental Health, Motivation, Coping, Activism, and Prosocial Behaviors for Black And/or Latine Adolescents with ADHD

Although attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder, Black and/or Latine youth are often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to racism in schools and the medical field. Black and/or Latine youth who do receive an ADHD diagnosis are often understudied and less likely than their White peers to receive treatment related to impairment associated with ADHD. Untreated ADHD is associated with poor academic outcomes, worse social skills, and higher rates of anxiety, depression, and trauma. Despite these negative outcomes, Black and/or Latine adolescents with ADHD are successful, smart, and creative, and with appropriate diagnosis and treatment are well equipped to flourish. The current study examined the association between mental health, academic motivation, coping skills, youth activism, and prosocial behaviors. Participants were all from the Chicago area. Fifty percent of participants identified as Black, 12.5% identified as Indigenous, and 75% identified as Latine (racial/ethnic identifiers not mutually exclusive; mAge=15.29 years; Boys=25%, Girls=50%, Nonbinary=25%; 50%=straight, 50%=LGBTQ+). Mental health diagnoses were identified through KSADS interview, academic motivation, coping, and activism all used adolescent self-report, and prosocial behaviors included a composite of parent- and self-report. Qualitative data was garnered through parent- and self-report interviews. Using structural equation modeling, higher rates of PTSD (β=-.20), amotivation (β=-.47), and extrinsic motivation (β=-.26) were associated with worse prosocial behaviors, while higher rates of anxiety (β=.75), intrinsic motivation (β=.82), and activism (β=.70) were associated with higher rates of prosocial behaviors. Coping skills (βs= .08, .12) and depression (β=.05) were not significant. Qualitative data on mental health, activities, coping, and prosocial behaviors will be included. This study is the first to examine predictors of prosocial behaviors for Black and/or Latine adolescents with ADHD, suggesting the importance of focusing on promoting growth and youth activism and decreasing PTSD symptoms to help increase positive youth outcomes. This importance was reflected in one adolescent’s note that “being Black in America means we have to use strength as a superpower, but that makes mental health underrated despite it being real.” These findings will be used to create culturally responsive assessments and treatment designed for and with Black and/or Latine youth with ADHD.