Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in adolescents of school age, and relates closely to difficulties in school, particularly with regard to academic, social and emotional functioning. This narrative review integrates the literature from 2005 to 2025 related to the links between symptoms of ADHD, classroom behaviours, peer and teacher relationships, and adolescent mental health. There is evidence that adolescents with ADHD tend to be less involved in classroom activities, are more likely to experience higher levels of peer rejection and teacher conflict as compared to typically developing adolescents, and that such negative classroom experiences are correlated with higher levels of emotional distress in adolescents with ADHD. Results also indicate that classroom climate (fair and consistent disciplinary practices, teacher–student respect, and a culture of seeking help) is correlated with academic, social and emotional outcomes, even for adolescent youth with high symptom severity, which suggests a potential buffering effect. Extending these trends, this review suggests a classroom-interaction approach in which symptoms of ADHD are constructed, manifested and given consequence in the context of ordinary relational processes and not in individual pathology alone. Beyond its focus on individual-level clinical intervention, the review suggests that supporting adolescents with ADHD needs to focus on classroom-level relational and institutional practices that influence the psychosocial course of ADHD students.

Siyan Chen. The Impact of ADHD on Adolescents’ Mental Health and Social Interactions in Classroom Settings. Academic Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 7: 74-81. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJHSS.2026.090710.

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