Earlier research has consistently indicated that students displaying hyperactivity struggle with their social inclusion (Zweers et al., 2021; Lee et al., 2021). To foster social inclusion, students’ attitudes as well as inter-group contact have been identified as possible key factors (Krischler & Pit-ten Cate, 2020; Schwab 2018). In this study, the social inclusion of students who display hyperactivity in general and classmates’ attitudes towards such peers, have been investigated. Classmates with more positive attitudes may be more likely to befriend students displaying hyperactivity; at the same time, more positive attitudes may develop as a result of friendships with such peers. To empirically disentangle these parallel processes, data of 314 students (mean age = 9 – 11 years) from 17 school classes, who participated in the paper-pencil survey at the beginning and end of fourth grade is relied on and estimated dynamic social network models for the co-evolution of friendships and attitudes. A short version of the CATCH (see Rosenbaum et al., 1986) questionnaire was used to investigate students’ attitudes. Students’ hyperactivity symptoms were rated by the class teachers using a subscale of the SDQ (Goodeman & Goodman, 2011). For social inclusion, a sociometric nomination of a maximum of five best friends was used. Results reveal that students displaying hyperactivity are at risk of lower social inclusion. Results do not indicate that having friends or classmates who display hyperactivity is significantly associated with one’s attitudes towards such peers in either causal direction.

Goodman, A., & Goodman, R. (2011). Population mean scores predict child mental disorder rates: Validating SDQ prevalence estimators in Britain. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 52(1), 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010. 02278.x Krischler, M., & Pit-ten Cate, I. M. (2020). Inclusive education in Luxembourg: Implicit and explicit attitudes toward inclusion and students with special educational needs. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 24(6), 597–615. https://doi.org/10. 1080/13603116.2018.1474954 Rosenbaum, P., Armstrong, R., & King, S. (1986). Children’s attitudes toward disabled peers: A self-report measure. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 11, 517–530. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/11.4.517 Lee, Y., Mikami, A. Y., & Owens, J. S. (2021). Children’s ADHD symptoms and friendship patterns across a school year. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 49(5), 643–656. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00771-7 Schwab, S. (2018). Peer-relations of students with special educational needs in inclusive education. In S. Polenghi, M. Fiorucci, & L. Agostinetto (Eds)., Diritti Cittadinanza Inclusione (pp. 15–24). Rovato: Pensa MultiMedia Zweers, I., de Schoot, R. A. G. J. van Tick, N. T., Depaoli, S., Clifton, J. P., de Castro, B. O., . . . , & Bijstra, J. O. (2021). Socialemotional development of students with social-emotional and behavioral difficulties in inclusive regular and exclusive special education. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 45(1), 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165025420915527