ADHD & Organization
Visual Abstract
A New Organizational and Study Skills Intervention for College Students with ADHD
Improving ADHD College Students' Skills Through Intervention
Cynthia M. Hartung, Will H. Canu, Judah W. Serrano, John M. Vasko, Anne E. Stevens, Tamara M. Abu-Ramadan, Elizabeth A. Bodalski, Emily N. Neger, Rachel M. Bridges, LaDonna L. Gleason, Christopher Anzalone, Kate Flory
Summarized by:
Charles Li, MD
December 21, 2023
study source
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
May 2022
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What they studied
They explored whether a new intervention could help college students with ADHD improve organizational and study skills.
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What they found
The study found significant improvements in attention, ADHD symptoms, self-concept, and organizational skills.
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Why it matters
These results suggest this intervention might be effective for college students struggling with ADHD.
Objectives
Adjusting to college can be tricky, especially for students with ADHD. This is a common struggle. For example, a study shared that challenges for ADHD students in college include staying focused and controlling their actions. These students often find it hard to get into college, might not do as well in their grades, and have a higher chance of leaving early. They also struggle with organizing their time, learning effectively, and thinking about long-term goals instead of short-term fun.
Study Quote
The transition to college can be very challenging for individuals with ADHD. Increased task and life demands happen in tandem with deficits in time management, study skills and habits, and delaying rewards to achieve longer-term goals. Cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) holds promise f...
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Methods
The authors developed a special program for college students with ADHD. This program focuses on helping students organize their time, manage tasks, and plan things out. It's like teaching them tools to handle the challenges that come with ADHD. The program was tested with 30 students from two universities in the U.S. These students were around 22 years old, and most of them were white and male. They tried out the program and then shared how they felt about their ADHD symptoms and skills in organizing and managing time.
Study Quote
We developed an intervention specifically for college students with ADHD; organizational, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills were the focus of this largely behavioral treatment, as these most directly relate to the executive function deficits characteristic of ADHD and to the de...
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Results
Most of the students who joined the program had been told they had ADHD before. The program included group and individual sessions. After finishing the program, students noticed they were better at paying attention and managing their ADHD. They also felt better about themselves and could organize and plan their time more effectively. Plus, they were happy with the program and attended most of the sessions.
Study Quote
Most participants reported a past diagnosis of ADHD (n = 23; including possible comorbidity), with all others reporting at least 5 pre-treatment symptoms of inattention (M for all participants = 6.3). The manualized intervention consisted of 6 group therapy sessions and 2 individual sess...
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Conclusions
Looking ahead, the authors think this program could be even more helpful if it was tested in a more extensive and more varied group of students. This would give a clearer picture of how well the program works for different people with ADHD.
Study Quote
Future studies of this new intervention should include a randomized controlled trial, the collection of objective outcome measures, and a more diverse sample.
Key Takeaways
Effective Intervention
The study indicates that the intervention could effectively improve attention and organizational skills in college students with ADHD.
Need for Diverse Research
Future studies should include a more diverse sample and employ randomized controlled trials for more conclusive results.
High Engagement
The high attendance rate and participant satisfaction suggest that the intervention was engaging and well-received.
Context
Other studies also show that ADHD can make it harder for students to adjust to college life. One study found that students with ADHD often have lower self-esteem and more trouble getting used to college socially and academically. This suggests that self-esteem might be a key factor in helping students with ADHD adjust to college.
Another study found that skills training helped adults with ADHD feel better and improved their symptoms. This study was small, but its results match up with other research on ADHD and therapy. These findings add to the bigger picture of how therapy and skills training can help people with ADHD, like the program the authors tested.