Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for College Students With ADHD: A Case Series Report

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often diagnosed in childhood but persists into adulthood in many cases. This disorder, which is defined by the core symptoms of IA and HI, is also associated with impairment in academic settings, interpersonal relationships, and behavioral risk taking. While ADHD is most often treated with medication (e.g., stimulants), brief psychosocial treatments have also been shown to produce improvement in adults with ADHD, although these have not been adequately tested in college-age populations. The current study tested a brief, eight-session cognitive-behavioral protocol in a case-series design with four college students with ADHD. Participants completed measures tapping ADHD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and general impairment in academic, social, and employment domains. The findings indicate that the protocol may be useful as a short-term treatment option for college students with ADHD, warranting further study in controlled trials.

Psychometric Properties of the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale: Evidence for Utility in Research, Assessment, and Treatment of ADHD in Emerging Adults

“…Second, ADHD is often comorbid with internalizing conditions (Barkley et al, 2008), such that in clinical ADHD cases and related empirically supported therapies, there is a focus on ameliorating cognitive and behavioral patterns such as negative and pessimistic thinking (e.g., Safren, Perlman, et al, 2005; Solanto et al, 2011). Clients with ADHD, in fact, have been noted to be especially appreciative of therapy techniques that reduce stress and anxiety (Eddy, Canu, Broman-Fulks, & Michael, 2015). All in all, ADHD and internalizing symptoms are often intertwined in affected children and adults, and, as such, clinically, when working with or studying the ADHD population, it is important to capture impairment related to all present symptoms.…”

Financial Dependence of Young Adults with Childhood ADHD

“…While recent controlled trials of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; Safren et al 2005; Safren et al 2010) and metacognitive therapy (Solanto et al 2010) demonstrate a reduction of ADHD symptoms, data examining the effect of these therapies on impairment are limited to open trials conducted with college students (e.g., Anastopoulos and King 2015; Eddy et al 2015; LaCount et al 2015). These initial studies provide encouraging preliminary support for the utility of CBT-based approaches in improving functional outcomes for YA including academic and work performance, life skills, and self-concept.…”

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for College Students With ADHD: Temporal Stability of Improvements in Functioning Following Active Treatment

“…Initial research efforts emphasized a coaching approach, addressing goal setting, organization, and time management (Prevatt & Yelland, 2015; Swartz, Prevatt, & Proctor, 2005). More recent investigations have examined the impact of treatment from a diverse array of therapeutic perspectives, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT; Anastopoulos & King, 2015; Eddy, Canu, Broman-Fulks, & Michael, 2015; LaCount, Hartung, Shelton, Clapp, & Clapp, 2015), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT, Fleming, McMahon, Moran, Peterson, & Dreessen, 2015), self-monitoring (Scheithauer & Kelley, 2014), and organization, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills training (LaCount, Hartung, Shelton, & Stevens, 2015).…”