College Students With ADHD and LD: Effects of Support Services on Academic Performance

Abstract

Two relatively common disabilities reported by college students are attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and learning disabilities (LD). Many questions remain regarding how best to support these students and whether services such as advising, coaching, and tutoring lead to significant academic gains. The current study examined the effect of support services on the GPA of students with LD and/or ADHD at a campus that specifically serves this population by tracking students' support service usage and GPAs over a 5-year period. Results indicate that although most students who choose to receive coaching support experience academic gains, it is students with ADHD who obtain the greatest gains in GPA as a result of this support. Additionally, although tutoring can be of benefit to all students, significant GPA gains were obtained only for students with an LD diagnosis. Thus, there is a need to provide targeted supports aimed at addressing students' specific areas of challenge.

Support Receipt: Effect on Postsecondary Success of Students With Learning Disabilities

“…Consistent with the current study, research conducted by DuPaul, Dahlstrom-Hakki et al (2017) also indicated that students with LD benefit from the use of some universally available supports. Moreover, the current findings extend those of DuPaul et al by establishing that students with LD benefit from universally available services in terms of not only GPA but also college completion.…”

“…However, equal emphasis is needed on helping students to identify and access universally available supports on campus. Prior research (e.g., DuPaul, Dahlstrom-Hakki et al, 2017;Newman et al, under review) and the current study have demonstrated that such academic supports increase the likelihood of student persistence and/or completion. Clearly, transitioning students need not only to be aware of but be prepared to access such services once on campus.…”

Postsecondary attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and deliberate practice: Study time, study quality, and self‐perceptions

“…As a defining deficit for ADHD, poor sustained attention could compromise the value of time spent studying, regardless of study planning or environmental characteristics. A number of interventions for addressing poor sustained attention exist, including training in time management, organization, and self‐awareness (Kaminski et al, ), academic coaching (DuPaul et al, ; Parker, Hoffman, Sawilowsky, & Rolands, ), and use of ADHD medication (Greenhill et al, ).…”

Academic Achievements of College Graduates With Learning Disabilities Vis-a-Vis Admission Criteria and Academic Support

“…Students diagnosed with dyslexia were found to have a disadvantage under time pressure and a pervasive problem with mathematical calculations (Callens, Tops, & Brysbaert, 2012) and semantic fluency (Hall, McGregor, & Oleson, 2017). Evidence is accumulating that participation in a learning support program helps students with LD to cope with these challenges and improve their GPA (DuPaul et al, 2017) as well as enhance their likelihood of graduating (Troiano, Liefeld, & Trachtenberg, 2010).…”

“…The above reviewed studies provide a description of the various support services available for students with LD; however, there is a need to examine to what degree different support programs contribute to the college achievements of students with LD. One study that investigated this question in the United States was that of DuPaul et al (2017), who compared, in a sample of students with LD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 1,592), the effect of the number of hours received in three support services (advising, coaching, and tutoring) on students’ semester GPAs over a 5-year period. Their findings revealed that students with LD who participated either in tutoring or coaching showed gains in their semester GPA.…”