Symptoms of ADHD and Academic Concerns in College Students With and Without ADHD Diagnoses

Abstract

Students with ADHD diagnoses reported significantly more ADHD symptoms and academic concerns, but none of the 18 symptoms or 6 concerns proved to be both sensitive and specific to ADHD. Poor specificity of symptoms and academic complaints casts doubt on the utility of this self-reported information in diagnosis, particularly if used alone and without regard to severity or extent of impairment.

What Do We Really Know about ADHD in College Students?

“…Available evidence suggests that college students with ADHD are less confident than other students regarding their ability to academically succeed [21,22,26,27,29]. Lewandowski et al [26] found that students with ADHD were more likely than their peers to need to read material repeatedly to understand it, to experience difficulty finishing timed tests, and to need to work harder to receive good grades.…”

“…Lewandowski et al [26] found that students with ADHD were more likely than their peers to need to read material repeatedly to understand it, to experience difficulty finishing timed tests, and to need to work harder to receive good grades. A related study [27] found that relative to students who matched their GPA, students with ADHD scored lower on the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) Academic Adjustment scale [28], which includes measures of motivation, effort, performance, and satisfaction with the academic environment (e.g., variety and quality of courses).…”

Do Stimulant Medications for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Enhance Cognition?

“…As noted above, one hypothesis was that the stimulant doses required to control the hyperactivity of ADHD-diagnosed children might be greater than doses that are most effective for improving cognition. However, unlike children, college students are less likely to be characterized as hyperactive, and more commonly diagnosed with, or to self-report, the symptom of inattention (Frazier et al, 2007;Norwalk et al, 2009;Rabiner et al, 2008;Schwanz et al, 2007) even without a specific diagnosis of ADHD (Lewandowski et al, 2008). Therefore, undergraduates should be able to determine the amount of stimulant medication that would presumably improve their attention and concentration without having to control hyperactivity as well.…”

Repercussões do Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH) na Experiência Universitária

“…Supõe-se que muitas dessas semelhanças devam-se ao público que está sendo estudado, ou seja, à população universitária. O fato desses indivíduos com TDAH terem conseguido ingressar no ensino superior pode decorrer tanto da presença de sintomas menos severos quanto de maiores habilidades para lidar com as consequências do transtorno (Nelson & Gregg, 2010 Green & Rabiner, 2012;Lewandowski et al, 2008;Norwalk, Norvilitis & MacLean, 2008;Rabiner et al, 2008). A seguir, serão apresentados os principais resultados encontrados nos estudos analisados.…”

“…Exemplos desses prejuízos envolvem a hiperatividade, a falta de dinamismo nas aulas, dificuldades na leitura e na escrita, situações de avaliação (provas), preocupações com o desempenho, indisciplina, agressividade, instabilidade emocional, autoestima e relacionamentos com colegas e professores (Blase, Gilbert, Anastopoulos, Costello, Hoyle et al, 2009;Lewandowski, Lovett, Codding & Gordon, 2008;Rabiner, Anastopoulos, Costello, Hoyle & Swartzewelder, 2008;Reis & Camargo, 2008;Shaw-Zirt, Popali-Lehane, Chaplin & Berman, 2005). É comum, ainda, a mudança de faculdade em função do tédio ou da incapacidade de completar tarefas de rotina, dificuldades para estudar e entregar os trabalhos em dia sem ameaça de graves consequências, oscilações extremas de comportamento em que ocorrem ímpetos de energia para terminar tarefas e dificuldade de manter o desempenho de forma consistente (Conners, 2009 (Gil, 2006).…”