Author: Kevin Antshel, PhD

College students with ADHD are a unique group and, in several ways, likely differ from their same-age peers with ADHD who do not matriculate in college. For example, college students with ADHD tend to have strong cognitive abilities ¹ and more effective compensatory skills than their same-age peers with ADHD who are not in college ². College students with ADHD also assuredly experience different stressors (e.g., academic pressure) than same-age peers with ADHD who do not pursue college. In this way, college students with ADHD are likely a distinct subset of individuals with ADHD.

Academically, first semester college freshmen with ADHD (especially males) arrive on campus reporting higher levels of school disengagement, more substance use and significantly more emotional difficulties than peers without ADHD ³. Given this, it is not surprising that during their first two years of college, students with ADHD attain lower GPA’s than peers without ADHD (Cohen’s d = 0.43) and earn fewer course credits (d = 0.31) across all four semesters ⁴.

Emotionally, college students with ADHD (especially females) report higher levels of anxiety and depression than peers without ADHD ^5-9. Depression seems especially impactful and is associated with social maladjustment ¹⁰, lower quality of life ¹¹, explains academic impairments above and beyond ADHD symptoms ¹² and mediates the relationship between past ADHD symptoms (yet not current symptoms) and cannabis use ¹³, possibly supporting a self-medication hypothesis / negative reinforcement model for cannabis use for some with ADHD. Finally, multiple studies have documented increased prevalence of suicidal ideation in college students with ADHD diagnoses or elevated ADHD symptoms ^14-16. Unfortunately, college students with ADHD and depression use on-campus resources at especially low rates ¹⁷.

If you have an interest in college students with ADHD and discussing any topic related to college student ADHD, please consider joining the College Student with ADHD SIG. We are a group of allied mental health professionals and trainees who share an interest in improving the quality of care for 4-year and 2-year college students with ADHD through the advancement and dissemination of research, and evidence-based practices. SIGs are APSARD Member Benefits.  Please email info@apsard.org for more information.

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