Executive Self-management of Reading and Writing for College Students with ADHD
Background. College students with ADHD often experience difficulties with self managed academic tasks, for which there are currently few specific interventions. The present study examined associations among ADHD symptom severity, executive functioning, academic achievement, and perceived helpfulness of reading- and writing-focused sessions within a cognitive-behavioral intervention for college students with ADHD. Method. N = 41 undergraduate students (Mean age = 21.32 years, SD = 2.74; 70.7% female) with ADHD were recruited into a 12-week group-based cognitive behavioral intervention for executive functioning difficulties. Two sessions were devoted to skills and strategies specific to academic tasks, Reading for Retention and Planning, Organizing, and Writing Papers. Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity Severity was ascertained via clinical interviews of current and childhood symptoms (AISRS and ACDS respectively) and self-report questionnaire (CAARS). Executive functioning was assessed using the Metacognitive Index of the BRIEF-A. Participants completed WIAT-4 standardized reading subtests (Word Reading, Orthographic Fluency, and Pseudoword Decoding) from which a Reading Ability factor was derived. Writing ability was assessed using the WIAT-4 Sentence Writing Fluency subtest. Students rated helpfulness of the Reading and Writing sessions at the conclusion of the intervention. Results. The reading factor was significantly negatively associated with inattentive symptom severity, but not with hyperactive/impulsive symptom severity. Students in the Low reading ability group found the reading session to be significantly more helpful than students in the High reading ability group. Helpfulness of the Writing session did not differ by Sentence Writing Fluency ability. Executive functioning did not significantly moderate the association between academic skills and perceived helpfulness of academic intervention sessions. Conclusions. Higher education institutions should implement policies and strategies to help students with ADHD obtain academic executive self-management skills. These may be particularly imperative for students with weaker baseline reading skills.
ADHD, executive functioning, reading, writing, college students, Psychology
City University of New York - City College
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