Back to results

Reykjavík University

The impact of ADHD and social anxiety on academic performance among college Students in Iceland

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social anxiety disorder are common mental disorders that can have a significant impact on an individual's life, including academic performance. University students face a variety of challenges when it comes to their studies, and the aim of this study is to investigate whether there is a relationship between ADHD, social anxiety, and academic performance among university students in Iceland. ADHD symptoms were measured with the ADHD-RS self-assessment scale and social anxiety symptoms with the SIAS-6 and SPS-6 self-assessment scales. The research questions were 1) Does ADHD affect academic performance? 2) Does ADHD affect social anxiety? 3) Does social anxiety affect academic performance? 4) Does social anxiety mediate the relationship between ADHD and academic performance? The study was part of a larger cross-sectional study conducted by Reykjavík University (RU) that examined the well-being of university students at RU. The sample was selected based on convenience, as all registered students in RU responded to an online survey that they received via their RU email. The current study used responses from 402 students, aged 18 to 57. The result suggests that both ADHD and social anxiety symptoms are related to academic performance, but ADHD symptoms have a more significant direct impact. Social anxiety symptoms also play a role, but their effect is less pronounced and not statistically significant. Keywords: ADHD, social anxiety, academic performance, university students

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Elísabet Freyja Þorleifsdóttir 2001-
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Háskólinn í Reykjavík

Subjects

dc:subject × 9

Rights

Language dc:language.iso
is

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
https://hdl.handle.net/1946/49059
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:skemman.is:1946/49059

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Reykjavík University
Base URL
skemman.is/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-27
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Elísabet Freyja Þorleifsdóttir 2001-. The impact of ADHD and social anxiety on academic performance among college Students in Iceland. 2025. https://hdl.handle.net/1946/49059