Protective Factors For Emerging Adults With Subclinical Adhd

<p>ABSTRACT</p> <p>PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR EMERGING ADULTS WITH SUBCLINICAL ADHD</p> <p>by</p> <p>OLIVIA A. McGARRAGLE</p> <p>May 2013</p> <p>Advisor: Dr. Stephen Hillman</p> <p>Major: Educational Psychology</p> <p>Degree: Doctor of Philosophy</p> <p>This study investigated the understudied and significant problem of subclinical ADHD in emerging adult college students. Limited literature had estimated a significant prevalence of 10-15% in this age group (Bussing et al., 2010). Studies have established that although individuals with subclinical ADHD do not meet full DSM-IV criteria for ADHD, they experience significant academic impairment nonetheless (Kats-Gold, Besser & Priel, 2007). ADHD experts have demonstrated that subclinical ADHD individuals need to be identified in order to provide the appropriate academic accommodation (Bussing et al., 2010; Du Paul et al., 2009; Norwalk, Norvilitis & MacLean, 2009). This study used the online survey service survey monkey and a large sample of college students to learn about the relationship between subclinical ADHD and academic performance. Potential protective factors: interpersonal skills, history of a mentor, and study skills were investigated as moderators of this relationship. 200 college students participated in this study; 100 qualified as having subclinical ADHD, the other 100 were nonclinical. Students completed self report questionnaires online measuring ADHD symptoms, interpersonal skills, presence of a mentor, demographic information, and their cumulative and course grade point averages (GPA). Subclinical ADHD students were found to have lower achievement. A negative relationship between level of subclinical ADHD symptoms and GPA was demonstrated. Subclinical ADHD students were shown to possess study skills deficits: certain sub skills in particular. Importantly, subclinical ADHD was shown to significantly predict GPA. Study skills, self-efficacy for learning in particular predicted GPA accounting for 11% variance. Finally, this study built a relational model between subclinical ADHD and GPA in emerging adults by demonstrating that study skills moderated this relationship, and therefore, served as a protective factor for at-risk subclinical ADHD college students.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2013

Author dc:creator

• Mcgarragle, Olivia Allison

Contributors dc:contributor

• Stephen Hillman
• Alan Hoffman

• ADHD
• college students
• moderator
• protective factor
• relational model
• study skills
• Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/671

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.wayne.edu:oa_dissertations-1670