ADHD in College: Latest News

Many of us hope that our children will pursue a college education. If that’s you, remember that getting into college is only the beginning of your student’s journey.

June 17, 2024Emotional dysregulation (ED) and maladaptive personality traits may cause relatively high functional impairment among college students with ADHD and warrant consideration during clinical assessments, suggests a new study published in the Journal of Attention Disorders.1The study analyzed survey data collected from 2020 to 2023 on symptom severity, ED, and emotional instability among 1,858 college students across eight universities in the United States. Among subjects with self-reported ADHD symptoms, three profiles with distinct emotional dysregulation dimensions, impairments, and personality traits emerged:The Primarily Inattentive Profile reported the highest level ofParticipants who fit this profile also reported the lowest levels of emotional stability and limited access to emotional regulation strategies.The Moderate ADHD Severity profile reported the lowest levels of ADHD impairment and internalizing problems compared to the other ADHD profiles.The High ADHD Severity profile reported the highest levels of risk-taking behaviors.

$5.99This weekly pill organizer helps college students better manage their ADHD medications with a visual reminder — and confirmation that they have taken their daily dose — thanks to the clearly marked rainbow-colored lids. This pill organizer also saves time by streamlining the chore of organizing pills to just once a week.Buy the Pill Organizer (#CommissionsEarned)Related Resource: Brush Your Teeth, Take Your Meds: How to Build an ADHD Treatment Routine$9.99A must-have accessory that doubles as a canvas to showcase each student’s collection of decals, water bottles are ubiquitous on college campuses.

Disability services can be game-changing for college students with ADHD, supporting them across areas of difficulty and enabling success. When choosing a college, you and your student will, of course, consider majors offered, financial aid, location, and athletic programs.

College students with ADHD represent a distinct and auspicious yet overlooked population. The assumption that this group, by virtue of its acceptance into higher education alone, needs no special support for managing ADHD symptoms has prevailed for far too long.

If your college-bound teen has an IEP or a 504 Plan, you likely hope to smooth the transition to their new learning environment. Maybe you have already called the college’s director of accessibility services for information.