Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in college students frequently co-occurs with depression, however, research has yet to explore how self-esteem is related to this association. This cross-sectional study examined self-esteem as a moderator of the relation between self-reported ADHD and depressive symptom severities in 2182 US college students (69% female; 68% White). To ensure intersectionality and sociocultural context and to identify subgroups that might benefit from tailored intervention, the influence of select psychosocial factors on the relation between self-reported ADHD symptoms and self-esteem was also examined. Results revealed that self-esteem moderated the association between ADHD and depression symptoms. While no psychosocial factors amplified the relation between ADHD symptoms and self-esteem, there were differences in self-esteem by biological sex, sexual-gender-minority (SGM) status, and perceived social support. Findings underscore the importance of interventions designed to improve self-esteem in individuals with ADHD, and for students who identify as female or SGM, or lack social support.

IntroductionWe examined the intersection of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sexual/gender minority (SM/GM) identity in college students.MethodsSecondary analysis of the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) III data was utilized. Participants were 82,000+ college students from 75 universities. We used ACHA-NCHA-III measures including demographics, self-reported ADHD, and mental health.ResultsWe found a 14.5% prevalence of ADHD in the SM group, compared to a 7.5% rate among the heterosexual group and a 23.9% prevalence of ADHD in the GM group, compared to an 8.6% rate among the cisgender group. College students who endorsed SM/GM identities and an ADHD diagnosis had the highest levels of loneliness and suicidality.ConclusionSM/GM identities are more prevalent in college students with ADHD and are associated with loneliness and suicidality.

We have historically ignored sex/gender and conducted sex- and gender-neutral psychopathology research. There is a clear need to analyze potential differences and similarities between individuals with various sexes, genders, and sexual orientations in psychopathology research. Specifically, we need to stop ignoring sex, gender, and sexual orientation, conduct analyses that go beyond the binary, and analyze these important variables for generalizability even when the primary research question is not about sex, gender, and sexual orientation. In the current study we examined ADHD and internalizing symptoms in a community sample to compare different ways to analyze data and better understand differences and similarities across groups. We predicted that a richer understanding of sex/gender differences would emerge when we compared sex and gender minority (SGM) participants to cisgender heterosexual women (CHW) and men (CHM) rather than conducting binary analyses. Emerging adults (N = 2,938; ages 18–29 years) completed an online survey, responding to demographic items, as well as ADHD and internalizing symptoms. Binary analyses using biological sex and gender identity yielded no differences in ADHD symptoms, and the expected female preponderance in internalizing symptoms. However, when analyzed across three groups, individuals in the SGM group reported higher levels of ADHD and internalizing symptoms compared with the other two groups. Notably, no differences emerged for internalizing symptoms across CHW and CHM when the SGM group was included. This is compelling evidence that analyzing sex, gender, and sexual orientation more systematically and precisely in psychopathology research is warranted.

Physical activity (PA) and exercise (PE) are associated with benefits, including improvements in executive functioning (EF). Individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience various EF difficulties, and exercise is being explored as a possible intervention for ADHD; thus, activity levels among those with ADHD merit further study. We explored PA and PE among college students by ADHD status and sex. Students ( N = 2086; 67.4% female) completed an online survey; ANOVA and chi-square analyses were conducted examining PA and PE frequency and intensity. Males reported engaging in more PA than females, and males with ADHD were more active than their same-sex peers. For PE, males with ADHD engaged in the highest levels, while females with ADHD engaged in the lowest levels. No sex differences in PE emerged for students without ADHD. When considering PA and PE recommendations and interventions for college students with ADHD, biological sex is important.

Objective: In the transition to college, students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often face difficulties. Parental support may aid in the successful adjustment to college, and a strong parent-child relationship (PCR) may optimize the balance between autonomy and support necessary during this transition. Method: Few studies have examined this; therefore, a qualitative study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted. First- and second-year college students with ADHD participated in open-ended, one-on-one interviews ( N = 11; 64% women, 91% White). Results: The two broad categories of findings included Parental Support and the Renegotiation of the Parent-Child Relationship . Participants described feeling supported by their parents in the progress toward their short- and long-term goals. Students described this support as helpful when they managed or initiated the contact, but as unhelpful when the parent was perceived as over involved. They described a strong PCR in this transition as helpful to their adjustment and enjoyed the renegotiation of the PCR in terms of their own increased autonomy and responsibility. Many additional themes and sub-themes are described herein. Conclusion: Optimal levels of involvement and support from parents in the context of a strong PCR is beneficial for adjustment to college for those with ADHD. We discuss the clinical implications of our findings, such as therapists helping families transition to college, and working with college students with ADHD on an adaptive renegotiation of the PCR in their transition to adulthood.

Maternal depression is a common mental health condition that can have adverse impacts on both mothers and their offspring. Research is growing on what factors are related to maternal depression longitudinally, specifically on transactional framings of how both maternal and child mental health symptoms may potentially impact mothers. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder, characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity with impacts across the lifespan. Research has demonstrated the effects of youth ADHD on caregiver well-being and how race and sex may have a potential influence on experiences of families of youth with ADHD. Less is known about how adolescent ADHD symptoms longitudinally relate to maternal depressive symptoms. The current study draws from a community sample of adolescents and their mothers. Children in the sample were approximately 12-year-olds (M = 12.07 years, SD = 0.90) at the start of study and 18 at the end (M = 18.05, SD = 0.96). Mothers completed a measure of their child’s ADHD symptoms at approximately age 12 and a measure of their own depressive symptoms annually over seven years. Latent growth modeling was used to examine the intercept and slope of mothers’ depression symptoms throughout their child’s adolescence. The slope of maternal depressive symptoms was flat across adolescence. ADHD symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity (but not inattention) were significantly associated with the intercept of maternal depressive symptoms, with higher levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms predicting a higher intercept of maternal depressive symptoms, but not the slope of maternal depressive symptoms, across adolescence. The results of this study highlight associations between ADHD symptoms and maternal mental health and the longevity of its effects. Future directions and clinical implications are discussed.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common problem among women with substance use concerns. Further, both PTSD and substance use are related to increased risk for conduct problems among women's children. Research has not examined how PTSD and substance use concurrently relate to conduct problems when they are comorbid. This exploratory study examines a path model explaining the relationship of maternal PTSD, substance use severity, and children's conduct problems, when accounting for the role of parenting practices. Participants were 99 mothers (mean age = 31.11 years, children's mean age = 7.06 years) who were seeking treatment services for substance use. Analyses examined independent variables of self-report measures of frequency of use prior to treatment for 10 substances; PTSD; positive parenting; and parental involvement. The outcome variable examined was maternal report of child conduct problems. Bivariate results showed that maternal PTSD symptoms and substance use severity were both positively and significantly related to child conduct problems. Further, positive parenting was negatively and significantly related to child conduct problems. In a multivariate model, PTSD and positive parenting remained significant predictors of child conduct problems, while substance use severity and parental involvement were not significantly related to child conduct problems. Findings indicate a need for comprehensive services capable of assessing and addressing PTSD among mothers seeking substance use treatment. This type of comprehensive treatment could be especially important for promoting the well-being of children and mental health for mothers with substance use problems and, consequently, for the dyad mother-child and families.

Psychology researchers have historically neglected variables related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation, leading to the erasure of sex, gender, and sexual orientation in research, which limits the generalizability of psychological findings. We argue that these important variables need to be considered more consistently by researchers across psychology subdisciplines. In Study 1 we found that 15.1% of a large MTurk sample (i.e., 8500+) identified as a sexual or gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer [LGBTQ+]). In addition, data from Study 1 showed that our youngest cohort (i.e., aged 18-25 years) reported significantly higher rates of LGBTQ+ identification (22.7%) than our oldest cohort (i.e., 65-84 years; 1.3%), suggesting that endorsement of these idnetities is increasing. Next, in Study 2 we found that psychology researchers (N = 135) tended to rate expansive sex, gender, and sexual orientation demographic variables as important in general, but were much less likely to report actually using these variables in their own studies. Moreover, younger faculty and faculty who identified as women rated these variables as more important than their colleagues. Based on our findings, we conclude that psychology researchers should use expansive sex, gender, and sexual orientation items in their studies, report these demographic variables consistently, and analyze their data by these important variables when possible. Because a substantial and growing proportion of individuals identify as LGBTQ+, and because SGM identity is related to additional life stressors, it is imperative to better understand these individuals. Various resources are offered and challenges are discussed.

Objective: College students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or a learning disorder (LD) are at higher risk for not attaining a bachelor's degree. The purpose is to identify the predictors of academic success in college for students with ADHD and/or LD using a systematic review of the literature. Method: Academic Search Premier, Education Full Text, Education Source, Education Resources Information Center, Teacher Reference Center, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and Primary Search and relevant journals were searched using PRISMA guidelines. Studies were screened based on the following inclusion criteria: college students with ADHD and/or LD, student characteristics as predictors, and GPA and/or retention as outcomes. Results: Twenty-one studies were included (20 quantitative studies and 1 randomized control trial). Academic regulation, academic self-efficacy, emotional regulation, ADHD symptoms, and academic and social integration predicted college success. Conclusion: Incorporating these components into interventions with students with ADHD and/or LD may enhance their success in college.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive behaviors. Impairment in individuals diagnosed with ADHD is significant; one such domain of impairment is achieving a college education. College students with ADHD tend to have lower grade point averages, take longer to graduate, and have higher dropout rates than individuals without ADHD. Those with ADHD may be inadequately prepared for college. College readiness can be broken into self-determination, academic skills, and daily living skills, all of which are possible areas of deficit for individuals with ADHD, given their common characteristics. In the current study, we examined differences in college readiness in undergraduates with and without ADHD. In general, students with ADHD were found to be less prepared for college than those without ADHD, and specific areas of unpreparedness were identified. The findings support the need for intervention for students with ADHD before or early in their college careers. Further research on specific skill deficits and ameliorative steps is needed.

The transition to college can be very challenging for individuals with ADHD. Increased task and life demands happen in tandem with deficits in time management, study skills and habits, and delaying rewards to achieve longer-term goals. Cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) holds promise for targeting these and related challenges. Psychosocial interventions exist for the general population of adults with ADHD, but not college students. Importantly, an intervention designed for college students should be manageable in terms of time and cost. We developed such an intervention specifically for college students with ADHD; organizational, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills were the focus of this largely behavioral treatment, as these most directly relate to the executive function deficits characteristic of ADHD and to the demands of college. Academic study skills and psychoeducation regarding ADHD and medication management were also included. The intervention was tested with 30 undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate students (57% biological males; M age 22.6; 83.3% White/Non-Hispanic) from two public universities in the U.S. Participants completed a battery of self-report measures of ADHD symptoms, impairment, and OTMP skills pre- and post-treatment. Most participants reported a past diagnosis of ADHD (n = 23; including possible comorbidity), with all others reporting at least 5 pre-treatment symptoms of inattention (M for all participants = 6.3). The manualized intervention consisted of 6 group therapy sessions and 2 individual sessions. Results suggested that this new treatment has promise, with t-tests comparing pre- and post-intervention scores indicating significant improvements in inattention symptoms, total ADHD symptoms, self-concept impairment, total impairment, and use of organization, time management, and planning skills. In addition, participants generally reported satisfaction with the intervention and had a very high attendance rate. Future studies of this new intervention should include a randomized controlled trial, the collection of objective outcome measures, and a more diverse sample.

Objective: The current study examines psychometric properties of the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS), a measure of adult ADHD-related impairment. It is a self-report questionnaire that provides a metric of overall life impairment and domain-specific dysfunction. Method: Using data from a large ( N = 2,093), multi-institution sample of college students and including a subsample of collateral informants ( n = 262), a series of analyses were conducted. Results: The WFIRS demonstrated robust internal reliability, cross-informant agreement on par or superior to other measures of ADHD symptomatology and impairment, and concurrent validity. The WFIRS was not shown to be uniquely associated with ADHD, as internalizing symptoms also associated with the total and domain scores. Conclusion: The use of the WFIRS in identifying ADHD-related impairment in emerging adults appears to be psychometrically supported, and will prove useful to clinicians and researchers.

Changes were made in DSM-5 to address the criticism that ADHD symptoms in DSM-IV were not developmentally appropriate for adults. Specifically, parenthetical examples were added to symptoms, and the symptom threshold was lowered. ADHD diagnosis in college students in particular is a growing concern. It was hypothesized that changes to the ADHD symptoms across DSM editions would result in higher symptom endorsement rates in this group. To this end, 3877 college students rated their own ADHD symptoms using DSM-IV and DSM-5 symptom wording. College students with a past diagnosis of ADHD (n = 435) endorsed slightly more symptoms with the updated DSM-5 wording (an additional 0.41 ADHD symptoms). In addition, 5.2% more college students met the new, lowered DSM-5 symptom threshold as compared to the older DSM-IV threshold. Changes to DSM-5 Criterion A for ADHD increase symptom endorsement and the number of college students eligible for a diagnosis.

The purpose of the current study was to test for a relation between emerging adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) status, how they reported being reared (i.e., perceived parenting style), and how the maternal parenting they received in childhood was linked with current adjustment. College students completed online surveys regarding their ADHD status, impairment, and maternal parenting style. Participants with ADHD reported higher levels of maternal authoritarian parenting (controlling/punitive) and lower levels of maternal authoritative parenting (structured/supportive) compared with participants without ADHD. Across the entire sample, higher reported maternal authoritative parenting was associated with lower levels of inattention (IA), hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), depression, anxiety and stress, and higher levels of maternal authoritarian and permissive parenting was associated with higher levels of IA, HI, depression, anxiety, and stress. Sex moderated the relations between maternal parenting style and psychopathology such that women who reported low levels of authoritative parenting also reported higher levels of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, where no differences in psychopathology were found in men across both low and high levels of authoritative parenting. These links between current adjustment and maternal parenting style suggest authoritative parenting may protect against negative adjustment in college students and may be especially important for women.

College freshmen who are at greater risk to fail or drop out before attaining a bachelor's degree are at a distinct disadvantage occupationally, economically, and socially. At-risk students (those who are academically underprepared) are six times more likely to drop out during the first year of college. This study sought to examine the effects of an organization, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills intervention with at-risk freshmen. Freshmen conditionally accepted at a public four-year university and enrolled in a first-year seminar intended to enhance academic success and retention participated in the study. Students completed online surveys regarding impairment, OTMP skill use, inattention symptoms, and executive functioning at the beginning and end of their first semester in college. Intervention students received three lectures (with take-home exercises) designed to teach OTMP skills. Students in the intervention group reported significant improvements compared to the control group on measures of impairment, as well as inattention, with medium to large effects across these significant findings. These results indicate that including OTMP training as one component of an intervention package may improve at-risk students' adjustment to college.

While youth with emotional and behavioral disorders experience increased rates of obesity, few obesity interventions exist that are tailored to their needs. Qualitative methods were employed to elucidate obesity management practices in this population. In all, 56 participants (i.e. 21 youths with emotional and behavioral disorders, 20 caregivers of youth with emotional and behavioral disorders, and 15 mental health providers) were recruited from community mental health centers. Participants completed a demographic form and semi-structured interview regarding obesity-related behaviors. Barriers (e.g. psychiatric symptoms) and facilitators (e.g. social support) to obesity management were identified. These results highlight preferred intervention components for this unique population.

OBJECTIVE:Approximately 5% of adults have ADHD. Despite recommendations regarding the diagnosis of emerging adults, there is not a strong consensus regarding the ideal method for diagnosing ADHD in both emerging and mature adults. We were interested in determining whether a threshold of four, five, or six ADHD symptoms would be associated with significantly different levels of functional impairment and be more or less indicative of a potential ADHD diagnosis.METHOD:We examined the relation between functional impairment and these ADHD symptom thresholds in 2,577 college students.RESULTS:Our findings suggest that none of these symptom thresholds are differentially better at predicting functional impairment.CONCLUSION:The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) threshold of five symptoms for ages 17 years and older is not necessarily predictive of ADHD-related impairment in college students and may not be preferable to other thresholds. Options for resolving this diagnostic dilemma are discussed.

OBJECTIVE:We sought to elucidate the effects of an organization, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills training intervention for college students reporting elevated levels of ADHD symptomatology and academic impairment.METHOD:Undergraduate participants enrolled in either the intervention ( n = 22) or comparison ( n = 15) condition in exchange for psychology course credit. Those in the intervention condition attended three weekly group meetings designed to improve organizational skills. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated by comparing pre- and postmeasurements of academic impairment, inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and OTMP skills utilization.RESULTS:Intervention group participants improved significantly on ratings of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and academic impairment, relative to the comparison group. Intervention group participants also improved in their use of OTMP skills, relative to their baseline ratings.CONCLUSION:This study suggests an organizational skills intervention has the potential to ameliorating ADHD symptomatology and academic impairment among college students.

Parenting a child who has Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) brings extraordinary challenges due to the disruptive behaviors which commonly occur with this disorder. A parent’s competence and perceived self-efficacy in rearing a child with ADHD may have long-term repercussions on the child’s functioning, such as the severity and chronicity of ADHD symptoms beyond adolescence. Online surveys were sent to undergraduate participants and collateral informants (i.e., parents) to collect information on ADHD status, impairment, and parenting style. The purpose was to determine if there was a relationship between emerging adults’ ADHD status and how they were reared. Students did not differ in their report of negative parenting styles across ADHD status and parents of students in the ADHD group reported higher satisfaction and efficacy. Across the entire sample, negative parenting styles were associated with ADHD traits (e.g., existing diagnosis, symptoms that meet diagnostic standards) and impaired functioning. Negative parenting style had a larger detrimental impact on ADHD-related symptoms, impairment, and comorbid symptoms for those in the ADHD group compared to those in the control group.