College Students' Attitudes Toward Their ADHD Peers

Abstract

Objective: The attitudes of college students with and without ADHD toward peers with ADHD were examined. Method: A total of 196 college students (30 diagnosed with ADHD) anonymously completed four attitude measures. General analyses of attitudes toward peers with ADHD as well as comparisons between those with and without ADHD are made. Results: For all participants, but especially for those with ADHD, more frequent contact with peers with ADHD was associated with more positive attitudes toward individuals with ADHD. Only half of individuals with ADHD report receiving adequate accommodations, and only half of those report actually using the available accommodations. Overall, more negative than positive adjectives were endorsed as describing individuals with ADHD, and this was especially true for individuals with ADHD in comparison to those without ADHD. Conclusion: Contact with other individuals with ADHD may be especially important for college students with ADHD. (J. of Att. Dis. 2009; 13(3) 271-276)