Self-Monitoring by College Students With ADHD: The Impact on Academic Performance

Abstract

Objective: There is a lack of empirically supported treatments for college students with ADHD and academic deficits. The current study evaluated self-monitoring, an intervention that may improve academics in children with ADHD, with a college sample diagnosed with ADHD. Method: Fifty-three participants were recruited, 41 of which completed the study and are included in the analyses. Participants were randomly assigned to a group that received study skills instruction, goal setting, and self-monitoring instruction (SM+ group; n = 22) or a group that received only study skills and goal setting (SM− group; n = 19). Results: Participants in the SM+ group demonstrated significant improvement in their ADHD symptoms, academic behavior, grade point averages (GPAs), and goal attainment. These improvements were not significant for the SM− group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that self-monitoring might be used to improve academic performance in college students with ADHD.