Helping College Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder SUCCEED: A Comprehensive Care Model
Michael C. Meinzer, Lauren E. Oddo, Anna Garner, Andrea Chronis‐Tuscano
Abstract
College students with ADHD are at risk for a host of negative outcomes in academic, social, and emotional domains. However, the majority of college campuses do not provide comprehensive and individualized services to target the executive functioning difficulties and psychological comorbidity seen in college students with ADHD. The current manuscript describes the development of a specialized semester-long program to address the unique needs of college students with ADHD (Students Understanding College Choices: Encouraging and Executing Decisions for Success; SUCCEEDS) as well as the clinical, research, and training mission of this venture. Results from reliable change indices indicate that among the eight students in this case series, the majority reported significant improvements in organizational skills. Additionally, the majority of students with elevated rates of depression or alcohol use at baseline also reported significant improvement in these comorbid symptoms. A descriptive case study is also provided to further demonstrate the individualization and implementation of SUCCEEDS. Preliminary evidence suggests that SUCCEEDS is an effective method for addressing the personalized and wide-ranging difficulties experienced by college students with ADHD. Lessons learned and future directions for research are discussed.