University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN)
Abstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with poor educational outcomes that can have long-term negative effects on the mental health, wellbeing, and socio-economic outcomes of university students. Mental health provision for university students with ADHD is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03898-z |
| _version_ | 1828347592648425472 |
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| author | Jane A. Sedgwick-Müller Ulrich Müller-Sedgwick Marios Adamou Marco Catani Rebecca Champ Gísli Gudjónsson Dietmar Hank Mark Pitts Susan Young Philip Asherson |
| author_facet | Jane A. Sedgwick-Müller Ulrich Müller-Sedgwick Marios Adamou Marco Catani Rebecca Champ Gísli Gudjónsson Dietmar Hank Mark Pitts Susan Young Philip Asherson |
| author_sort | Jane A. Sedgwick-Müller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with poor educational outcomes that can have long-term negative effects on the mental health, wellbeing, and socio-economic outcomes of university students. Mental health provision for university students with ADHD is often inadequate due to long waiting times for access to diagnosis and treatment in specialist National Health Service (NHS) clinics. ADHD is a hidden and marginalised disability, and within higher education in the UK, the categorisation of ADHD as a specific learning difference (or difficulty) may be contributing to this. Aims This consensus aims to provide an informed understanding of the impact of ADHD on the educational (or academic) outcomes of university students and highlight an urgent need for timely access to treatment and management. Methods The UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) convened a meeting of practitioners and experts from England, Wales, and Scotland, to discuss issues that university students with ADHD can experience or present with during their programme of studies and how best to address them. A report on the collective analysis, evaluation, and opinions of the expert panel and published literature about the impact of ADHD on the educational outcomes of university students is presented. Results A consensus was reached that offers expert advice, practical guidance, and recommendations to support the medical, education, and disability practitioners working with university students with ADHD. Conclusions Practical advice, guidance, and recommendations based on expert consensus can inform the identification of ADHD in university students, personalised interventions, and educational support, as well as contribute to existing research in this topic area. There is a need to move away from prevailing notions within higher education about ADHD being a specific learning difference (or difficulty) and attend to the urgent need for university students with ADHD to have timely access to treatment and support. A multimodal approach can be adapted to support university students with ADHD. This approach would view timely access to treatment, including reasonable adjustments and educational support, as having a positive impact on the academic performance and achievement of university students with ADHD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:41:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9494996f6fe44a59a40f4aaf9c93d87c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:41:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-9494996f6fe44a59a40f4aaf9c93d87c2022-12-22T02:22:10ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-04-0122112710.1186/s12888-022-03898-zUniversity students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN)Jane A. Sedgwick-Müller0Ulrich Müller-Sedgwick1Marios Adamou2Marco Catani3Rebecca Champ4Gísli Gudjónsson5Dietmar Hank6Mark Pitts7Susan Young8Philip Asherson9Health and Community Services, Government of Jersey, St Helier, Jersey. Social, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) & Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care (FNFNM), King’s College LondonAdult Neurodevelopmental Service, Health and Community Services, Government of Jersey, St Helier, Jersey. Department of Psychiatry, University of CambridgeSchool of Human and Health Sciences, University of HuddersfieldNatbrainlab, Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College LondonSchool of Human and Health Sciences, University of HuddersfieldPsychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College LondonAdult ADHD Service, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS TrustAdult ADHD and Autism Outpatient Service, South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustPsychology Services Limited, Department of Psychology, Reykjavik UniversitySocial, Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College LondonAbstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with poor educational outcomes that can have long-term negative effects on the mental health, wellbeing, and socio-economic outcomes of university students. Mental health provision for university students with ADHD is often inadequate due to long waiting times for access to diagnosis and treatment in specialist National Health Service (NHS) clinics. ADHD is a hidden and marginalised disability, and within higher education in the UK, the categorisation of ADHD as a specific learning difference (or difficulty) may be contributing to this. Aims This consensus aims to provide an informed understanding of the impact of ADHD on the educational (or academic) outcomes of university students and highlight an urgent need for timely access to treatment and management. Methods The UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) convened a meeting of practitioners and experts from England, Wales, and Scotland, to discuss issues that university students with ADHD can experience or present with during their programme of studies and how best to address them. A report on the collective analysis, evaluation, and opinions of the expert panel and published literature about the impact of ADHD on the educational outcomes of university students is presented. Results A consensus was reached that offers expert advice, practical guidance, and recommendations to support the medical, education, and disability practitioners working with university students with ADHD. Conclusions Practical advice, guidance, and recommendations based on expert consensus can inform the identification of ADHD in university students, personalised interventions, and educational support, as well as contribute to existing research in this topic area. There is a need to move away from prevailing notions within higher education about ADHD being a specific learning difference (or difficulty) and attend to the urgent need for university students with ADHD to have timely access to treatment and support. A multimodal approach can be adapted to support university students with ADHD. This approach would view timely access to treatment, including reasonable adjustments and educational support, as having a positive impact on the academic performance and achievement of university students with ADHD.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03898-zAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderADHDAcademic performanceAcademic achievementUniversity studentsEducational outcomes |
| spellingShingle | Jane A. Sedgwick-Müller Ulrich Müller-Sedgwick Marios Adamou Marco Catani Rebecca Champ Gísli Gudjónsson Dietmar Hank Mark Pitts Susan Young Philip Asherson University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) BMC Psychiatry Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD Academic performance Academic achievement University students Educational outcomes |
| title | University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) |
| title_full | University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) |
| title_fullStr | University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) |
| title_full_unstemmed | University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) |
| title_short | University students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a consensus statement from the UK Adult ADHD Network (UKAAN) |
| title_sort | university students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adhd a consensus statement from the uk adult adhd network ukaan |
| topic | Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD Academic performance Academic achievement University students Educational outcomes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-03898-z |
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