Comorbid implications: how does ADD/ADHD affect college students vocationally and educationally?

Abstract

The prevalence of Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in college students and how it affects them vocationally and educationally was investigated. The research also explored underlying symptoms of comorbid or other related disorders that may impact vocational and educational environments as well as what accommodations may be needed for college students that have Attention Disorder. The affect and impact of ADD/ADHD was determined by randomly administering 248 surveys to students in classes at two universities: the University of Wisconsin-Stout and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The Criteria used within the survey were directly taken from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4 th Edition, 1994). The results indicated that Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder were more common among college students, than Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The results reflected that students who marked that they had been formally diagnosed with ADD/ ADHD, Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Learning Disorder, and/or Traumatic Brain Injury also indicated symptoms of one or more of the other disorders mentioned. This showed that combidity exists. Another conclusion that this study revealed was that students who had not marked a previous diagnosis, checked many criteria for the various disorders focused on within this study.