Analysing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in university students with ADHD: A systematic review.

Abstract

Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and often persists into adult life. University students with ADHD frequently experience great difficulty with global academic functioning, resulting in higher drop-out rates and, consequently, higher unemployment rates. Objective: This literature review aims to analyse the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions to reduce ADHD-related symptoms in university students with ADHD. Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted via EBSCO database in October 2023 using key terms: ADHD OR attention deficit hyperactivity disorder AND cogniti* intervention OR cogniti* therapy AND college student* OR university student*. The inclusion criteria were studies using cognitive behavioural therapy as their primary intervention for individuals with ADHD who are enrolled in university or college and are 18 years or above in age. Results: Seven out of 115 papers were deemed eligible and were included in this review. This review’s studies included four randomized control trials and three before and after open trials. Three key themes were identified through data extraction: intervention design, outcome measures used, and effectiveness of interventions on ADHD-related symptoms. All the studies tailored their CBT intervention toward university students. There was a statistically significant improvement in core domains of ADHD-related impairment, in particular, inattention (N=7), overall executive functions (n=5), and hyperactivity-impulsivity (N=1). Conclusion: While the current findings suggest positive results of CBT for reducing ADHD-related symptoms in university students with ADHD, further research should explore the sustainability of these gains over the long term. Due to the lack of explicit published study on this topic in the United Kingdom, further research should be conducted in the UK to assess the applicability and effectiveness of tailored CBT interventions within the British university environment.