Abstract
We compiled a comprehensive list of apps related to coping with academic work by post-secondary students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by examining 23 recent sources. Most of these were based on the opinion of single individuals, including persons with ADHD and experts. To discover relatively common apps, we summed the number of sources that mentioned each app and then checked with the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store to ensure availability in the summer of 2020. In the process it became apparent that while most apps directly supported schoolwork (e.g., calendars, timers, reminders) there were a variety of apps that, while not directly related to schoolwork, were apps that can support academic achievement by dealing with daily life demands (not ADHD therapy or assessment). We categorized apps related to both schoolwork as well as to aspects of daily life demands that can make academic work easier. Here we present the 20 most frequently mentioned schoolwork related apps and the eight most frequently mentioned daily life demands apps. Our findings suggest that if access coordinators, campus disability service providers, ADHD coaches and students with ADHD focus solely on schoolwork related apps, they will be missing an important part of the equation. They need to broaden their scope to ensure that students also have the help they need to structure and manage their daily life responsibilities, rather than simply focusing on doing schoolwork.
Highlights
1.1 Introduction of the ProblemAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects between 28% and 38% of post-secondary students with disabilities (Gagné, Tremblay, & Bussières, 2020; Fichten et al, 2019)
The following school related attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and challenges were recently reported by 52 college students: “staying focused, managing time, extensive writing assignments, reading comprehension of textbooks or academic publications, organization, completing homework, memorizing and retrieving information from memory, following multistep directions, expressing thoughts or opinions clearly, following others when they speak in conversation, applying different approaches to one problem, and initiating activities, tasks or independent ideas”
Our goal was to compile a comprehensive list of apps related to the academic performance of post-secondary students with ADHD
Summary
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects between 28% and 38% of post-secondary students with disabilities (Gagné, Tremblay, & Bussières, 2020; Fichten et al, 2019). It often co-occurs with learning disabilities (DuPaul, Gormley, & Laracy, 2013). Given such symptoms and the importance of time management and organization skills for success in college, it is not surprising that college students with ADHD often have academic difficulties (Green & Rabiner, 2012). Considering these difficulties, it is not surprising that the academic performance of post-secondary students with ADHD is often poor (Budd et al, 2016)
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