Self-Control in Postsecondary Settings: Students' Perceptions of ADHD College Coaching

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify undergraduates' perceptions of the impact of ADHD coaching on their academic success and broader life functioning. Method: One-on-one interviews were conducted with 19 students on 10 different U.S. campuses who comprised a purposive sample of gender, cumulative grade point average, and self-regulation skills variables as measured by the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory. Interview transcripts were coded using NVivo 8 software, and emergent themes were triangulated with students' descriptions of personal artifacts that symbolized coaching's influence on their lives. Results: Students reported that ADHD coaching helped them become more self-regulated, which led to positive academic experiences and outcomes. Students described ADHD coaching as a unique service that helped them develop more productive beliefs, experience more positive feelings, and engage in more self-regulated behaviors. Conclusion: ADHD coaching helped participants enhance their self-control as they responded to the multifaceted demands of undergraduate life.