Exploring College Withdrawal and Failure Rates in ADHD Students: A Qualitative Study

This study addressed the higher reported failure rates and motivation of college students with ADHD. The problem addressed in this study was that ADHD students withdrew from or failed courses more frequently than non-ADHD students. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative design study was to examine why college students with ADHD were more likely to withdraw or fail than those without ADHD. To answer this, an investigation of how students with ADHD describe their perceptions of the motivational elements of power, affiliation, and achievement in relation to the experience of failing or withdrawing from college courses. The study was grounded in the theoretical framework of McClelland's needs motivation theory. Data were collected from a sample of 16 participants who self-identified as having ADHD, were over the age of 18, had completed at least one semester, and had failed or withdrawn from at least one course, using convenience case sampling. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis to provide answers to the research questions. The results of the analysis revealed seven themes that identified that students with ADHD were motivated to achieve and attend college, there was an emotional and motivational impact of content and teaching styles, and an effective support system and coping strategies were essential. The results led to the conclusion that a positive support system and engaging content enabled students with ADHD to maintain motivation to achieve and that effective coping strategies were essential for promoting academic success. This study may contribute to aiding college professors and student accessibility services by applying enhanced classroom practices, creating challenging and engaging content, and designing participation activities to help students form supportive relationships. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]