Research project
Time for Academic Equity: Optimizing Support for Students with ADHD in Higher Education
Promoting academic equity for students with ADHD through evidence-based accommodations and inclusive teaching methods in higher education.
- Duration
- 2026 - 2031
- Contact
- Bianca Boyer
- Funding
-
NKO
- Partners
University of Amsterdam, KU Leuven, Ohio State University, Erasmus University, Radboud University
Scientific background
Equal opportunities in higher education mean that students with different ways of thinking and learning are able to fully realize their potential. This is not only a matter of fairness, but also of quality: education that better accommodates diversity makes fuller use of available talent and leads to better outcomes, for both students and society.
ADHD in university students
In the Netherlands, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common form of neurodiversity among higher education students. Approximately 8% have an official diagnosis, while a larger group experiences study-related difficulties associated with attention and concentration. ADHD is characterized by differences in attention regulation, impulsivity, and activity level. These characteristics are part of normal human variation, but may give rise to specific challenges within an educational context. In particular, educational systems that rely heavily on self-organization, sustained concentration, and time pressure do not always align well with this diversity.
Research shows that students with ADHD, on average, experience study delays more frequently, report higher levels of stress, and are more likely to drop out. This affects their study experience and career development, and—given the current structure of higher education—also requires additional effort from teaching staff and student support services. The question, therefore, is not only how individual students can be supported, but also how higher education can better accommodate a diverse student population.
Focus on accommodations
A useful conceptual framework in this context is the Disability Creation Process (DCP) model. This model emphasizes that studying is not determined solely by individual characteristics, but rather by the interaction between the student and the learning environment. From this perspective, the focus shifts away from perceived “deficits” toward the question of how educational contexts can support participation and learning.
In practice, accommodations such as extended exam time are commonly used. This is the most frequently implemented measure for students with ADHD, yet there is still insufficient evidence as to whether this accommodation genuinely ensures sufficiently equal assessment opportunities. At the same time, there is limited knowledge about how educational design and teaching practices can be made structurally more inclusive. These questions become increasingly relevant as higher education continues to change under the influence of digitalization, internationalization, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence. For this reason, it is important to systematically examine support measures and educational practices: what helps this group of students within the educational context?
Research Objectives
This research project aims to achieve the following objectives:
1. Evaluate the challenges faced by students with ADHD and assess the effectiveness of Extended Exam Time during real-world academic exams.
2. Explore new methods to address the unique challenges ADHD students face in today’s educational environment, including teacher training, self-regulated learning groups, and AI-driven audio-learning modules.
Study Design and Methods
Project 1: Evaluate Challenges and Extended Exam Time Effectiveness
- Focus Groups: We will conduct focus groups with students with ADHD and teachers, study advisors, and student deans to explore challenges that this groups encounters in higher education, the causes of these challenges, and perspectives on accommodations.
- Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA): A real-time monitoring study to track stress, thoughts, and emotions in the days before and during exams. Students will report their stress four times daily, allowing comparison of stress patterns between students with ADHD and neurotypical peers, complemented by physiological data from wearables. Thematic analyses will identify which recurring thoughts are most strongly linked to increased distress.
- Extended Exam Time Study: A counterbalanced study with three exam durations in a real course, examining how extended time supports students with ADHD as well as neurotypical students. The study will track if students use the additional time, along with its effects on exam performance and stress (self-reported and physiological), particularly for students with ADHD.
Project 2: Explore New Methods
- Faculty Attitudes and Psychoeducation Study: A mixed-methods project investigating how faculty in higher education perceive ADHD in students and how these perceptions can be shifted through targeted psychoeducation. Faculty will complete questionnaires with open-ended items about their views and support practices, after which a psychoeducation module will be co-created with participating faculty and students with ADHD. Its feasibility and effectiveness will be tested.
- Self-Regulated Learning Trial: A randomized controlled study evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of weekly peer-supported sessions that help students with ADHD stay on task, navigate large academic projects, and reduce isolation during thesis writing. Data on study skills, motivation, stress, thesis time, grades, and the burden experienced by thesis supervisors will be collected across multiple time points and compared with thesis-as-usual.
- AI-Based Audio Learning Study: A counterbalanced crossover experiment examining whether AI-generated audio-learning modules can feasibly and effectively support students with ADHD by providing an auditory alternative to course material that is typically read. The study will assess performance differences between auditory and visual study formats, explore potential mediators, and gather feedback on satisfaction and feasibility to inform more inclusive learning strategies.
Strategic priorities
Open Science, Interdisciplinarity, Translational, Recognition and Rewards