Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for College Students With ADHD: A Case Series Report

• Implementation and qualitative and quantitative results of an eight-session CBT protocol in four college students
• Treatment fidelity, adherence, and satisfaction were very high across all clients
• Pre- to posttreatment measures showed meaningful, positive treatment effects on impairment and adaptive functioning
• Brief CBT may be a useful treatment option for college students with ADHD of mild to moderate severity

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often diagnosed in childhood but persists into adulthood in many cases. This disorder, which is defined by the core symptoms of IA and HI, is also associated with impairment in academic settings, interpersonal relationships, and behavioral risk taking. While ADHD is most often treated with medication (e.g., stimulants), brief psychosocial treatments have also been shown to produce improvement in adults with ADHD, although these have not been adequately tested in college-age populations. The current study tested a brief, eight-session cognitive-behavioral protocol in a case-series design with four college students with ADHD. Participants completed measures tapping ADHD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and general impairment in academic, social, and employment domains. The findings indicate that the protocol may be useful as a short-term treatment option for college students with ADHD, warranting further study in controlled trials.