Exploring pathways to resilience and well-being for young adults with/ without ADHD in higher education

Young people with ADHD in higher education often struggle with focus, time management, emotional regulation, and academic stress.

These challenges can lead to poor grades, low self-esteem, and dropout. Studying these issues helps identify supportive strategies to improve well-being, resilience, and academic success for this at-risk group.

Al-Yagon, M., & Walter, E. (2025). Exploring pathways to resilience and well-being for young adults with/without ADHD in higher education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2025.2500761

Key Points

• Focus: This study explored how personal strengths like sense of coherence, hedonic, and eudaimonic motives help university students—with and without ADHD—adapt and thrive emotionally and academically.
• Method: The researchers compared 32 university students with ADHD to 50 without ADHD using self-report questionnaires assessing well-being, adaptation to higher education, and personal motivation styles.
• Findings: Students with ADHD reported lower sense of coherence (SOC) and poorer adaptation and well-being scores. SOC was the strongest protective factor, while eudaimonic motives (striving for growth and purpose) had selective benefits. ADHD symptoms predicted lower functioning.
• Implications: Supporting personal strengths like SOC and eudaimonic motives may help students with ADHD cope better in academic settings and improve mental health outcomes.

Rationale

What is being studied?

The study focuses on resilience and psychological well-being in university students, particularly comparing those with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to their non-ADHD peers.

Specifically, it examines how personal resources—Sense of Coherence (SOC), hedonic motives (seeking pleasure), and eudaimonic motives (seeking purpose and growth)—influence well-being and adjustment to higher education.

Background context:

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, and while often associated with childhood, many symptoms continue into adulthood.

Adults with ADHD commonly struggle with academic success, emotional regulation, and building strong relationships. However, some young adults with ADHD do succeed in higher education, suggesting the presence of resilience factors.

Research gap:

Most ADHD research focuses on difficulties and deficits. Less is known about protective factors—especially SOC, hedonia, and eudaimonia—and how they help students cope.

SOC refers to one’s overall sense that life is understandable, manageable, and meaningful. Although it’s linked to health and resilience in the general population, it’s rarely studied in students with ADHD.

Similarly, the motivational styles of hedonia and eudaimonia have shown potential for supporting mental health but are underexplored in this population.

Why this matters:

Understanding positive psychological resources could help universities develop better support systems and interventions.

It may shift the focus from deficit-based models to strength-based approaches in educational psychology and mental health.

Method

Research design: cross-sectional comparative study using self-report questionnaires to assess ADHD symptoms, SOC, motivation types, adaptation to higher education, and psychological well-being.

Sample:

• 82 undergraduate students (50 women, 32 men) aged 23–34.
• 32 participants had a formal ADHD diagnosis (confirmed through clinical history and self-reported symptoms).
• 50 participants without ADHD or other disabilities formed the comparison group.
• Groups were matched for age, gender, and education status.

Variables:

• Independent variable: ADHD status (diagnosed vs. non-diagnosed).
• Dependent variables: Measures of well-being (e.g., self-acceptance, life purpose) and university adaptation (e.g., academic adjustment, emotional well-being).
• Mediating/protective factors: Sense of coherence, hedonic motives, eudaimonic motives.

Procedure:

1. Recruitment occurred online and in-person at universities.
2. Students completed a battery of validated self-report questionnaires via an online link.
3. Data collection spanned remote learning periods during the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Students’ group placement was confirmed using a validated ADHD screening scale.

Measures:

• ADHD Symptoms:
  • Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS): Measures frequency of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms.
  • High scores confirmed diagnosis and risk severity.
  • Cronbach’s α = .92 (high reliability).
• Sense of Coherence (SOC):
  • 13-item SOC Scale: Assesses comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness of life.
  • Higher scores = stronger coping capacity.
  • Cronbach’s α = .83.
• Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives:
  • Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives for Activities Scale:
    • Hedonia = seeking pleasure and relaxation.
    • Eudaimonia = seeking purpose, personal growth, and contribution to others.
  • Both subscales showed strong reliability (α = .83–.84).
• Psychological Well-Being:
  • Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (42 items):
    • Covers autonomy, mastery, growth, relationships, life purpose, and self-acceptance.
    • Each subscale demonstrated high reliability (α = .71–.91).
• Adaptation to University:
  • Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire:
    • Assesses academic, social, emotional, and institutional adjustment.
    • High reliability across subscales (α = .83–.93).

Statistical Measures

• MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance):
  Compared ADHD and non-ADHD groups across multiple variables simultaneously to reduce error risk.
• Regression Analyses:
  Explored how ADHD symptoms, SOC, hedonic, and eudaimonic motives predicted well-being and adaptation outcomes. These models helped identify which factors offered protection or posed risk for poor functioning.

Results

• Students with ADHD:
  • Reported significantly lower SOC than peers.
  • Scored lower on:
    • Environmental mastery
    • Personal growth
    • Life purpose
    • Self-acceptance
    • Academic and emotional adaptation
    • Institutional belonging
• SOC:
  • Strongest and most consistent predictor of positive adjustment and well-being across all domains.
• Eudaimonic motives:
  • Associated with academic success, personal growth, positive relationships, and life purpose.
  • Not linked to adaptation domains like social or emotional adjustment.
• Hedonic motives:
  • Showed limited relevance; only weakly linked to personal growth and life purpose.
• ADHD symptoms:
  • Consistently predicted poorer academic, emotional, and institutional outcomes.
• No significant gender differences in any outcomes.

Insight

This study demonstrates that university students with ADHD often face greater emotional and academic struggles.

However, the findings highlight that personal strengths—especially a strong sense of coherence—play a vital role in buffering these challenges.

Students with higher SOC are more likely to:

• View academic stress as manageable.
• Feel confident in their ability to cope.
• Find meaning in their education.

Interestingly, even though ADHD students scored lower on SOC, their levels of hedonic and eudaimonic motivation were similar to their peers.

This suggests that while they may share similar aspirations for pleasure and purpose, their ability to structure and manage stress is reduced.

The distinction between hedonia and eudaimonia is also crucial. Eudaimonic motives—such as striving to grow or contribute—seemed to support deeper well-being (like life purpose and personal development), whereas hedonic motives—seeking comfort—offered less consistent benefits.

These findings support shifting ADHD research toward strength-based frameworks. Future studies could examine whether interventions that boost SOC and eudaimonic motivation could increase resilience and reduce dropout risk among students with ADHD.

Clinical Implications

• For Clinicians:
  Focused interventions that build SOC—especially enhancing students’ sense of meaningfulness and manageability—could improve psychological outcomes.
• For Universities:
  Academic support programs should move beyond skills training and incorporate positive psychology tools that foster coherence and purpose (e.g., goal-setting workshops, meaning-focused counselling).
• For Students with ADHD:
  Encouraging students to reflect on long-term goals, values, and strengths can help them reframe their challenges as manageable and worthwhile.
• Challenges:
  Implementing SOC-driven interventions requires time and trained professionals. Also, motivation-based support may need to be personalized for those with different cognitive or emotional profiles.

Strengths

• Focus on Protective Factors: Most ADHD research emphasizes deficits; this study explores what helps students thrive.
• Comprehensive Design: Included multiple domains of well-being and academic adjustment.
• Validated Measures: Used well-established, reliable self-report tools.
• Matched Control Group: Carefully selected comparison group enhances validity.

Limitations

• Small Sample Size: Only 82 participants limits generalizability.
• Self-Report Bias: Results rely on subjective reports, which may be influenced by personal perceptions.
• Cross-Sectional Design: Data collected at one point in time—cannot show cause and effect.
• COVID-19 Context: Most data were collected during the pandemic, possibly skewing stress and motivation levels.
• Medication Use: Many ADHD participants were on medication, but dosage effects weren’t examined.

Socratic Questions

1. Why might sense of coherence be more protective than hedonic motives in academic settings?
2. Could eudaimonic motives help buffer the effects of low SOC in students with ADHD?
3. What types of university programs could enhance SOC in students, and how could these be measured for effectiveness?
4. How might the pandemic have influenced students’ reported motivation and well-being?
5. Why do you think hedonic motives were less predictive of success compared to eudaimonic ones?
6. If you were designing an intervention for students with ADHD, would you prioritize reducing symptoms or building resilience? Why?
7. Could non-student adults with ADHD show similar patterns, or is this unique to the university environment?
8. How might long-term tracking of SOC and motivation changes improve our understanding of academic persistence in ADHD populations?