Introduction
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in concentrating, forgetfulness, and organise and managing tasks. College students diagnosed with ADHD face additional challenges in balancing academic responsibilities, daily life events, and emotional well-being. As a Disability Support Advisor, it is crucial to provide tailored support and strategies to help these students overcome their difficulties and achieve academic success. This article presents a case study of a university student diagnosed with ADHD and the strategies employed to support their progress.

Case Study
In the second semester of the sophomore year, a university student was diagnosed with ADHD. Prior to the diagnosis, the student struggled with procrastination, self-doubt, and anxiety, attributing her difficulties to laziness and lack of discipline. However, following the diagnosis, the student began to explore self-regulation strategies to improve her task completion ability and also her well-being.

The student’s academic work primarily involved reading literature and writing papers. She found it challenging to focus on reading long English articles and to manage the time effectively. Despite trying various methods, such as meditation and breathing exercises, the student still faced difficulties in controlling her attention and organizing her tasks.

Strategies for Progress

1. Change of Mindset
   The first step in supporting the student was to help her change her mindset about ADHD. The student initially struggled with self-doubt and anxiety, believing that her procrastination was due to laziness and lack of discipline. However, through discussions and counselling, the student gradually accepted her ADHD diagnosis and began to view it as a part of her personality rather than a flaw.It was important for the student to understand that trying to coexist with ADHD is about accepting herself as she is working towards becoming “better” in her own way. This mindset shift helped the student reduce her self-doubt and anxiety, making it easier for her to focus on her academic tasks.
2. Utilising Technology and Appsa. Meditation and Breathing Exercises (Tide)
   The student tried using the Tide app for meditation and breathing exercises. Although the effect on controlling attention was limited, the student found the experience comfortable and looked forward to more changes it could bring. The advisor encouraged the student to continue practising meditation consistently to see improvements over time.

   b. Setting Routines and Recording (Me+)
   The student used the Me+ app to set routines and record her mood. This app allowed the student to set daily routines, record daily moods, write summaries, and reflections. Although it required payment, the student found it convenient to use and helpful in organising her tasks and monitoring her emotional well-being.

   c. Phone Management (Farewell Phone Control)
   The student struggled with phone addiction and found the “Screen Time Management” function in her phone settings ineffective. Instead, she used the “Farewell Phone Control” app to limit her usage time of certain apps each day. Once the set time limit was reached, the app would be locked, preventing further use. This helped the student focus on her academic tasks without distractions.

   d. Event Reminders (To-Do Function in Memo App)
   For events with strict time requirements, such as teacher office hours or friend dinners, the student used the “To-Do” function in her memo app to set alarms and reminders. This helped the student remember events and manage her time effectively.

3. Managing Procrastinationa. Getting Up Procrastination
   The student found it helpful to listen to a podcast immediately after waking up in the morning. This distracted her brain from focusing on the series of events that getting up brings and made it easier for her to get out of bed.

   b. Procrastination Start
   When faced with a difficult task, the student played familiar music or TV shows to get started. She is suggested to divide the task into smaller segments and take breaks every 20 minutes or so. This multiple-pause method helped the student maintain focus and complete long-term paper tasks.

4. Reading Literature and Management
   Reading long English articles was a particular challenge for the student. To overcome this, she decided to “listen to the papers” instead. The student uploaded papers to an app and converted them into audio mode, allowing her to listen to the content while walking or exercising. This helped the student understand the literature and use her time more effectively.The student was also introduced to literature management software such as Mendeley, which automatically generated bibliographies for the papers. The advisor encouraged the student to explore other software like Zotero and EndNote to find the one that best suited her needs.
5. Making Good Use of Support Services
   As a Disability Support Advisor, it was important to provide ongoing support and guidance to the student. The Disability Support Service offered one-on-one professional guidance to students with ADHD, including time management skills, planning and writing strategies, review and exam skills, etc. The student found this guidance very useful and was able to apply the strategies learned to their academic work.The advisor also recommended using a colour filter on computer screens or paper documents when reading. This helped improve the student’s concentration and made it easier for her to focus on the text.

   Given the student’s difficulties with managing tasks and deadlines, applying for extended deadlines (EC) was also a strategy employed to reduce stress and anxiety. Especially during a semester with heavy workloads, extending deadlines can help students better plan multiple processes, thereby reducing academic stress.

Conclusion
Supporting university students with ADHD requires a comprehensive approach that includes mindset changes, technology utilisation, procrastination management, literature reading and management, and making good use of support services. The case study presented in this article demonstrates how a Disability Support Advisor can work with a student to identify unique challenges and develop tailored strategies for progress.

By understanding and accepting the ADHD diagnosis, the student in this case study was able to reduce her self-doubt and anxiety, making it easier for her to focus on her academic tasks. With the help of various apps and support services, the student was able to organise her tasks, manage her time effectively, and improve her focus. By employing strategies such as the multiple-pause method and listening to papers, the student was able to overcome her challenges in reading and writing.

Overall, the strategies employed in this case study were successful in supporting the student’s progress and well-being. As a Disability Support Advisor, it is important to continue monitoring the student’s progress and adjusting the support provided to ensure ongoing success. By working together with students, advisors can help them overcome their challenges and achieve their academic goals.

Article written by:
Jean Wu
RETA Fellow