ABSTRACT

ADHD symptoms in emerging adult college students are associated with multiple impairments. Social support may buffer the relation between ADHD and impairment. Social support can be defined in terms of quantity or quality; more research is needed to better understand this distinction. Thus, the current study examined the moderating effect of social support quantity vs. quality on the relation between ADHD symptoms and impairment in college students. Our sample included 2,517 undergraduate students (75% women) in the United States who participated in an online survey. In a series of moderated regression analyses, we found that social support quantity (i.e. having a larger social network) served as a buffer of impairment, while social support quality (i.e. the depth and availability of individuals in the social circle) did not. This suggests that college students with ADHD symptoms may need to spread their social support needs among a larger group of people to receive the support they need. Clinically, college counseling centers should be aware of this, and tailor their interventions accordingly. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

摘要

新兴成人大学生的 ADHD 症状与多种损伤有关。社会支持可以缓冲 ADHD 与损伤之间的关系。社会支持可以根据数量或质量来定义；需要更多的研究来更好地理解这种区别。因此，本研究考察了社会支持数量与质量对大学生 ADHD 症状与损伤之间关系的调节作用。我们的样本包括参与在线调查的美国 2,517 名本科生（75% 为女性）。在一系列适度回归分析中，我们发现社会支持数量（即拥有更大的社交网络）起到缓冲损伤的作用，而社会支持质量（即个人在社交圈中的深度和可用性）则没有。这表明有 ADHD 症状的大学生可能需要在更大的人群中传播他们的社会支持需求，以获得他们需要的支持。在临床上，大学咨询中心应该意识到这一点，并相应地调整他们的干预措施。限制和未来的方向进行了讨论。