ADHD: need more help for graduate students

A University of Manitoba graduate student raises awareness about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and its impact on graduate students.

Charlotte Moore was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and says that while there is research on neurodivergent students in schools, little has been done for graduate students.

“There’s absolutely no research specifically focused on graduate students with ADHD, and neurodivergent students, so autistic students, dyslexic students, dysgraphia, many different conditions, there’s just nothing there. down, which was a huge surprise to me,” she said.

According to Moore, some of the challenges someone with ADHD faces include prioritizing tasks and managing time.

“Especially once you get into graduate school, I think what’s really hard is you become more in control of your time,” she said. “And there are no fixed times to say you should be here at that time and do it at that time. So, you know, it’s up to you. Which makes it very difficult with all of these things to prioritize your time and figure out what you should be doing at any given time.

Stimulation and focus are other issues that people with ADHD face.

Moore says as part of her research, she will contact graduate students struggling with ADHD, autism and other learning disabilities.

“I hope to conduct focus groups and interviews with graduate students across Canada to really understand their experiences and what would be helpful in changing the way we conduct our undergraduate and graduate studies,” a- she said, adding that it could also be helpful for students without ADHD or autism.

-With files from Rachel Lagace of CTV News