Under the direction of Dr. Arthur D. Anastopoulos (Principal Investigator, UNC Greensboro) and Dr. Joshua M. Langberg (Co-Principal Investigator, Virginia Commonwealth University), our research team recently completed a comprehensive examination of the benefits of ACCESS in the context of a four-year, randomized controlled trial (Goal 3) study, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education. Findings from this trial revealed statistically and clinically significant improvements across multiple domains of functioning, thereby lending strong support to the efficacy of ACCESS as a treatment for college students with ADHD.
Over a period of five consecutive semesters, we recruited a total of 351 college students who volunteered for the project. All potential participants underwent rigorous eligibility screening. Data collected from these screening evaluations was carefully reviewed by a panel of ADHD experts who determined whether DSM-5 criteria were met not only for ADHD, but also for other mental health conditions. 250 college students with well-defined ADHD were then randomly assigned to receive ACCESS either immediately or on a one-year delayed basis. Outcome data assessing multiple domains of functioning were collected at five time points: prior to the active phase, during the active phase (immediate ACCESS group only), following the active phase, at the end of the maintenance phase, and six months after the maintenance phase was completed (immediate ACCESS group only).
We used a broad array of measures to evaluate treatment-induced changes, not only across multiple domains of functioning but also with respect to our hypothesized mechanisms of clinical change.
Findings from our randomized controlled trial provide strong evidence in support of the efficacy and feasibility of ACCESS as a treatment for young adults with ADHD attending college.
Anastopoulos, A.D., Langberg, J.M., Eddy, L.D., Silvia, P.J., & Labban, J.D. (2021). A randomized controlled trial examining CBT for college students with ADHD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 89 (1), 21–33. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000553
Eddy, L.D., Anastopoulos, A.D., Dvorsky, M.R., Silvia, P.J., Labban, J.D., & Langberg, J.M. (2021). An RCT of a CBT intervention for emerging adults with ADHD attending college: Functional outcomes. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2020.1867989
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IES Disclaimer - ACCESS is a collaborative project among faculty at UNC Greensboro and Virginia Commonwealth University. This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (R305A150207). The opinions expressed by the authors are not necessarily reflective of the position of or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.