Academic Achievement and Satisfaction in University Students with and without ADHD: The Roles of Soft Skills and Study-Related Factors

To effectively support students' academic performance and fulfillment, it is crucial to understand the factors and qualities that empower all students to thrive and enhance their academic experience, satisfaction, and overall success, particularly for vulnerable groups like those with ADHD. To accomplish this, study-related factors (self-regulated learning, self-efficacy) and soft skills, which are personal and interpersonal abilities to help manage emotions and behaviors, were examined, and their impact on academic factors was investigated within a sample of students without any identified diagnosis. Furthermore, to assess the effects of ADHD traits on students' performance, soft skills, and study-related factors (self-regulated learning, academic self-efficacy) were measured and compared between two groups: students with and without ADHD traits. The results showed that the current grade, a measure of academic achievement, was positively correlated with academic factors (satisfaction, self-regulated learning, self-efficacy), but not with soft skills. Academic satisfaction was highly correlated with both study-related factors and soft skills, and study-related factors were also positively linked to soft skills. However, regression models revealed that only cooperation skills and academic self-efficacy predicted academic satisfaction, while study year and female gender significantly predicted current grade. ADHD disattention symptoms were related with lower self-regulated learning, academic self-efficacy, and some soft skills (self-management, social engagement), while hyperactivity/impulsivity negatively affects self-efficacy and some soft skills (self-management, emotional resilience). Considering instead the comparison between participants with a diagnosis of ADHD with students without any diagnosis differences emerged in self-management and cooperation skills, with ADHD reported lower scores. Overall, current results show that the promotion of these study-related qualities and other skills can greatly support students' growth, contentment, and success with or without ADHD traits.