Learning disabilities and ADHD are among the most common disabilities reported by college students. Research shows that students with LD/ADHD are less likely to graduate compared to students without LD/ADHD. Even so there are college students with LD/ADHD who are successful in college. They stay in school and graduate. Students with LD/ADHD who have been successful in college have some characteristics in common.  They possess self-knowledge and self-awareness. Successful students are able to self-regulate and self-advocate. They can set authentic and realistic goals.  These characteristics are called self-determination. Data drawn from a longitudinal study point to the direct relationship among self-determination, self-concept and academic achievement.

In other words, the self-determined student has a greater potential not only to stay in school and have higher academic performance but also graduate.

How do you get this self-determination stuff? Are you born with it? Can you get it by eating right?

The good news is that students can learn to be self-determined. Here is some more good news, studies show that coaching is effective in promoting self-determined behavior in students with LD/ADHD.

Academic or ADHD coaching provides a framework of support to develop skills, strategies and beliefs essential to overcoming learning challenges. Self-efficacy and study skills among college students with LD and ADHD improve with coaching. 

Retention and graduation rates improve even among college students without learning disabilities when they are coached or mentored. Two researchers, Bettinger and Baker, studied the use of mentors and coaches with 13,555 students across eight different colleges. After 18-24 months of havened received coaching/mentoring, the coached students were 3-4 percentage points more likely to stay in school. In addition, coached students had a four-percentage point higher graduation rate than un-coached students after 4 years. This is the largest randomized experimental empirical research on the effects of coaching and college students at this time.

Other research has illustrated the influence coaching has o the growth in three areas connected to academic success: students’ learning strategies, self-regulation and academic proficiency.

Here are the three main takeaways from the research about coaching:

1. Academic success as well as other life success are connected to self-determination.
   
2. Self-determination can be learned.
3. Coaching is an effective way for students with or without LD/ADHD to learn self-determination. 

Notes

1. “Research shows that students with LD/ADHD…” Richman, E. (2013). The academic success of college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1439143335/
2. “…studies show that coaching is effective…” Farmer, J., Allsopp, D., & Ferron, J. (2015). Impact of the personal strengths program on self-determination levels of college student with LD and/or ADHD. Learning Disability Quarterly. 38(3) 145-159. Richman, Erica Lynn, Rademacher, Kristen N., & Maitland, Theresa Laurie. (2014). Coaching and College Success. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 27(1), 33-50.
3. “Data drawn from a longitudinal study…” Zheng, C, Erikson, A.G., Kingston, N.M., & Noonana, P.M. (2014). The relationship among self-determination, self-concept, and academic achievement for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities,47 (5), 462-474.
4. “Two researchers, Bettinger and Baker, studied the use of mentors and coaches…” Bettinger, E. P., & Baker, R. B. (2014). The effects of student coaching: An evaluation of a randomized experiment in student advising. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(1), 3-19. doi:10.3102/0162373713500523
5. “Coaching offers a framework…” Parker, D., & Boutelle, K. (2009). Executive function coaching for college students with learning disabilities and ADHD: A new approach for fostering self-determination. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 24(4), 204-215.
6. “Other research has illustrated the influence of coaching…” Richman, Erica Lynn, Rademacher, Kristen N., & Maitland, Theresa Laurie. (2014). Coaching and College Success. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 27(1), 33-50.