International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract—In an effort to examine the academic functioning of college students with ADHD, a significant number of females with ADHD in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors volunteered to take part in a quantitative study at two highly selective 4-year universities. Data analysis was used to determine whether female participants with ADHD in STEM majors were achieving at the same level as their STEM ADHD male and non-STEM female counterparts. A convenience sample of 27 college students with ADHD completed the ADHD Indicator Survey created by the Primary Investigator. Statistical analysis of G.P.A. self-reported by students indicated that there was not a significant difference between the mean G.P.A. of females with ADHD majoring in STEM and females with ADHD who were non-STEM majors. There also failed to be a significant difference between the G.P.A.’s of ADHD STEM females and males with ADHD in STEM. Interestingly, the G.P.A.'s of males in a STEM major with ADHD differed significantly from that of ADHD males pursing a non-STEM major. These results suggested that women with ADHD were just as academically successful as males with ADHD in a STEM major and females with ADHD in non-STEM majors.

Index Terms—Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), academic achievement.

The author is with the Brandman University, 16355 Laguna Canyon Road, Irvine, CA 80305 USA (e-mail: nnichols@brandman.edu).

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Cite: Nicole Nicholson, "Thriving, Not Just Surviving as a Female STEM Major with ADHD: A Quantitative Analysis of Cumulative G.P.A.," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 8, no. 11, pp. 830-833, 2018.