Supporting School Transitions for Adolescents with ADHD

Plain-language summary

Research suggests that transitions, particularly during adolescence, can be challenging for young people with ADHD. While the studies highlight some general difficulties and important promoting factors, specific strategies for successful transitions to high school or college are not extensively detailed, and evidence on this topic remains somewhat limited and mixed.

Key findings

• Identifying and strengthening resilience-promoting factors can be very helpful for young people with ADHD as they move into new school environments like middle school.
• Academic motivation tends to decrease for many adolescents, including those with ADHD, and this can impact their success in school, suggesting the need for support in maintaining engagement.
• Adolescents and young adults with ADHD may face unique challenges during periods of significant change, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring the importance of tailored support during transitions.

Studies cited (3)

1. Adolescence and ADHD: Practical proposals regarding the transition of care — Cabelguen C, Hadjadj Aoul S, Kammerer E (2026, L'Encephale, other)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2026.01.007

2. Identifying resilience promoting factors and sex differences in youth with ADHD across the transition to middle school — Dvorsky MR, Becker SP (2025, BMC psychiatry, other)

   DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-07103-9 PMCID: PMC12315373

3. Academic motivation decreases across adolescence for youth with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Effects of motivation on academic success — Smith ZR, Flax M, Becker SP (2023, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, other)

   DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13815