Influence of substance use on the adaptive functioning of post-secondary students with ADHD
Objectives. This study aims to study the association between psychoactive substances (PSA) use and the adaptive functioning of students with ADHD in post-secondary education. The functional impairment experienced by post-secondary students with ADHD and the types of PSA preferred by this population is also examined. Method. The sample consists of 243 college (56.7%) and university (43.6%) students from the province of Quebec, with ADHD and aged 24 years on average. Results. A higher proportion of university students are at risk for alcohol consumption compared to college students. Cannabis and speeds are emerging to be the substances of choice for those who use drugs (43.3%). In addition, multivariate analyzes of covariance show a significant main effect for severity of alcohol use according to functional domains. The severity of alcohol and drug use is associated with risk behaviors. Conclusion. A risky use of alcohol or drugs significantly influences the lives of students with ADHD.