MAdS – Navigating University with ADHD
People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can face particular challenges at university that may become a significant source of stress. Attending lectures and seminars regularly, preparing for exams and presentations, and writing papers are just some of the many demands of university study, all of which require a high degree of concentration and self-organization. These are precisely the areas that people with ADHD often find difficult. In addition to problems with concentration and organization, motivational difficulties, self-doubt, mood swings, and difficulties with impulse control can also make studying considerably more challenging.
Although ADHD is relatively common among university students, more research is needed on how it specifically affects learning and day-to-day university life, as well as on the support these students need. This is where MAdS comes in. Funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), MAdS is a joint project of the Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education and the Central Student Advisory Service at the University of Potsdam.
Project Goals
MAdS is designed for students with diagnosed or suspected ADHD. One of the project’s goals is to help students develop skills for managing study-related challenges in a targeted way and to provide them with the core skills they need to plan and organize their studies successfully. The aim is to strengthen students’ ability to successfully manage the demands of university study and reduce existing barriers. In addition, research into the effectiveness of the support provided by the project contributes to a better understanding of ADHD.
One initiative designed to achieve these goals is the ADHD Group, an intervention research project. The group brings together approximately eight students with ADHD under the guidance of a psychological facilitator. Over the course of eight weekly 90-minute sessions, participants share experiences and reflect on challenges and strengths associated with ADHD, related learning difficulties and strategies, and emotional and social challenges. Data on participants’ psychological well-being and academic success are collected at three points in time and analyzed anonymously to evaluate the effectiveness of the ADHD Group.
In addition, project staff from the Central Student Advisory Service are developing educational advising and support services tailored specifically to the target group to help students manage their academic responsibilities.
How the Program Works
Participants are selected in advance through individual initial consultations with the psychologists working on the project. The ADHD Group research project is conducted by the Psychology for Inclusive Education group at the University of Potsdam. Those interested in participating can contact Professor Hennig, Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education, at adhs-gruppeuuni-potsdampde.
The educational advising and support services include individual advising (e.g., on returning to university after an extended interruption, doubts about continuing one’s studies, planning and organizing university and everyday life, and applying for academic accommodations); workshops (e.g., on preparing for and following up on exams, academic writing, and procrastination); and regular working groups where students can exchange experiences and work on specific academic tasks (e.g., term papers and final theses, preparing for and reviewing course sessions, and study groups). These services are also designed to help participants in the psychological and therapeutic ADHD groups integrate what they have learned there into their day-to-day university lives over the long term.
| Project Lead | Prof. Dr. Timo Hennig (Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education) |
| Robert Meile (Department Head, Central Student Advisory Service / Mental Health Counseling) | |
| Academic Oversight | Prof. Dr. Timo Hennig (Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education) |
| M.Sc. Psych. Julius Greiser (Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education) | |
| M.Sc. Psych. Rebecca Seggewiß (Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education) | |
| Mental Health Counseling | Dipl. Psych. Birgit Klöhn (Central Student Advisory Service / Mental Health Counseling) |
| M.Sc. Psych. Sophia Zimonis (Central Student Advisory Service / Mental Health Counseling) | |
| Educational Advising | Dr. Lucas Mielke (Central Student Advisory Service) |
| Ulrike Sträßner (Central Student Advisory Service) | |
| Project Administration | Uta Krüger |
| Student Research Assistant | Lennart Buchholz |
Navigating University with ADHD – Event Series, Exchange and Networking for Students and Others Interested in ADHD
AD(H)S - Diagnostik, Behandlung und Beratung (in German)
Inklusive Lehre für Studierende mit Neurodivergenz gestalten – für Lehrende (in German)
Study Stream: Mit AD(H)S studieren (in German)
AD(H)S & Selbstwert in Leistungs- und Bewertungssituationen (in German)
AD(H)S und Grenzen setzen (in German)
AD(H)S - Suchtverhalten und (Soziale) Medien (in German)
Mit AuD(H)S studieren (in German)
Books and Literature Available for Loan
Contact
MAdS Team | Educational Advising
Please note: No service on September 4, September 11, September 18 & September 25, 2026!
| Monday | Dr. Lucas Mielke 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Advising over the phone: +49 331 977-153087 | - |
| Friday | Ulrike Sträßner 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Advising over the phone: +49 331 977-153087 | - |
Contact
ADHD Group Intervention Research Program | Prof. Dr. Timo Hennig (Chair of Psychology for Inclusive Education)
The project “MAdS – Navigating University with ADHD” is funded by the European Union and the State of Brandenburg.