Date

10-14-2026

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Traci Eshelman

Keywords

ADHD, athletics, self-regulation, female student-athletes, self-regulated learning, academic achievement, physical activity

Disciplines

Education

Abstract

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the lived experience of participation in athletics for female student-athletes with ADHD in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Zimmerman’s social cognitive theory of self-regulated learning, which posits that goal setting and self-reflection are necessary for developing self-regulation skills. The central research question was, “How do female student-athletes diagnosed with ADHD leverage athletics to mitigate challenges with self-regulation in their academic careers?” This study employed hermeneutic phenomenology, as outlined by van Manen, to interpret data and understand lived experience within the academic context. The sample consisted of 12 female student-athletes who were between the ages of 18 and 35 and diagnosed with ADHD. The data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and journal responses. The researcher’s reflection and analysis of data followed the hermeneutic circle and phenomenological reduction to interpret participants’ lived experiences. The analysis of the data identified four main themes: athletics offered an external structure which helped to promote self-regulation; the self-regulation skills acquired through athletics were transferred to academic situations; athletics helped in the management of ADHD symptoms; and the supportive relationships present contributed to both self-regulation and academic achievement. The results indicate that the participants saw athletics as a structured environment for development in which self-regulatory skills were developed, reinforced and then applied to academic settings.

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