Postsecondary Students with LD/ADHD Facing a Sudden Shift to Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic—Emotional Costs and Implications

Abstract

This study examined the emotional costs and well-being of postsecondary students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who faced a sudden shift to emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted with 237 postsecondary students in Israel from June to July 2020. With regard to online learning, the LD/ADHD subjects reported significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression and lower well-being than their neurotypical counterparts. However, no significant differences were found in emotional costs and well-being when the same students had experienced online learning prior to the pandemic. These findings have practical implications for policymakers in academia with regard to the emotional toll of online learning among students with LD/ADHD and their specific needs when facing ERT during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the contribution of previous online learning when facing ERT.