Symposium
Artificial Intelligence and Technology-based Interventions
Jessica McCabe, Other (she/her/hers)
How to ADHD
Seattle, Washington, United States
This presentation explores how lived experience, cognitive-behavioral frameworks, and intentional use of digital media can be combined to create effective, scalable psychoeducation for adults with ADHD around the world.
I will begin by discussing what led me to start creating ADHD-focused content on YouTube: my own misunderstandings about my diagnosis, the decades of shame and failure that followed, and the discovery that empowering, life-changing information about ADHD in adulthood was available – it just wasn’t accessible, and very often, wasn’t presented in a way meant for those of us living with it.
I will then describe how I design content specifically for ADHD audiences. This includes attention-aware pacing, clear and simple structure, visuals that support understanding and retention, storytelling, humor, and explicit validation—paired with evidence-informed strategies drawn from CBT, neuroscience, and skills-based interventions. The goal is not just to deliver information, but to help viewers feel regulated enough to absorb it, motivated enough to try it, and safe enough to reflect on their own experiences without self-blame.
The presentation will also share feedback from viewers across the globe, many of whom report feeling seen and understood for the first time. For many viewers, digital psychoeducation functions as a bridge: a supplement to therapy, a starting point before formal care, or sometimes the only support available.
Finally, I will discuss future directions informed by these experiences, including greater collaboration between clinicians/researchers and digital creators, culturally responsive adaptations of psychoeducational content, and thoughtful use of emerging technologies. When evidence-based digital media is designed with ADHD brains in mind, it can meaningfully expand global access to support, understanding, and empowerment.