Accessible data visualization for university students screening positive on the adult ADHD self-report scale

Digital information is increasingly delivered through visual interfaces, yet these interfaces are rarely designed with neurodiverse cognitive profiles in mind. This study evaluated how different data visualization formats influence information processing, perceived cognitive demand, user preference, and supplementary physiological indicators among university students who screened positive or negative on the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1). A controlled experimental study was conducted with 70 participants (40 ASRS-negative and 30 ASRS-positive), who completed information-processing tasks using eight visualization formats: Plain Text, Highlighted Text, Bar Charts, Bar Charts with Images, Pictographs, Simplified Infographics, Detailed Infographics, and AI-modified Text.

Performance was assessed using the Inverse Efficiency Score (IES), while heart rate and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO\(_2\)) were recorded as supplementary physiological measures. Data were analyzed using Two-Way Mixed ANOVA, Linear Mixed-Effects Models, MANOVA, Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc comparisons, and Bayesian analyses. The results demonstrated a significant interaction between participant group and visualization format (\(p