Primary school teachers' perspectives on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Abstract
Teachers' beliefs about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) play a pivotal role in children’s inclusion, learning progression, self-image, and levels of peer social acceptance. However, in Greece, teachers’ levels of knowledge about the nature and management of ADHD are not adequately determined. The present study examined Greek primary school teachers’ understanding of the behavioural characteristics of children with ADHD, the kinds of support teachers preferred, and interventions they had implemented. An open-ended self-report questionnaire was administered to 19 primary school teachers working in public schools. The data processing was based on the principles of descriptive analysis. The research outcomes indicate that even though teachers had adequate knowledge of ADHD characteristics, they believed that an individual-medical model for managing the behavioural difficulties of ADHD was more appropriate for children with the disorder. Given the potentially negative effects of these beliefs on ADHD children’s inclusion, the study recommends that the distinct role of public-school teachers in primary education be redefined in managing students with ADHD.
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Vasileiadis, I., Vleioras, G., Tsermentseli, S., & Tsaknaki, E. (2022). Primary school teachers’ perspectives on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Preschool and Primary Education, 10(2), 175–195. https://doi.org/10.12681/ppej.28612
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