Teachers' Knowledge about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Children

Abstract

Teachers can play a key role in identifying and supporting students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In order to achieve this role, it is vital for teachers to have obvious knowledge about this disorder. Aim of the study was to identify teachers' knowledge about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among primary school children. Design: a cross sectional analytic design was used. Setting: this study was conducted at primary schools in two villages (El Batanon & Kafr-Tunbdy) at Shebin El Koum Distric, Menoufia Governorate. Simple random sample consisted of 500 teachers from primary schools were included. Tools: I. Structured interview questionnaire which included socio demographic data, experience and training of teachers about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. II. Knowledge of attention deficit disorders scale. The main results of study reported that 81.4% of teachers had not received any training courses during college about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Also, there was 59% of teachers had poor knowledge compared to only 10.2% had good knowledge about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Furthermore, there was significant relation between mean score of total teachers' knowledge about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and their age, marital status, education qualification, teaching experience years, receiving training courses during college and attending an in-service workshop about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Conclusion: knowledge of teachers in the studied sample was very poor and insufficient about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Also, most of teachers did not have any training courses during college and did not attend an in-service workshop about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recommendations: In-service training courses to teachers about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Enhance teachers, parents and community awareness about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through mass media.