Abstract
A positive attitude of teachers and psychotherapists towards children with ADHD can both support their mutual relationship and support reducing ADHD-related symptoms. According to Fishbein and Ajzen’s rational-choice approach, attitude formation is based on a person’s expectations and the appraisal of these, thus attitude, therefore, differs individually. The present study aimed to identify different attitude profiles based on our participants’ answer patterns on the ADHD-school-expectation questionnaire’s (ASE) subscales, and to examine which attitude profile would be desirable for professionals working with children with ADHD. We conducted a latent profile analysis and investigated differences between the latent profiles. Our analysis revealed three attitude profiles characterized by negative, moderate and extreme ratings of expectations. The attitude profiles differed in further variables such as the use and effectiveness of rating classroom management strategies, knowledge of ADHD, perceived control, stress and strain, as well as some personality traits. The extreme rating profile seems to be beneficial for children with ADHD, whereas the moderate rating profile might appeal to certain professionals.
Highlights
Speaking, one to two children worldwide in every classroom will suffer from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) [1,2]
On the other hand, such children might be perceived as demanding and difficult, and psychotherapists might prefer patients with other disorders to those with ADHD. As both teachers and psychotherapists are professionals working with children, and as attitudes towards children with ADHD can influence their interactions with such children, this study aims to identify latent attitude profiles of both groups
The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed a significant difference in attitudes measured with the ADHD-school-expectation questionnaire (ASE) between the groups of pre-service teachers, in-service teachers and psychotherapists in training (PIT), F (2, 1768) = 4.936, p = 0.007
Summary
Speaking, one to two children worldwide in every classroom (with an average class size of 30 children) will suffer from Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) [1,2]. ADHD is often first identified when families seek professional support (e.g., psychotherapy, psychiatric care) once children have entered school [3]. If teachers apply specific classroom management strategies (CMS), their behavior can significantly change children’s behavior, for instance by leading to reduced ADHD symptoms [9]. Such use of CMS can contribute to both a less stressful classroom environment and potentially disrupt dysfunctional trajectories, as handling ADHD-related symptoms positively might affect developmental pathways and result in disrupting certain psychopathologies [10,11,12,13]. Teachers can influence a student’s performance by their expectations about that student—even when teachers are trying to seem neutral [14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
