Attitude of Primary School Teachers towards Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Chintal. Siva Sankar^1,

¹Department of Education, Rajiv Gandhi University (CU), Itanagar-791112, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Cite this paper:
Chintal. Siva Sankar. Attitude of Primary School Teachers towards Children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). American Journal of Educational Research. 2017; 5(9):977-983. doi: 10.12691/education-5-9-9

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood mental health disorder. It is a specific learning disability in connection with heritable neuro-developmental disorder. It also influences social, academic, and/or occupational functioning. It is characterized by inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity and executive dysfunctions. It is caused by an interaction of a child’s inherent biology and his/her environment. It is widely agreed that medication alone is never a sufficient treatment. Positive learning environment is to be provided for children with ADHD. Fundamentally, primary school teachers need positive attitude on children with ADHD in order to create positive learning environment. Thus, the present investigator insightfully made the objective of the study as: to find out significant differences if any, in the attitude of primary school teachers towards children with ADHD due to variation in gender, educational qualification, teaching experience and locality. Null hypothesis was formulated in connection with objective. A sample of 160 teachers was drawn for this present study. Among the 160 teachers, male teachers (n1 = 80; 50%) & female teachers (n2 = 80; 50%); Rural teachers (n1 = 87; 54.37%) & Urban teachers (n2 = 73; 45.63%); teachers of Under Graduate qualification (n1 = 89; 55.62%) & teachers of Post Graduate qualification (n2 = 71; 44.38%); teachers having teaching experience of Below 10 Years (n1 = 86; 53.75% ) & teachers having teaching experience of 10 years & above 10 years(n2 = 74; 46.25%); were drawn randomly. The study also followed normative survey method. Attitude Scale on Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ASADHD) was constructed and developed using Likert method. Reliability and validity of the tool were 0.86 & 0.92 respectively. Data was collected and analyzed quantitatively with Mean, SD and t-test. The results of the study were: As per differential analysis, the calculated t-value (0.89) with regard to overall attitude (M1 =180.94, SD1=17.06; M2= 178.73, SD2 =13.85), P≤ 0.01 is insignificant. It revealed that that male and female teachers’ positive attitudes on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) did not differ in relation to concept, characteristics, causes, strategies and assessment of ADHD. It also revealed that there were no significant differences in primary school teachers’ positive attitudes towards attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder due to variation in gender, educational qualification, teaching experience and locality. As per mean values, male primary school teachers’ positive attitude towards children with ADHD (M1 =180.94) is higher than female primary school teachers’ positive attitude towards children with ADHD (M1 =178.73). Similarly, UG qualified primary school teachers’ positive attitude, primary school teachers’ of below 10 years teaching experience and rural primary school teachers’ positive attitude on children with ADHD were higher than the counter parts.

Keywords:
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (adhd) positive attitude & primary school teacher

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