Effectiveness of a Long-Term Training Programme for Teachers in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on Knowledge and Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The active participation of teachers in the process of diagnosis and intervention of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is relevant to helping mitigate future problems in children with ADHD. In training programmes, teachers usually implement strategies to improve the child’s functioning after participating in an ADHD management-training programme. However, they receive little psycho-educational training and coaching and have low-to-moderate levels of knowledge of the disorder, mostly in terms of training in classroom management strategies. This study analyses the effectiveness of training in increasing knowledge and perceived self-efficacy with regard to ADHD in 40 primary school teachers. Twenty of these teachers participated in a long-term psycho-educational training programme on the management of ADHD (intervention multimodal group), while the other 20 did not (control group). The results of the post-treatment phase revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups of teachers with regard to their knowledge (Z = −5.427; p = 0.000; d = 0.89) and perceived self-efficacy (Z = −5.150; p = 0.000; d = 0.79), in favour of the participants who had received training. Our findings have important implications for the design of training programmes for teachers in the management of ADHD in the classroom.

Professional Development: Improving Teachers’ Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Related to Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…Furthermore, teacher self-efficacy displayed a marked increase immediately after the training, followed by a slight decline after 5 weeks. This increase is in line with that reported by previous studies on the effectiveness of professional development programs for improving teacher knowledge concerning EBDs (Aguiar et al, 2014; Alshehri et al, 2020; Barbaresi & Olsen, 1998; Corkum et al, 2019; Froelich et al, 2012; Jarque Fernández et al, 2021; Jones et al, 2008; Jongh & Wium, 2021; Kallas et al, 1997; Lasisi et al, 2017; Latouche & Gascoigne, 2019; Maag & Larson, 2004; Miranda et al, 2002; Staff et al, 2022; Syed & Hussein, 2010; Veenman et al, 2019). This increase in knowledge may be a result of the training presented to the participants in this study that was designed, developed, and conducted to meet their overall needs.…”

Attentional Neurodiversity in Physical Education Lessons: A Sustainable and Inclusive Challenge for Teachers

“…On the other hand, ADHD and developmental coordination disorder (DCD) are both childhood disorders identified in the DSM-5 [18] with a very similar population prevalence [12,19]. Thus, it is widely accepted that ADHD is a co-morbid disorder.…”