Ambivalent bonds, positive and negative emotions, and expectations in teachers’ perceptions of relationship with their students with ADHD

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic status of teachers working with students with ADHD

Age group	Sex	Pseudonym	Marital status	Education	Years of teachers’ experience	Age of students with ADHD	Subjects taught by teachers
30–39	Woman Woman Woman Woman Man Man	Marta Alena Hana Petra Josef Ales	Married Married Divorced Single Married Divorced	Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education Secondary education	5 6 5 5 7 5	12–14 12–14 12–14 12–14 12–14 12–14	Biology Czech language, English Mathematics, Chemistry Czech language, History Czech language, Social Sciences Social Sciences
40–49	Woman Woman Woman Woman Man Man Man	Marika Evelina Katka Ivana Martin Vendelin Matej	Married Married Married Divorced Married Married Married	Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education Higher education	12 6 15 12 8 6 17	12–14 12–14 12–14 12-14 12-14 12-14 12-14	Czech language, Social Sciences Music, English Biology Physics, Chemistry Social Sciences, History Mathematics, Chemistry
50–59	Woman Man Man	Marie Milos Antonin	Married Married Married	Higher education Higher education Higher education	22 15 18	12-14 12-14 12-14	Social Sciences, History Czech language, History Geography

Table 2. Date and place of recording of interviews with participants

Pseudonym of participants	Date	Place
Marta	10/20/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Alena	7/23/2018	A room at participant’s work(teachers’ room) without the presence of other people and distractions
Hana	10/4/2018	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Petra	9/14/2018	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Josef	2/6/2020	A room at participant’s work(classroom) without the presence of other people and distractions
Ales	1/23/2019	Tennis club room without the presence of other people and distractions
Marika	4/23/2020	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Evelina	3/19/2019	A room at participant’s work(teachers’ room) without the presence of other people and distractions
Katka	4/23/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Ivana	12/4/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Martin	10/4/2019	A room at participant’s work(classroom) without the presence of other people and distractions
Vendelin	6/11/2018	A room at participant’s work(laboratory) without the presence of other people and distractions
Matej	11/18/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Marie	6/12/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Milos	12/8/2018	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions
Antonin	2/15/2019	A room at participant’s home without the presence of other people and distractions

Table 3. System of thematic codes (nodes) and sub-thematic codes (sub-nodes)

Thematic codes (nodes)	Sub-thematic codes (sub-nodes)
Students with ADHD	Problems of students with ADHD Self-perception of students with ADHD Relationships of students with ADHD
Teacher about his work	Teachers’ needs Perception of ADHD Advice and recommendations for working with ADHD students Relationship to students with ADHD Coping with students with ADHD
Working with a student with ADHD	Communication with students with ADHD Motivation of working with students with ADHD Challenges of working with with students with ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD	Aggression Emotion Hyperactivity Impulsivity Positive aspects of ADHD Attention Symptom changes
Parents	Communication with parents of students with ADHD

Table 4. Frequency of themes

Theme	Number of participants reporting the theme
Teachers’ strong ambivalent bond with students with ADHD	15
Teachers’ negative emotions in relation to students with ADHD	15
Negative emotions of teachers due to repeated negative experiences with students with ADHD	8
Teachers were relieved not to have to teach students with ADHD	4
Teachers’ experience that students with ADHD disrupted teaching	12
The feeling of helplessness of teachers as a result of the behaviour of students with ADHD in the classroom	3
Positive emotions of teachers towards students with ADHD	15
Positive emotions of the teacher in response to some specific abilities of students with ADHD	7
The teachers’ beliefs that the students with ADHD are abusing the diagnosis of ADHD, which led to the teachers’ lower tolerance and a sense of closeness to students with ADHD	2
The teachers’ beliefs that disruptive behaviour of the students with ADHD is unintentional, which led teachers to increase tolerance and a sense of closeness to students with ADHD	6
The teachers’ beliefs that some disruptive behaviour of the students with ADHD is unintentional and other disruptive behaviour is intentional, which leads teachers to increase tolerance for disruptive behaviour considered unintentional and not to accept disruptive behaviour considered intentional.	8
How can teachers positively influence the quality of a teacher-student with ADHD relationship	16
Mental preparedness for disruptive behaviour of students with ADHD. Pre-prepared prompt but calm interventions.	16
The teachers offered students with ADHD to work together to improve their relationship.	7
The teachers explained to the student with ADHD the symptoms of ADHD and that it is possible to learn to respond to the symptoms with more adaptive behaviour, which they can try to find and train together.	3
The teachers tried to be a role model for students with ADHD in the performance of duties	2
The teachers built a mutual trust with the students with ADHD, which enabled open communication about the symptoms of ADHD and the current needs of students with ADHD	5
The teachers noticed and appreciated the strengths and specific abilities of students with ADHD. The teachers used the strengths and special abilities of students with ADHD to streamline the learning process in the classroom. In this way, there was an increase in self-esteem of students with ADHD, increased closeness in the teachers-students with ADHD relationship and a better social status of students with ADHD in the classroom.	7 4