Ambivalent attitudes about teaching children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

ABSTRACT

Drawing on attitude theories from social psychology, we conducted a survey of Australian pre-service (n = 327) and in-service (n = 127) teachers’ attitudes about teaching children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This paper reports a content analysis of beliefs, affect and behaviours towards teaching children with ADHD and quantitative analyses pertaining to attitudinal ambivalence – that is, where a teacher may simultaneously report negative and positive evaluations of teaching children with ADHD. While on average, overall or global attitudes were mildly positive for both cohorts, considerable ambivalence about teaching children with ADHD was commonly experienced. Participants reported ambivalent beliefs, affect and behaviours, as well as ambivalence between these attitude components. Paradoxically, participants who knew more about ADHD and held stronger positive global attitudes about teaching children with ADHD reported less ambivalent behaviours towards these children, but reported more ambivalent beliefs. The implications for teachers’ professional development and training are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• attitudes
• ambivalence
• pre-service teacher
• in-service teacher

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Donnah L. Anderson

Donnah L. Anderson is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at Charles Sturt University Australia. Donnah gained her Ph.D. at the University of New England, Australia. Donnah’s research takes an interdisciplinary approach that bridges education and psychology. She has a particular interest in children with behavioural and emotional difficulties and their right to a quality education. Donnah has also worked with the Centre for Children and Young People at Southern Cross University Australia on large scale mixed-methods projects investigating children and young people's participation and wellbeing at school.

Sue E. Watt

Sue E. Watt is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at University of New England, in Australia. Sue completed a Ph.D. in social psychology at the University of Western Australia. Her research has focused on the function and structure of prejudiced attitudes in Australia and overseas. In a related area, Sue has also conducted research on the topic of immigration. She is interested in the processes involved in adjusting to a new society, and has examined acculturation from the points of view of the immigrant and the receiving society.

Dianne C. Shanley

Dianne C. Shanley is the Director of the Allied Health Clinics and a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University. She obtained her Masters and Ph.D. at The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. She is a registered psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia, a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and member of the APS College of Clinical Psychologists.