Assessment of Knowledge and Attitudes toward Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders among Primary Schools’ Teachers in AL-Najaf City

Abstract

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the common emotional, cognitive and behavioral
disorder in primary school children and it affects on children socially and academically, welfare . an important
role in identify of AD/HD due to their daily contact with students in a range of related situations. Basically,
elementary school teachers’ need to Knowledge and enhance their positive attitude on pupils with ADHD to
create a positive learning environment. Consequently, the present investigator made an insight into the aim
of the study as follows: to assess teachers’ Knowledge and attitude toward pupils with ADHD and to find
out the correlation between knowledge of primary school teachers’ regarding ADHD. As well as to find out
the relationship between the teachers’ knowledge and their demographic data. The study was conducted on
at governmental primary schools at Al-Najaf City, Iraq. A total of the (10) governmental primary schools
selected randomly from total (253) governmental primary schools in Al-Najaf City. A purposive (nonprobability)
sample of (70) primary school teachers’ were selected from the candidate schools were included
in the present study. During the period of 1st September 2018 to 30th May 2019. The data was collected by
questionnaire which consisted of two parts, first part consists socio demographic sheet. Second part is about
knowledge and attitude which consist of (53) items scale of teachers’ knowledge and attitude about children
with ADHD . In the present study. Findings revealed a poor in teachers’ knowledge of as well as satisfied
responses attitude (negative)to pupils with AD/HD among elementary school teachers. Fondly the our main
findings indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between the teachers’ knowledge and the
teachers attitude toward children with AD/HD. And there is a significant relationship between demographic
characteristics and do of knowledge for the sample such as: (age,education level, years of experience,main
sources of information). Thus, it is recommended for responsible parties to notes the need for greater efforts
to provide teacher training specifically in identifying and managing children with ADHD.