Assessing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) specific knowledge in educators and identifying demographic predictors pertaining to educators’ knowledge of ADHD within the South African context.
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Date
2021
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Abstract
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most researched and
controversial of all the childhood-onset disorders. It is also one of the most common disorders,
with a high diagnosis rate in South Africa. Research over the last two decades shows a
diagnosis prevalence rate of between 5 and 10%, thus making it one of the most commonly
occurring disorders affecting South African children and adolescents.
Despite its high rate of prevalence, ADHD is a condition that is largely misunderstood amongst
parents, educators, and even medical practitioners such as doctors. Research has shown that
educators have a basic understanding of ADHD but are not familiar with the more complex
details related to its symptoms, treatment and associated features. This raises concern as
educators are uniquely placed in the system to perform an instrumental role in the process that
leads to ADHD referral and diagnosis. Therefore, this study aimed to measure levels of general
knowledge amongst educators in the areas of ADHD associated features, symptoms, diagnosis,
and treatment. It also set out to identify if there were any demographic predictors relating to
educators’ level of ADHD knowledge. Knowledge levels were measured using the KADDS
Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS), which is a questionnaire that
measures an educator’s level of ADHD knowledge using the categories mentioned above. The
KADDS questionnaire was administered along with a demographic questionnaire to 172
educators from primary and secondary schools located in the central Durban area. A
demographic questionnaire was also administered to the same sample.
Results from this study demonstrated that South African educators based in Durban had an
overall level of knowledge rate of 47.14%. The scores obtained during this study fall within
the average range of scores obtained from studies using the KADDS instrument, both
nationally and internationally.
The possible relationship between educators’ level of ADHD knowledge and their
demographic characteristics was investigated using correlational analyses. The variable “sex”,
which refers to the biological endowment (male/female) was the greatest contributing variable
of all the options used in this study. The female sex in this study were found to have greater
knowledge of ADHD than their male counterparts. These finding are relevant within the South
African context as mental health and the stigma it carries is a barrier to seeking knowledge and
being educated on such disorders as ADHD.
The findings from this study contribute to the body of knowledge on levels of knowledge
among educators in South Africa. Recommendations arising from this study include educators
having increased exposure to pre-service and in-service ADHD related training. Educators also
require practical experience and exposure to children suffering from ADHD, which will
increase their understanding and knowledge of this disorder. Knowledge of self-efficacy as a
variable, and its positive association with ADHD knowledge requires further exploration.
Finally, it is recommended that further research is conducted on the role that gender plays in
terms of the levels of ADHD knowledge among educators.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.