An investigation of teachers' perspectives regarding ADHD symptoms and teachers' behavior ratings of 5--6 year old children diagnosed with ADHD and non-ADHD peers.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study obtained 30 teachers' appraisals of the normalcy and acceptability of behaviors typically associated with ADHD symptoms in 5 to 6 year old children as well as teacher ratings of 30 children diagnosed with ADHD and 30 matched peers on two instruments: the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (Merrell, K. W. (1994b). <italic>Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales</italic>. Austin, TX: PRO-ED) and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Rating Scale (Holland, M. L., Gimpel, G. A., & Merrell, K. W. (2001). <italic> Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms Rating Scale</italic>. Wilmington, DE: Wide Range). Demographic information about the teachers was also gathered. Relations between teacher demographics, appraisals of normalcy/acceptability, and ratings of behavior on the two instruments were examined. Results showed that teacher perceptions of normalcy and acceptability were not significantly related to their appraisals of children in ADHD or control groups; however, the number of children referred for possible evaluation during the 2001–2002 school year was related to teachers' perceptions of behavior. Two major limitations of the study were the methods used to diagnose the children as ADHD, and the fact that the classroom teachers had knowledge of the diagnoses. Future research should attempt to further explore the relationship between number of referrals a teacher made during the school year and the teachers' ratings of the children in the ADHD and control groups.