Teacher Knowledge of ADHD and Classroom Management

School-age children spend a majority of their time at school and in the classroom. This setting may be one of the most difficult places for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because it requires children to engage in behaviors that go against the core symptoms of ADHD (Kos et al., 2006). ADHD affects a wide range of children with about four to seven percent being formally diagnosed, usually during early childhood (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). As a result of these prevalence rates, a teacher is likely to have a child with ADHD in their classroom. As such, elementary school teachers are likely to be among the first people to notice ADHD related behaviors (Tannock & Martinussen, 2001). To recognize these symptoms, knowledge of ADHD is important. In addition, knowing about ADHD can influence teachers’ behaviors and perceptions of the disorder. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between teacher knowledge of ADHD and classroom management. Currently, there is limited research on teacher knowledge of ADHD and classroom management. However, there is research that suggest that teacher knowledge of ADHD influences teacher’s behaviors (Kos, Richdale, & Hay, 2006). In this study, teachers will respond to surveys about knowledge of ADHD and classroom management. Approximately 35-50 teachers will be surveyed. It is predicted that teachers with a higher level of knowledge about ADHD will be more likely to implement classroom management strategies that support students with ADHD