South African Foundation Phase Teachers’ Perceptions of ADHD at Private and Public Schools

Anwynne Kern, Zaytoon Amod, Joseph Seabi and Adri Vorster
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Anwynne Kern: School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, Gauteng 2050, South Africa
Zaytoon Amod: School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, Gauteng 2050, South Africa
Joseph Seabi: School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, Gauteng 2050, South Africa
Adri Vorster: School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, WITS, Gauteng 2050, South Africa

IJERPH, 2015, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: This study investigated foundation phase teachers’ perceptions of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The teachers’ views on the aetiology, appropriate interventions and incidence rates of ADHD were examined. A total of 130 foundation phase teachers from mainstream private and public schools completed a self-developed questionnaire that had been piloted by the researchers. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data, specifically to determine whether there were differences in responses between public and private school teachers. Thematic content analysis was used to identify the themes that emerged from the open-ended questions. It was found that the teachers had a limited understanding of ADHD, in terms of what it is as well as the aetiology. In addition, it emerged that medication was the preferred method of intervention despite the participants’ awareness of alternative intervention methods. A comparison of the private and public school teachers’ results indicated no significant difference in their perceptions regarding the aetiology, interventions or incidence rates of ADHD.

Keywords: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); teacher perceptions; incidence; aetiology and rates (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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