A comparative study of the effectiveness of nonattendance and workshop education of primary school teachers on their knowledge, attitude and function towards ADHD students in Isfahan in 2010*

BACKGROUND Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood behavioral disorder causing hyperactivity, attention deficit and education decline among students. The teachers may not have enough knowledge about this disorder and are in a real need in this field. Teachers' education is one of the ways to get knowledge about this disorder. Nowadays, finding a way like a short term nonattendance education method is highly in demand. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare effectiveness of nonattendance and workshop education of primary school teachers on their knowledge, attitude, and function towards ADHD students. METHODS Sixty seven primary school teachers from the First Districts of Education Department of Isfahan were randomly selected and put into two groups of workshop education (33 participants) and nonattendance education (34 participants). At first, both groups filled demographic date questionnaires and then, were given a pretest. Post tests were given after a two day education in workshop group and after ten days in nonattendance group who had studied the related booklet. Finally, the mean post test scores of knowledge, attitude and knowledge of function were compared between the two groups using ANCOVA analysis. RESULTS After intervention, the mean scores of knowledge between the two groups was not significantly different whereas the mean scores of attitude and the mean scores of knowledge of function showed a significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Nonattendance education was as effective as workshop education in promotion of teachers' knowledge, but workshop education was more effective in attitude change and promotion of teachers' knowledge of function about dealing with ADHD students.