Awareness and Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders among Primary School Teachers in India

Objectives: The prevalence of Attention hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) in children ranges from 510% but has not received adequate attention in developing countries like India. There are also several misconceptions and stigmas associated with ADHD. Teachers could play a significant role in identifying children with ADHD. The purpose of this study is to assess the awareness and knowledge of ADHD in elementary school teachers and the variables influencing that knowledge. Material and Methods: 312 teachers were given a selfreport questionnaire and socio-demographic information and their ability to identify signs and symptoms of ADHD based on DSM-IV-TR criteria were evaluated. Results: 268 teachers were aware of the term ADHD and their knowledge of ADHD ranged from poor to adequate.28 (9%) of teachers had prior training. Only 92 (29%) of the teachers had a good understanding of ADHD. Conclusion: The teachers had an inadequate knowledge about ADHD. Teaching experience and prior training had a positive bearing on knowledge. Majority of teachers queried felt that their knowledge was inadequate and were willing to be trained on features of ADHD.