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Teacher Management Styles and Child Characteristics Influence Likelihood of Referral for ADHD
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by Rebecca L. Vereb - Westminster College
Categories: Developmental | Educational
Factors affecting teachers' ratings of children with ADHD were examined. Teachers (N = 118) completed several questionnaires regarding their perceptions of the behavior of a hypothetical child with ADHD. Factor analysis of the Child Behavior Profile and Questionnaire revealed 3 factors, Teacher's Self-Efficacy, Teacher's Perceived Need for Additional Assistance, and Teacher's Rating of Behavior. Three 2 x 2 x 2 factorial ANOVAs examined the influence of teacher's management style (autonomous vs. controlling), sex of child, and primary symptoms (hyperactive-impulsive vs. inattentive) on each of the 3 factors. Results indicated that teachers believed that hyperactive girls would be more manageable than hyperactive boys. Also, autonomy-oriented teachers felt that the child in the profile required additional assistance beyond the typical classroom more often than control-oriented teachers. Finally, hyperactive behaviors were rated as more problematic than inattentive behaviors.