Education professionals' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with ADHD: the role of knowledge and stigma

Martin K. Toye, Claire Wilson, Georgina A. Wardle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)
173 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Attitudes play a pivotal role in the inclusion of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in mainstream schools but little is known about factors that influence these. This study investigated the effect of ADHD knowledge and stigma on professionals attitudes towards mainstream inclusion. Teachers, support staff, school managers and educational psychologists completed questionnaires assessing ADHD knowledge, stigma and attitudes towards inclusion. Psychologists displayed more knowledge, had less stigmatising beliefs and more inclusive attitudes than other professions. Regression analyses revealed those with more knowledge of ADHD and less stigma held more positive attitudes towards mainstream inclusion. Results have implications for how to promote inclusive beliefs about ADHD.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)184-196
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Research in Special Educational Needs
Volume19
Issue number3
Early online date4 Dec 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Jul 2019

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • ADHD knowledge
  • ADHD stigma
  • attitudes towards inclusive education
  • education professionals

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Education professionals' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with ADHD: the role of knowledge and stigma'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this