Knowledge and beliefs about ADHD of Peruvian teachersthe role of teaching experience with ADHD

Résumé

Introduction.Studies that have analyzed teachers' knowledge, misconceptions and gaps about ADHD have focused primarily on North America, Europe and Asia, fundamentally. However, the knowledge of teachers in South America and Central America about ADHD has not been analyzed. Aims. Therefore, in this study we set two objectives: a) to compare the Peruvian pre-service teachers (PSTs) and in-service teachers ́(ISTs) knowledge, misconceptions and lack of knowledge about ADHD, and b) to analyse the differences in knowledge, misconceptions and lacks of knowledge between ISTs with and without experience about ADHD. Method. Two hundred sixty-four teachers completed the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS), the Index of Teaching Stress (ITS), and a socio-demographic questionnaire. Results. Results showed that ISTs had more correct answers on total scale, on general information and on treatment sub-scales than PSTs. The PSTs had more lacks of knowledge on total scale than ISTs. The ISTs with experience about ADHD hadmore teaching stress, higher scores on self-efficacy and more accurate knowledge on total scale and on each sub-scale. In addition, ISTs knowledge correlated with post-grade education and years of experience. Self-efficacy correlated with experience aboutADHD and years of experience. Discussion. The importance of misconceptionsand knowledge gaps about ADHD for teacher training is discussed.