ADHD knowledge, perception and misconceptions among Sudanese elementary school teachers 2022

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is impaired functioning in at least two settings: home and school due to impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention.Primary school teachers play an essential role in assessing children's behaviour and are often the first ones to recognise a child with ADHD as they are exposed daily to children and play a role in evaluating treatment plans at school. This study aims to assess the knowledge, perception and misconceptions of elementary school teachers in the locality of Khartoum regarding ADHD and to examine the differences in their knowledge in terms of sociodemographic variables.

The study uses a descriptive cross-sectional study design conducted at 37 randomly selected elementary schools in the locality of Khartoum in October/November 2022. We applied cluster sampling and used a structured self-administered two-part questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic data and ADHD knowledge scale.

The study included 321 teachers, 270 (84.1%) females and 51 (15.9%) males. The mean age of participants was 47.9 (SD = 8.5) years, with an average teaching experience of 21.94 (SD = 10.2) years.The overall knowledge about ADHD was 48.53% (SD = 9.71). Teachers tend to show higher knowledge about ADHD symptoms and relatively poor awareness regarding ADHD treatment. Mean knowledge was higher in teachers with previous experience with an ADHD child.

Elementary school teachers in Khartoum seemed to lack sufficient understanding of ADHD, especially when it came to treatment options. Raising awareness should be prioritised to help students with ADHD.