Perceptions of ADHD-related Behaviours in Trinidad & Tobago and Canada: A Cross-Cultural Study

Background:Trinidad & Tobago is part of a region with high rates of undiagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), making children with the condition particularly vulnerable to various negative outcomes. Parents and teachers can facilitate early diagnosis and treatment, but only if they associate excessive hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention, with ADHD. Objectives:This study was designed to determine how parents and teachers in Trinidad & Tobago perceive children’s ADHD-related behaviours, as compared with Canadians. It also explored the influence of ADHD-specific knowledge and attitudes on their perceptions. Methods:We sampled parents and teachers from Trinidad & Tobago and Canada (n = 380), using four brief vignettes about a child exhibiting behaviours consistent with four mental health conditions. After reading each vignette, participants rated their perception of the children’s behaviours and then completed ADHD knowledge and attitudes scales. We analyzed the data using a series of multilevel models. Results:Our findings indicate that although parents and teachers in Trinidad & Tobago perceive children’s ADHD symptoms as indiscipline or low motivation more so than Canadians, this country-level difference was non-significant when controlling for knowledge of ADHD; attitudes had no discernible impact. Discussion/Conclusion:Country-level differences appear to be strongly shaped by variation in knowledge about ADHD, highlighting psychoeducation as a critical first step toward improving parents’ and teachers’ accurate identification of symptoms. This, in turn, could benefit children with undiagnosed ADHD by increasing the likelihood of earlier diagnosis and treatment. However, sociocultural differences in interpreting symptoms as illness may further contribute to contrasts between Trinidad and Tobago and Canada.