Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Abstract Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 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 behavior and are often the first ones to recognize 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. Method The study utilizes 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 the Knowledge of attention deficit disorder scale. Results 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. Teachers with previous experience with a child with ADHD were more knowledgeable. Conclusion Knowledge regarding ADHD among elementary school teachers in the locality of Khartoum was suboptimal, particularly regarding ADHD treatment. Teachers with previous experience with ADHD were more knowledgeable. Many of the teachers had several misconceptions about ADHD.
Mahjoub et al. (Tue,) studied this question.