Magister Artium - MA / There is a high rate of parental referrals by teachers to doctors for children who display symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The symptoms are inattentiveness, impulse control, concentration problems and learning disabilities. Studies suggest that often a learning disability is mistaken for ADHD. ADHD is usually diagnosed from the age of seven, when children start their schooling. In some cases it is identified much earlier in the form of over-activity in children during the pre-school years. Teachers are responsible for creating an environment that is conducive to academic, social and emotional success for children with ADHD. Research suggests that mainstream primary school teachers may lack knowledge regarding ADHD and evidenced-based classroom interventions. This study therefore intended to determine primary school teachers’ knowledge of the symptoms and management of children diagnosed with ADHD in their classrooms. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional research design was used to conduct the study. A selfadministered questionnaire, the Knowledge of Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale (KADDS), which measures the misperceptions and understanding of the disorder, was used to collect data from a sample of 200 teachers at 28 public schools in Kimberley. The data was analyzed by making use of frequencies and mean scores. The data obtained was useful in describing the knowledge base of teachers and in identifying the strategies that teachers mostly agreed to in managing children who have been diagnosed with ADHD in the classroom. The data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results show that the majority of teachers are knowledgeable about the symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD but less so about the general associated features and treatment. Although the majority of teachers received training on ADHD, their knowledge about evidenced-based classroom interventions for ADHD can be improved.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:40:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Larissa Maria Garib do Amaral.pdf: 665248 bytes, checksum: 9563625e015943d8ad9627a2e7270d86 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-11-26 / This study was dedicated to a revision of the literature published in Brazil, in the period from 1999 to 2009, about the instruments used in order that been established the diagnosis of the Disorder of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We look the protocols investigate which neuropsicológicos and scales of evaluation more used in order that the diagnosis been still established, as well as the possible differences between the predominances of the disorder as a result of the instrument of inquiry and, the personality's characteristics of the children considered hyperactive through the evaluations of projective tests, with intention of collaborating for the explanation of the diagnostic process. We check that there is a diversity of instruments of evaluation and that those bring differences in the predominance of the disorder. The tests neuropsicológicos, what examine the executive functions, appeared appropriate in the investigation of specific difficulties like selective attention, inhibitory control and flexibility and the projective tests pointed to characteristics of the psychological functioning of the children and adolescents with TDAH like feelings of anguish and difficulties in the processing of the emotions. These results point to the necessity of integration of the protocols of evaluation aiming at a global understanding of the patient with the disorder / Este estudo se dedicou a uma revisão da literatura publicada no Brasil, no período de 1999 a 2009, acerca dos instrumentos utilizados para se estabelecer o diagnóstico do Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade (TDAH). Buscamos investigar quais os protocolos neuropsicológicos e escalas de avaliação mais utilizadas para se estabelecer o diagnóstico, bem como as possíveis diferenças entre as prevalências do transtorno em decorrência do instrumento de pesquisa e ainda, as características de personalidade das crianças consideradas hiperativas por meio das avaliações de testes projetivos, com intuito de colaborar para o esclarecimento do processo diagnóstico. Verificamos que existe uma diversidade de instrumentos de avaliação e que esses acarretam diferenças na prevalência do transtorno. Os testes neuropsicológicos, que examinam as funções executivas, mostraram-se adequados na investigação de dificuldades específicas como atenção seletiva, controle inibitório e flexibilidade e os testes projetivos apontaram características do funcionamento psíquico das crianças e adolescentes com TDAH como sentimentos de angústia e dificuldades no processamento das emoções. Esses resultados apontam para a necessidade de integração dos protocolos de avaliação visando um entendimento global do paciente com o transtorno