Steven Carlson, William Frankenberger, Kristina M. Hall, Sara J. Totten, Katarina House
JAASEP 1(2) (2006) 107-121
Abstract
A total of 157 general education elementary classroom teachers in the United States and 116 general education elementary classroom teachers in Sweden were sent surveys assessing how teachers in the United States and Sweden (1) view the use of stimulant medication to treat ADHD behaviors in children, (2) attribute the causes of ADHD behaviors, and (3) rate the acceptability of various interventions used to treat ADHD behaviors. Compared to Swedish teachers, U.S. teachers indicated that more children in their classrooms were diagnosed with ADHD and received stimulant medications to treat ADHD behaviors. Regarding causation, both groups believed that ADHD behaviors could have environmental and genetic causes. Teachers from both countries agreed that lacking basic academic skills could be a cause of inattention in the classroom. Although Swedish and U.S. teachers reported similar beliefs about the causation of ADHD behaviors, Swedish teachers viewed stimulant medication in a significantly more negative manner. In addition, a majority of Swedish teachers preferred an intervention package that did not include stimulant medication.
Keywords:Foreign Countries, Behavior Problems, Intervention, Children, Environmental Influences, Elementary School Teachers, Teacher Attitudes, Comparative Analysis, Questionnaires, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Likert Scales, Etiology, Cultural Differences, Cross Cultural Studies, Academic Ability, Drug Therapy, Genetics, Stimulants, Vignettes
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64546/jaasep.12
