Primary Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Strategies for Inattentive ADHD in China
Main Article Content
Keywords
ADHD, inattentive presentation, teacher knowledge, teacher attitudes, primary education, China
Abstract
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in school-aged children, yet pupils with a predominantly inattentive presentation are frequently overlooked because their difficulties are internalised and non-disruptive. Because primary school teachers are often the first professionals to observe children’s learning and behaviour, their knowledge, attitudes and classroom practices strongly shape whether such pupils are identified and supported. This study examined Chinese primary school teachers’ knowledge of the less visible, inattentive features of ADHD, their attitudes towards affected pupils, and the strategies and barriers they reported in everyday practice. An online questionnaire was administered to 93 practising primary teachers recruited through convenience and snowball sampling. The instrument comprised demographic items, a 13-item adaptation of the Knowledge of Attention Deficit Disorders Scale (KADDS), a 10-item attitude scale adapted from validated ADHD research, and two checklists of evidence-based strategies and perceived barriers. Results show that teachers’ knowledge was low to moderate (mean 5.38/13; approximately 41% correct), with particularly limited understanding of gender distribution (34.8% correct) and inattentive symptoms. Attitudes were generally negative or uncertain (item means 2.24–2.51 on a five-point scale), characterised by low confidence and limited willingness to include pupils with ADHD. The most frequently reported strategies were low-cost instructional accommodations, whereas strategies requiring external support or referral were seldom used. Large class size (38.0%) and lack of time (26.1%) were the most cited barriers. The findings indicate that improving support for pupils with inattentive ADHD in China requires both targeted professional development and structural reform responsive to local sociocultural realities.
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Lu Zhang, Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, IOE, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
Lu Zhang is a Master’s student in the Department of Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment, IOE, Faculty of Education and Society, University College London (UCL). She received her bachelor’s degree in Global Communication from Musashino University, Japan. Her research interests include educational technology, artificial intelligence in education, digital learning, and education policy.