Effectiveness of a training programme on the knowledge and perception of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among primary school teachers in Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) training on teachers’ knowledge and perception of the condition in Kano, Nigeria. It was a controlled trial of 200 primary schoolteachers from two Local Government Areas (LGAs). One LGA was randomly assigned to the intervention group and the other to a waitlist control (100 teachers per group). The intervention group received two training sessions on ADHD one week apart. The training was based on the Mental Health Gap Action Programme – Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG). Participants completed the ADHD Knowledge Questionnaire, ADHD Attitude Scale, and Knowledge of Behavioral Intervention Questionnaire at baseline and one-week post-intervention. The participants ranged from 17 to 58 years (Mean = 34.1 years; SD = 8.7), comprising 112 females and 85 males. The intervention and control groups were broadly similar at baseline. Controlling for baseline scores and other differences (age, gender, duration of teaching experience, and if schools employed staff dedicated to helping children with mental health difficulties such as ADHD), the intervention group had significantly higher scores on Knowledge of ADHD and Knowledge of Behavioral Management of the condition, with effect sizes of 0.7 and 0.3, respectively. This intervention led to statistically significant improvements in the teachers’ knowledge of ADHD and behavioral intervention for ADHD. This provides further evidence of the feasibility and effectiveness of specific ADHD-training interventions for primary school teachers in Nigeria.