An Analysis of the Significant Variation in Psychostimulant Use Across the U.S. and Teachers’ Perceptions of ADHD and its Treatment
Table 1
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Psychostimulants in Four Areas as a Function of
Their Perceptions of the Cause of ADHD
_____________________________________________________________________________
Equally
Biologically
Biological and
Environmentally
based
Environmental
based
_____________ _____________ _____________
M SD
M SD
M SD
F
_____________________________________________________________________________
Academics 5.67
a
(1.06)
5.42
a
(1.13)
4.68
b
(1.49)
10.81***
Inattention 5.77
a
(1.01)
5.50
a
(1.08)
5.00
b
(1.45)
7.60**
Hyperactivity 5.71
a
(.97)
5.53
a
(1.06)
4.93
b
(1.49)
7.86***
Peer relations
4.97
a
(1.29)
4.95
a
(1.26)
4.09
b
(1.59)
7.76**
_____________________________________________________________________________
Notes. Response scale = 1 (not effective) to 7 (very effective).
Means with different subscripts differ significantly (p < .05). *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.
Table 2
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Various Treatments for ADHD as a Function of Their
Perceptions of the Cause of ADHD
_____________________________________________________________________________
Equally
Biologically
Biological and
Environmentally
based
Environmental
based
_____________ _____________ _____________
M SD
M SD
M SD
F
_____________________________________________________________________________
Medication 5.43
a
(1.10)
5.15
a
(1.24)
4.12
b
(1.47)
18.10***
Family
therapy
5.24 (1.40)
5.53 (1.23)
5.26 (1.58)
1.45
Individual
therapy
5.09 (1.50)
5.39 (1.17)
5.16 (1.65)
1.38
Classroom
interventions 5.45 (1.37)
5.41 (1.21)
4.95 (1.88)
2.13
Special
education
2.54 (1.54)
2.87 (1.56)
2.52 (1.57)
1.57
_____________________________________________________________________________
Notes. Response scale = 1 (not effective) to 7 (very effective).
Means with different subscripts differ significantly (p < .05). *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.
21
Convention