ADHS im Klassenzimmer: Die Einstellung von Lehrkräften zu Schülerinnen und Schülern mit einer Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung sowie zu entsprechenden Classroom-Management-Strategien

With an average of one or two affected pupils per classroom, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in childhood and adolescence. Due to the core symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, affected pupils cannot meet the requirements at school. At the same time these symptoms represent challenging behavior for teachers. Nevertheless, evidence-based classroom management strategies (CMS) to reduce ADHD-related behavioral problems are rarely used in everyday school life. The current dissertation presents five studies that deal with reasons for the described science-practitioner-gap and illustrate die relevance of attitude in this context. The first study analyzed the basis as well as the exchange of the current knowledge of the scientific fields psychology/psychiatry and education regarding CMS for pupils with ADHD. Bibliometric methods revealed that most of the literature was assigned to the scientific field of psychology/psychiatry that only restrictedly considered the perspective of teachers and their handling of challenging behavior. Additionally, implementation methods and barriers showed to be rarely investigated so far. The second study introduced and validated the ADHD-school-expectation questionnaire (ASE) which was developed in this graduation project to assess knowledge about ADHD, attitude towards pupils with ADHD and attitude towards and use of CMS. By using the ASE, in the third study teachers’ and psychotherapists in training’s attitude towards children with ADHD was compared. Furthermore, three latent profiles regarding this attitude were identified and analyzed. Professionals assigned to the different profiles differed mainly in their rating of expected behavioral patterns and characteristics of children with ADHD. Next to their attitude towards these children they also differed amongst others in their effectiveness rating of CMS. Thereby, this study highlighted that different tenors of professionals need to be considered when implementing CMS. The fourth study used path model analysis to investigate influences on the attitude towards CMS and on the intention to use these with a sample of pre-service teachers. In the fifth study the previous path models were extended and analyzed with a sample of in-service teachers. Both studies showed that the attitude towards CMS is critical for the intention to use these. To enhance the use of effective CMS attitude towards pupils with ADHD, knowledge about the disorder and handling of it, perceived control and stress presented themselves to be relevant variables. Summing up, the current dissertation points out that the attitude towards pupils with ADHD and towards CMS play important roles when implementing effective CMS. Moreover, it becomes clear that an applicable education for teachers is relevant, to support pupils with ADHD appropriately and to simultaneously improve the learning environment in the classroom and keep the strain on a low level.