ERIC Number: EJ1257359
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
ADHD and Emotional Engagement with School in the Primary Years: Investigating the Role of Student-Teacher Relationships
Rushton, Sophie; Giallo, Rebecca; Efron, Daryl
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v90 suppl 1 p193-209 Jun 2020
Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is consistently associated with poor school-level outcomes. Although school engagement is recognized as a protective factor associated with increased academic achievement, school retention/completion, and student well-being in the general population, little research has focused on school engagement in children with ADHD. Aims: To explore a model of the relationships between ADHD symptoms at age 7, student-teacher closeness and conflict at age 10, and emotional engagement with school at age 10 and 12. Sample: Participants were 498 grade one children (mean age = 7.3), recruited from 43 socio-economically diverse government primary schools in Melbourne. Follow-up occurred at 36 months (mean age = 10.5) and 54 months (mean age = 12.0). Methods: Data were drawn from a controlled community-based longitudinal study examining the long-term effects of ADHD on children's behaviour, learning, and day-to-day living. Data were collected via direct assessment and child, parent, and teacher surveys. Results: Path analysis revealed a significant, negative relationship between ADHD symptoms and emotional engagement with school, which was partially mediated by student-teacher conflict. This remained significant after controlling for differences in ADHD status (ADHD, high-risk, or control group), ADHD medication use, and socio-economic status. Conclusions: These findings highlight the negative impact of ADHD symptoms on children's emotional engagement with school. Given the role of student-teacher conflict in mediating this relationship, interventions aiming to reduce conflict in the student-teacher relationship may promote school engagement for students with ADHD, with potential to improve longer-term outcomes.
Descriptors: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Outcomes of Education, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Longitudinal Studies, Elementary School Students, Parent Attitudes, Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Path Analysis, Grade 1, Correlation, Teacher Student Relationship, Foreign Countries, Comparative Analysis, Intervention, Socioeconomic Status, Child Behavior, Learner Engagement, Drug Therapy, Academic Achievement, Role
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Grade 1; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A