The effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) teacher training programs for teachers and pupils: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective: Characteristic symptoms of age-inappropriate inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity in ADHD often lead to school problems. Our systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of ADHD teacher training to increase teacher ADHD knowledge and reduce severity of impairing student ADHD-type behaviours.

Methods: Six electronic databases were systematically searched (last search: 14/04/2020) to identify experimental studies investigating ADHD teacher training interventions. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate the pooled standard mean.

Results: Twenty-nine studies were included, with twenty-two providing sufficient data for meta-analysis. Standardised mean difference (SMD) for teacher knowledge within subjects at post-test and follow up (1-6 months) showed SMD = 1.96 (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.48, 2.43]) and SMD = -1.21 (95% CI = [-2.02, -0.41]) respectively. Between subjects at post-test showed SMD = 1.56 (95% CI = [0.52, 2.59]), with insufficient data at follow-up. At post-test, pupil behaviour within subjects showed SMD = 0.78 (95% CI = [0.37, 1.18]), and between subjects showed SMD = 0.71 (95% CI = [-0.11, 1.52]).

Conclusion: ADHD teacher training programs are beneficial in initial improvement of ADHD teacher knowledge but evidence is inconsistent to demonstrate reduced student ADHD-type behaviours. An overall high risk of bias and need for high quality RCTs is discussed.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Rebecca Ward: orcid.org/0000-0001-7703-8670

ORCID for Hanna Kovshoff: orcid.org/0000-0001-6041-0376

ORCID for Samuele Cortese: orcid.org/0000-0001-5877-8075

ORCID for Jana Kreppner: orcid.org/0000-0003-3527-9083

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