An Examination of Social Work Students' Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurological disorder that many citizens of the United States of America know little about. About 3% to 5% of school age children are diagnosed with ADHD (Segal, 2001; Sprich, Biederman, & Crawford, 2000). Due to the prevalence of ADHD, individuals who work with children diagnosed with ADHD must understand the implications of this diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to explore social work students' knowledge of ADHD. To examine their knowledge, 48 social work students completed a research packet that asked them what they knew about ADHD. The findings of this study were unanticipated. For example, only three (6%) of the 48 students who completed the research packet knew how pervasive ADHD was in the general population. However, 33 (69%) of the participants knew someone who has been diagnosed with ADHD. As social work practitioners work with individuals, families, agencies, and communities, there is a strong probability that they will encounter clients who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The findings of this study suggest that schools of social work need to consider integrating relevant information about ADHD into their curriculum.
Notes
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Thesis Completion
2004
Semester
Spring
Advisor
Turnage, Barbara
Degree
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
College
College of Health and Public Affairs
Degree Program
Social Work
Subjects
Dissertations, Academic -- Health and Public Affairs; Health and Public Affairs -- Dissertations, Academic; Attention deficit disordered youth -- Education; Social work education
Format
Identifier
DP0021872
Language
English
Access Status
Open Access
Length of Campus-only Access
None
Document Type
Honors in the Major Thesis
Recommended Citation
Weyh, Pamela, "An Examination of Social Work Students' Knowledge of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (2004). HIM 1990-2015. 407.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015/407