engleski

ADHD symptoms as problematic adaptation factors in elementary school children

Previous studies have shown that students with ADHD symptoms also have more problems in all aspects of adaptation. The aim of the research is to check out which ADHD symptoms predict adaptation problems. The three groups of symptoms were examined (hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention) with respect to academic adjustment (school success and academic self-efficacy), social adjustment (number of friends, peer acceptance, social self-efficacy) and emotional adjustment (empathy, emotional competence, emotional self- efficacy). 501 primary school students (average age M= 2.72, SD=1.62) from 4th, 6th and 8th grade participated in the study. The following instruments were used: Hyperactivity-Impulsivity-Attention Scale (HIP ; Vulić-Prtorić, 2006), Selfefficacy questionnaire for children, Croatian version (SEQ-C ; Vulić-Prtorić and Sorić, 2006), Emotional competence questionnaire (UEK-45 ; Takšić, 2002), Emotional empathy scale from E- questionnaire (Raboteg-Šarić, 2002) and students also were asked to estimate the feeling of peer acceptance, how many friends they have and to give information about their school success. Obtained results have shown that inattention was a significant predictor of problems in all aspects of adaptation (academic (β=-0.317 ; β=-0.528 ; p<0.001) social (β=-0.269 ; β=-0.430 ; p<0.001) and emotional adjustment (β=-0.225 ; β=- 0.367 ; p<0.01)), impulsiveness was only significant predictor for one aspect of academic adjustment (academic self-efficacy ; β=-0.187, p<0.01), and hyperactivity for one aspect of emotional adjustment (emotional competence ; β=-0.174, p<0.05). Since inattention has proved to be a dominant problem in all types of student adaptation, experts working with children, especially teachers, should make an effort to increase attention and concentration in all students as prevention strategy for adaptation problems.

hyperactivity, impulsiveness, inattention, academic adjustment, social adjustment, emotional adjustment

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