ADHD and emotional engagement with school in the primary years: Investigating the role of student-teacher relationships.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nAttention 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.\n\n\nAIMS\nTo explore a model of the relationships between ADHD symptoms at age\xa07, student-teacher closeness and conflict at age 10, and emotional engagement with school at age\xa010 and 12.\n\n\nSAMPLE\nParticipants were 498 grade one children (mean age =\xa07.3), recruited from 43 socio-economically diverse government primary schools in Melbourne. Follow-up occurred at 36\xa0months (mean age\xa0= 10.5) and 54\xa0months (mean age =\xa012.0).\n\n\nMETHODS\nData 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.\n\n\nRESULTS\nPath 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.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThese 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.