Differences in identification of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children between teachers and parents

Background: The worldwide prevalence estimates for attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) are extremely heterogeneous. Diagnosis in children demands symptoms be present in at least 2 different settings, mainly school and home. The proportion of children estimated to have ADHD can vary based on whether the symptoms are evaluated by parents or teachers. Aims: This study determined whether ADHD and its subtypes are better recognized by parents or teachers. Methods: Our study included 1326 schoolchildren (boys = 712, girls = 614; age range: 6-12 years). We prepared 2 questionnaires for each student enrolled in the study; one was completed by the student's parents and the other by the teacher. We included students who attended 3 selected schools in the cities of Amman and Karak in Jordan during the first term of 2017. The Arabic version of the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, was used for the diagnosis and classification of ADHD. Results: Of the 1326 students included in this study, 254 (19.2%) were considered to have ADHD by the teachers and 172 (13.0%) by the parents. The Wilcoxon signed-ranks test showed that teachers gave statistically higher scores on the questionnaire than parents. However, overall agreement between parents and teachers, as measured by the.-value, reached 77.2%. Conclusions: Although both teachers and parents recognized ADHD symptoms, they were generally more recognized by teachers than by parents.