Walking the talk or acting as gatekeepers? Classroom teachers’ perceptions of the role of psychologists in supporting primary school children with ADHD

Abstract

As the role of the psychologist continues to transform from a refer-test-place to a more consultative model, there may be discrepancy between how teachers and psychologists perceive the role of the psychologist in supporting children with ADHD. This study aims to examine classroom teachers’ perceptions of the role of the psychologists when working with primary school students with ADHD. Teachers have a crucial role in referring students for psychological evaluations, collaborating with the psychologist and in implementing intervention aimed at increasing the wellbeing of students with ADHD. Hence, establishing their views about the psychologists’ work will shed light on how the interaction between the two professions can form a stable and collaborative context for mutual functioning in order to create better outcomes for children with ADHD. This study involved the use of a mixed methods questionnaire, which aimed to collect quantitative data, whilst also allowing participants the opportunity to elaborate and provide more depth to some questions. Male (n = 38) and female (n = 162) classroom teachers from 24 primary schools in Malta completed the questionnaire. Findings revealed that teachers often perceive psychologists as engaging more in psychological assessment than in intervention or consultation. Yet this gatekeeping function is often related to a reduced amount of contact time and to a shortage of psychologists. In fact, teachers who had more contact time with the psychologist, or who had a school-based psychologist reported psychologists as engaging in more psychological assessment, intervention and consultation. The results of this study have implications for the profession, school boards and psychological services, teacher education programs and psychologist training programs.