Date of Award
Fall 12-16-2017
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Brandy Kamm, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Janice Powell, Ed.D.
Third Advisor
Donna P. Hawkins, Ph.D.
Abstract
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) suggested that parenting a healthy child brings about a variety of challenges throughout life, however parenting a child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) proves a daunting task inundated with unanswered questions and multitudes of stressful situations. The purpose of this research is to study parent perceptions of a child’s ADHD medication to determine if a relationship exists between the ADHD medication, inappropriate behavior and academic performance. The quantitative survey instrument provided the means to examine the significance of the child’s ADHD medication on one day of the parent’s choice within the last six months before and after medication. The parents of ADHD children were asked to rate their child’s ADHD symptoms regarding inappropriate behavior and academic performance before and after medication. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood and can overwhelmingly affect the social and emotional well-being and academic achievement of a child. Statistics regarding the dominance of treating elementary children with ADHD medication continues to be relevant in research. Most of the literature has explored the obstacles educators face when dealing with children who take or do not take ADHD medication consistently. However, there is not much literature regarding parent perceptions of an ADHD child and the effects on inappropriate behavior and academic performance. Results from this quantitative descriptive study were developed using two-way cross tabulation analysis and revealed a statistical significant difference between the ADHD medication and improved inappropriate behavior. In addition, the parent perceptions of the relationship between the child’s ADHD medication and improved academic performance revealed a statistical difference in the problematic, somewhat problematic categories.