What is it about?

The hypothesis behind this study was that trained teachers using cooperative learning procedures with children in their classroom (aged from 6 to 10 years) can influence the social skills of children with ADHD symptoms and their acceptance by their peers. The study involved 30 children with ADHD symptoms attending 12 different classes, where cooperative learning was adopted in some, and standard practices in others. ADHD children’s symptoms, social skills, and cooperative behavior were assessed by means of a teacher’s questionnaire, and the social preferences of the children in their class were collected. Changes emerged in teachers’ assessments of the children’s cooperative behavior in the experimental classes. Improvements in the sociometric status of children with ADHD symptoms were only seen in the cooperative learning classes. These results show the importance of well-structured intervention in classes that include children with ADHD symptoms. Implications of these findings for future intervention are discussed.

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Why is it important?

The importance of this work and what make is unique is the finding that cooperative activities proposed in the class context can change the reputation of children with symptoms of ADHD. In particular, after 2 months of of cooperative learning children with ADHD were more accepted and integrated in class. These result might let us hope in a changing in status for children with ADHD through these activities, that would even protect them from negative longitudinal outcomes.

Perspectives

This work should suggest us to make more research in the class context with activities that involved all children and teachers, to help children with ADHD to be better understood and accepted with their characteristics and let them grow up with a social network of friends that permit to have positive longitudinal outcomes of their symptoms.

Agnese Capodieci
University of Padua

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: A Cooperative Learning Classroom Intervention for Increasing Peer’s Acceptance of Children With ADHD, Journal of Attention Disorders, August 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/1087054716666952.
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