Knowledge and attitude of the Greek educational community toward epilepsy and the epileptic student

The purpose of this study was to investigate primary and secondary school teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward epilepsy and the epileptic child. A 14-item questionnaire was administered to 300 teachers in three major Greek cities. The focus of interest was the teachers’ basic knowledge of epi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epilepsy & behavior 2005-03, Vol.6 (2), p.179-186
Main Authors: Kaleyias, J., Tzoufi, M., Kotsalis, C., Papavasiliou, A., Diamantopoulos, N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic achievements
Adolescent
Attitude
Behavior
Child
Demography
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - epidemiology
Epilepsy - psychology
Faculty
Female
Greece - epidemiology
Health Education - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Knowledge
Male
Psychological Tests - statistics & numerical data
Students
Surveys and Questionnaires
Teachers
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to investigate primary and secondary school teachers’ knowledge of and attitudes toward epilepsy and the epileptic child. A 14-item questionnaire was administered to 300 teachers in three major Greek cities. The focus of interest was the teachers’ basic knowledge of epilepsy, their perceptions of the consequences of epilepsy on a student’s academic potential and behavior, their tendency to accept or reject the epileptic child, and their ability to help a convulsing child. The majority of teachers have a correct opinion about the nature of epilepsy and its short-term prognosis (control by medication), but are very pessimistic about its long-term prognosis (cure). They believe that although some epileptic children may have mental, learning, or behavioral problems, most of then do not and are therefore capable of academic achievements. The attitude of most teachers is very positive toward the epileptic child, and almost all believe that these children should continue their studies at their regular school. An alarming finding is the reported inability of most teachers to help a convulsing child. Personal knowledge of an epileptic student was a significant factor in determining many of the teachers’ responses. Better education of teachers concerning epilepsy and the practical skills involved in first-aid are necessary measures for Greek teachers.
ISSN:1525-5050
1525-5069
DOI:10.1016/j.yebeh.2004.11.007