Educational Services for Gifted Students with ADHD: Reality, Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Gifted students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (gifted/ADHD) show complex characteristics, which lead some schools in Saudi Arabia to refer them to gifted programs. Some other schools refer them to learning difficulties (LD) programs due to the spread of LD programs in contrast to the lack of ADHD ones, the overlap of some characteristics between LD and ADHD, and their joint occurrence in a large proportion of students. Thus, this study seeks to explore teachers’ perspectives of the reality, challenges and prospects of educational services provided for gifted/ADHD in gifted and LD programs. The participants in the study were 108 teachers, in addition to three directors of the departments of special and gifted education. The mixed methods approach was used which includes a questionnaire for the teachers and semi-open interviews with the directors of the departments. Results showed inadequacy of educational services provided to gifted/ADHD which due to the absence of the educational system that it focuses on their exceptional duality. In addition, the results highlighted challenges include weak social awareness of the characteristics of these students, and educational environment, with the lack of necessary scales and adequate qualification for teachers. The results also confirmed, in terms of prospects, the importance of creating a competent authority to care for these students and others who fall into the twice-exceptional. Finally, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences in professions nor in the region. In light of the results of the study, some recommendations were highlighted.

Received: 4 April 2022 / Accepted: 26 June 2022 / Published: 5 July 2022