title: Knowledge about epilepsy and confidence in instructing students with epilepsy: teachers' responses to a new scale.
abstract: Knowledgeable and confident teachers are crucial for students with epilepsy. In this study, 91 current teachers of a student with epilepsy (CTs) and 203 teachers in general (TiGs) were surveyed using a new scale. CTs knew more school-relevant epilepsy facts than TiGs, even after controlling for special education background, F(1, 293)=5.75, P=0.017, η(2)=0.02. Both groups of teachers, however, knew less than one-half of the facts (means=10.6 [CTs] 8.7 [TiGs] of 25 items). CTs also expressed greater confidence than TiGs in their ability to meet an array of instructional, safety, and psychosocial requirements, even when between-group differences in teachers' background in special education were controlled, F(1, 293)=34.97, P<0.001, η(2)=0.11. Still, neither group communicated a high absolute level of confidence. As expected, more knowledgeable teachers expressed greater confidence (r=0.43, P<0.001). Results suggest that some facts about epilepsy require additional dissemination to educators.
authors.affiliation: Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. wodrich@asu.edu
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wodrich
authors.forename: Randa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jarrar
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buchhalter
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000523:psychology*; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods; D012572:School Health Services; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D035502:Trust / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult