Abstracts

The present study examined how knowledge of a child[apos]s seizure condition was related to teachers[apos] perceptions of the child[apos]s academic ability. It was hypothesized that when teachers know about the child[apos]s diagnosis they would rate the children[apos]s achievement lower than objective test performance; conversely, when they do not know the diagnosis, the teachers[apos] ratings would not differ from the child[apos]s objective test performance. Children with epilepsy (n = 125) ages 9 [ndash] 16 years ([italic]M[/italic] = 11.9, [italic]SD[/italic] = 1.9) who were not diagnosed with mental retardation (IQ [italic]M[/italic] = 93.9, [italic]SD[/italic] = 15.5) were divided into two groups, depending on whether or not their teachers knew about their diagnosis (Knowledge of Diagnosis). The groups were compared on demographic and seizure variables. Achievement was assessed using two sources of performance (Source): Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement-Revised (WJR) and teacher[apos]s ratings from the Child Behavior Checklist Teacher Report Form (TRF Academic Performance Scale), which were converted to a common metric. A 2 x 2 (Source x Knowledge of Diagnosis) analysis of covariance (ANCOVA, controlling for IQ and how well the teacher knows the child) yielded a Source x Knowledge of Diagnosis interaction, [italic]F[/italic] (1, 121) = 4.22, [italic]p[/italic] = 0.04. For the WJR, there was no difference between Knowledge of Diagnosis groups on achievement, [italic]t[/italic] (123) = 1.94, [italic]p[/italic] [gt] 0.05 (effect size d = 0.39). For the TRF, there was a significant difference between Knowledge of Diagnosis groups on achievement, [italic]t[/italic] (123) = 3.12, [italic]p[/italic] [lt] 0.01 (effect size d = 0.66), with lower ratings observed for the children whose teachers knew their diagnosis. These results support the notion that teachers[apos] perceptions could affect the way they rate the academic performance of children with epilepsy. Providing teachers with more information about diversity in academic outcomes within the pediatric epilepsy population might improve the accuracy of the teachers[apos] perceptions of each child, which in turn could enhance these children[apos]s interactions with teachers and their attitude, self-concept, and mood at school. (Supported by NIH/NINR R01 NR 04536-01 to Joan K.Austin, DNS, Ph.D.)