Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online 1992-12
Teachers' Perceptions of Primary School Children's Learning and Behaviour Problems: The Interaction Effects of Teaching Experience,Sex and Contact with Inspectors of Psychological Services
To determine the effects and interaction effects of teachers' characteristics on perceptions of pupils' learning and behavioural problems, the Devereux Elementary School Behaviour Rating Scale (DESB) was used in this study. The data obtained on the variables of teacher's sex, teaching experience and teacher's contact with inspectors of psychological services, were analysed by means of a three-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the unbalanced design. Results indicated significant interaction effects for Factors 4, 6, 10 and 11. These Factors are external blame, external reliance, creative initiative and need for closeness to the teacher, respectively. Non-significant interaction effects were recorded for Factors 1 (classroom disturbance), 2 (impatience), 5 (achievement anxiety), 8 (inattentive-withdrawn), 9 (irrelevant-responsiveness), and Nonfactor items 27 (inability to change from one task to another) and 41 (slow to complete work). The variables of sex, contact and experience had significant influence on perceptions of Factors 3 (disrespect-defiance), 7 (comprehension) and Nonfactor Item 40 (desire to quit or give up), respectively.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AllenM.J.YenW.M. (1979). Introduction to measurement theory.California: Brooks/Cole
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1985). Diagnostic and statistical manual of menial disorders (DSMIII).3rd Edition.Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association
3.
American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed. revised). Washington DC: American Psychiatric Association
4.
BeilinH. (1959). Teachers' and clinicians' attitudes toward the behavioural problems of children: A reappraisal. Child Development, 30, 9–25
5.
BorgM.G.FalzonJ.M. (1990). Teachers' perception of primary school children's undesirable behaviours: The effects of leaching experience, pupil's age, sex and ability stream. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 60(2), 220–226
6.
CowenE.L.DorrD.ClarfieldS.KrelingB.McWilliamsS.A.PokrackiF.PrattD.M.TerrelD.WilsonA. (1973). The AML.: A quick-screening device for early identification of school maladaptation. American Journal of Community Psychology, 1(1), 12–35
7.
CumesJ.W. (1986). Teachers' perceptions of the emotionally disturbed child: Interactions in the classroom. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of the WitwatersrandJohannesburg
8.
CumesJ.W. (1987). Teachers' perceptions of the emotionally disturbed child. Educamus, September, 30–32
9.
DattaL.SchaeferE.DavisM. (1968). Sex and scholastic aptitude as variables in Teachers' ratings of the adjustment and classroom behaviour of Negro and other seventh-grade students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 59(2), 94–101
10.
GillmoreG.E.ChandyJ. (1973). Teachers' perception of school psychological services. Journal of School Psychology, 11(2), 139–147
11.
HallahanD.P.KauffmanJ.M. (1982). Exceptional children: Introduction to special education.New Jersey: Prentice-Hall
12.
HerwardM.L.OrlanskyM.D. (1986). Exceptional children: An introductory survey of special education.Columbus: Charles E. Merrill
13.
KaplanM.S.SprungerB. (1967). Psychological evaluations and teacher perceptions of students. Journal of School Psychology, 5(4), 287–291
LeachD.J.RaybouldE.C. (1978). Learning and behaviour difficulties in school.London: Open Books
17.
QuayH.C. (1977). Measuring dimensions of deviant behaviour: The behaviour problem checklist. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 5(3), 277–287
18.
RutterM. (1967). A children's behaviour questionnaire for completion by teachers: Preliminary findings. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 8, 1–11
19.
ShepherdM.OppenheimA.N.MitchellS. (1966). Childhood behaviour disorders and the child guidance clinic: An epidemiological study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 7, 39–52
20.
SibayaP.T. (1992). The psychological assessment of children's learning and behavioural problems as manifested in KwaZulu primary schools. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Stellenbosch
21.
SparksJ.N. (1952). Teachers' attitudes toward the behaviour problems of children. Journal of Educational Psychology, 43, 284–291
22.
SpivackG.SwiftM. (1966). The Devereux elementary school behaviour rating scale: A study of the nature and organisation of achievement related disturbed classroom behaviour. Journal of Special Education, 1(1), 71–91
23.
SpivackG.SwiftM. (1967). Devereux elementary school behaviour rating scale manual.Pennysylvania: The Devereux foundation, Devon, Pa
24.
SpivackG.SwiftM. (1972). Syndrome of disturbed classroom behaviour: A behavioural diagnostic system for elementary schools. Journal of Special Education, 5(3), 269–292
25.
SpivackG.SwiftM. (1973). The classroom behaviour of children: A critical review of teacher-administered rating scales. Journal of Special Education, 7(1), 55–89
26.
SpivackG.SwiftM. (1977). The Hahnemann high school behaviour rating scale. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 5(3), 299–307
27.
SwansonH.L.ReinertH.R. (1979). Teaching strategies for children in conflict: Curriculum, method and materials.St. Louis: The C.V. Mosby
28.
SwiftM.SpivackG. (1968). The assessment of achievement related classroom behaviour. Journal of Special Education, 2(2), 137–154
29.
ThompsonV.Y. (1981). Problem behaviours in the school: A consideration of such behaviour and its management with specific reference to the Natal Education Department. Unpublished masters dissertation. University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
30.
WeintraubS.NealeJ.M.LiebertD.E. (1975). Teacher ratings of children vulnerable to psychopathology. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 45(5), 838–845
31.
WilliamsP. (Ed.) (1974). Behaviour problems in school.London: University of London Press
32.
ZivA. (1970). Children's behaviour problems as viewed by teachers, psychologists, and children. Child Development, 41, 871–879
