Department of Educational Psychology

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Browsing Department of Educational Psychology by browse.metadata.advisor "Conradie, W. J."

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    The psychological assessment of children's learning and behavioural problems as manifested in Kwazulu primary schools
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 1992-03) Sibaya, Patrick Themba; Malan, J. A.; Conradie, W. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY: This study examined the nature of learning and behavioural problems as manifested in KwaZulu primary schools. The first aim was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the nature of learning and behaviour problems as manifested by children in KwaZulu primary schools. The second aim was to find out whether these perceptions are influenced by any particular respondent characteristics. The third aim examined teachers' views of the modus operandi for diagnosis, treatment, and management of these learning and behavioural problems. Finally, teachers' recommendations for intervention strategies with regard to learning and behaviour problems, were investigated. To this end, a standardized scale (DESB) was used to achieve the goals of the first and second aim. The researcher constructed and validated his own scale to meet the objectives of the third and fourth aim. The method of factor analysis was used during validation. The measuring instrument was administered to a representative sample of teachers. Three hundred and eighty correctly completed questionnaires were analyzed., Each of the eleven factors measured by the DESB could be classified into two or three categories. In the first category, group one, teachers perceived factors as extremely deficient in the classroom, category group two consisted of teachers perceiving factors as occurring within normal range in the classroom and category group three included teachers perceiving factors as occurring in excess in the classroom. An, examination of the frequency distribution revealed that there were two clusters of problems. The first cluster consisted of conditions designated as troublesome in the classroom. These were impatience, comprehension, inattentive-withdrawn and creative initiative. This cluster constituted learning problems or difficulties. The second cluster embraced behaviour problems. These were classroom disturbance, disrespect-defiance, external blame, achievement anxiety, external reliance, irrelevant-responsiveness and need for closeness to the teacher. The Anova technique was used to test for the significance of differences among means. In seven out of fourteen instances, there were no significant differences between sex, experience, contact and teachers' perceptions of the nature of learning and behaviour problems. In very few instances, teachers' particulars like sex, contact and experience, yielded statistically significant results. The canonical correlation R statistic was used to test for the relationship between five teachers' particulars and eleven factors. The first and the second canonical correlation coefficients accounted for a significant linkage between the two sets of canonical variables namely eleven DESB factors and teachers' particulars. The Anova technique was also used to test for the significance of differences among means for diagnosis, treatment and management Teachers do not differ in their perceptions of the mode of management of learning and behaviour problems. There are however, significant differences in. the teachers' perceptions of the modes of diagnosis and treatment of learning and behaviour problems. Specific recommendations by teachers on the treatment of learning and behaviour problems, were able to be presented in simple ranked format. These findings were discussed in relation to the literature reviewed, and interpreted within the framework of psychological services delivery in African schools. Suggestions with regard to an alternative, speculative, cost-effective and efficient model for the delivery of psychological services, were made.