Elementary teachers' perceptions regarding school behavior problems: Implications for school psychological services

Abstract

The study focuses upon teachers' perceptions of school behavior problems and preferred classroom management actions. Two hundred elementary school teachers were evaluated with a questionnaire comprising assessment of causal attributions and goal-directed behavior on the part of the teachers, when dealing with classroom misbehavior problems. Internal student-related attributions were those most frequently adopted by the teachers, even though teachers' explanations varied significantly across school problems. Misbehavior-related attributions were significantly associated with teachers' preferred practices. The authors' results support the application of psychological principles to educational practice through an understanding of teachers' discipline-related theories. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Psychology in the Schools, 2000. Copyright © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) School Personnel Perceptions Teacher Perceptions Student Behavior Elementary School Student Child Behavior Child Problem Behavior Classroom Behavior Classroom Management Classroom Discipline Behavior Perceptions 02-02