Teachers' self-reported pedagogical practices toward socially inhibited, hyperactive, and average children

Abstract

This study examined teachers' self-reported pedagogical practices toward socially inhibited, hyperactive, and average kindergartners. A self-report instrument was developed and examined in three samples of kindergartners and their teachers. Principal components analyses were conducted in four datasets pertaining to 1 child per teacher. Two dimensions, Behavior Regulation and Socioemotional Support, emerged, which could be measured with internally consistent scales. Preliminary validity support was obtained for them. Multilevel comparisons revealed that teachers reported more behavior regulation for hyperactive versus inhibited and average children, more socioemotional support for inhibited versus hyperactive and average children, and more socioemotional support for hyperactive versus average children in two samples. Exploratory analyses of the other (i.e., random) sample of children yielded corresponding effects of hyperactivity on behavior regulation, and social inhibition on socioemotional support, but no effect of hyperactivity on socioemotional support. Results are discussed in terms of the saliency of behavior differences. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 635–651, 2006.