Children's Classroom Behavior Research Articles

Understanding of Affective False Beliefs, Perceptions of Parental Discipline, and Classroom Behavior in Children from Head Start

Fifty-five children (21 boys, 34 girls) between the ages of 3 years 6 months and 5 years 6 months from 3 Head Start classrooms were administered 5 affective false belief tasks and 5 hypothetical scenarios that measured their perceptions of parental discipline. A subset of 40 children were rated by their teachers for behavior problems in the classroom. Results indicated that children performed better on questions about their own false beliefs than on questions about others' false beliefs. Overall, children performed below average on the false belief measures. Children expected parents in the hypothetical scenarios to use power-assertive methods of discipline more often than induction or love withdrawal. As predicted, total false belief scores were negatively correlated with classroom behavior problems. Children who stated that they or the child in the scenario would feel sad after being disciplined were also less likely to experience behavior problems in the classroom. The results of this study, together with the results of previous research, suggest that children from Head Start populations are not performing as well on measures of false belief understanding as children from traditional preschool populations. The causes of this discrepancy and possible interventions should be explored in future research.

Effects of Recess on the Classroom Behavior of Children With and Without Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Effects of Recess on the Classroom Behavior of Children With and Without Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The relationship between peer-play interactions in the family context and dimensions of school readiness for low-income preschool children.

Relationships between parental report of children's peer play at home and indicators of children's school readiness were examined. Behavior ratings and observational data were collected for 242 preschool children from a large urban Head Start program. Relationships between children's home-based, peer-play behaviors and 4 measures of children's classroom behaviors (i.e., school-based peer play, approaches to learning, self-regulation, and behavior problems) were analyzed using bivariate correlational and multivariate methods. Play competencies exhibited in the home environment were significantly associated with prosocial behavior in the classroom, motivation to learn, task persistence, and autonomy. Disruptive or disconnected play behaviors were significantly related to patterns of disruptive and dysregulated experiences in the classroom with peers and with the learning process.

Rule compliance and peer sociability: a study of family process, school-focused parent-child interactions, and children's classroom behavior.

This study examined the associations among family processes (cohesion, control, and conflict), school-focused parent-child interactions (support and pressure about achievement), and the child's own characteristics (assertiveness, frustration tolerance, intellectual effectiveness, and self-esteem) as correlates of rule compliance and peer sociability in the classroom. The sample consisted of 161 Grade 4 and 151 Grade 7 children. Family processes and parent-child interactions about school issues were associated with children's personal characteristics, which, in turn, predicted children's rule compliance and peer sociability. Some differences were found between the 4th- and 7th-grade samples; however, many variables consistently predicted the same outcomes across grades.

Rule compliance and peer sociability: A study of family process, school-focused parent–child interactions, and children's classroom behavior.

Rule compliance and peer sociability: A study of family process, school-focused parent–child interactions, and children's classroom behavior.

Measuring personality traits in the classroom

In this article, a personality model for the description of children's classroom behaviour is the main focus of interest. It is questioned whether the Five-Factor Personality Model can be used as an organizational structure for the description of personality characteristics in the field of educational practice. Two groups of Dutch school children (N=1296 and N=367), 4–12 years old, were rated by their teachers on scales of the School Behaviour Checklist–Revised (SCHOBL-R, we would like to thank Dr J. N. Zaal for his contribution to the construction of and research with the original School Behavior Checklist (SCHOBL). We also wish to thank Professor G. A. Kohnstamm for his suggestions and comments on the first draft of this article). Analysis of the scales produced four meaningful and identical components in both samples: Extraversion, Attitude towards School Work, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability. The factorial structure of the scales remained stable over age as well as sex. Boys and girls were rated by their teachers as having different attitudes towards school work, and as differing on emotional stability and agreeableness. The items of the school behaviour checklist were then analysed in the context of other personality scales, leading to the conclusion that the four scales of the SCHOBL-R can be interpreted in terms of four of the five personality dimensions of the Five-Factor Model. The strong relationship between the contents of the different scales used in this analysis supports the idea that the Five (Four) Factor Model is a valid model for the description of individual differences in Dutch school children. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Measuring personality traits in the classroom

In this article, a personality model for the description of children's classroom behaviour is the main focus of interest. It is questioned whether the Five-Factor Personality Model can be used as an organizational structure for the description of personality characteristics in the field of educational practice. Two groups of Dutch school children (N=1296 and N=367), 4–12 years old, were rated by their teachers on scales of the School Behaviour Checklist–Revised (SCHOBL-R, we would like to thank Dr J. N. Zaal for his contribution to the construction of and research with the original School Behavior Checklist (SCHOBL). We also wish to thank Professor G. A. Kohnstamm for his suggestions and comments on the first draft of this article). Analysis of the scales produced four meaningful and identical components in both samples: Extraversion, Attitude towards School Work, Agreeableness, and Emotional Stability. The factorial structure of the scales remained stable over age as well as sex. Boys and girls were rated by their teachers as having different attitudes towards school work, and as differing on emotional stability and agreeableness. The items of the school behaviour checklist were then analysed in the context of other personality scales, leading to the conclusion that the four scales of the SCHOBL-R can be interpreted in terms of four of the five personality dimensions of the Five-Factor Model. The strong relationship between the contents of the different scales used in this analysis supports the idea that the Five (Four) Factor Model is a valid model for the description of individual differences in Dutch school children. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Elder-Child Interaction Analysis

This study reports on the interactions of 60 children and 12 older adults in a school-based mentoring program, as well as four teachers' perceptions of the relationship between such interactions and the children's subsequent classroom behavior. Dyadic interactions were assessed using the Elder-Child Interaction Analysis instrument (Newman & Onawola, 1989). The authors concluded from recorded observations that, overall, the elders and the children had interacted with each other in a positive and constructive manner. The teachers interviewed perceived that the mentoring interactions were followed by an increase in students' self-management skills, interest in school work, and by improved peer relationships.

Children's classroom behavior: The unique contribution of family organization.

Children's classroom behavior: The unique contribution of family organization.

Children's classroom behavior: The unique contribution of family organization.

Sixty-three 2-parent families participated in a study examining whether family organization-cohesion, parental leadership, and strong family subsystems-is related to teachers' perceptions of children's classroom behavior in 1st grade. Independent observers assessed whole-family organization and the quality of the interaction process in marital and parent-child dyads from videotapes of mothers, fathers, and children working together on a structured (difficult puzzle) and unstructured (building a model) task. Results indicate that adaptive family organization during the difficult puzzle task makes a significant, unique contribution to the prediction of children's externalizing behavior, over and above the quality of marital interaction and parenting style. No significant relationship was found between adaptive family organization in either task and teachers' perceptions of children's internalizing behavior.

Economically disadvantaged preschoolers: ready to learn but further to go.

Cognitive competencies and motivation were assessed in 233 preschool and kindergarten children in the fall and again in the spring. Cognitive assessments were given again in the spring of the following year (kindergarten or 1st grade) to a subsample of 88 children. The results revealed much poorer performance among the economically disadvantaged children compared with advantaged children on all 8 of the cognitive tests. For most cognitive measures, gains were roughly equal and the socioeconomic status (SES) differences at the end of 1 or 2 years in school were similar to the differences at the beginning of the year. Only a few SES differences were found on the motivation measures assessing children's self-confidence, attitude toward school, expectations for success, dependency, and preference for challenge; they did not systematically favor either disadvantaged or advantaged children. Classroom observations revealed some differences in disadvantaged and advantaged children's classroom behavior.

The effects of multi-component, assessment-based curricular modifications on the classroom behavior of children with emotional and behavioral disorders

In this study, academic task assignments were modified in an effort to improve the conduct and task performance of three students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Functional assessments, including interviews and direct observations, were conducted to identify variables that affected the performance of each student during problematic assignments. The assessments implicated several variables for each student. These variables were then used as guides to modify the problematic tasks. The modifications resulted in reduced levels of problem behaviors and increased rates of task engagement, work productivity and accuracy for each of the students. The effects were demonstrated within ongoing academic activities and replicated through the use of reversal designs. The findings are discussed in relation to the practical process of functional assessment and the relevance of curricular and instructional arrangements to the occurrence of disruptive behavior.

Book Reviews : Understanding and Managing Children's Classroom Behavior Sam Goldstein

Book Reviews : Understanding and Managing Children's Classroom Behavior Sam Goldstein

児童の社会的責任目標が学業達成に影響を及ぼすプロセス

The purpose of this study was to examine the motivational processes of how social responsibility goal influences academic achievements. In the first study, social responsibility goal scale and academic goal scales were developed. Those scales were administered to 591 4th through 6th graders and the reliability was certified. The second study aimed at examining the effects of these goals on motivational processes and academic achievements. In addition to the above two kinds of goal scales, children's classroom behavior inventory and questionnaires on their interests and motivation to school subjects were administered to 238 4th through 6th graders. Also, teachers were asked to rate the strength of children's interests and motivation to school subjects, children's academic outcomes, and the degree of teachers acceptance of the children. A path analysis revealed that both social responsibility and academic mastery goals influenced academic achievements. However, it also revealed that only social responsibility goal was mediated by teachers' acceptance of the children. The unique motivational processes in the classrooms related to children's social responsibility goal were discussed.

Increasing reading and communication skills in children with autism through an interactive multimedia computer program

This paper reports on the effect of using an interactive and child-initiated microcomputer program (Alpha) when teaching three groups of children (N = 30) reading and communications skills: (a) 11 children with autism (M chronological age, CA = 9:4 years), (b) 9 children with mixed handicaps (M CA = 13:1), and (c) 10 normal preschool children (M CA = 6:4 years). Their mental age varied from 5:8 years to 6:9 years and all children received computer instruction supplementary to their regular reading and writing activities. Tests of reading and phonological development were carried out at the onset of the training (Start), at the end (Post 1), and at a follow-up evaluation (Post 2). In addition, video observations of the childrens' verbal and nonverbal communication were added at Start and Post 1. The children with autism increased both their word reading and their phonological awareness through the use of the Alpha program. Clearly significant gains were observed during the intervention, but none during the follow-up period. A similar but weaker pattern is observed for the children with mixed handicaps. In contrast, the normal preschool children increased their scores regardless of the program. Analyses of the children's classroom behavior indicate that the intervention succeeded in stimulating verbal expressions among the children with autism and mixed handicap. A significant increase in enjoyment was also noted for the children with autism. It is concluded that the intervention with a motivating multimedia program might stimulate reading and communication in children with various developmental disabilities, but that such interventions must be individually based and include both detailed planning and monitoring from teachers, and parents, as well as from clinicians in charge.

Nutritional Intake and Context as Predictors of Cognition and Adaptive Behaviour of Egyptian School-age Children

Relations between nutrition, cognition, and adaptive behaviour measures were assessed for 110 Egyptian pre-adolescents (47% male), ranging in age from 7 to 10 years. Using a combination of oral recall and weighing of food portions, the level of dietary intake was obtained for 19 specific nutrients, including measures of energy (kilocalories), macronutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrates), and micronutrients (vitamins, trace minerals). Children were tested on six subscales from the Egyptian version of the WISC-R plus the Raven's coloured matrices. Based on repeated naturalistic observations we also obtained measures of the children's behaviour in the school classroom, social interactions with peers and adults, activity level, and affect. Teacher ratings of the children's classroom behaviour were also obtained. The results indicated that specific nutritional indices were significantly related to male classroom behaviour and activity level, and to female verbal ability and classroom involvement. Although a diverse group of nutrients predicted developmental outcomes, common to many of these nutrients was the fact that they were derived from intake of animal source foods. The results further indicated that relations between nutrition and children's cognition and behaviour were mediated by contextual factors, such as social class and cultural expectations about the appropriateness of given behaviours.

Classroom Behavior of Very Low Birth Weight Elementary School Children

To examine the effect of birth weight on the classroom behavior of children during elementary school (N = 1120; mean age = 9.16 years). The study used an inception cohort. Participants were from two previously studied multi-site cohorts: very low birth weight (VLBW) children referred to participating intensive care units and heavier low birth weight (HLBW) children from a stratified random sample of births in geographically defined regions. Teacher reports of children's behavior were obtained for 80% of those eligible. Information was obtained for 137 children who were extremely low birth weight (ELBW, < or = 1000 g at birth), 223 who were other very low birth weight (OVLBW, 1001 to 1500 g), 434 who were HLBW (1501 to 2500 g), and 326 who were normal birth weight (NBW, > 2500 g). The child's teacher provided reports of language and attention in the classroom, behavior problems, and social competence. Comparisons were made among the four birth weight groups: ELBW, OVLBW, HLBW, and NBW. The ELBW children had lower attention and language skills, overall social competence, scholastic competence, and athletic ability than all other birth weight groups as measured by classroom teachers, even when controlling for neonatal stay, child's gender and ethnicity, and maternal education. All low birth weight (LBW) children had lower attention and language skills and scholastic competence and higher daydreaming and hyperactivity scores than NBW children. White children and children with more educated mothers generally had greater language and attention and social competence scores and fewer behavior problems; girls had fewer behavior problems than boys. Neonatal health was generally not associated with outcomes, except that healthier children had lower anxiety scores. The classroom behavior of LBW (< 2500 g) children was rated by teachers as poor, even for children who had not failed a grade; LBW children who are on grade level still may be at risk for school problems. Differences between ELBW and NBW children persisted for overall language and attention and social competence scores even when additional controls were added for sociodemographic and familial variables. Of these variables, maternal depression and home environment were significantly associated with social competence scores.

Video Self-Modeling and Cooperative Classroom Behavior in Children with Learning and Behavior Problems: Training and Generalization Effects

This study investigated the effects of an instructional package incorporating videotaped self-assessment, self-modeling, discrimination training, and behavioral rehearsal on the cooperative classroom behavior of two second-grade children with learning and behavior problems. Observations were made of selected classroom behaviors in three different classes each day. Results indicate that the intervention was effective in helping young children acquire cooperative classroom behaviors, generalize these behaviors to settings not a part of the training environment, and maintain these behaviors in both the training and generalization settings. The video intervention package also was effective in reducing inappropriate behaviors in the training and generalization settings. Further, there was a marked reduction in variability of behavior for both children. The results suggest that video-based modeling, coupled with discrimination training and rehearsal, is an effective and efficient intervention for early elementary school children with learning and behavior problems.

Tanzanian and United States Mothers' Beliefs about Parents' and Teachers' Roles in Children's Knowledge Acquisition

Mothers' beliefs about the role of parents and of teachers in the child's acquisition of knowledge in five domains were investigated in a sample of families from Tanzania and from the United States. Tanzanian and US mothers differed in their views of the importance of parents and teachers in the child's acquisition of language, sociopolitical, and historical knowledge, but not in the domains of science or mathematics knowledge. These differences were linked in predictable ways to the cultural traditions of the two countries. Teacher ratings of children's classroom behaviours were also examined across cultures and in relation to mothers' beliefs. Tanzanian children were rated as more dependent than the US children were, and as less independent, creative, and intelligent. United States and Tanzanian mothers' beliefs about the teachers' role in children's historical knowledge showed the most consistent relationship to children's classroom behaviours. For Tanzanian children's classroom behaviour, several other maternal beliefs were related to classroom ratings in addition to beliefs relative to the acquisition of historical knowledge.

Construct Validity of the Sutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory

This study presents evidence on the construct validity of the Shutter-Eyberg Student Behavior Inventory (SESBI), a teacher completed measure of disruptive classroom behavior. The SESBI was completed on 201 kindergarten children with two groups being formed on the basis of this screening. The Disruptive Behavior Group (DBG) had SESBI scores two standard deviations above the mean and the matched (age, gender, classroom) Comparison Group (CG) had scores in the normal range. Seven months later, the children's classroom behavior was observed using Achenbach's Direct Observation Form (DOF). The DBG manifested significantly more disruptive classroom behavior and was off-task more than the CG on the DOF. The SESBI thus seems to provide a stable measure of disruptive behavior even when this dimension is measured with a different method (i.e., direct observation) and source (i.e., observers from outside the classroom) at a later time (seven months later).