Document Resume Ed 071 262 Ec 050 870
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 071 262 EC 050 870 AUTHOR Rhodes, William C.; Gibbins, Spencer TITLE Environmental Forces Impinging Upon Normal and Disturbed Children in a Regular Classroom. Final Report. INSTITiTION Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor. Inst. for the Study of Mental Retardation. SPONS AGENCY National Center for Educational Research and Development (DHEW /OE), Washington, D.C. Regional Research Program. BUREAU NO BR-1-E-098 PUB DATE May 71 GRANT OEG -5 -71 -0073 (607) NOTE 130p. EDRS PRICE MF-#0.65 HC-46.58 DESCRIPTORS Childhood; *Classroom Environment; *Emotionally Disturbed; *Environmental Influences; *Exceptional Child Research; *Interaction Process Analysis; Regular Class Placement ABSTRACT Aspects of the interactive environments of 10 emotionally disturbed children (7 to 11 years old) were compared with those experienced simultaneously by 10 normal children (matched for age, sex and IQ) in the same setting. Two types of setting were examined: a choice setting in which the child was able to choose his activity from among several alternatives anda nonchoice setting in which the activity was planned and directed by the teacher. Two trained observers were used to describe the behavior ofa matched pair of children (one normal, one emotionally disturbed) ina regular elementary school classroom. The narrative accounts of the observers were delineated into Environmental Force Units (EFU) based on the following six variables: the frequency of total EFU'sper observation; the frequency of EFU's per observation initiated by the S; the frequency of EFU's per observation in which the Swas the sole target of the EFU; the frequency of EFU's per observation in which conflict was evident between the goals of the agent and theS; the frequency of EFU's per observation in which methods judged to be coercive were employed by the agent; and the frequency of EFU'sper observation in which the agent wasan adult. Data indicated no .significant differences in environmental forces existing between the disturbed and the nondisturbed children and only two differences between the two types of settings. (Author/GW) FILMED FROM BEST AVAILABLE COPY /4- L-=_--- 09S ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES IMPINGING UPON NORMAL AND DISTURBED CHILDREN IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM Spencer Gibbins Final Report U -4100 MI Project No. 1-E-098 r-4 Grant NO. OEG -5-71 -0073 (607) CD William C. Rhodes Spencer Gibbins Institute for the Study of Mental Institute for the Study of Mental Retardation and Related Disabilities Retardation and Related Disabilities 611 Church Street 611 Church Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES IMPINGING UPON NORMAL AND DISTURBED CHILDRENIN A REGULAR CLASSROOM The research reported herein was performed pursuant toa Grant with the Office of Education, U. S. Department of Health, Education,end Welfare. May, 1971 Contractors undertaking such projects order Government sponsorshipare encouraged to express freely their professional judgment in theconduct of the project. Points of view or opinions stated do not, therefore, neceswily represent official Office of Education positionor policy. O 41.00.41.1.1 00 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE 0 Office of Education Regional Research Program U $ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION WELFARE k) OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO OUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIG INATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU CATION POSITION OR POLICY ABSTRACT ENVIRONMENTAL FORCES IMPINGING UPON NORMAL AND DISTURBED CHILDREN IN A REGULAR CLASSROOM by Spencer Gibb.tns Chairman: William C. Rhodes This study examines the interactive environments of children labeled as "emotionally disturbed" and compares aspects of these environments with those experienced simultaneously by "normal" children in the same setting. Two types of settings were examined--a choice setting in which the child was able to choose his activity fromamong several alternatives, and a non-choice setting in which the activity was planned and directed by the teacher. The study assumes an ecological stance in formulating the hypotheses which revolve about differences occurring in the environmental forces impinging upon "disturbed" and "normal" children who are in the same regular classroom setting at the same time. The experimental method used by the study, exploratory in nature combines the sophisticated techniques of observeion developed by "ecological psychology" foruse in everyday settings unmediated by artificial experimental conditions, an instrument for delineating and quantifying environmental forces, and a matched-pair analysis of variance design. In 1 the study two trained observers were used Lo describe the on-going behavior of a matched pair of children in a regular elementary classroom. One of the children had been labeled as "disturbed" by the school diagnostic aeparatus and the other, matched for age, sex and IQ had never been referred for special services. Ten such pairs of children were observed in both a choice and non-choice setting. These narrative accounts were then delineated into Environmental Force Units which were, in turn, categorized and frequency counts recorded. The categories used for these Environmental Force Units contributed such information as whether conflict occurred with the environmental agent, whether the environmental agentwas an adult or peer and whether the environmental interaction was initiated by the child or by the agent. The frequency scores derived from the classification of the Environmental Force Units were then subjected toan analysis of variance to determine to what degree, if any, environmental forceswere dif- ferent for "disturbed" and "non-disturbed" childrenand whether or not these differences were affected by the nature of the setting. The results of the study revealedno significant dif- ferences in environmental forces existing betweenthe "disturbed" and "non-disturbed" children and buttwo differences between the two types of settings. The study ,,oncludes that Inter- setting rather than inter-subject differencesare perhaps better studied through this experimental method andsuggests other uses for ecological techniques in psychological researchand training. ENVIRONMENTAL FORCESIMPINGING UPON NORMAL AND DISTURBED CHILDREN IN AREGULAR CLASSROOM by Spencer Gibbins A dissertation submitted inpartial fulfillment of the requirements for thedegree of Doctor of Philosophy (Education and Psychology) in The University of Michigan 1971 Doctoral Committee: Professor William C.Rhodes, Chairman Professor Albert C.Cain Professor Rue L. Cromwell Profeplor William M.Cruickshar:: Professor William C.Morse ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The project presentedor reported herein was performed pursuant to a grant from the UnitedStates Office of Education, Department of Health, Educationand Welfare. The opinions expressed herein, however, donot necessarily reflect the position or policy of the UnitedStates Office of Education, and no official endorsementby the United States Office of Education should be inferred. The author wishes to extendhis sincere appreciation to all those whose helpmade this effort possible. I especially want to thankthose administrators, teachers and children who opened theirclassrooms to this study. ,The author acknowledgesthe help of his colleague, Dr. M. L. Tracy withoutwhose support and assistance this study could not have beendone; his chairman, Dr. W. C. Rhodes whose own work andideas were a great influence; Dr. Phil Schoggen and MaxineSchoggen whose encouragement and help with methodology wereinvaluable; the observers, Lucien Zahendra and SandraHoltz who maintained enthusiasm and cheer against overwhelmingodds; the data coders, Joseph Babcock, Carnelyn andMary Glinsky and Tom Lovelandwho quickly outstripped theirinstructor in coding efficiency; Edith Klein and PattieBarr for their typing thenine-tenths of the glacier notseen in this manuscript and Pattie Tracy ii for all her help in data collection. The preparation of this manuscriptwas the able work of Betty Southworth and NormaFeldkamp. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii LIST OF TABLES v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vii Chapter I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 1 Introduction 1 Emotional Disturbanceas an Interactive Phenomenon The Problem 4 5 Definitions for thisStudy The Design 7 Hypotheses 9 Study Limitations 12 14 II. LITERATURE REVIEW 16 Ecological Research in Psychology 16 Ecological Studies ofChildren 24 , Ecological Studies of"Disturbed" Children 32 Methodological Concerns Synthesis and 39 Application 44 III. PROCEDURE AND ANALYSIS 48 Population of theStudy Data Collection 48 52 Environmental ForceUnit Coding and Categorization of theData Statistical Analysis 55 63 IV. RESULTS OF THESTUDY 66 V. CONCLUSIONS 84 Examination of the Results 84 The Sample of"Disturbed" Children Methodology 88 Implications of theStudy for 92 Ecological Psychology 10 APPENDIX A 99 REFERENCES 103 115 iv 4 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Total Adjusted Number of EFU's (Variable 1) 57 2. Adjusted Number of EFU Initiated by Subject (Variable 2) 58 3. Adjusted Number of EFU in which Subject is Sole Target (Variable 3) 59 4. Adjusted Number of EFU in which Conflict Occurred (Variable 4) 60 5. Adjusted Number of EFU in which a Coercive Method was Used by Agent (Variable 5). 61 6. Adjusted Number of EFU Containing Adult Agent (Variable 6) 62 7. Variable 1 Cell Means for Total Adjusted EFU's 67 8. Analysis of Variance for Variable 1, Total Adjusted Number of EFU's 68 9. Variable