Date of Award

12-1987

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Charles C. Warfield

Second Advisor

Dr. James Sanders

Third Advisor

Dr. Martha Warfield

Abstract

The relationship between affective behavior and academic achievement has been addressed by a community based education program for minority student achievement in a southwestern Michigan school district. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effectiveness of selected components of the intervention program whose design or goal was to change the affective behavior of early elementary Black students enrolled in the community based education program. It was hypothesized that there would be a difference in affective behavior between groups of children who received regular training or intensive relaxation training; between boys and girls; and among Grades 1, 2, and 3 students. It was also hypothesized that a relationship existed between the frequency of attendance at training sessions and the change in affective behavior.

Change in affective behavior was measured by the pre- and posttest ratings of school classroom teachers and program site teachers on the Behavior Rating Index for Children (BRIC). In addition, data on the frequency of occurrence of school discipline referrals and suspensions were collected for each of the 120 children enrolled in the community based education program.

Results of the hypothesis testing indicated that there were differences between males and females in the frequency of discipline referrals. It was also found that a relationship existed between the frequency of attendance in the relaxation sessions and affective behavior change as measured by program site teachers. Although a decrease in the frequency of disruptive behavior was noted at the conclusion of the intervention period, statistically significant differences were not found in measured change between regular or intensive relaxation training or among grade levels. Implications of the findings for programming and further research are included in the study.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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