The present study examined the relationship between the cognitive skill of role-or perspective-taking and naturally occurring behavior of behaviorally disordered children. Twenty-six boys, aged five years, nine months to twelve years, two months were tested and observed at their treatment facility. It was predicted that children who could take the perspective of others would prefer peer to adult interaction, would more likely give positive attention to their peers and would be more likely to use effective language than their non perspective-taking peers. These and related hypotheses were examined by observing each participant's interactive behavior for 36 minutes distributed over three different settings, lunch, freetime and organized activity on six or more different days. To determine perspective-taking skill, two perspective taking instruments were administered in a separate room at the treatment site. One measure (the Chandler role-taking task) required a child to tell a story from a series of three cartoon pictures and then retell the story from the point of view of a late arriving bystander. The other task (the Friendship interview from the Selman Measure of Interpersonal Understanding) assessed role-taking on the basis of the child's responses to questions about a filmstrip story that depicted a common dilemma between close friends. The variety and frequency of effective words was assessed by counting the effective words used by the child when responding to the first role-taking task, the cartoon stories. A vocabulary test was administered at the same time as the other cognitive measures. Before data analysis began, such methodological concerns as reliability of the observational code, reliability of the judges' scoring of the role-taking tasks and internal consistency of the measures were addressed. Cognitive measures, use of effective language and behavioral categories were then correlated with each other. The vocabulary test was used to partial general verbal skill from the relationship of role-taking and effective language. In addition to examining relationships among the measures, the children were divided into perspective-taking and non perspective-taking groups and compared on the various behavioral and language measures.

The measurement of engagement, or the interaction of a person with their environment, is an integral part of assessing the quality of an intervention program for young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Researchers and practitioners can and do measure engagement in many ways on the individual and group level. The purpose of this methodological study was to compare three commonly used recording systems: individual partial interval, group momentary time sampling, and group partial interval. These recording methods were compared across three classes of engagement: social, instructional, and non-instructional in a clinical setting with children with autism. Results indicate that group measurement systems were not sensitive to individual changes in engagement when child behaviors were variable. The results are discussed in the context of behavior analytic conceptual systems and the relative utility and future research directions for behavior analytic practice and research with young children in group settings.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The literature demonstrates that children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often experience peer rejection as a result of their difficulties with interpersonal interactions. The manner in which children with ADHD process social information and the extent to which social difficulties may adversely impact these children has remained unclear. In the first part of the study, the perceptions of social support between boys (ages 7 to 11 years) with and without ADHD were compared. An analysis of variance procedure (ANOVA) was performed and children with ADHD were found to perceive significantly lower levels of social support from their classmates than normal peers at pretreatment. The groups did not differ significantly with regard to perceptions of parent, teacher, and close friend support. In the second part of the study, the role of ADHD parent training and its effectiveness in decreasing problem-behaviors, ameliorating social problems, and enhancing perceptions of social support was examined. Repeated measures MANOVAs revealed a significant rater (mother and teacher) by time (pretreatment and posttreatment) interaction effect for total behavior problems, externalizing behavior problems, internalizing behavior problems, and social problems. On each scale, mothers reported more behavior problems than teachers at pretreatment, but fewer problems than teachers at posttreatment assessment. Main effects were not detected. ANOVAs performed on social support ratings by children with ADHD demonstrated a significant increase in their perceptions of parental support between pretreatment and posttreatment. Children's ratings of teacher, close friend, and classmate support did not differ significantly between pretreatment and posttreatment. The findings suggest that children with ADHD are socially perspicacious and sensitive to subtle changes within their social support systems. The parent training program appeared to help with the amelioration of problem behaviors in the home, but results did not indicate generalization of improvements to the classroom. Implications of the findings were discussed and suggestions were made for providing assistance to children with ADHD.

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010 / The aim of this study was to establish factors that contribute to poor learner discipline in the primary school. Although discipline has addressed in many schools, putting it through in the classroom is always another story. To address the issue of discipline, this article examines the factors that influence poor discipline in schools, in the Free State province and sought to suggest strategies that may be implemented to improve poor discipline in schools and sustain positive nation of discipline. Questionnaires were administered to educators and information gathered from responses. Both the literature study and empirical research revealed that there were factors which negatively influenced discipline in schools. Finally, several recommendations were made to rectify the current situation.

This study examined how narcissism affects preadolescent children's choices of peer targets for aggression. Based on the idea that narcissists have a grandiose sense of self that requires nourishment, we hypothesized that narcissistic children are especially likely to attack peers who threaten, or fail to nourish, their grandiose self. We assessed narcissism and the degree to which each child's aggression toward peers depended on (a) the child's perceived liking by each peer, (b) the child's liking of each peer, (c) each peer's actual liking of the child, and (d) the child's perceived similarity to each peer. Participants were 197 children in the fourth through eighth grades at a university school. Narcissism predicted the four types of target-specific aggression in disparate ways for boys and girls. Narcissistic boys were especially likely to direct aggression toward male peers whom (a) they perceived as disliking them, (b) they disliked, and (c) they perceived as dissimilar to themselves. Narcissistic girls were especially likely to attack female peers whom they perceived as similar to themselves. Narcissism may enhance different motives for boys and girls in same-sex peer relatinships. We propose that narcissism enhances investment in status and rivalry amoung girls while enhancing the motive to attack dissimilar peers among boys. / by Chelsie Anderson. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

The current study examined the possibility of using cluster analysis to classify attachment styles in middle childhood. Attachment classifications were measured by looking at child coping strategies and perceived maternal behavior. The attachment classification was then tested for construct validity by examining whether it can predict adjustment outcomes in interpretable patterns. The adjustment outcomes examined were a self-reported global self-worth scale and peer-reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors measured using a Peer Nomination Inventory. The current study had 199 third through eight graders and provided evidence for the cluster analysis approach and also showed that the disorganized attachment was associated with the most adverse adjustment outcomes. That is, results showed that disorganized attachment was linked with the lowest levels of global self-worth and the highest rates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors and was significantly different from the securely attached cluster on each measure. The implications and possible underlying causes are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2018-09-28T12:24:08Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabiana Borelli Gomes do Nascimento.pdf: 4903072 bytes, checksum: eca69dd5edaa8d087b2feb5a4ab2dd0d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-28T12:24:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fabiana Borelli Gomes do Nascimento.pdf: 4903072 bytes, checksum: eca69dd5edaa8d087b2feb5a4ab2dd0d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This dissertation aims to analyze the principles and conceptions of the Integrative Curriculum from the perspective of a group of educators, focusing on the subsidies of the document "Curriculum Integrator of Childhood Paulistana", promoted by the Municipal Education Department of São Paulo. The study delimited the research scenario in an Educational Unit of Early Childhood Education in the District of Cidade Tiradentes and used the qualitative methodology (ANDRÉ, 2000; GAMBOA, 2000; CHIZZOTTI, 2003) to support the research. We constructed an open questionnaire (GIL, 2008), as an instrument for data collection, with the intention of revealing how the teachers understand the Integrative Curriculum and how these conceptions are embedded in their actions. The most problematized themes were highlighted and analyzed in consonance with specific theoretical literature. We found in the teachers' statements, elements indispensable to integrative pedagogical practices, such as the organization of times, spaces and materials, play, the integration of knowledge of different curricular components, children's cultures and protagonism. We perceive from the reflections carried out, an involvement of the educators, in approaching the foundations of the "Integrative Curriculum" the educational practices, for that, we emphasize the formative process, the discussions of the educational routines, as a field of strengthening and deepening to the integrative conceptions, in respect to childhood / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar os princípios e as concepções do Currículo Integrador sob a ótica de um grupo de educadoras, tendo como foco os subsídios do documento “Currículo Integrador da Infância Paulistana”, elaborado pela Secretaria Municipal de Educação de São Paulo. O estudo delimitou como cenário da pesquisa uma Unidade Educacional de Educação Infantil do distrito de Cidade Tiradentes e utilizou a metodologia qualitativa (ANDRÉ, 2000; GAMBOA, 2000; CHIZZOTTI, 2003) para embasamento da investigação. Para a coleta de dados, foi construído um questionário aberto (GIL, 2008), que buscou desvelar como as professoras compreendiam o Currículo Integrador e como tais concepções encontravam-se imbricadas em suas ações. Os temas mais problematizados foram destacados e analisados em consonância com literatura teórica específica. Nos depoimentos das professoras foram constatados elementos indispensáveis às práticas pedagógicas integradoras, como a organização dos tempos, dos espaços e dos materiais, o brincar, a integração de saberes de diferentes componentes curriculares, as culturas infantis e o protagonismo. Percebeu-se, a partir das reflexões realizadas, uma disposição das educadoras para a aproximação entre os fundamentos do “Currículo Integrador” e as práticas educativas. Para tanto, o processo formativo e as discussões das rotinas educativas são enfatizados como campo de fortalecimento e aprofundamento das concepções integradoras, em respeito à infância

published_or_final_version / abstract / Education / Master / Master of Education

This qualitative and interpretive study explores how young children experience humour and playfulness in their communication. Data were gathered in three early childhood education centres. The ethnographic method used was primarily participant observation, with the aid of a video camera and tape-recorder. Socio-cultural historical activity theory informs both the methodological paradigm of the research and the framework for data analysis. The research focuses on systems of interactions rather than individuals. The diversity and complexity in children's playful and humorous communication is illuminated by presenting 24 narrative-like "events" involving such communication. This presentation makes clear the dynamic qualities and artifact-mediated dialectical nature of playful and humorous communication activity. "Artifacts" include material and non-material tools, symbols, and semiotic signs (Wartofsky, 1979). Relationships between the roles, rules, and the community of children and teachers engaged in each event are discussed. Tensions and contradictions in these relationships (including children's playful subversion of adult rules) are explored. This thesis argues that humour, playfulness, and imagination are shared and distributed across groups of children. Thus children's imaginations, including their individual experiences, are dynamically shared with and connect the group. Playful and humorous communication involves words, sounds, gestures, posture, rhythm, and movement. At times the synchronous movements and speech of children having fun together are like a spontaneously improvised dance. Boundaries between children are blurred by the activity. The children become united by shared and distributed imagination in playful and humorous diversity. This study suggests that individual children in early childhood centres should be viewed as fundamentally connected to each other. Individuals exist in relation to others. Children's relationships with others, their environment, and artifacts are central to understanding children's experience of playful and humorous communication.