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A classroom rating scale for use with mentally retarded children
The British Journal of Clinical Psychology
|September 1, 1984
Summary
A new behavior rating scale for children with intellectual disabilities identifies two key factors: attention/distractibility, linked to verbal skills, and inhibition/excitation, related to temperament. This tool helps measure classroom behavior differences in these children.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Mentally retarded children exhibit distinct behavioral patterns.
- Previous research by Pevsner (1963) described these behaviors.
- Understanding individual differences in behavior is crucial for effective educational strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate a behavior rating scale for mentally retarded children.
- To identify underlying factors influencing classroom behavior in this population.
- To assess the scale's utility in measuring individual behavioral differences.
Main Methods:
- Development of a behavior rating scale based on Pevsner's (1963) descriptions.
- Application of factor analysis to behavioral descriptions.
- Correlation analysis with verbal age and verbal quotient using the English Picture Vocabulary Test (EPVT).
Main Results:
- Factor analysis revealed two independent factors: Attention/Distractibility (AD) and Inhibition/Excitation (IE).
- The AD factor correlated significantly with verbal age and quotient (EPVT scores); lower EPVT scores predicted higher distractibility.
- The IE factor showed no significant correlation with verbal measures but relates to temperament and social interaction styles.
Conclusions:
- Individual differences in classroom behavior among mentally retarded children may not differ qualitatively from non-retarded children.
- The developed scale is a valuable instrument for assessing these behavioral differences.
- The findings suggest that both cognitive (verbal ability) and temperamental factors influence behavior in children with intellectual disabilities.