Master's Theses

Department

Advanced Education Programs

Degree Name

Education Specialist (Ed.S)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to (1) determine whether a clear understanding of the roles the school psychologist serves in the school, influences teachers' acceptance of his services, and (2) whether classroom teachers' feelings concerning their self-image affect their acceptance of the school psychologist. The subjects used in this study were thirty female elementary teachers, then serving in Kansas. Half of these teachers were classified as having poor attitudes toward school psychologists, while the other fifteen teachers were considered to have good attitudes. On the basis of a subjective rating of a teacher's attitudes toward school psychology, each teacher was placed in his particular group by the psychologist with whom he worked. Three measuring devices were used to gather information concerning (1) the knowledge teachers possess about their psychologist's role, (2) their attitudes toward the school psychologist with whom they work, and (3) their feelings about their own self -image. The instruments included an inventory of school psychological activities; two paragraphs, one describing a teacher with good attitudes toward school psychologists, the other a teacher with poor attitudes; and the Leary Interpersonal Check List. Hypothesis 1 stated that teachers classified as having poor attitudes toward school psychologists would express significantly more misunderstanding about his role than would teachers with good attitudes. Hypothesis 2 was that teachers classified as having poor attitudes toward school psychologists would express significantly more doubts about their own self-image than would teachers with good attitudes. In an attempt to analyze the difference expressed by these two groups on the inventory and the ICL, a t test for means was employed. Analysis of the data justified the rejection of the null hypothesis for hypothesis 1, but not for hypothesis 2. The difference between the means for the two groups on the inventory of school psychological activities was significant beyond the .05 level of confidence, while for the ICL the difference was found to be below the .05 level. In comparing how the two groups differed on the various individual items of the inventory, as well as how psychologists and teachers differed, a t-test for significance was utilized and the .05 level of confidence required. Five items were found to differ significantly between good- and poor-attitude teachers, and four items between school psychologists and teachers in general.

Keywords

School employees, Women, Special education, Psychologists, Ethics, Kansas, Behavior, Mental states, Self-perception

Advisor

Dr. John D. King

Date of Award

Fall 1968

Document Type

Thesis - campus only access

Rights

© The Author(s)

Comments

For questions contact ScholarsRepository@fhsu.edu

Download

Off Campus FHSU Users Click Here

Share

COinS