THE RELATIONSHIP OF TEACHER MORALE AND CERTAIN

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS TO TEACHER RATINGS

OF CHILDREN LABELLED EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED

By

Robert G. Simpson

A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE

GRADUATE COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE

DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1977

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Sincere gratitude and appreciation are extended to those
who aided in the completion of this study. Thanks are extended
to the members of my committee, Dr. Mary Kay Dykes, Chairperson,
Dr. Charles Forgnone, Dr. Ralph Kimbrough, Dr. William Reid, and
Dr. William Ware. Thanks are also extended to Mr. Andy Conda
and the administrators of the Hillsborough County Public Schools
for their excellent cooperation. For his procedural assistance
and encouragement, appreciation is extended to Dr. Robert
Algozzine. Finally, gratitude and appreciation are extended
to my wife, Ginni, who has sacrificed and supported me through-
out my graduate studies .

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii

LIST OF TABLES vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

ABSTRACT viii

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION 1

Statement of the Problem 3

Definition of Terms 3

Delimitations 4

Limitations 4

Summary 5

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE 6

Teacher Morale 6

Teacher Attitudes Toward Integrating Handicapped Students . 8

Teacher Expectancy 12

The Landmark Study and Criticism 12

Research in Which Expectancy Effect Was Not Demonstrated. 14

Research in Which Expectancy Effect Was Demonstrated . . 15

Summary 18

CHAPTER III

METHOD AND PROCEDURES 19

Statement of Null Hypotheses . . 19

Subjects 20

Instrumentation 20

Purdue Teacher Opinionaire 20

F-Y Observation Checklist 23

Case Study Vignettes 23

Videotape 23

Questionnaire 24

Procedures 25

Pilot Study 25

Data Collection 26

Data Analysis 28

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS 31

Null Hypothesis One 31

Null Hypothesis Two 32

Null Hypothesis Three 35

Null Hypothesis Four-a 37

Null Hypothesis Four-b 38

CHAPTER V

DISCUSSION 40

Review of the Purpose 40

Review of the Literature 40

Review of Hypotheses 41

Review of the Methods 42

Summary of Findings 43

Interpretation and Literature Support 44

Problems and Limitations 47

Practical Implications 49

Suggestions for Future Research 51

REFERENCES 54

APPENDIX A

THE PURDUE TEACHER OPINIONAIRE 59

APPENDIX B

F-Y OBSERVATION CHECKLIST 66

APPENDIX C

STUDY II 69

APPENDIX D

QUESTIONNAIRE 71

APPENDIX E

STUDY I 73

APPENDIX F

SOME VERBATIM RESPONSES OF PILOT STUDY SUBJECTS WHO READ THE
"EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED EXPECTANCY" AND "NORMAL EXPECTANCY"
VIGNETTES 74

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 76

Table

LIST OF TABLES

Demographic Characteristics of Subjects in

the Experimental and Control Conditions 21

Summary of Hierarchal Regression Analysis for
the Independent Variables of Group Assignment
and Teacher Morale 31

Intercorrelations of Demographic, Dependent and
Independent Variables 33

Multiple R, R2, and R Change for the Independent
Variables as They Entered the System 34

F- ratios for the Independent Variables in the
Regression Analysis 35

Summary of t-test Analysis for Questions One

Through Four of the Questionnaire 36

Results of Chi-Square Analysis for Hypothesis

Four-a 38

Results of the t-tests on the Means for Each of the
Last Three Questions of the Questionnaire 39

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure

1 Experimental Procedure 29

vii

Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate Council

of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

THE RELATIONSHIP OF TEACHER MORALE AND CERTAIN

DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS TO TEACHER RATINGS OF

CHILDREN LABELLED EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED

By

Robert G. Simpson

August, 1977

Chairperson: Mary K. Dykes

Major Department: Special Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship
of teacher morale and certain demographic factors to teacher
ratings of, and attitudes toward, children labelled emotionally
disturbed. Demographic factors under consideration were teacher
age, sex, race, years of teaching experience, marital status,
and number of children of his own.

Subjects in the study were 34 teachers of regular elementary
classes (grades four through six), employed by a large metropoli-
tan school system in Florida. Teachers from five different
public schools volunteered to participate in the study in lieu
of participation in some other mandatory inservice activity.

Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatment
groups, designated the "normal expectancy" group and the
"emotionally disturbed expectancy" group. Each subject com-
pleted a form on which he supplied information relevant to his

age, sex, race, years of teaching experience, marital status,
and number of children of his own.

The first part of the study involved completion of the
Purdue Teacher Opinionaire, an instrument designed to measure
teacher morale. Following completion of the morale assessment,
all teachers received an information sheet explaining that they
were about to view a videotape of a fourth grade child. Half of
the teachers were told that the child was normal, and half were
told that the child was emotionally disturbed.

All of the teachers were exposed to the same videotape pre-
sentation of a normal fourth grade male student. When the video-
tape had been shown, each teacher was asked to evaluate the child':
behavior by completing an observation checklist. Subjects also
completed a brief opinion questionnaire.

Analysis of the data indicated that teacher morale was not
found to be a statistically significant predictor of teacher
ratings of student. behavior; however, three factors -- sex, number
of children, and label assigned to the child -- were found to be
significant predictors. Further examination of results indicated
that the more children a teacher had of his own, the more posi-
tively he rated student behavior.

To a significantly greater degree, teachers who were told
that the videotaped student was emotionally disturbed responded
that his presence in a regular class would have a detrimental
effect on the other children. The same teachers also felt signi-
ficantly less capable of providing the videotaped student with a

meaningful educational program than did the teachers who were
told that the student was normal. Among all of the subjects
who indicated on the questionnaire that they believed the video-
taped student to be emotionally disturbed, subjects in the
"emotionally disturbed expectancy" condition rated him signifi-
cantly more disturbed than did teachers in the "normal expec-
tancy" condition.

Both groups of teachers tended to disagree with the statement
that, based on the videotaped student's behaviors, they would
prefer that he not be placed in their classes. Subjects in the
control group tended to disagree with the statement more, although
not to a significantly greater degree. Based on this finding, it
is suggested that, even though teachers might express misgivings
and doubts concerning the placement of students labelled emotion-
ally disturbed in their classes, they tend not to reject the
students outright.

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

This study was designed to investigate the relationship of
teacher morale and certain demographic factors with teacher
ratings of a child labelled emotionally disturbed. Several
authors in the field of special education have advocated the
concept of mainstreaming exceptional students in the public
schools (Dunn, 1968; Johnson, 1969; Lilly, 1970; Miller 5
Schoenfelder, 1969; Nelson § Schmidt, 1971), and with the ad-
vent of national legislation (Public Law 94-142), many emotion-
ally disturbed children who once spent their entire academic
day in a self-contained special education classroom will now
spend a sizable portion of their day in a regular classroom.

There is a need for research investigating the factors that
could influence the potential for success or failure of an
emotionally disturbed child who is placed in a regular class.
Brophy and Good (1970), Haring (1957), and Rosenthal and
Jacobson (1968) have suggested that teacher expectancy can be
a strong determinant of pupil performance. Foster, Ysseldike,
and Reese (1975) presented evidence which indicated that labelling
a child emotionally disturbed elicits preconceived stereotypical
expectancies on the part of teachers and that these expectancies
are held even in the face of conflicting evidence.

Most of the investigators who have researched the effect of
teacher expectancy on pupil performance have concerned themselves
only with whether or not such an effect exists, and have not con-
cerned themselves with an investigation of the factors which
could have an influence on teacher expectancy (Brophy § Good,
1970; Foster, Schmidt, £ Sabatino, 1976; Mason, 1973). A
teacher's expectancy and attitude toward a mainstreamed emotion-
ally disturbed child could be affected by any number of factors.

Several researchers have investigated teacher morale
(Blocker § Richardson, 1963; Ellenburg, 1972; Rempel 5 Bentley,
1970b); however, there has been no research investigating the
relationship between teacher morale and attitude toward emotion-
ally disturbed children. Harasymiw and Home (1975), in dis-
cussing the integration of handicapped children in the regular
classroom, suggested the feasibility of reeducating classroom
teachers to work with handicapped students in the regular class-
room. They pointed out that these retraining workshops could be
best developed if based on an understanding of teacher character-
istics (e.g., sex, age, race, and years of teaching experience)
and their relationship to teacher attitudes.

Obtaining information concerning the relationship of teacher
morale and other characteristics wi.th teacher attitudes could
prove useful to administrators who place emotionally disturbed
children in regular classrooms. If certain teacher characteris-
tics can be shown to be predictors of more positive teacher
expectancy for the child, then the administrator can examine

the relevant characteristics of the teacher and place the child
appropriately.

Statement of the Problem

The problem in this study was to determine whether teacher
morale, as measured by the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire, and
certain demographic characteristics of teachers can be used to
predict how teachers of regular grades four through six rate
the behavior of students labelled either emotionally disturbed
or normal. Demographic factors considered were teacher age,
sex, race, years of teaching experience, marital status, and
number of children of his own.

Definition of Terms

Emotionally Disturbed Child - any child who is placed for
some portion of his academic day in a resource room for emotion-
ally disturbed children and who spends the remainder of the day
in a regular classroom. According to Hillsborough County Public
Schools, such children may be characterized by disturbed peer
relations, poor relations with teachers, aggressive behavioral
outbursts, or withdrawal.

Mainstreaming - the practice in which each handicapped
student is integrated, insofar as possible, into a non-special
educational environment so that he comes into contact with normal
students and learns from regular class teachers.

Regular Class Teachers - any certified teacher in the
Hillsborough County School System who has been trained in elemen-
tary education and is employed as a teacher of grades four, five,
or six.

Resource Room - a classroom to which small groups of students
identified as emotionally disturbed are assigned for some portion
of the academic day. The activities of the resource room are
designed for the remediation of emotional difficulties.

Teacher Morale - the professional interest and enthusiasm
that a teacher displays toward the achievement of individual and
group goals in a given job situation, as measured by the Purdue
Teacher Opinionaire.

Delimitations

Subjects for this study were selected from one populous
county in the state of Florida, and only regular education
teachers of grades' four through six participated. The subjects
came from five elementary schools in different parts of
Hillsborough County. The sample cannot be said to be repre-
sentative of teachers of grades one through three or grades
seven through twelve.

Limitations

Due to school district policy, participation in the study
was purely voluntary. It is possible that teachers having one

or more characteristics in common could have refused to partici-
pate, thereby limiting the representativeness of the sample.

The assessment measures used in this study were paper and
pencil instruments. A problem with paper and pencil evaluation
is the difficulty in determining whether a teacher's response
on paper corresponds to how she would feel or act in the class-
room. Nevertheless, the teachers' completion of the dependent
measures was based on actual behavior as observed on a video-
tape.

Summary

In Chapter I, the problem of stereotypical teacher expec-
tancies was discussed relative to the mainstreaming of emotionally
disturbed children. How regular class teachers view the behavior
of a child labelled emotionally disturbed could influence how
they will deal with that child; therefore, it is of concern to
administrators. Teacher characteristics, such as morale, were
discussed as possible predictors of teacher ratings of children
labelled emotionally disturbed and normal.

In Chapter II, the review of literature, the problem will
be discussed in more detail as it fits into the context of past
research. The actual procedures involved in the study will be
presented in Chapter III. The results will be presented in
Chapter IV, with a discussion of the results following in
Chapter V.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Three bodies of literature are relevant to the present study
and will be reviewed in this chapter. The review includes litera-
ture concerning (a) teacher morale, (b) teacher attitudes toward
integration of handicapped students in the regular classroom, and
(c) teacher expectancy.

Teacher Morale

The literature concerning teacher morale is replete with
correlational studies and questionnaire techniques (Coughlan,
1970; Coverdale, 1973; Ellenburg, 1972; Price, 1971). Several
authors have offered their own definitions and then suggested
ways in which to maintain or to improve teacher morale (Adams,
1975; Stevenson § Milt, 1975; Van Hoven, 1974).

Blocker and Richardson (1963),. in reviewing morale research,
cited the need for studies investigating the relationship between
morale and teacher performance. They also recognized the need
for development of assessment devices which have been validated
against external criteria. Rempel and Bentley (]970a) responded
to the need with the development of the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire
(PTO) . The PTO has been used in a variety of research studies.

Administering the PTO to 3,075 secondary school teachers,
Rempel and Bentley (1970b) found a relationship between salary
and level of teacher morale. Hie investigators observed a
gradual progression in level of morale as the number of years
of teaching experience increased, and they found that teachers
who had a master's degree had a higher morale score than
teachers who had a bachelor's degree.

Greenwood and Soar (1973) used the PTO to investigate the
relationship between morale and verbal behavior of 39 female
elementary school teachers. The investigators found teacher
morale to be negatively correlated with the percentage of
teacher talk, but they indicated that the amount of pupil talk
followed by more pupil talk was positively related to satisfac-
tion with teacher salary and teacher load. The significance of
such findings is dubious since correlation does not demonstrate
any cause and effect relationship.

Jones (1968) used the PTO to evaluate and compare the
morale of 204 regular class teachers with the morale of 146
teachers of the mentally retarded. He found no difference between
the morale of the two groups of teachers, and observed no rela-
tionship between morale and whether a special education teacher
worked in a special or regular school. Kovacevich (1974) also
found that there was no difference between the morale of special
education and regular class teachers, controlling for the variables
of experience, type of school district, level taught (elementary
or secondary) and training.

The relation between performance and teacher morale is a
problem that merits further investigation. As technology con-
tinues to be improved (e.g., development of the Purdue Teacher
Opinionaire) , this potentially valuable source of information
about teachers can be more profitably investigated.

Teacher Attitudes Toward Integrating Handicapped Students

There exists an abundance of research dealing with attitudes
toward handicapped individuals (Sigler £, Lazar, 1976); however,
the scope of the present research narrows the relevant literature
to that pertaining to teacher attitudes toward, not just handi-
capped children, but the integration of handicapped children into
regular classes. The investigative technique most often used has
been some form of questionnaire.

Guerin and Szatlocky (1974) used the questionnaire approach
to investigate the attitudes of 17 administrators and 31 teachers
who worked in schools where the integration of mildly retarded
children into regular classes had recently taken place. The
behavior of the retarded students was said to be similar in many
aspects to that of normal students. The investigators concluded
that the majority of teachers and administrators involved with the
program approved of the integration.

The results of the Guerin and Szatlocky study are suspect
because of the presence of several uncontrolled potentially con-
founding variables. The characteristics of the teachers and
administrators were not described, and there was not adequate

description of the differences and similarities between the mildly
retarded students and the normal ones.

Other investigators (Barngrover, 1971; Phelps, 1974) found
teachers to be less favorable toward regular class placement of
handicapped students. Barngrover interviewed 50 teachers, admin-
istrators and school psychologists who were in daily contact
with exceptional children. In her effort to determine opinion
regarding placement, she found that classroom teachers more often
favored special class placement for mildly handicapped students,
while non-teaching professionals favored regular class placement.
Phelps (1974) obtained similar results using a questionnaire
technique.

Proctor (1967) supported the idea that teacher attitudes
toward integration of exceptional children are a function of
whether the teacher teaches a special education class or a
regular class. Combs and Harper (1967) disagreed, concluding
that the amount of experience, rather than type of experience,
is the variable which most affects teacher attitudes.

Gullotta (1974) found teachers to be more willing to keep
a moderately disturbed child in their regular classes provided
they received assistance needed to help and maintain the child.
Graduate students in education read- a case history of an acting-
out male and, using a seven-point Likert scale, indicated whether
they would recommend or not recommend each of ten suggested
solutions. The three solutions most acceptable to the teachers
were referral to a guidance clinic, referral to outside community
activity, such as scouting, and special education assistance.

10

All three solutions allowed for the child to remain in the regular
classroom.

It could be that the crucial variable determining whether
or not teachers have favorable attitudes toward the integration
of mildly handicapped students is actual contact with such
students (Guerin § Szatlocky, 1974; Harasymiw § Home, 1975;
Shotel, Iano, § McGettigan, 1972), or perhaps it is instruction
in how to manage handicapped students (Brooks S Brans ford, 1971;
Shaw 5 Gillung, 1975). hither results in more information for
the regular class teacher.

Shaw et al . investigated the latter possibility by examining
the effect of a six-week summer course on the attitudes of ten
regular class teachers. The investigators attempted to assess
the teachers' attitudes toward mainstreaming mildly handicapped
children by administering to them the Rucker-Gable Educational
Scale. The scale was administered prior to, immediately after,
and three months following completion of the course. The same
scale was administered to a control group of teachers who were
not enrolled in the course. Analysis of the results indicated
no significant difference between pretest scores of the experi-
mental and control groups; however, there was a significant
attitude change for the experimental group from pretest to post-
test. The increased positive attitude was maintained over the
ensuing three-month period. The results of the study lend
support to the opinion of Brooks and Bransford (1971) that
there is a need to retrain regular teachers regarding how to
properly serve the needs of exceptional children in regular
classes .

11

As suggested earlier, another possible determinant of teacher
attitudes toward integration of exceptional children is actual
contact with the children. Johnston (1972) used a questionnaire
to investigate the attitudes of regular class teachers into whose
classes a mildly handicapped child had already been placed. The
investigator reported that every teacher who answered the question-
naire agreed that class progress was not impeded by the presence
of the handicapped student, and many teachers expressed amazement
at the achievement of the handicapped child in the classroom.
The results of this study may be biased since no information was
provided regarding the opinion of those teachers who did not
answer the questionnaire, and how many teachers failed to do so.

Johnston's findings were supported by the results of a study
by Harasymiw and Home (1975). Subjects were 352 teachers from
integrated (experimental) and non-integrated (control) educational
settings. All subjects completed a questionnaire designed to
measure teacher attitudes toward issues involved in a recently
passed state law requiring integration of handicapped children
into the regular classroom. Analysis of the results indicated
that teachers in the experimental group tended to have more
favorable attitudes than their counterparts in the control group.

Several authors (Brooks and Bransford, 1971; Harasymiw 5
Home, 1975) have suggested the feasibility of reeducating class-
room teachers to work with handicapped students in the regular
classroom. They concluded that these retraining workshops could
be best developed if based on an understanding of teacher charac-

12

teristics and their relationship to the attitudes held by teachers.
If teacher expectancies and attitudes toward handicapped students
could be made more positive, then perhaps teachers could be taught
to deal more effectively with handicapped children placed in
their classes. In their investigation of teacher perception of
behavioral disorders in children, Kelly, Bullock, and Dykes (1974)
classified the teachers according to sex, age, race, years of
teaching experience, and educational level. Harasymiw and Home
(1975) suggested that more research into the inter-relationships
of demographic factors and attitudes is required.

Teacher Expectancy

The Landmark Study and Criticism

The landmark study concerning teacher expectancy, or self-
fulfilling prophecy, was reported by Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968).
They explained self-fulfilling prophecy to be "how one person's
expectations for another's behavior can quite unwittingly become
a more accurate prediction simply for its having been made"
(Rosenthal § Jacobson, 1968, p. vii). Their research has aroused
great controversy and, subsequently, has spawned a host of ex-
pectancy studies.

Rosenthal and Jacobson asked elementary school teachers to
administer the Tests of General Ability (TOGA) to every child in
their school (K through 5) . The teachers were led to believe
that the instrument was capable of identifying "bloomers," defined
as students who could be expected to show an academic spurt in

13

their performance during the school year. The TOGA is actually
a nonlanguage group intelligence measure.

In the fall of 1964, twenty percent of the students were
randomly selected to be potential "spurters," and the teachers
were so informed. The TOGA was readministered in January, 1965,
May, 1965, and May, 1966. Of the control group children, 19
percent gained 20 or more points in total IQ while, of the experi-
mental group students, 47 percent made similar gains.

The authors concluded that favorable teacher expectations can
result in improved pupil IQ scores. The gains appeared to be most
dramatic in the case of younger children. The investigators
suggested that younger children were more easily influenced but
required constant contact with the biased agent (the teacher) in
order to maintain their expectancy. Older children were said to
be more difficult to influence but were capable of maintaining
their behavior change once it had taken place.

The study received mixed, but strong, reactions ranging from
wholehearted endorsement (Neurmberger, 1969) to outright rejection
as incompetent research (Thorndike, 1968). Snow (1969) criticized
the use of IQ scores rather than more meaningful mental age date
which was available in the school files. He further pointed out
that pretest data indicated that some children were functioning
at the "imbecile" or "moron" level while, on the posttests, the
children appeared to make spectacular gains. One child with a
pretest IQ of 17 scored IQs of 148, 110, and 112 on the posttests.

14

Snow questioned the fact that no group differences were
noted at the higher grade levels and also questioned the authors'
reliance on the conservative normative data supplied with the
TOGA. Finally, Rosenthal and Jacobson did not attempt to explain
the effects of a 20 percent subject loss, nor the fact that
teachers could not remember which children were the "bloomers."

Research in Which Expectancy Effect Was Not Demonstrated

Several other investigators have conducted experiments similar
to the one by Rosenthal and Jacobson and have attained conflicting
results. Baker and Crist (1971) summarized nine unsuccessful
attempts to replicate the study. Fleming and Anttonen (1971)
investigated the effects of- teacher expectancy upon intellectual
growth when teachers were given erroneous reports concerning the
IQ scores of their second grade students. Correct pupil IQ scores
and scores inflated by 16 points were randomly presented to
teachers. The researchers reported no significant difference
among treatment groups. Fleming and Anttonen concluded that self-
fulfilling prophecy has not been shown to be generalizable to all
settings.

Brophy and Good (1972) suggested that results inconsistent
with those of Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) generally spanned a
long time period. Also, teachers were often already familiar
with students before any misinformation could be presented about
them. Brophy and Good suggested that in this type of situation,
teachers could easily disbelieve or reject the experimenter's
information if it conflicted too greatly with what they already
knew.

15

What studies in the area of teacher expectancy suggest,
according to Gaite (1974), is that if teacher expectancy really
does influence pupil performance, then it probably only does
so when the expectation is massive, and is a consistent part of
a set of opinions and beliefs held by a teacher. In an attempt
to focus on how self-fulfilling prophecy actually operates,
Jeter (1975) and Schain (1975) both concluded that teacher ex-
pectations are not automatically self-fulfilling. They suggested
that self-fulfilling expectations must be translated into behavior
that will communicate the expectations to the pupil and thereby
shape his behavior toward expected patterns.

Research in Which Expectancy Effect Was Demonstrated

Several investigators have demonstrated that giving biased
information concerning students to the teacher can affect her
expectations of the student, her behavior toward the student and
the student's classroom performance (Brandt f, Hayden, 1974; Lars en,
1975). Cahen (1966) demonstrated that teachers of elementary
grades display a tendency toward biased test grading when they
receive false information concerning students, and that the test
grading bias is in the direction of the information bias.

Palardy (1969) found that teacher expectancy is related to
reading achievement test scores. Male students whose teachers
felt that boys could learn to read at the same rate as girls
achieved a test score comparable to the girls'. In a matched
sample of other boys and girls, whose teachers felt that boys
could not learn to read at the same rate as girls, the male
students achieved a significantly lower test score.

16

Jones (1970) randomly labelled certain children as "culturally
deprived" and found that student teachers consistently assigned
lower morale scores to those children, in contrast to the higher
morale scores assigned to "non-deprived" children. Favorable,
neutral, or unfavorable psychological reports also appear to have
an effect on teacher expectancy. Mason (1973) randomly distributed
different reports to teachers who were then exposed to a videotape
of a kindergarten child being tested. Subjects were asked what
grades the youngster would receive at the end of first grade.
There were significant differences in expectations, with the
lowest grade being assigned by subjects who read negative
reports.

Several researchers have attempted to analyze the behavioral
mechanism involved in expectancy effects (Dusek, 1975; Finn, 1972;
Rist, 1970; Rubovits $ Maehr, 1971). Brophy and Good (1970)
observed the dyadic interaction between teachers and individual
students who had previously been ranked by the teachers as either
very high or very low in achievement. Results indicated that
teachers demanded better performance from those children for whom
they had higher expectations and were more likely to praise such
performance when it occurred. On the other hand, teachers were
more likely to accept poor performance from, and gave less praise
for good performance to, those students for whom they held low
expectations. The findings of Brophy and Good offer behavioral
evidence for the hypothesis that teacher expectancy affects teacher
behavior toward students.

17

Another cluster of research has demonstrated that teachers
will maintain stereotypes of improperly labelled children despite
conflicting behavioral evidence (Foster, 1976). Foster, Ysseldike,
and Reese (19753 divided 38 graduate and undergraduate students
enrolled in an introductory course in education of emotionally
disturbed children into two groups. Both groups viewed the
same videotape of a normal fourth grade male. One group had
been told that the child portrayed in the videotape was normal.
The other group was told that the child was emotionally disturbed.
Following the videotape, both groups completed a referral form on
which they were asked to rate the behavior of the child they had
just seen on videotape. The researchers found that the group
which expected the child to be emotionally disturbed rated his
behavior significantly more negatively than did the normal ex-
pectancy group. Foster et al. suggested that teacher trainees
have preconceived stereotypical expectancies about the behavior
of emotionally disturbed children, and that labelling a child as
such calls forth these biases despite behavioral evidence to the
contrary.

The study has been replicated with the only difference
being the exceptionality ascribed to the student. Foster, Schmidt,
and Sabatino (1976) obtained similar results when elementary
school teachers expected the child in the videotape to be
learning disabled. Salvia, Clark, and Ysseldike (1973) also
obtained similar results when the child in the videotape was
assigned either the label "mentally retarded" or "gifted."

Foster et al. (1975) pointed out that no matter what the
deviancy label, the teacher approaches the child with a mental
set based on preconceived expectancies, and that normal behaviors
can be misinterpreted as typical of whatever labelled condition is
ascribed to the child.

Summary

There is ample evidence to suggest the existance of a teacher
expectancy effect on pupil performance in the classroom. There
has been no research to investigate whether certain teacher
characteristics, such as teacher morale and demographic factors,
can be used as predictors of teacher expectancy, and to what
extent they might influence teacher behavior toward children.
The present study is an attempt to respond to this research need
by investigating whether teacher morale and certain demographic
factors relate to teacher expectancy in such a way that they can
be useful as predictors.

CHAPTER III
METHOD AND PROCEDURES

In Chapter III are presented the method and procedures used
in the study. The chapter is divided into five sections, which
are statement of the null hypotheses, description of the subjects,
description of the instrumentation, description of procedures,
and treatment of the data.

Statement of Null Hypotheses

1. Teacher morale is not a 'predictor of how teachers rate the
behavior of students labelled emotionally disturbed or
normal .

2. Teacher age, sex, race, years of teaching experience, marital
status, number of children, and label assignment are not pre-
dictors of how teachers rate the behavior of students.

3. No differences exist in teacher attitudes toward students
labelled emotionally disturbed as opposed to students
labelled normal.

4a. There is no relationship between categorical label assigned
to a student and teacher ratings of presence or absence of
disability in that student.

19

20

4b. There is no difference between teacher ratings of degrees
of disability attributed to a student, after having viewed
the student on videotape.

Subjects

Subjects were 34 teachers of regular elementary classes
(grades four through six), employed by the Hillsborough County
Public Schools in Tampa, Florida. Prior to a district-wide
inservice day, teachers from five different public schools were
asked to participate in the study in lieu of attending some
other inservice activity. Attendance at an inservice meeting
was mandatory; but participation in the study was voluntary.

The 34 volunteers were randomly assigned to one of two
treatment groups. The relevant demographic characteristics of
the subjects in both groups are presented in Table 1. In
Hillsborough County, teachers are assigned from a pool to teach
either grade four, five, or six and teacher assignment may vary
from one year to the next; therefore, no attempt was made to
categorize the sample according to grade level taught.

Instrumentation

Purdue Teacher Opinionaire

The Purdue Teacher Opinionaire (Rempel fj Bentley, 1970a) was
designed to measure teacher morale. The instrument provides sub-
scores of ten morale dimensions including teacher rapport with

21

Table 1

Demographic Characteristics of Subjects in the
Experimental and Control Conditions

Variables Experimental Control

(E.D. Expectancy) (Normal Expectancy)

3 2

15 14

16 13

2 2

0 1

6 6

3 7
5 2

4 1

9 13

9 3

3 3

13 12

0 1

2 0

Mean Number of Children 1.7 1.8

Mean Years of Teaching 13.1 8.8
Experience

Mean Morale Score 286.6 296.1

Sex

Males

Females

Race

White

Black

Latin

Age

21 to 30

years

31 to 40

years

41 to 50

years

over 51 years

Education

Bachelors Degree

Masters Degree

Marital Status

Single

Married

Divorced

Widowed

22

principal, satisfaction with teaching, rapport among teachers,
teacher salary, teaching load, curriculum issues, teacher status,
community support of education, school facilities and services,
and community pressures. The instrument also yields a total
score which was used for purposes of this study. The total
score indicates the general level of a teacher's morale. The
100-item questionnaire can be group administered in 20 to 30
minutes .

Rosner (1972) favorably reviewed the instrument, citing the
total score test-retest reliability of .87. Rempel and Bentley
(1970a) validated the original form of the Opinionaire against
peer judgment made by fellow teachers. Teachers throughout a
school system were asked to identify the teachers in their school
with the highest morale and an equal number of teachers with the
lowest morale. The teachers were asked to use the conceptual
definition of morale which is presented in this study.

To determine instrument validity, mean Opinionaire scores
were calculated for groups of teachers judged on the basis of
peer judgments to be high, medium, or low morale teachers.
Differences among the three groups were significant (a = .05)
in the expected direction.

In a validation study of the revised form of the Opinionaire,
principals in Indiana and Oregon were asked to complete the
Opinionaire as they believed the faculty would complete it.
The faculty also completed the Opinionaire. Rempel and Bentley
reported that the differences between the median scores for
teachers and the median scores for principals were not significant.

23

F-Y Observation Checklist

The observation checklist consists of a 15-item rating scale
on which subjects were asked to rate the behavior of the child
portrayed in the videotape. Various areas of behavior were
rated including academic skills, perceptual motor development,
activity level and personal-social adjustment.

Ratings were made along a 104 mm. continuum divided into
five levels ranging from Superior to Far Below Average. Distance
along this line constitutes the score for each item, with the
total score being determined by the average distance for all
items. High scores indicate negative ratings. Foster,
Ysseldike, and Reese (1975) computed a split half reliability
coefficient for this instrument with 60 elementary teachers and
graduate students in education. Corrected for length of test,
they found the reliability coefficient to be .917. A sample copy
of the scale can be found in Appendix B.

Case Study Vignettes

The two case study vignettes were typewritten descriptions
of a 4th grade male student. In one vignette, the student is said
to be emotionally disturbed and in the other, the student is pre-
sented as "normal." Both vignettes were labelled "Study II" and
were approximately one half page in length. (See Appendix C for
complete vignettes.)

Videotape

The 12-minute color videotape of a beginning 4th grade child,
developed by Foster, Ysseldike, and Reese (1975) was used in this

24

study. The child was normal in the areas of intelligence and
academic achievement. His appearance was determined to be normal
on the basis of a Q-sort technique employed during a previous
study. The child's cumulative folder contained no records of
unusual or deviant behavior.

The child was presented on videotape as he engaged in four
different activities: (a) taking the reading recognition subtest
of the Wide Range Achievement Test, (b) taking the general informa-
tion subtest of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, (c)
performing several perceptual-motor tasks, and (d) playing with
several toys provided by a supervising adult. The child per-
formed on the achievement tests at grade level.

Questionnaire

The opinion questionnaire consisted of seven typewritten
questions referring to the child who was viewed on the videotape
(see Appendix D) . For each of the first four questions, subjects
were to check one of the following responses: strongly agree,
agree, disagree, strongly disagree. For purposes of scoring,
the response to each question was assigned a numerical value
from one (strongly agree) to four (strongly disagree) .

In the final three questions the subject was requested to
indicate to what degree she thought the child portrayed in the
videotape was learning disabled, emotionally disturbed, or men-
tally retarded. Five choices, ranging from no disability to
profound disability, were presented on a continuum for each
question. The subject was allowed to mark any spot along the

25

continuum which corresponded to her opinion. Responses were
scored by measuring the distance from the point of origin to the
point marked by the subject on the continuum. Responses by all
subjects in both experimental conditions were summed and averaged
for each question.

Procedures

Pilot Study

A pilot study was conducted to investigate whether the two
case study vignettes created the desired expectancy effect in
the minds of the teachers who read them. Subjects were 17
teachers and three assistant principals from a middle school in
Alachua County, Florida. Of the subjects, 13 were female and 7
were male. Two were black and 18 were white. Subjects were
asked to participate in the study during the course of a three-
hour period in one school day.

Subjects were seated, one at a time, in a small room with
the experimenter. Each subject was asked to read a case study
vignette which described either a normal 4th grade male or one
said to show indications of emotional disturbance. Half of the
subjects read the "normal expectancy" vignette while the other
half read the "emotionally disturbed expectancy" vignette.

Upon reading the vignette, each subject was asked to describe
the child as he remembered him from the vignette ("What did these
paragraphs tell you about the child who was discussed in them? ■
What do you remember about the child?"). No teacher heard the

26

other teachers' responses or even knew which vignette the other
teachers read. Participants were asked to refrain from dis-
cussing anything about the activity until the experiment was
completed. Collection of all the data for the pilot study re-
quired approximately three hours.

Of the ten educators who read the "emotionally disturbed
expectancy" vignette, all ten described the child as emotionally
disturbed. Of the ten who read the "normal expectancy" vignette,
nine described the child as normal, and one teacher suggested that
the child was probably abnormal because of special interest shown
in him. The same teacher placed the student in a state different
from the one mentioned in the vignette. Some verbatim responses
of the 20 teachers are presented in Appendix F.

Examination of the results indicates that the two case
study vignettes successfully conveyed two different pictures
of the same student. The "emotionally disturbed expectancy"
vignette did create, in the minds of those who read it, the
expectancy that the child described was, or could be, emotionally
disturbed. The "normal expectancy" vignette, on the other hand,
seemed to convey to the readers that the child was normal or
average for his age level.

Data Collection

Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatment
groups, designated the "normal expectancy" group and the "emotion-
ally disturbed expectancy" group. Every teacher was asked to com-
plete a form requesting demographic data regarding age, sex, race,

27

years of teaching experience, marital status, and number of child-
ren of her own. (See Appendix A for a copy of the data form.)

Subjects were told that they were going to participate in
two short studies. Study I involved completion of the Purdue
Teacher Opinionaire. Study II involved viewing the videotape,
and then completing the F-Y Observation Checklist and an opinion
questionnaire.

All subjects received a typewritten information sheet
labelled Study I (see Appendix E) . By means of the information
sheet, teachers in both experimental groups were asked to complete
the Purdue Teacher Opinionaire which was used to measure teacher
morale. Upon completion of the morale assessment, teachers in the
"normal expectancy" (control) group each received a typewritten
case study vignette labelled Study II, in which a 4th grade male
student was described. The vignette indicated that the teachers
were about to view a videotape of a child who functions at a level
normal for his age group.

Teachers in the "emotionally disturbed expectancy" (experi-
mental) group each received a vignette similar to that given the
control group except that the student they were about the see on
videotape was described as showing indications of emotional dis-
turbance. All of the teachers were- exposed to the same videotape
presentation of a 4th grade male student who, under the supervision
of an adult male, engages in various activities. When the video-
tape had been shown, each teacher in both groups was asked to
evaluate the child by completing the F-Y Observation Checklist.

28

Throughout the entire procedure, all subjects were in the same
room and complied with the request that they remain silent until
everyone had completed the observation checklist and the opinion
questionnaire. Figure 1 outlines the experimental procedure.

Data Analysis

Data relevant to the first hypothesis were evaluated by
means of multiple regression analysis, a method of analyzing
the collective and separate contributions of two or more
independent variables to the variation of a dependent variable.
This method yields a linear combination of variables having a
maximum correlation with the dependent variable. Ker linger
and Pedhazur (1973) explained the procedures involved in
multiple regression analysis of data with both categorical and
continuous independent variables. In the present study, these
procedures were used to analyze the effects of the categorical
variable (whether the teacher was assigned to the experimental
or control group) and the continuous variable (teacher morale)
on the dependent variable (teacher rating of the student on the
F-Y Observation Checklist) . The data were analyzed via the computer
package SPSS (Nie, Hull, Jenkins, Steinbrenner, f, Bent, 1975).

With respect to hypothesis two, the data were again
analyzed using multiple regression procedures and the SPSS
computer package. The total score from the F-Y Observation
Checklist was regressed on the following variables: group
assignment, sex, race, age, marital status, education, teaching

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experience, morale, and number of children. An additional multiple
regression analysis was employed to analyze the potential inter-
action of the three variables group assignment, sex, and number
of children, using age as a covariate.

Hypothesid three was tested after the subjects' responses
on each of the first four questions of the questionnaire were
analyzed to determine if there was a significant difference in
how the experimental and control groups responded to each question.
Four separate t-tests were used to test for a significant differ-
ence between the response means of the experimental and control
groups.

Null hypothesis four-a was tested by use of the chi-square
test of statistical significance with respect to the final three
questions of the questionnaire. The test was employed to
determine whether a relationship exists between the teacher
ratings of presence or absence of a disability and either of
the three categorical labels learning disabled, emotionally
disturbed, and mentally retarded.

Hypothesis four-b was tested after data relevant to the final
three questions of the questionnaire were analyzed by use of three
separate t-tests. Of those teachers who responded that the
student showed indications of a particular disability, the la-
test was employed to determine whether one experimental group
rated the child's disability to be of a significantly greater
degree than did the other group.

CHAPTER IV
RESULTS

This chapter deals with the presentation of the results.
The chapter has been divided into four major sections which
correspond to the null hypotheses of the study.

Null Hypothesis One

Hierarchal regression analysis was used to test the null
hypothesis that teacher morale is not a predictor of how teachers
rate the behavior of students labelled emotionally disturbed or
normal. A summary of the regression analysis is presented in
Table 2.

Table 2
Summary of Hierarchal Regression Analysis for the
Independent Variables of Group Assignment and Teacher Morale

Source/Order

SS

df

MS

F at Entry

Group
Mo rale
Error

81270.84

26742.82

785065.90

I

1
31

81270.84
26742.82
25324.7]

3.209
1.056

Total

Interaction
Group x Morale

893079.56
8328.47

33

1

8328.47

.32-17

31

32

Examination of the obtained F values indicates that neither
the main effects for group and morale nor their interaction were
statistically significant (a = .05). Based on the statistical
analysis, the null hypothesis that teacher morale is not a pre-
dictor of teacher rating could not be rejected.

Null Hypothesis Two

The second null hypothesis was that teacher age, sex,
race, years of teaching experience, marital status, and number
of children are not predictors of how teachers rate the behavior
of students labelled emotionally disturbed as opposed to students
labelled normal. The total score from the F-Y Observation
Checklist was regressed on teacher morale and selected demo-
graphic variables. Intercorrelations of the demographic,
dependent and independent variables are presented in Table 3.

When all eight independent variables were permitted to
enter the system, "the observed multiple R was .74525, with a
corresponding R of .55537. This finding indicated that, operating
jointly, the eight independent variables explained approximately
5596 of the variance in the dependent variable, the rating of the
child's behavior by the teacher on the F-Y Observation Checklist.

The observed multiple R_, the corresponding R~ and the R
change for the independent variables as they entered the system,
are presented in Table 4.

33

34

Table 4

Multiple R, R2, and R2 Change for the Independent
Variables as They Entered the System

Variable Multiple R R2 r2 Change

Sex 0.37814 0.14299 0.14299

Children 0.51138 0.26151 0.11852

Experience 0.62157 0.38635 0.12484

Group 0.65789 0.45282 0.04647

Education 0.70908 0.50279 0.06997

Morale 0.72751 0.52927 0.02648

Race 0.74307 0.55215 0.02288

Age 0.74523 0.55537 0.00323

The R- indicates the proportion of variance accounted for by
all of the independent variables which have entered the system at
any given point in the procedure. The R2 change indicates the
increase in R~ accounted for by the entry of the next variable into
the system. The prediction equation derived for all eight variables
and their respective partial regression coefficients was

Y = 492.776 + 182. 240 (Sex) - 50. 075 (Chi ldren) + 6.084 (Experience)
+ 118.846(Group) - 89. 546 (Education) + 0. 927(Morale) + 62.489
(Race) - 13.567(Age).
Presented in Table 5 are the F_-ratios for each variable after
all eight variables had entered into the regression analysis. The
£-ratios were examined to determine whether the unique contribution
of each variable was statistically significant. Only the F-ratios
associated with sex, number of children, and group assignment were
significant statistically.

35

Table 5

F-ratios for the Independent Variables

in the Regression Analysis

Variable df

Sex 1 § 25 7.424*

Number of Children i f, 25 11.259*

Experience 1 f, 25 2.030

Group Assignment 1 (c, 25 5.901*

Education 1 § 25 3.183

Morale 1 $ 25 1.926

Race 1 § 25 0.990

Age 1 5 25 0.181

R2 = .55

*Statistically significant (a = .05)

Using age as a covariate, three variables (sex, group assign-
ment, and number of children] and their interactions were allowed
to enter the multiple regression system. The resulting F-ratios
for the unique contribution of the three variables as well as their
interactions were not found to be significant, although R" = .47.
This disparity appears to result from overlap among the independent
variables in the source analysis.

Null Hypothesis Three

The third null hypothesis was that no significant difference
exists in teacher attitude toward a student labelled emotionally
disturbed as opposed to a student labelled normal. Four separate
t-tests for independent samples were used to test for a significant

36

difference between the response means of the experimental and
control groups for the first four questions on the opinion
questionnaire. A summary of the t_-test analyses is presented
in Table 6.

Table 6
Summary of t-test Analysis for Questions One
Through Four of the Questionnaire

1. If the student shown in the videotape were assigned to my class.
I could provide him with a meaningful educational program.

Condition Mean df Calculated t

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 2.39

Normal Expectancy 1.75 30 2.70*

2. This student can learn successfully in a regular elementary
class .

Condition Mean df Calculated t

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 2.39

Normal Expectancy 2.00 50 2.00

3. This student's presence in a regular elementary class would
probably have a detrimental effect on the other children.

Condition Mean df Calculated t

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 2.50

Normal Expectancy 3.06 30 2.55*

4. This student's behaviors are such that I would prefer that he
not be placed in my class.

Condition Mean df Calculated t

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 2.72

Normal Expectancy 3.13 30 1.70

'Statistically significant (a = .05)

37

A significant value for t was obtained for questions one
and three. In examining the table, it should be remembered that
the lower the mean, the more the subjects tended to agree with the
statement presented. The higher the mean, the more the subjects
tended to disagree with the presented statement. Two scores,
chosen at random from the experimental group, were omitted from
the t-test analysis in order to equalize the number of scores in
each sample.

Null Hypothesis Four-a

The hypothesis that there would be no relationship between
categorical label assigned to a student and teacher ratings of
presence or absence of disability in that student was analyzed
by use of the chi-square test of statistical significance, a
procedure used to test whether a systematic relationship exists
between two variables. The test was employed with regard to each
of the final three questions of the questionnaire, to determine
whether a relationship exists between the teacher ratings of
presence or absence of a disability and either of the three
categorical labels, learning disability, emotionally disturbed,
and mentally retarded.

Based on the statistical analysis, the null hypothesis was
not rejected, as none of the three relationships was found to be
significant (a = .05). The results of the chi-square analyses
are presented in Table 7.

38

Table 7
Results of Chi-Square Analysis for Hypothesis Four-a

Relationship Examined df Chi-Square

Group by label learning disability
Group by label emotionally disturbed
Group by label mentally retarded

1

0.04250

1

0.04250

]

2.17321

Null Hypothesis Four-b

Three separate ^t-tests for independent samples were used to
test the hypothesis that there would be no significant difference
between teacher ratings of degrees of disability attributed to a
student, after the teachers viewed the student on videotape.
Results of the three t-tests are presented in Table 8.

Among all the. teachers who rated the student emotionally
disturbed, teachers in the "emotionally disturbed expectancy"
group rated him significantly more .disturbed than did teachers in
the "normal expectancy" group (a = .05). Among all the teachers
in both experimental conditions who rated the child learning dis-
abled or mentally retarded, neither group rated the child signifi-
cantly more learning disabled nor mentally retarded than did the
other group.

39

Table 8

Results of the t-tests on the Means for Each of the

Last Three Questions of the Questionnaire

5. To what degree is the student learning disabled?

Condition N Mean S. D. df t-value

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 14 49.214 11.60 23 0.91
Normal Expectancy 11 44.364 15.12

6. To what degree is the student emotionally disturbed?

Condition N Mean S.D. df t-value

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 14 58.000 18.12 23 2.08*
Normal Expectancy 11 42.636 18.54

7. To what degree is the student mentally retarded?

Condition N_ Mean S.D. df t-value

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy 4 33.750 24.199 4
Normal Expectancy 0 0.000 0.000

^Statistically significant (a = .05)

CHAPTER V
DISCUSSION

Review of the Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship
of teacher morale and certain demographic factors with teacher
ratings of, and teacher attitudes toward, children labelled
emotionally disturbed. With the recent push for the integration
of handicapped students into regular classrooms, it has become
increasingly important to investigate the variables which could
determine whether the placement of a given handicapped student
is advantageous or detrimental to him.

Review of the Literature

There are differing opinions as to what may affect teacher
attitudes toward the integration of handicapped students into
regular classrooms. Some authors feel that the crucial variable
is actual teacher contact with handicapped students while other
authors contend that additional instruction in how to manage
handicapped students is the answer. The differing opinions
suggest the need for further research to determine what variables
affect teacher attitudes.

■10

41

A further examination of research findings suggests the
possibility that teacher expectancy influences a teacher's
attitude and behavior toward students which, in turn, has an
effect on student performance. Most investigators have concerned
themselves only with whether or not such an effect exists, and
have not investigated the factors which could be related to
teacher attitude and behavior toward a handicapped student.

The present study was conducted in an attempt to fulfill the
need for research investigating factors that could influence
the potential for success or failure of an emotionally disturbed
child who is placed in a regular class. A teacher's attitude
and expectancy toward an emotionally disturbed student could be
related to any number of possibly predictive factors. In the
present study several of these possible predictors were investi-
gated in an effort to provide information for the successful
placement of emotionally disturbed children into regular classes.

Review of Hypotheses

To investigate the relationship of teacher morale, and other
teacher characteristics, with teacher ratings of, and attitudes
toward, students labelled emotionally disturbed, the following
null hypotheses were tested:
1. Teacher morale is not a predictor of how teachers rate the

behavior of students labelled emotionally disturbed or

normal.

42

2. Teacher age, sex, race, years of teaching experience, marital
status, number of children, and label assignment are not
predictors of how teachers rate the behavior of students.

3. No differences exist in teacher attitudes toward students
labelled emotionally disturbed as opposed to students labelled
normal .

4a. There is no relationship between categorical label assigned

to a student and teacher ratings of presence or absence

of disability in that student.
4b. There is no difference between teacher ratings of degrees of

disability attributed to a student, after having viewed the

student on videotape.

Review of the Methods

Subjects in the study were 34 teachers of regular elementary
classes (grades four through six), employed by a large metropolitan
school system in Florida. Teachers from five different public
schools volunteered to participate in the study in lieu of
participation in some other mandatory inservice activity.

Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two treatment
groups, designated the "normal expectancy" group and the "emotion-
ally disturbed expectancy" group. livery subject completed a form
on which he supplied information relevant to his age, sex, race,
years of teaching experience, marital status, and number of
children of his own.

The first part of the study involved completion of the Purdue
Teacher Opinionaire, an instrument designed to measure teacher

43

morale. Following completion of the morale assessment, all
teachers received an information sheet explaining that they were
about to view a videotape of a fourth grade child. Half of the
teachers were told that the child was normal, and half were told
that the child was emotionally disturbed.

All of the teachers were exposed to the same videotaped
presentation of a normal fourth grade male student. When the
videotape had been shown, each teacher was asked to evaluate the
child's behavior by completing an observation checklist. Subjects
also completed a brief opinion questionnaire.

Summary of Findings

Analysis of data relevant to the hypotheses of the study
indicated that teacher morale was not found to be a statistically
significant predictor of teacher ratings of student behavior;
however, three factors -- sex, number of children, and group
assignment -- were" found to be significant predictors.

To a significantly greater degree, teachers who were told that
the videotaped student was emotionally disturbed responded that his
presence in a regular class would have a detrimental effect on the
other children. The same teachers also felt significantly less
capable of providing the videotaped student with a meaningful
educational program than did the teachers who were told that the
student was normal. Among the subjects who indicated on the
questionnaire that they believed the videotaped student to be
emotionally disturbed, subjects in the "emotionally disturbed

44

expectancy" condition rated him significantly more disturbed than
did teachers in the "normal expectancy" condition.

Interpretation and Literature Support

A finding of the present study was that male teachers tended
to rate student behavior more positively than did female teachers,
and that the more children a teacher has of her own, the more
positively she will rate student behavior. The finding that sex
was a statistically significant predictor must be viewed with
caution since the statistical significance could be attributed
to the small number of male teachers in the sample. A possible
interpretation of the finding relating to number of children is
that teachers are more tolerant of behaviors exhibited by their
students when they have had experience in dealing with similar
behaviors exhibited by children of their own.

The finding that group assignment (or, which label was assigned
to the videotaped student) was a significant predictor of teacher
ratings should have been expected, based on the recent findings
of other researchers (Brandt § Hayden, 1974; Larsen, 1975) who
have demonstrated that giving biased information concei-ning
students to the teacher can affect her expectations of and behavior
toward the students. The finding also lends support to the
proposition that teachers have certain preconceived stereotypical
expectancies about the behavior of emotionally disturbed children,
and that labelling a child as such calls forth these biases despite
behavioral evidence to the contrary (Foster, 1976; Foster, Schmidt,
5 Sabatino, 1976; Foster, Ysseldike, f, Reese, 1975).

45

In the present study, the label assigned to the student was
a significant predictor of teacher ratings even after all teachers
had viewed the child's actual behavior on videotape. Further
support for the existence of an expectancy effect was suggested
by the finding that, among those subjects who indicated that
the student was emotionally disturbed, subjects in the experimental
condition rated him significantly more disturbed than did subjects
in the control group.

The finding that subjects in the "emotionally disturbed
expectancy" condition were significantly more fearful that the
student's presence in a regular class would have a detrimental
effect on other children in the class can help to explain the
results of studies in which teachers opposed the integration of
handicapped students into regular classes (Barngrover, 1971;
Harasymiw £ Home, 1975; Phelps, 1974). For example, Harasymiw
and Home found that teachers from an educational setting in
which handicapped students were integrated with non-handicapped
students tended to have more favorable attitudes toward integration
than did teachers from a non-integrated educational setting. The
concern of subjects in the present study that other children in
the class would be detrimentally affected by the disturbed child's
presence could help to explain the less favorable attitudes of
teachers who have had little or no contact with handicapped
students. Johnston's (1972) results indicated that this fear
on the part of teachers was unfounded and that it diminished when
the teachers came into actual contact with handicapped children.

46

Johnston reported that teachers into whose classes a mildly
handicapped child was placed indicated that class progress was
not impeded by the presence of the handicapped student, and many
teachers expressed amazement at the achievement of the handicapped
student.

Additional evidence to support the possibility that teachers
of regular classes have misgivings about the integration of
emotionally disturbed students into regular classes was derived
as a result of the present study. Teachers in the "emotionally
disturbed expectancy" condition reported that they felt signifi-
cantly less capable of providing the videotaped student with a
meaningful educational program than did teachers in the "normal
expectancy" group. According to Brooks and Bransford (1971),
Gullotta (1974) and Shaw and Gil lung (1975), the feeling of
incapability on the part of teachers could be allayed by addi-
tional information and instruction in how to manage handicapped
students.

The subjects' responses to the questionnaire seemed to suggest
the following conclusions with regard to teacher attitudes toward
students labelled emotionally disturbed:

(1) Teachers who expect a student to be emotionally
disturbed feel less capable of providing that
student with a meaningful educational program than
do teachers who expect the same student to be
within the normal range of performance.

47

(2) Teachers who expect a student to be emotionally
disturbed feel more strongly that the student's
presence in a regular class will have a detrimen-
tal effect on the other students than do teachers
who expect the same student to be within the normal
range of performance.
It should be noted that the preceding conclusions represent
doubts, fears, or a lack of knowledge on the part of teachers,
and not outright rejection toward students labelled emotionally
disturbed. Any rejection would have to be described as subtle or
indirect at most; however, the fourth question on the questionnaire
provided the subjects with the opportunity to express the opinion
of not wanting the student in their classes. Both groups of
teachers tended to disagree with the statement that, based on
the videotaped student's behaviors, they would prefer that he not
be placed in their classes. Subjects in the control group tended
to disagree with the statement more, although not to a significantly
greater degree. Based on this finding, it is suggested that, even
though teachers might express misgivings and doubts concerning the
placement of students labelled emotionally disturbed in their
classes, they tend not to reject the student outright.

Problems and Limitations

One of the objectives of the present study was to investigate
the relationship between teacher morale and teacher ratings of .
children labelled emotionally disturbed. No statistically

48

significant relationship was found. There are several possible
explanations for this. The first concerns the nature of the sample
population. Due to limitations imposed by school district policy,
all subjects in the study were volunteers. It is possible that
teachers having one or more characteristics in common could have
refused to participate, thereby limiting the representiveness of
the sample. A possible solution to the problem might be to conduct
the study in a school district where the administration could, in
some way, arrange for all of the teachers in a certain number of
schools to participate. Rather than have all of the subjects
gather in one location, as was necessary in the present study
due to school district administrative constraints, the researcher
could move from one school to the next, collecting data at each
school. This would increase the likelihood of a more representa-
tive, and probably larger, sample population by eliminating the
necessity for volunteers to travel to a central location.

Another possible limitation of the findings was the use of
paper and pencil evaluation. Given that the Purdue Teacher
Opinionaire is a valid and reliable assessment of teacher morale,
there are still two problems associated with the use of such an
assessment device. First, the subject may not be candidly re-
sponding to the opinionaire and, secondly, even if the subject
is candidly responding to the questionnaire, his responses are
based on how he feels at that particular moment in time. There
is no guarantee that a subject's morale score on that one day
accurately represents his morale on any other day. It is hoped
that, since the subjects responded anonymously to the questionnaire,

49

the problem of non-candid responses was minimized in the present
study. In addition, since the morale assessment and the dependent
measures were all completed within the same hour, it can be argued
that the only relevant assessment of teacher morale was assessment
during that hour.

A similar evaluation problem exists with regard to the depen-
dent measures. There was no assurance that the subjects' responses
on paper corresponded to how they actually feel or act toward a
student in the classroom. In the present study, the teachers'
completion of the dependent measures was based on actual behavior
as observed on the videotape. Another possible solution might
involve actual classroom observation of teachers in whose classes
an emotionally disturbed student had recently been placed;
however, there would be new problems resulting from the fact
that every teacher would not be managing the same emotionally
disturbed student.

There remains one other possible explanation of the finding
that there was no statistically significant relationship between
teacher morale and teacher rating of student behavior. It might
be that teacher morale has little or nothing to do with teacher
ratings of student behavior, and that there really is no need to
pursue the investigation of the relationship between teacher
morale and teacher performance.

Practical Implications

A number of practical implications can be derived from the
findings of the present study. The finding that number of children

50

and teacher sex were significant predictors of teacher ratings
has meaning for school administrators. When placing emotionally
disturbed children in regular classes, administrators might do
well to remember that, based on the results of the present
study, teachers with more children of their own tend to be less
critical of student behavior than teachers with fewer children.
Based on the findings regarding teacher sex, male teachers tend
to be less critical of student behavior than do female teachers.
It must be remembered, however, that the statistical significance
of sex as a predictor could have been due to the small number of
males in the sample.

Another practical implication relates to the possible content
of inservice presentations for teachers into whose classes an
emotionally disturbed student might be placed. Based on the
findings of the present research, inservice presentations should
be attempts to accomplish the following:

(1) instruct teachers in how to provide meaningful
educational programs for emotionally disturbed
students who are placed in their classes, and
encourage them to do so,

(2) present evidence that the presence of an emotion-
ally disturbed child in a regular class does not
necessarily have a detrimental effect on the other
children,

(3) present evidence that emotionally disturbed students
can and do learn successfully,

51

(4) illustrate the possible effects of expectancies
generated by the label "emotionally disturbed",
and

(5) clarify what is meant by "emotionally disturbed"
to the teacher.

The significant differences in teacher attitudes toward
the presence of an emotionally disturbed student in a regular
class could be attributable to a lack of information on the part
of regular class teachers; hence, the primary goal of an inservice
could be one of information dissemination. It is important to
discuss with teachers the difference between "disturbed"
behavior and behavior that is "disturbing." There is evidence
that teachers hold preconceived expectancies concerning children
who are assigned the label "emotionally disturbed"; therefore,
it is possible that teachers will tolerate the same behavior on
the part of students labelled "normal" while they will refuse to
tolerate the same behaviors on the part of students labelled
"emotionally disturbed." The behavior may be "disturbing" to the
teacher no matter which child exhibits it; however, the impact of
the label "emotionally disturbed" could result in the teacher view-
ing the student as "disturbed" rather than "disturbing."

Suggestions for Future Research

Based on the results of the present study, it appears that
teachers of elementary grades four through six retain certain
expectancies regarding the presence of a student labelled emotion-
ally disturbed in a regular elementary classroom. Researchers in

52

the future could investigate whether these expectancies are
common to teachers of all regular grades, from first grade
through high school. It might also be profitable to determine
whether teachers from small rural school districts demonstrate
attitudes similar to those held by teachers in large urban
districts.

A second avenue for future research would be to examine how
these expectancies are affected by actual classroom experience.
The researcher could administer an attitude assessment to each
teacher in whose class an emotionally disturbed student is to be
placed. At the end of a given period of time, the attitude
assessment could again be administered to determine whether each
teacher's classroom experience with the emotionally disturbed
student has altered her attitude.

In the future, researchers could change the method of data
collection in an attempt to avoid the problems associated with
self- report paper and pencil assessment. An alternative assess-
ment method would be direct observation of teacher behavior.
Trained observers would record specific aspects of teacher
behavior and comparisons could be made of teacher behavior before,
during, and after placement of a child labelled emotionally dis-
turbed in regular classes. The data could also be compared to
that collected from observation of a control group composed of
teachers in whose classes a child labelled normal was placed.

Teachers in the present study seemed to have doubts con-
cerning their ability to provide an emotionally disturbed student
with a meaningful educational program, and concerning the effect

53

the student's presence in a regular class would have on other
children. In the future, researchers could investigate whether
such misgivings also appear in relation to students labelled
"mentally retarded" or "learning disabled."

Finally, it is suggested that, in the future, researchers take
whatever precautions are necessary to ensure a larger number of
males in the experimental sample. By increasing the sample size,
the number of males should also increase. This could be accom-
plished by collecting the data in several experimental sessions over
a longer period of time so that more teachers could participate in
the study.

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Brandt, L. J., f, Hayden, M. Male and female teacher attitudes as
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Combs, R. 11., § Harper, J. L. Effects of labels on attitudes of
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Cough Ian, R. J. Dimensions of teacher morale. American Educational
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54

55

Dunn, L. Special education for the mildly retarded - Is much of
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Ellenburg, F. C. Factors affecting teacher morale: Meaning for
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Finn, J. D. Expectations and the educational environemnt. Review
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examined at different ability levels. .Journal of Special
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induced teacher bias (Doctoral dissertation, The Pennsylvania
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Foster, G., Schmidt, C., § Sabatino, D. Teacher expectancies and
the label "learning disabilities." Journal of Learning
Disabilities, 1976, 9(2), 115-119. "

Foster, G., Ysseldike, J., § Reese, J. I wouldn't have seen it
if I hadn't believed it. Exceptional Children, 1975, 4_1_,
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Gaite, A. Teachers' expectations: An influence on pupil performance'
Instructor, 1974, 84(2), 38.

Greenwood, G., $ Soar, R. Some relationships between teacher morale
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Guerin, G., f, Szatlocky, K. Integration programs for the mildly
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Gullotta, T. Teacher attitudes toward the moderately disturbed
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Harasymiw, S. , 5 Home, M. Integration of handicapped children:
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Jeter, J. Can teacher expectations function as self-fulfilling
prophecies? Contemporary Education, 1975, 4_6(3), 161-165.

56

Johnson, J. Special education in the inner city: A challenge
for the future or another means of cooling the market?
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Johnston, W. A study to determine teacher attitude toward teaching
special children with regular. Educational Research Informa-
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Jones, R. Labeling black college students culturally disadvantaged:
A search for behavioral correlates. Paper presented at the
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April, 1970.

Jones, R. Labels and stigma in special education. Exceptional
Children, 1972, 38, 553-564.

Jones, R. L. Morale of teachers of mentally retarded children:
An exploratory investigation. Mental Retardation Training
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State University, Herschel W. Nisonger Center, November,
1968.

Kelly, T. J., Bullock, L. M., 5 Dykes, M. K. Teachers' perceptions
of behavioral disorders in children. Gainesville: Florida
Educational Research and Development Council, 1974.

Kerlinger, F., 5 Pedhazur, E. Multiple regression in behavioral
research. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.

Kovacevich, D. A comparative study of the morale of regular and
special education teachers (Doctoral dissertation, Kent
State University, 1974) . Dissertation Abstracts International,
1974, 35_, 7157A-7158A. (University Microfilms No. 75-7458)

Larsen, S. The influence of teacher expectations on the school
performance of handicapped children. Focus on Exceptional
Children, 1975, 6(8), 1-14.

Lilly, M. Special education: A teapot in a tempest. Exceptional
Children, 1970, 37_, 43-49.

Mason, E. Teachers' observations and expectations of boys and girls
as influenced by biased psychological reports and knowledge of
the effects of bias. Journal of Educational Psychology, 1973,
6_5(2), 238-243. ' " ~ "

Miller, J., $ Schoenfelder, D. A rational look at special class
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Nelson, C, 5 Schmidt, L. The question of the efficacy of special
classes. Exceptional Children, 1971, 57, 381-384.

Neurmberger, R. Review of Pygmal ion in the classroom. Personnel
and Guidance Journal, 1969, 47, 575-578" ~__~

5 7

Nie, N., Hull, C, Jenkins, J., Steinbrenner, K. , [, Bent, D.

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New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975.

Palardy, J. What teachers believe, what children achieve.
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Phelps, W. Responses of teachers and non-teachers toward placement
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58

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Catalyst for Change, 1974, 4(1), 27-30.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

THE PURDUE TEACHER OPINIONAIRE*

Prepared by Ralph R. Bent ley and Averno M. Rempel

This instrument is designed to provide you the opportunity
to express your opinions about your work as a teacher and various
school problems in your particular school situation. There are
no right or wrong responses, so do not hesitate to mark the
statements frankly.

Directions for Recording Responses on Opinionaire

Fill in the information below. You will notice that there
is no place for your name. Please do not record your name.

Sex:

male

female

Race:

black

white Latin other (

Age:

20 to 50
single

31 to 40 41 to 50 over 51

Marital
status

married divorced widowed

Highest

degree completed

If you are a parent, how many children do you have?

Including the present year, how many years of teaching experience
do you have?

Read eacli statement carefully. Then indicate whether you agree,
probably agree, probably disagree, or di sagree with each statement.
Mark your answers in the following manner:

If you agree with the statement, circle "A" (X) PA PD D

If you are somewhat uncertain, but probably agree ^_^

with the statement, circle "PA" A @) PD D

If you are somewhat uncertain, but probably disagree ^^^
with the statement, circle "PD" A PA (PV) D

If you disagree with the statement, circle "D" A PA PD (d)

'Reprinted with permission of the Purdue Research Foundation,

59

(>0

1. Details, "red tape," and required reports absorb

too much of my time A PA PD D

2. The work of individual faculty members is appreciated

and commended by our principal A PA PD D

3. Teachers feel free to criticize administrative policy

at faculty meetings called by our principal A PA PD D

4. The faculty feels that their suggestions pertaining
to salaries are adequately transmitted by the admin-
istration to the board of education A PA PD D

5. Our principal shows favoritism in his relations with

the teachers in our school A PA PD D

6. Teachers in this school are expected to do an un-
reasonable amount of record-keeping and clerical

work A PA PD D

7. My principal makes a real effort to maintain close

contact with the faculty A PA PD D

8. Community demands upon the teacher's time are

unreasonable A PA PD D

9. I am satisfied witli the policies under which pay

raises are granted A PA PD D

10. My teaching load is greater than that of most of the

other teachers in our school A PA PD D

11. The extra-curricular load of the teachers in our

school is unreasonable A PA PD D

12. Our principal's leadership in faculty meetings

challenges and stimulates our professional growth ... A PA PD D

13. My teaching position gives me the social status in the

community that I desire A PA PD D

14. The number of hours a teacher must work is unreason-
able A PA PD D

15. Teaching enables me to enjoy many material and

cultural things 1 like A PA PD D

16. My school provides me with adequate classroom supplies

and equipment A PA PD D

17. Our school has a well-balanced curriculum A PA PD D

18. There is a great deal of griping, arguing, taking

sides, and fueding among our teachers A PA PD D

61

19. Teaching gives me a great deal of personal satis-
faction A PA PD U

20. The curriculum of our school makes reasonable

provision for student individual differences A PA PD D

21. The procedures for obtaining materials and services

are well defined and efficient A PA PD D

22. Generally, teachers in our school do not take

advantage of one another A PA PD D

23. The teachers in our school cooperate with each other
to achieve common, personal, and professional

objectives A PA PD D

24. Teaching enables me to make my greatest contribution

to society A PA PD D

25. The curriculum of our school is in need of major

revisions A PA PD D

26 . I love to teach A PA PD D

27. If I could plan my career again, I would choose

teaching A PA PD D

28. Experienced faculty members accept new and younger

members as colleagues A PA PD D

29. I would recommend teaching as an occuption to students

of high scholastic ability A PA PD D

30. If I could earn as much money in another occupation,

I would stop teaching A PA PD D

31. The school schedule places my classes at a dis-
advantage • A PA PD D

32. Within the limits of financial resources, the school
tries to follow a generous policy regarding fringe

benefits, professional travel, professional study, etc. A PA PD D

33. My principal makes my work easier and more pleasant . A PA PD D

34. Keeping up professionally is too much of a burden ... A PA PD D

35. Our community makes its teachers feel as though they

are a real part of the community A PA PD D

36. Salary policies are administered with fairness and

j ustice A PA PD D

02

37. Teaching affords me the security I want in an

occupation A PA PI) D

38. My school principal understands and recognizes good

teaching procedures A PA PD D

39. Teachers clearly understand the policies governing

salarv increases A PA PD D

40. My classes are used as a "dumping ground." for

problem students A PA PD D

41. The lines and methods of communication between
teachers and the principal in our school are well

developed and maintained A PA PD D

42. My teaching load in this school is unreasonable A PA PD D

43. My principal shows a real interest in my department . A PA PD D

44. Our principal promotes a sense of belonging among the

teachers in our schoo 1 A PA PD D

45. My heavy teaching load unduly restricts my nonprofes-
sional activities A PA PD D

46. I find my contacts with students, for the most part,

highly satisfying and rewarding A PA PD D

47. I feel that I am an important part of this school

system A PA PD D

48. The competency of the teachers in our school compares
favorably with' that of teachers in other schools with

which I am familiar A PA PD D

49. My school provides the teachers with adequate audio-
visual aids and projection equipment A PA PD D

50. I feel successful and competent in my present position A PA PD D

51. I enjoy working with student organizations, clubs,

and societies ■ A PA PD D

52. Our teaching staff is congenial to work with A PA PD D

53. My teaching associates are well prepared for their

jobs A PA PD D

54. Our school faculty has a tendency to form into

cliques A PA PD D

55. The teachers in our school work well together A PA PD D

63

56. I am at a disadvantage professionally because other

teachers are better prepared to teach than I am A PA I'D D

57. Our school provides adequate clerical services for

the teachers A PA PD D

58. As far as I know, the other teachers think 1 am a

good teacher A PA PD D

59. Library facilities and resources are adequate for

the grade or subiect area which I teach A PA PD D

60. The "stress and strain" resulting from teaching makes

teaching undesirable for me A PA PD D

61. My principal is concerned with the problems of the

faculty and handles these problems sympathetically .. A PA PD D

62. I do not hesitate to discuss any school problem with

my principal A PA PD D

63. Teaching gives me the prestige I desire A PA PD D

64. My teaching job enables me to provide a satisfactory

standard of 1 iving for my family A PA PD D

65. The salary schedule in our school adequately

recognizes teacher competency A PA PD D

66. Most of the people in this communi ty understand and

appreciate good education A PA PD D

67. In my judgment, this community is a good place to

raise a family' A PA PD D

68. This community respects its teachers and treats them

like professional persons A PA PD D

69. My principal acts as though he is interested in me and

my problems A PA PD D

70. My school principal supervises rather than "snooper-
vises" the teachers in our school A PA PD D

71. It is difficult for teachers to gain acceptance by

the people in this community A PA PD D

72. Teachers' meetings as now conducted by our principal

waste the time and energy of the staff A PA PD D

73. My principal has a reasonable understanding of the

problems connected with my teaching assignment A PA PD D

64

74. I feel that my work is judged fairly by my principal A PA PD D

75. Salaries paid in this school system compare favor-
ably with salaries in other systems with which I

am familiar A PA PD D

76. Most of the actions of students irritate me A PA PD I)

77. The cooperati veness of teachers in our schooi helps

make my work more enjoyable A PA PD D

78. My students regard me with respect and seem to have

confidence in my professional ability A PA PD D

79. The purposes and objectives of the school cannot

be achieved by the present curriculum A PA PD D

80. The teachers in our school have a desirable influence

on the values and attitudes of their students A PA PD D

81. This community expects its teachers to meet unreason-
able personal standards A PA PD D

82. My students appreciate the help I give them with

their school work A PA PD D

83. To me there is no more challenging work than teaching A PA PD D

84. Other teachers in our school are appreciative of my

work A PA PD D

85. As a teacher in this community, my nonprofessional

activities outside of school are unduly restricted . . A PA PD D

86. As a teacher, 1 think I am as competent as most other

teachers A PA PD I)

87. The teachers with whom I work have high professional

ethics A PA PD D

88. Our school curriculum does a good job of preparing

students to become enlightened and competent citizens A PA PD D

89. I really enjoy working with my students A PA PD D

90. The teachers in our school show a great deal of
initiative and creativity in their teaching assign-
ments A PA PD D

91. Teachers in our community feel free to discuss con-
troversial issues in their classes A PA PD D

92. My principal tries to make me feel comfortable when

he visits my classes A PA PD D

65

93. My principal makes effective use of the individual

teacher's capacity and talent A PA PD D

94. The people in this community, generally, have a
sincere and wholehearted interest in the school

system A PA PD D

95. Teachers feel free to go to the principal about

problems of personal and group welfare A PA PD D

96. This community supports ethical procedures regarding
the appointment and reappointment of members of the

teaching staff A PA PD D

97. This community is willing to support a good program

of education A PA PD D

98. Our community expects the teachers to participate in

too many social activities A PA PD D

99. Community pressures prevent me from doing my best as

a teacher A PA PD D

100. I am well satisfied with my present teaching position A PA PD D

APPENDIX B
F-Y OBSERVATION CHECKLIST

Please rate the child you just observed on each of the following
items. Place an "X" along the line indicating your evaluation of
the child's ability or development in each area. Ratings are to
be made in comparison to other children of the same age.

1. Knowledge of general information

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

2. Ability to recognize words

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

3. Phonetic word analysis ability

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

4. Overall academic skills

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Avergae

Far Below
Average

5. Overall intelligence

Above
Superior Average Averaj

Below
Avergae

Far Below
Average

66

67

6. Maturity of language

Superior

Above
Average

Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

7. Speech development

Above
Superior Average

Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

8. Problem attack skills

Superior

Above
Average

Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

9. Precision of gross movements

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

10. Social maturity with adults

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

11. Self confidence

Superior

Above
Average

Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

12. Maturity of play activities

Above
Superior Average Average

Be 1 ow
Average

Far Below
Average

68

13. Overall personality adjustment
Superior

Above Below

\verage Average Average

Far Below
Average

14. Enthusiasm toward task

Above
Superior Average Average

Below
Average

Par Below
Average

15. Persistence on tasks

Above
Superior Average

Average

Below
Average

Far Below
Average

When you have completed all of the items on the observation checklist,
please place the checklist inside the brown envelope. Then, complete
the final questionnaire which is at your desk, and place it also in
the brown envelope. Please refrain from making any comments until
everyone has finished. Thank you for your cooperation.

APPENDIX C
STUDY II

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability
of the attached observation checklist. We want to know the con-
sistency with which different observers view the same set of
behaviors .

An educational team has observed the child you are about to
see on videotape, and has concluded that he shows indications of
emotional disturbance. The child is a 4th grader fi'om
Pennsylvania who has recently been in a program for emotion-
ally disturbed children. He will be engaged in a variety of
activities including achievement tests, physical tasks, and a
supervised free play period.

After you have viewed the videotape, you will be asked to
complete the attached checklist. So as not to interfere with
reliability, please do not ask any questions or make any comments
until all people have completed the checklist. Thank you.

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70

STUDY II

The purpose of this study is to investigate the reliability
of the attached observation checklist. We want to know the con-
sistency with which different observers view the same set of
behaviors .

An educational team has observed the child you are about
to see on videotape and has concluded that he functions at a
normal level for his age group. The child has recently begun
the 4th grade in Pennsylvania. He will be engaged in a variety
of activities including achievement tests, physical tasks, and
a supervised free play period.

After you have viewed the videotape, you will be asked to
complete the attached checklist. So as not to interfere with
reliability, please do not ask any questions or make any comments
until all people have completed the checklist. Thank you.

APPENDIX D
QUESTIONNAIRE

Please respond with your opinion to the following questions regard-
ing the child you saw on the videotape.

1. If the study shown in the videotape were assigned to my class,
I could provide him with a meaningful educational program.

STRONGLY STRONGLY

AGREE AGREE _ DISAGREE _ DISAGREE

2. This student can learn successfully in a regular elementary
class .

STRONGLY STRONGLY

AGREE AGREE DISAGREE DISAGREE

This student's presence in a regular elementary class would
probably have a detrimental effect on the other children.

STRONGLY STRONG I, Y

AGREE AGREE _ DISAGREE DISAGREE

This student's behaviors are such that I would prefer that he
not be placed in my class.

STRONGLY • STRONGLY

AGREE AGREE DISAGREE DISAGREE

5. To what extent does this child have a learning disability?

No Mild Moderate Severe Profound
Disability Disability Disability Disability Disabi lity

6. To what degree is this child emotionally disturbed?

Not Mildly Moderately Severely Profoundly
Disturbed Disturbed Disturbed Disturbed Disturbed

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72

To what degree is this child mentally retarded?

Not Mildly Moderately Severely Profoundly
Retarded Retarded Retarded Retarded Retarded

APPENDIX E
STUDY I

The purpose of this study is to investigate how teachers
feel about their work. We want to know your opinion about
various issues involved in being a classroom teacher. In order
for you to remain anonymous, please do not sign your name at
any time during this study.

Please read the instructions and complete the information
items on page 1 of the attached questionnaire. Then, respond
with your opinion to all of the questions on pages 2 through 6
of the questionnaire. Please do not ask questions or make
comments until everyone has completed the questionnaire. Thank
you very much.

7 3

APPENDIX F
SOME VERBATIM RESPONSES OF PILOT STUDY SUBJECTS WHO READ
THE "EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED EXPECTANCY"
AND "NORMAL EXPECTANCY" VIGNETTES

Emotionally Disturbed Expectancy Condition
Subject Response

1 emotionally disturbed, emotional problem, probably a
slow learner, looks normal

2 emotionally disturbed

3 emotionally disturbed

4 possibly emotionally disturbed, has been in an "E.D.'
class

5 possible emotional disturbance

6 emotionally disturbed, has problems

7 some sort of problem, emotionally disturbed

8 emotionally disturbed

9

supposedly emotion

10

emotionally distur

Normal

Exp

ectancy Condition

Subj ect

1

normal ability

2

normal child

3

normal 4th grader

4

average 4th grader

5

normal 4th grader

6

normal 4th grader

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Subject

Response

7

normal

8

4th grader from Pennsylvania

9 4th grader from Wisconsin, probably abnormal

because of special interest

10 4th grade level, functions normally at his level

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Robert Green Simpson, III, was born April 24, 1949, in
Louisville, Kentucky. He attended public schools in Louisville
and graduate from Seneca High School in 1967. He received the
Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University
in 1971.

For approximately one year, Mr. Simpson was employed as a
teacher of special education by Children's Treatment Service,
a subunit of Central State Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
Following six months of United States Army Reserve active duty,
during which time he served as a psychiatric social worker,
Mr. Simpson enrolled in graduate school at the University of
Kentucky, where he earned the Master of Arts degree in special
education of the emotionally disturbed in 1974.

Beginning September, 1973, Mr. Simpson was employed as a
master teacher of emotionally disturbed children by the Dale H.
Farabee School in Lexington, Kentucky. In September of 1974,
he moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where he began working
as a teacher of emotionally disturbed children at William S.
Hall Psychiatric Institute.

Mr. Simpson entered graduate school at the University of
Florida in 1975. Since that time he has been studying toward
the Doctor of Philosophy degree, majoring in special education
of the emotionally disturbed and minoring in educational

76

77

administration. In April of 1977, he completed six years in the
United States Army Reserve, and received an honorable discharge
from the service.

Robert Green Simpson, III, is married to the former Virginia
Lynn Imhoff. Mr. Simpson is a member of the Council for Excep-
tional Children, Phi Delta Kappa, Council for Children with
Behavior Disorders, and Teacher Educators of Children with
Behavior Disorders.

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion
it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and
is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Mary K. ^Bykes, Chairperson
Associate Professor of Special
Education

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion
it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and
is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

(/7yx#->-

Charles Forgnone

Professor of Special Education

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion
it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and
is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Ralph7 B. Kimbrough '
Professor of Educational
Administration

I certify thai I have read this study and that in my opinion
it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and
is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

luikkmQ.H;

William R. Reid

Professor of Special Education

I certify that I have read this study and that in my opinion
it conforms to acceptable standards of scholarly presentation and
is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a dissertation for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

William B. Ware
Professor of Foundations of
Education

This dissertation was submitted to the Graduate Faculty of
the Department of Special Educat ion in the College of Education
and to the Graduate Council, and was accepted as partial fulfill-
ment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

August 1977

Dean, Graduate School

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

3 1262 08552 9468