Options
Transactional analysis as an approach to understanding secondary school students' discipline and behavioural problems
Loading...
Type
Thesis
Author
Koh, Angeline Cheok Eng
Supervisor
Lui, Elena Hah Wah
Abstract
This dissertation is an exploratory study of Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis (TA) as a communication tool in understanding students with discipline and behavioural problems. TA theory postulates that the personality comprises three main components (ego states) : Parent, Adult and Child. These ego states can be further subdivided into six parts : Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult, Rebellious Child, Adapted Child and Free Child.
The aims of this study are to explore :
1. how the six ego states are significantly reflected in the personalities of students with discipline and behavioural problems and students who are generally well-behaved, and
2. whether these two groups of students would require different disciplinary messages from teachers. It is hypothesized that students who exhibit discipline and behavioural problems would reflect high Rebellious Child and Free Child ego states, and would prefer Nurturing Parent messages from teachers. Students who are well-behaved, on the other hand, would reflect high Adapted Child and Nurturing Parent ego states and would prefer Critical Parent messages.
Two sets of instruments were used in the study -- the Ego State Scale and the Teacher Statement Questionnaire. The Ego State Scale consists of six subscales reflecting the above six ego states. Each scale has ten items each. Findings show that the Ego State Scale has high reliability with a KR20 of 0.52. Its subscales has KR20s ranging from 0.41 to 0.59.
Based on the above theory, teachers' statements to students can be categorised into four types of messages or statements : Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult or Child statements, depending on the ego state from which they emanate.
The Teacher Statement Questionnaire is made up of twenty descriptions of student misbehaviour. For each of these misbehaviour situations, there are four scales to measure the four dimensions of responses. The four scales are the Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult and Child. A cassette tape of teachers' responses to the misbehaviour situations is played at the time of test administration. Students were asked to choose one out of the four responses. The KR20s of these scales the Teacher Statement Questionnaire range from 0.62 to 0.78.
Three hundred and fifty-one students were selected from two secondary schools. Fifty-four were identified by teachers as well-behaved students, and fifty-seven as students with discipline and behavioural problems. Two hundred and forty students were not identified in either group.
Findings confirmed that students who exhibit discipline and behavioural problems scored higher in Rebellious Child but not in Free Child on the Ego State Scale. Well-behaved students scored higher in Adapted Child but not in Nurturing Parent on the Ego State Scale. Both groups of students, regardless of their dominant ego states, perceived Adult and Nurturing Parent statements as more effective when disciplined. When the non-identified students were grouped according to sex and course (Secondary Four Express, Secondary Four Normal and Secondary Five Normal), similar results were obtained. In other words, there is an overwhelming preference for Adult and Nurturing Parent messages.
Responses to the Teacher Statement Questionnaire were based only on the students' perceptions and preferences. A quasi-experimental research would determine if Nurturing Parent and Adult messages are really effective in classroom management. Refinements could also be made to the Ego State Scale and the Teacher Statement Questionnaire.
The aims of this study are to explore :
1. how the six ego states are significantly reflected in the personalities of students with discipline and behavioural problems and students who are generally well-behaved, and
2. whether these two groups of students would require different disciplinary messages from teachers. It is hypothesized that students who exhibit discipline and behavioural problems would reflect high Rebellious Child and Free Child ego states, and would prefer Nurturing Parent messages from teachers. Students who are well-behaved, on the other hand, would reflect high Adapted Child and Nurturing Parent ego states and would prefer Critical Parent messages.
Two sets of instruments were used in the study -- the Ego State Scale and the Teacher Statement Questionnaire. The Ego State Scale consists of six subscales reflecting the above six ego states. Each scale has ten items each. Findings show that the Ego State Scale has high reliability with a KR20 of 0.52. Its subscales has KR20s ranging from 0.41 to 0.59.
Based on the above theory, teachers' statements to students can be categorised into four types of messages or statements : Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult or Child statements, depending on the ego state from which they emanate.
The Teacher Statement Questionnaire is made up of twenty descriptions of student misbehaviour. For each of these misbehaviour situations, there are four scales to measure the four dimensions of responses. The four scales are the Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult and Child. A cassette tape of teachers' responses to the misbehaviour situations is played at the time of test administration. Students were asked to choose one out of the four responses. The KR20s of these scales the Teacher Statement Questionnaire range from 0.62 to 0.78.
Three hundred and fifty-one students were selected from two secondary schools. Fifty-four were identified by teachers as well-behaved students, and fifty-seven as students with discipline and behavioural problems. Two hundred and forty students were not identified in either group.
Findings confirmed that students who exhibit discipline and behavioural problems scored higher in Rebellious Child but not in Free Child on the Ego State Scale. Well-behaved students scored higher in Adapted Child but not in Nurturing Parent on the Ego State Scale. Both groups of students, regardless of their dominant ego states, perceived Adult and Nurturing Parent statements as more effective when disciplined. When the non-identified students were grouped according to sex and course (Secondary Four Express, Secondary Four Normal and Secondary Five Normal), similar results were obtained. In other words, there is an overwhelming preference for Adult and Nurturing Parent messages.
Responses to the Teacher Statement Questionnaire were based only on the students' perceptions and preferences. A quasi-experimental research would determine if Nurturing Parent and Adult messages are really effective in classroom management. Refinements could also be made to the Ego State Scale and the Teacher Statement Questionnaire.
Date Issued
1988
Call Number
LB3012 Koh
Date Submitted
1988