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Exploratory study of 'turnaround' process of at-risk youths
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Type
Thesis
Author
Tay, Choon Chiat
Supervisor
Wong, Eleanor
Abstract
The primary objective of this study was to examine the protective factors at work in a group of pupils who had experienced a 'turnaround' from problematic school behaviour to succeeding in school. In particular, the current study investigated which eight protective factors were perceived to be most important to the group of pupils. These factors include individual factors (academic competence, internal locus of control), familial factors (family cohesion, lack of marital conflict, mother-adolescent communication, father-adolescent communication), and social environmental factors (relationship with positive peer, significant relationship with non-parental adult).
The sample of this study consisted of four 18-year-old Normal Trade Certificate 2 pupils from one of the Institutes of Technical Education in Singapore. These pupils had a history of school failures but are now experiencing school success. They were identified by their school teachers to have "turned around" from problematic school behaviour to manifesting school success.
To measure the perceived importance of the eight protective factors, four instruments (SEI Scale, Locus of Control Scale, Parent-Adolescent Communication, and A Measure of Family and Social Aspect) were administered on the first week of October 1999. In-depth interviews lasting an hour to an hour and a half were also carried out with each of the subjects of the sample to explore the reasons behind their patterns of endorsement. From the in-depth interviews, the mechanisms of the protective factors in the subjects' lives to bring about a 'turnaround' effect were discussed.
Using the data gathered from the ratings, the eight protective factors were ranked according to perceived importance. It was found that 'relationship with positive peers', 'supportive relationship with significant non-parent adult' and 'family cohesion' were the top three most important factors to the sample. Looking at the data collected via the in-depth interviews, it was found that the unique characteristics of sample of this study such as developmental stage, gender and culture brought about a significant influence on the endorsement of the protective factors.
To assess how one's self-construal type is related to one's high scores for certain protective factors, the 24-item Self-Construal Scale (taken from Singelis, 1994) was used. It was expected that the subjects of this study would hold interdependent self-construal and endorse familial and social environmental factors as important. However, from the ratings of the self-construal scale and the data from interviews, it was found that there were subjects with independent self-construal. Moreover, regardless of types of self-construal, all the subjects gave the factor of relationship with positive peer high ratings. The possible explanations to this finding were explored in this study. Other significant findings were also discussed and presented.
The purpose of this study was to identify the salient protective factors for this particular sample of four pupils. Due to the small sample size and the tentative and expansive approach taken to discuss the findings, it is not the author's aim to make conclusive statements. Future research could be carried out to systematically investigate the reasons behind this pattern of endorsement.
The sample of this study consisted of four 18-year-old Normal Trade Certificate 2 pupils from one of the Institutes of Technical Education in Singapore. These pupils had a history of school failures but are now experiencing school success. They were identified by their school teachers to have "turned around" from problematic school behaviour to manifesting school success.
To measure the perceived importance of the eight protective factors, four instruments (SEI Scale, Locus of Control Scale, Parent-Adolescent Communication, and A Measure of Family and Social Aspect) were administered on the first week of October 1999. In-depth interviews lasting an hour to an hour and a half were also carried out with each of the subjects of the sample to explore the reasons behind their patterns of endorsement. From the in-depth interviews, the mechanisms of the protective factors in the subjects' lives to bring about a 'turnaround' effect were discussed.
Using the data gathered from the ratings, the eight protective factors were ranked according to perceived importance. It was found that 'relationship with positive peers', 'supportive relationship with significant non-parent adult' and 'family cohesion' were the top three most important factors to the sample. Looking at the data collected via the in-depth interviews, it was found that the unique characteristics of sample of this study such as developmental stage, gender and culture brought about a significant influence on the endorsement of the protective factors.
To assess how one's self-construal type is related to one's high scores for certain protective factors, the 24-item Self-Construal Scale (taken from Singelis, 1994) was used. It was expected that the subjects of this study would hold interdependent self-construal and endorse familial and social environmental factors as important. However, from the ratings of the self-construal scale and the data from interviews, it was found that there were subjects with independent self-construal. Moreover, regardless of types of self-construal, all the subjects gave the factor of relationship with positive peer high ratings. The possible explanations to this finding were explored in this study. Other significant findings were also discussed and presented.
The purpose of this study was to identify the salient protective factors for this particular sample of four pupils. Due to the small sample size and the tentative and expansive approach taken to discuss the findings, it is not the author's aim to make conclusive statements. Future research could be carried out to systematically investigate the reasons behind this pattern of endorsement.
Date Issued
2000
Call Number
LC4661 Tay
Date Submitted
2000