The relation of selected social factors to certain phases of school adjustment

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THE RELATION OP SELECTED SOCIAL FACTORS TO CERTAIN PHASES OF SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Sociology The University of Southern California

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts

hy Lois E* Dingilian June 1950

UMI Number: EP65678

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T his thesis, w ritten by

LOIS E. DINGILIAN under the guidance of h.^K... F a c u lty Com m ittee, and approved by a l l its members, has been presented to and accepted by the C o uncil on G ra duate Study and Research in p a r tia l f u l f i l l ­ ment of the requirements f o r the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

Date.

/?,..

Faculty Committee

zz^je.

Chairman

TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I.

PAGE

THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS U S E D .................

1

,*

The problem

• • • • • • • • • • . . . • •

1

Definitions of terms, u s e d .................

2

Organization of remainder of the thesis II.

. • • . » • . • • • • • . . .

A REVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT LITERATURE RELATED TO THE SUBJECT

III. IV.

3

. . . . . . . . . .

5

THE SCHOOL: A BRIEF DESCRIPTION . . . . . . .

.33

THE METHOD OF PROCEDURE .

36

...........

Methods used in selection of experimental and control groups • • • The nature of the data collected

• • .

The technique of making investigations V.

••

36

••

38

.•

38

THE RESULTS OF THE STUDY...............

40

Distribution of experimental and control groups, according to grade, index, and parents occupation

. • • • • • . • • . .

40

A comparison of the experimental and control groups as related to school adjustment.

•

4£

••

50

A comparison of the two groups as related to factors in the social environment Use of out of school hours

............

37

ill CHAPTER VI

PAGE

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX

.......................

79

............................. ............................................

91

LIST OF TABLES PAGE f Distribution of Experimental Groups by Grade ..........................

41

Mean Intelligent Quotient of Boys and Girls in Experimental and Control Groups

« . •

42

Distribution of Groups According to Parents Occupation •

............

»

43

Comparison of the Grade Averages of ...............

46

A Comparison of Merit A v e r a g e s ...........

47

the Two Groups

• • • • •

A Comparison of School Attendance by Groups • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • •

48

Withdrawals from School • • » • • • • • • •

50

A Comparison of the Two Groups in Terms of Ages of Students

51

• • • • • •

Number of Schools Attended by Students 52

in Each G r o u p ................. .. Number of Cities and Houses In Which Each Group has L i v e d ..........

.

54

Employment Experiences of the .........

54

, . ...............

55

Two Groups Contrasted Educational Plans of Experimental Versus Control Group

v TABLE XIII.

PAGE Church Attendance of the Two Groups Contrasted

XIV. XV.

.......... . • . •

A Comparison in Terms of Club Membership. .

XVII.

. ..........

59

Reading Interests of the Two ..........

61

Humber of Motion Pictures Which Each Group Attended per M o n t h , ...............

XX.

2QCIII. XXIV. XXV.

63

•

65

. . . . .

in Relation to Unbroken and Broken Homes.

66

School Adjustment Records Compared

Employment of Mothers Outside the Home

., .

Average Yearly Income of Families . . . . .

68 68

Location of Homes in Relation to Business Areas

XXVI.

.......

Contrast* of the Two Groups in Terms of Parental Status

XXII.

63

The Two Groups Contrasted in Terms of Number of Dates per Month

XXI.

58

Amount of Time Given to

Groups Compared XIX*

58

Amount of Time Spent on Home Duties < . . •

Radio and Television XVIII.

56

Amount of Time Spent at Home on School W o r k ..............

XVI.

56

* ............

Average Condition of Homes

r . . . . . .

70 •

72

vi TABLE XXVII.

PAGE Neighborhoods in Respect to Size and Condition of Homes

XXVIII*

• • • • • • •

-J

73

Parents, Experimental Versus Control . .

73

A Comparison of Years of Education for

XXIX.

Club Membership of Parents *

...........

75

XXX.

Reading Interests of Parents

...........

77

XXXI.

Motion Picture and Lecture Attendance of Parents

XXXII*

* * ........

78

Intelligent Quotient of Boys in Experimental Group and Control Group . .

XXXIII.

92

Intelligent Quotient of Girls in Experimental Group and Control Group * .

XXXIV.

A Comparison of Grade Averages of Boys, Experimental Versus Control Group

XXXV.

...

...

97

Average Number of Days Absent per Semester, Boys

XXXIX.

96

A Comparison of Merit Averages of Girls, Experimental Versus C o n t r o l ......

XXXVIII.

95

A Comparison of Merit Averages of Boys, Experimental Versus C o n t r o l ......

XXXVII.

94

A Comparison of Grade Averages of Girls, Experimental Versus Control Group

XXXVI.

93

...................

98

Average Number of Days Absent per Semester, G i r l s ...............

99

vii T?ABLE XL.

PAGE Educational Plans of Boys and Girls, Experimental Versus Control

XLI.

Hours per Day Spent on Homework, Boys and Girls

XLII.

.v

101

• • • • • • • • • • • •

102

Hours per Day Spent on Radio and Television, Boys

XLIV,

« * • • • « • • • • *

Hours per Day Spent on Home Duties, Boys and Girls

XLIII.

100

and Girls • • • • « • •

105

Motion Pictures Attended per Month, Boys and Girls• • • • • • • • • • • • •

104

CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED To

what extent are factors within the

social

environment of the child responsible for his adjustment or lack of adjustment to school life?

It is a prevalent

belief among teachers that a child possessing an average intelligent quotient should make acceptable grades and likewise that there is "no excuse11 why a child with a superior quotient should not make all A*s and B fs.

Admin­

istrators report that the adsentee problem within the school centers about a given group of students.

Principals and

vice-principals speak of devoting a disproportionate amount of time to a minority who present discipline problems. Many teachers feel they cannot teach those who are ready to learn and at the same time give necessary attention to those whose behavior is too deviant.

Previous studies have

suggested that the answer to the problem of

school adjust­

ment may be found in the environmental life

of the child.

This study attempts to make a further investigation into the validity of such an answer. I. THE PROBLEM Statement of the problem:

It is the purpose of this

study.(1) to compare the degree of school adjustment between

a selected group of unadjusted high school students and a random selected group of high school students and (2) to present a comparative picture of selected social factors operating in the environments of the two groups. Importance of the study;

Considerable evidence has

been accumulated to the effect that a stable social environ­ ment produces a stable child.

The investigations are

incomplete as to specific environmental influences operating. Gan the sociologist measure the desirable and undesirable environmental factors?

Often we wonder about this assump­

tion when we see students making outstanding achievement and yet see evidence of poverty, broken homes and social deprav­ ation.

In this study an attempt is made to measure the

extent to which specific environmental factors influence school adjustment. II. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS USED School adjustments.

The word adjustment has been

defined by Hinsie and Shafcky as f,adaptation of the person to his social environment.111

School adjustment is inter­

preted as meaning fitting in or conforming to the generally understood expectations of school life.

The most obvious

1 Leland E. Hinsie and Jacob Shatzky, Psychiatric Dictionary .(New York; Oxford University Press, 1940),, p. 11.

3 expectations are a fair degree of academic achievement in relation to ability, a relatively high attendance record, and acceptable patterns of citizenship.

The latter term

implies the capacity of the individual to accept authority and the capacity to endure frustration of personal desires when his own welfare and the welfare of the group would benefit thereby. Three phases of school adjustment are treated in this study: academic achievement, attendance record and citizen­ ship record.

The latter is measured by a score. A p perfect merit score is 100 per semester, and violations of school rules cause the score to drop.

Merits are lost

mainly for truancy, cheating, lying, disrupting classes, discourtesy to authorities, leaving grounds without permit, smoking on grounds, and fighting. Social factors:

This term is interpreted as meaning

social environmental influences which are presumed to effect the student’s life; family constellation, educational level, economic and occupational status of parent, type of neighbor­ hood, social affiliation, and cultural interests*

2 On the basis of observation it would appear that the use of the merit system in schools is decreasing. A majority of high schools in Los Angeles use variations of the anecdotal record as a system of recording citizenship.

4 III. ORGANIZATION OF REMAINDER OF THE THESIS Chapter II of this study reviews selected literature significant to the subject; i.e., the relation of social factors to school adjustment.

A brief description of the

school attended by the 100 students of this study is des­ cribed in Chapter III.

Chapter IV describes the method of

procedure, including methods used in the selection of the experimental and control groups.

Reference is likewise

made in Chapter IV to the kind of data collected for the study and finally describes the techniques by which inves­ tigations were made.

Chapter V is a report of the results

of the study presented under the following three headings; (1) Distribution of groups according to grade, sex and parent occupational classification,

(2) A Comparison of the

two groups as related to school adjustment,

(3) A comparison

of the two groups as related to factors in the social envi­ ronment.

A summary of the study and a set of conclusions

are presented in Chapter VI, followed by a selected Bibliography.

The Appendix includes tables relative to

certain major findings.

CHAPTER II A REVIEW OF SIGNIFICANT LITERATURE RELATED TO THE SUBJECT The fields of sociology, education, psychology and psychiatry have contributed much to the under standing of the child1s problems of adjustment*

An adequate background for

the understanding of children is not provided by any one of these special areas.

For purposes of this study, however,

attention is focused primarily on the literature in sociology which has contributed toward enlightenment of the subject at hand, namely, the relation of social factors to school ad­ justment. Social class and school adjustment*

In recent years

there has emerged a growing body of sociological literature based on field studies of modern American communities. Studies of this nature have provided new tools for the inter­ pretation of human behavior.

The essential findings point

toward the existence in American community living of a class hierarchy, in which the lives of people conform to the posi­ tion they occupy in the higher and lower social classes. Likewise the behavior of adolescents in and out of school^*

1 August B. Hollingshead, Elmtown*s Youth. ( New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1&493,,p .17

6 has been found to be "functionally related to the positions their families occupy in the community*s social structure.^ Because the information relative to the social characteristics of the different classes is so basic to the . understanding of school adjustment, a major portion of liter­ ature reviewed deals with this area of sociological research. Literature which emphasizes the implications of social class theory for education is included. The Social Life of a Modern Community

p

Volume I of Yankee City Series is a case study of a Hew England town of 17,000 people.

The beginning assump­

tion that the "value systems which motivate Americans are to be ultimately traced to an economic order,’1® was substituted as research evidence accumulated for a more complex hypo­ thesis, namely, that of the existence of a class order.

Six

classes were found to be living in Yankee City; the upperupper, the lower-upper, the upper-middle, the lower-middle, the upper-lower and the lower-lower.

Information as to how

these classes were discovered and the social characteristics of each class are the essential contents of the volume.

2 Lloyd W. Warner, The Social Life of a Modern Community: Yankee City Series,(New" ftaven~YaXe~UnIversity

Press7"T94lt7^oT7 TT^exrwrt 3

Ibid., p. 81.

The

percentage of distribution is shown in the following figures: Upper-upper Lower-upper Upper-middle Lower-middle Upper-lower Lower-lower

1*4 1.6 10*0 28.4 33.0 26.0

per per per per per per

cent cent cent cent cent cent

Yankee City and similar studies, which have followed, have produced new and valuable social theory, that the educator cannot afford to ignore. Elmtown* s Youth ^ A later study, Elmtown*s Youth, also a study in class stratification, is focused directly on adolescents, and is therefore selected as more appropriate for extensive review, in this chapter. The setting is a middle western corn belt community which the author designated as Elmtown.

The substantiated / hypothesis is that ”the social behavior of adolescents is functionally related to the position their families occupy c in the community* s social structure.11 The 735 adolescents included in the study are assign■ ■ • ■ \ ■ ed to their class positions by a group of local residents,

4 A. B. Hollingshead, Elmtown* s Youth,(New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1943t7$so pp. 5

Ibid., p.l.

themselves selected according to a careful criteria.

Their

judgments are carefully matched with interview data, and previous ratings by which methods of control had been established.

f,321mtowners justified their identification of

persons and families with class positions by statements about their wealth, occupation, education, their way - of living, the location of their homes, their behavior, and their participation or nonparticipation in organized coromunity activities.”

The families were found to be divided

into five classes, with the 735 adolescents distributed as follows: Class

I 4 IX 31 Ill* 158 IV 312 V 135

, ^

Investigation revealed that even though the popula­ tion was a stable white and native born population and even though the age group was carefully restricted, there was wide diversity of behavior exhibited among the adolescents according to class.

The author accounts for this differ­

ence in the following way: "First, children’s behavior pat­ terns are established primarily by their early experiences in the family and secondarily in the neighborhood; and second, similar experiences in family and neighborhood mold

6

Ibid., p. 28.

children into similar social types because their learning in both areas tends to be strongly associated with class*” Certain cultural characteristics of these five classes, which ax*e of particular interest to the present study, are here briefly summarized* Class X. generation*

No one enters into their class in one

"Wealth and lineage are combined through the

economic, legal, and family systems in such a manner that membership in Class I is more or less stabilized from one Q generation to another." Divorce in this class is condemned for social and economic reasons*

Children usually number

one or two and, at the most three* this group than for any other* business or farming enterprises. professionals*

Incomes are higher for Most of them have large A few are independent

All in Class I own their homes and all keep

one or two servants.

Leisure is available for sports,

social life and travel.

Although most of the parents of

middle age had attended college or university, few had grad­ uated.

All of the younger people finished high school, but

half or less graduated from college.

All belong or contri­

bute freely to churches. Class II.

A majority of the members of Class II have

7

Ibid., p. 444.

8

Ibid*, p. 84.

inherited their position, hut close to one-half have achiev­ ed status through their own efforts*

Both men and women

are active in civic organizations, hut are harred from a few of the clubs, exclusively reserved for Glass I*

"Class

II*s prestige appears to depend as much upon civic leadership as upon economic success.

»i9

Income is derived chiefly from a profession, a family owned business or as salaried executives*

Unlike Class I,

most of the income is spent on family living. depression, none was on relief. general servant.

Even in the

There is usually one

The wife is supposed to free herself suf­

ficiently in order to engage in community activities and hence maintain family prestige.

There are few, if any,

divorces, with 85 per cent of the children living with both parents*

Education is important to this class*

Four-fifths

have completed high school and one-half have attended a college or university. classes.

It is the best educated of all the

Most of the children anticipate college careers*

Almost every family is active in the church.

Travel is

more limited, but automobile trips to resorts are frequently made. Class III*

This group is class conscious.

They

resent the position of those superior to their own, and yet

9

Ibid., p. 91*

feel they are above the "common man".

All income in this

group is earned income, either from small business, profes­ sions or salaried jobs. by this group.

Less leisure on the job is enjoyed

Although most have bank accounts, most of

the income is needed for living expenses.

While one-fourth

live on streets adjacent to the "best neighborhoods", most live in areas known as "second best". families own their homes*

Two-thirds of the

Church attendance is higher for

this group than any other, the group believing that church attendance confers a moral responsibility. of children for Class III is 3*6.

The mean number

"Families are equally

stable as in Class II, with 82 per cent of children living with both parents.

Twenty-three per cent of the fathers

have completed high school and only 1 per cent has graduated from college.

Of the mothers, 63 per cent have completed

high school and 10 per cent have a college degree.

This

group is ardent joiners of lodges and auxiliaries, social clubs, church groups, patriotic societies, civic betterment 10 groups, political organizations . . • Although more in this class are engaged in politics than any other, leadership in this respect comes from Class I and Class II. Class 111*8 seek more personal publicity in the newspapers than the two classes above them.

10

Ibid., p. 100.

A few have been convicted

12 in local courts (4 per cent of fathers) - - - whereas this is not true in Classes I and II. Class IV.

Although members of this class believe

themselves to be the backbone of the community, they actually are aware of their inferior status.

Their function is to

work, keep the factories going and to behave themselves.

The

father is the chief breadwinner, but 30 per cent of the mothers also work, a higher percentage than in the three upper classes.

Income is large enough for comforts, but

provides few luxuries.

While most of the families in

Classes I, II, and III own automobiles, only 25 per cent of Class IV does so. home.

Those who have bank accounts, have only a few hundred

dollars in reserve. sion.

Only 35 per cent own or are buying a

Many were on relief during the depres­

Class IV is excluded for economic reasons from the

best residential areas.

One-third of the families are

broken by separation, divorce or death.

The woman’s place

is in the home, where daily household tasks consume most of her time.

11.......... only slightly more than 1 father in

20 and 1 mother out of 11 have graduated from high school.n^^ The average years of education for the children are about two years of high school.

Contrasting attitudes are found

regarding religion; some are ardent in their religious habits

11

Ibid., p. 107.

13 and some are very critical of religion.

Only 5 per cent of

the fathers and 18 per cent of the mothers are known to he "church workers.”

Pew are active in club life, and those

who are, do not belong to the same organizations as Glasses I, II, and III.

Leisure time is chiefly spent at home - -

listening to the radio, fixing the car and similar tasks. This group does not travel for the sake of travel.

Families

attend the motion picture theatre about once a month, go on picnics and visit relatives. affairs.

Parties are seldom planned

Fourteen per cent of Class IV fathers have been

convicted in local courts within a given period. Glass V.

People in this class are generally resigned

to a life of frustration and despair.

They cannot obtain

the necessary material comforts, for their earnings are meager.

They are looked down upon by all other classes.

Hinety-two per cent of the fathers follow unskilled or semi­ skilled occupations; 55 per cent of the mothers work out of the home.

Fifty-three per cent received local relief b e ­

tween 1937 and 1941.

Charity in the form of clothing is

given by employers and local charity organizations.

Homes

are small, crudely furnished and crowded; only one home in 7 has bath and toilet facilities. not own their homes.

Elg)aty-one per cent do

Marriages are earlier than in any

other class; occuring in the middle teens for the girls and around twenty for the boys.

Desertions are frequent due to

14 the few solidifying influences which operate. are broken in 56 per cent of the cases. children per mother is 5,6*

Families

The mean number of

Only one father and four

mothers in Class V have graduated from high school.

Nine

out of 10 families are not actively affiliated with any church.

These people feel rightly that they are not wanted

by any of the churches'.

Moving from one community to an­

other is a common pattern.

This group is felt by employers

to be undependable in their work habits, coming late and quitting without notice.

Their social life is unplanned;

informal visits with neighbors, petty gambling, public tav­ erns, cheap theaters.

"The family is so loosely organized

that the members usually go their own way in search of amuse ip ^ ment or pleasure. Class V averaged 4.1 convictions for each male adult. Some essential influences of these different classes on the activities and interests of the adolescent members are here summarized: 1.

The students in the upper classes are better

groomed. 2.

Students associate together in and out of school

on the basis of their class positions. 3.

The higher the class level the more likely is the

student to be enrolled in a college preparatory course.

Ibid

15 4.

Teachers prefer to teach academic students; they

feel that they are more interested and have more ability than students in non-academic curriculum, 5*

There is a high correlation between high grades

and one’s position on the social scale. 6.

The relationship between class and grades is not

accounted for by the degree of association between intelli­ gence and class position.

"The class system as it functions

in the school does not help him to overcome the poor training he has received at home and in the neighborhood."

13

Educa­

tional motivation is derived from the students* experiences 14 in his class and family cultures. 7.

Although lower class children receive poorer

grades, teachers consult parents of these children more often about discipline than about school work. 8.

Families on the higher social levels exert pres-

ure on the children to bring home good grades and exert pressure on the school for similar purposes. 9.

Disciplinary measures relative to tardiness,

detention, etc., are rigidly enforced among the lower classes and laxly enforced in Classes I and II. 10.

The highest level for attendance at dances and

13

Ibid., p. 176.

14

Ibid., p. 176.

16 parties of the school is among Glasses I and II. 11.

The students of Class IV and V rather than elect­

ing officers from their own classes

turn to Glasses I

and II for leadership. 12.

The place of employment of high school students

Is connected with class position, the more undesirable jobs going to lower class students* 13.

Elmtown employers Plao© a low value on the out of

school adolescent as an employee. 14.

Of those in the study who had withdrawn from

school, 59 per cent were in Class V. Social Glass in America

15

Based on years of social research, this volume sets forth the basic facts about social class and presents tech­ niques by which it can be measured. Although systematic studies have shown that in all American communities class levels do exist, these may vary in number depending on the age of the community and on economic and geographic factors. Certain generalizations about the American class system as a whole are briefly summarized* on the next page.

15 Lloyd W. Warner, Meeker, Mar chin and Eells, Kenneth, Social Glass in America.(Chicago: Science Research Associates, Inc.7™T§I’ 9r7'2i7£ pp.

17 1. position.

Economic factors alone do not determine class "Money must be translated into socially approved

behavior and possessions . . . . 2.

16

One must be accepted by those in the class and

others in the community as being at a particular place in the social scale. 3.

A person during his Ilf time may move up or down

from thei level on which he was born.

"The principal forms

of mobility in this country are through the use of money, education, occupation, talent, skill, philanthropy, sex, and marriage . . . . .

it seems likely now that more people move 1 17

f

to higher positions by education than by any other route." 4.

our educational system performs the

dual task of aiding mobility and at the same time, working 18 effectively to hinder it.” More lower class children drop out of school at an early age; only 20 per cent go on to college. There are two methods by which social class can be measured.

These methods*may be.used separately or together.

Briefly stated, these techniques are: 1.

The method of Evaluated Participation, comprising

16

Ibid., p. 21.

17

Ibid., p. 23.

18

Ibid., p. 25.

18 six techniques* 2.

The Index of Status Characteristics, which is

primarily an index of socio-economic factors.

These charac­

teristics have been found to correlate highly with class position*

They are occupation, source of income, home type,

and dwelling area*

The combined ratings of not less than

three of these data can be relied on to give an accurate index of an individual!s social status*

Other indexes of

social characteristics are education and amount of income* However, these factors have not been found to be essential* While the method of Evaluated Participation is the more basic, the Index of Status Characteristics predicts to a high degree of accuracy what the probable social class participation will be and is less time-consuming. Actually, the characteristics of social status are no "more than evaluated symbols which are signs of status tellnl9 ing us the class levels of those who possess the symbols.” Adolescent Character and Fersonality^ The above volume is a companion study to Elmtown’s Youth, since research for both was conducted in the same

19

Ibid., p. 40.

^ 1 20 R. J. Havighurst and H. Taba, Adolescent Charac ter and Personality* The Committee on Human Development, (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1949), 315 pp*

19 community.

In this study the authors refer to the communi­

ty as Prairie City*

The research is concerned with all of

the sixteen year olds of the community, numbering in all 144 individuals*

Some major research problems undertaken

b y the authors are: measured?

What is character and how can it t be

To what extent is character development influ­

enced by the social environment?

To what extent is it

influenced by the individuals1 personal make-up?

Both

individual and group studies are utilized as methods of research. Character is defined as tfthat part of personality 21 which is most subject to social approval.” The traits selected as representative of moral character are:

honesty,

responsibility, loyalty, moral courage, and friendliness. These are measured through the use of reputation as an index* In order to measure the influence of environment on character, it was necessary to know the youths1 place on the social structure.

Utilizing the general methods of Evaluat­

ed Participation and the Index of Social Characteristics, five different social classes were distinguished* upper, upper-middle, lower-middle, tipper-lower, and lower-lower. Five of the youths among the sixteen year olds belong­ ed to the upper classes.

21

Ibid., p .

Furthermore, the upper classes

20 were not so clearly marked off in the community as in older communities.

The description of social class characteris­

tics treated in this volume are largely concerned therefore with contrasts between middle and lower classes. Contrasting values of different classes* .. . .......

k m im-

— ..

■ Hu

i

mm i

.. .. hi i— i— .•mm^rnnu

The values

of upper-middle class are the more dominating ones. group is civic minded and believes in education.

This Most of

their children go to college and many are leaders in high school.

The upper-middle class stress as values, 11self-

reliance, initiative, loyalty, good manners and responsibility to the community.

h

22

The lower-middle and upper-lower

classes differ only somewhat in what they hold as values. Respectability, thrift, fidelity in marriage are important. The church is for them what the community is for the uppermiddle group.

Most of their social life is centered here

as well as their efforts for an improved society.

Lower

class members have hopes more centered on an after life; they firmly believe in religious conversion and personal salvation. High school is to the majority the highest educational goal. The lower-lower class are more lax in regard to sexual morality and are often thought by the other classes to be

22 R. J. Havighurst, and H. Taba, Adolescent Charac­ ter and Personality. The Committee on Human development, (New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1949X,p.3.

21 immoral*

Church is not as important*

"The moral teaching

of the school is not so strongly reinforced by the home . * 23 * . There is less rigid control on the free play of their impulses, including less restraint on sex play. The high school was found to be the "locus of the 24 adolescent peer culture,11 and the moral standards of this adolescent culture were found to be largely middle class standards*

Both the parents most active in school affairs

and the teachers of the school were middle class people* The student leaders were largely those of middle class status* Those deviant in behavior patterns were not accepted by the ruling clique.

One of the deviant groups consists of those

who had dropped out of school*

Their moral codes, attitudes,

education, and reputation in the community were in contrast to middle class standards. Important conclusions of the foregoing volume are as follows: 1*

There is generally a low correlation between

character reputation as determined by the five set of criter­ ia, and the following factors: Social class position School achievement Intelligence Values and ideals

23

Ibid*, p. >33*

24

Ibid., p. 35*

Social adjustment Moral beliefs Religious activity Self-adjustment

22 "The primary explanation for the low correlation is undoubt­ edly the fact that character, social environment, and personality are related in complex ways and not in simple one-to-one relationships which can be expressed by coeffi­ cients of correlation."2^ 2.

.

It is believed by the authors that even where

correlation is high, as between character reputation and school achievement, that the relationship is in reality a complex phenomena.

Grades are really a measure not only of

academic abilities, but attitudes toward school, acceptance of school values, and conformity to middle class standards which are the standards of the school. 3.

The children of low reputation generally come

from lower class homes which have not supported school values. "When the home is at odds with the school, the childs* behav26 ior and reputation are usually unsatisfactory." 4.

"Studies of individuals yield more insight into

the complex relationship of character, personality and social environment than do the group studies 5.

In case studies of several adolescents, five

personality types were empirically derived; adaptive, self-

25

Ibid., p. 180.

26

Ibid., p. 181. Ibid., p. 182;

23 *%

directive, submissive, unadjusted, and defiant.

The latter

two were found to have the lowest character reputations.

A

large portion of the unadjusted were in the lower classes. 6.

Good character reputation is not identical with a

given personal type.

Two persons may have high character

reputations and yet be entirely different in personality. Adolescence: National Society for the 28 Study of Education The above volume was published as a yearbook, for the purpose of providing a summary of the results of significant studies regarding adolescents.

Authorities on the various

aspects of adolescent development contribute the findings, relative to their specializations.

In Chapter XI, "Social­

ization and Adolescent Personality”, by Allison Davis, the following points are noted: 1.

"Cultural behavior is learned behavior; it must

be learned by each new human organism through the laborious processes of imitation, identification, competition, cooper29 ation, and other methods of social learning. 2.

”. . . . .

the successful socialization of the

28 Henry B # Nelson, ed., Adolescence: National So­ ciety for the Study of Education, Pari I,( Chicago: Hhiversity of Chicago Press, 1948X,358 pp. 29

Ibid., p. 198.

24 adolescent depends upon the degree of adaptive or socialized anxiety which has been instilled in him by society* 3*

”• • • . • socialized anxiety acts as a necessary

push toward the attainment of the required cultural behavior

4.

,fAs a learning environment for children and

adolescents who wish to ftrise in the world”, the social clique is an even more important training context than the family."32 5.

The child of middle status acquires different

social goals, different needs, different codes of right and wrong and he experiences different psychological rewards and punishments from those learned by a child of either upper or lower status.11 6.

There are two major aspects of personality; the

individual, private aspects, and the culturally typed aspects. The individual traits distinguish between men trained in the same culture, and although partly genetic in origin, they have strong roots in the early emotional environment. 7.

The higher motivation found in middle class

30

Ibid., p. 199.

31

Ibid., p. 199.

32

Ibid., p. 202.

33

Ibid., p. 203.

25 adolescents stems from their anxiety to achieve the social goals of this class and possibly obtain even higher status. Anxiety is thus socially directed. 8*

In order to know if a person is normal or neurot­

ic, one must first know his social class and his ethnic culture. •3LA

Social Class Influence upon Learning^

The above volume Is here briefly summarized under two headings:

(1) Social class influence upon behavior, and

(2) Social class influence upon mental problem solving. Social class influence upon behavior: 1.

Social classes limit and pattern the learning

environment • 2.

"Middle class children are early taught to accept

greater restraint in the direct use of their own sources of primary organic satisfactions."55 Middle class parents, who are exhibiting the learning from their own parents, thus sacrifice their "child’s basic happiness, their basic adequacy in facing the realities

34 Allison Davis, Social Glass Influence upon Learn­ ing. The Ingle’s Lecture,(Cambridge:““Harvard UniversTty "" Press, 1948^ 100 pp. 35

Ibid., p.20.

26 of life."36 3.

The schools do not yet understand how to reward

lower class pupils. 4.

Lower class people cannot learn middle class

foresight and moderation unless they can participate socially with middle class pupils, whom they may learn to imitate. 5.

“The results of this middle class training of

children to fear their own sex impulses and their own rage is usually to make sex and aggression the chief problem areas of the middle class personality.

The manifestation of

these two types of problems are usually highly disguised, but the source is very simple.”37 6.

Physical aggression in lower class adolescents is

learned as an approved and socially rewarded form of behav­ ior in their culture.

When lower class families verbally

forbid stealing, they in fact allow it. 7.

Even when the effort is more than half-hearted,

the power of the street culture overwhelms the parents’ verbal instructions. 8.

Middle class adolescents find the roads to sex

and aggression blocked by painful and intimidating experi­ ences; the lower class adolescents are frequently rewarded,

36

Ibid., p.22.

37

Ibid., p.31.

27 both socially and organically, for this same behavior. Effects on mental problem solving: 1.

Present tests are limited to prediction of those

activities essential to success in learning the present school curricula.

Present tests penalize the students of

the lower socio-economic groups because these groups have the least training and.motivation to solve academic problems. 2*

For the purpose of comparing the responses of two

distinct socio-economic groups, ten group tests of intelli­ gence were given to 115,000 children in a mid-western city. Based on an item analysis the results showed "a large propor­ tion of the items on each of these tests discriminated between children from the highest to the lowest socio­ economic levels."'5® 3. learning.

All human problem solving includes cultural "The individual learns to think as his group

defines thinking."*5^ 4.

People on different socio-economic levels learn

different kinds of phenomena and skills in respect to certain types of problems. 5.

"Culture free" tests discriminate against lower

38

Ibid., p. 41.

39

Ibid., p. 61.

28 socio-economic groups because the cultural motivation is less than with groups of higher socio-economic status. 6.

In tests of intelligence which stress language,

experiments show that lower socio-economic groups fall about four years behind the high socio-economic groups. 7.

"Language is a formalized system of cultural be ­

havior learned by long experience in that cultural group which possesses the language."40

It is one of the poorest

indicators of basic differences in problem solving capacity. 8.

Reading is overrated as a means of developing

mental processes.

Only a narrow range of thought processes

is stimulated through this means. 9.

Moral class values of middle class culture may be

the most adaptive for survival.

However, it does not

follow that academic skills and goals are the most effective in developing the intellectual, imaginative and problem solving activities of human beings.

41

Behavior Problems of Pupils in a Secondary School

42

The above study is based on an investigation of

40

Ibid.,p.

82.

41

P*

90 •

42 Albert J. Kuplan,Behavior Problem Pupils in a Secondary School♦( Philadelphia:DoctoralDissertation,~ Temple University, 1933V 137 pp.

29 1,979 high school students who attended Central High School in Philadelphia in the latter 1920Vs.

Pupil behavior

problems are viewed as related to and as a part of the larger problem of adult crime and juvenile delinquency.

Threq

groups, serious delinquents, mild delinquents and nondelinquents are compared with respect to intelligence and progress in school.

Secondly, they are compared to the

incidence of certain hereditary and environment character­ istics. Important conclusions are as follows: 1.

Intelligence is not a factor of primary import­

ance in determining behavior characteristics of school delinquents.

However, the students of superior intelligence

have twice the chance of the average student of being a non-delinquent• 2.

Illiteracy was not found to be a negligible

factor, but was greater among parents of problem boys. 3.

The possibilities of good adjustment are more to

be relied on, if a boy or girl is living with two parents, both judiciously interested in his welfare. 4.

A disproportionate number of delinquents came

from homes of the lower socio-economic group. 5.

There was more lack of parental supervision among

the delinquent group; families were larger and there was a higher incidence of overcrowding.

30 6.

A concomitant of delinquency was early with­

drawal from school*

The non-delinquent had a fifteen times

greater chance of graduating than serious delinquents. 7.

Among three-fourths of the delinquents, the

behavior problem started in elementary school. 8.

Delinquency is generally a resultant of no one

factor but of a combination of influences varying with the individual case. Adjustment of Daughters of Employed Women45 The research procedures of the above study included the administration of a family adjustment test to 302 girls in an experimental group and 151 in a control group.

The

families lived in eleven different towns in Missouri. Regardless of community, the daughters in the experi­ mental group, those of working mothers, were found to have Tower test scores.

Only 36.4 per cent of the mothers- in the

experimental group were home when their daughters returned from school.

Girls in this group seemed more inclined to

disregard parental advice.

There was more* disapproval of

the actions of daughters by parents when the mother was employed.

Likewise there was more tendency toward

43 Mary Essig, and D. H. Morgan, "Adjustment of Daughters of Employed Women,” Journal of Educational Psychol ogy , Vol. 37, 1946. pp. 219-221.

31 parental domination. Radio, Reading and Motion P icture Interests

44

Seven different media, representing the major out-ofschool language activities of 372 adolescents, pupils of Barringer High School, Newark, New Jersey, are investigated in the above study. The media included; radio, books, comic strips, funny books, magazines, newspapers and motion pictures. It was the purpose of the study to show the relation­ ships of pupil choice of media and interest to the following factors; grade in school, sex, intelligence, socio-economic status, age, and marks in school. Conclusions of the above study are: 1.

It is the interest or content rather than the

medium which attracts pupils to leisure time activities. 2.

The most popular interest among all the pupils

was adventure with humor a second choice.

The love theme

had considerable attraction for the girls. 3.

One cannot predict that any two media will be

combined to satisfy an interest.

The amount of time devoted

to one medium has no predictable value as to the time a

44 Alice T. Steiner, Radio, Motion Picture and Read­ ing Interests. A Study of High School Pupils. (Hew Y o r E T Doctoral Dissertation. Teachers College, Columbus University. 1947) 102 pp.

32 student will spend* on another medium.

"The fact that a

pupil reads many books is no indication that he will also 45 devote much time to periodical reading." 4.

There is only a slight and unpredictable relation­

ship between academic achievement and the choice of interest and. media. 5.

There is little relationship to intelligence.

Bright pupils show little individuality in choice of leisure - verbal activities. 6.

Socio-economic status, sex or school grade does

not seem to condition choice of media or interest, except that girls are more apt to read romantic magazines than boys and likely to read more magazines than boys. Emphasis of Present Study as Contrasted to Those Reviewed The studies reviewed on the foregoing pages have pointed out the degree of relationship between more general environmental factors and the adjustment of students to school life.

The relationship of certain selected environ­

mental influences to specific aspects of school adjustment, is the major emphasis of the present study.

45

Ibid., p. 63.

CHAPTER III THE SCHOOL:

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION

This study concerns one hundred students who a t t e n d ' or attended a senior high school in the city of Los Angeles, California.

To present a brief description of the school in

terms of its educational and social aspects is the purpose of this chapter. There are in the city of Los Angeles, thirty-four senior high schools, which schools include students primarily in the 10th, 11th and 12th g r a d e s T h e

school attended by

the students reported in this study is located in the central area of the city.

The student body has been until recent

years almost entirely Anglo-Saxon in background.

Beginning

approximately in 1945, students of other racial extractions have enrolled.

As of February, 1950, the school included

forty Negro students, about 160 of Mexican heritage, and six Chinese or Japanese.

It Is a school which has been

known for its beauty of architecture, for a scholarly faculty and for its high academic standards.

For many

teachers an assignment to this school has been held desirable because of the high socio-economic status of the neighbor­ hood and for the fact that a majority of its students have

1 A few of these schools are six year high schools; i.e., grades 7 through 12.

34 been college preparatory* Ecological changes In the' surrounding area of the school have left Intact certain residential areas which remain highly desirable.

Parts of the district, however,

show the accompanying characteristics of ecological change, traffic thoroughfares, invasion of nearby businesses, erec­ tion of apartment houses, neglected yards, and homes evidencing need of paint and repair. The changes in the size of the student body may be interpreted to reflect the changes which have occurred in time and space.

The number in the student body in 1931,

when the school was first opened, was 1,250. rose to 2,360 in 1941.

This figure

The past ten years has witnessed a

gradual decrease, until for the year 1950, the student body numbers only 1,750.

When asked to interpret this change,

the counselor who has been with the school since 1933, replied, f!the area generally is pretty well built-up, desir­ able land in the district is high; the young people cannot afford it; they move to the outlying areas; new schools further out are now being built to accommodate the new crop of children.” It is interesting to note in this respect that the other four metropolitan high schools of the city have dropped in enrollment from approximately 3,000 in 1930 to 1,500 in 1950.

Plans are under way to convert one of these four

35 schools to a trad© school in 1951, The following

changes in the educational picture of

the school is worthy of notice. In 1931, the average I.Q. of the graduating classes according to the school counselor was approximately 110* 1940, the average had dropped to about 106.

In

As of the

current year, the I.Q. of the graduating seniors is estimated at 105. The percentage of graduates who enroll in junior college or four year institutions beyond high school is wise on the decline.

like­

Estimated at 70 per cent for the year

1931, the percentage dropped to about 65 per cent in 1940, and to approximately 60 per cent for 1950.

The school

counselor reports that the number would have shown a more abrupt decrease had not a large junior college during the 1930's opened its doors to within practical walking distance of the community. To summarize, the patterns of ecological change appear to be accomplished by a gradual loss in student en­ rollment.

The average intelligent quotient of the students

is a little lower, and fewer graduates are going on to college.

CHAPTER IV THE METHOD OP PROCEDURE The present chapter describes the methods used in the selection of the experimental and control groups•

It des-

cribes the nature of the data collected and the techniques by which investigations were made, '1

METHODS USED IN SELECTION OP EXPERIMENTAL

>r-

AND CONTROL GROUPS

> ro

The experimental group in this study consists of

fifty high school students, twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls, who by a set of criteria were determined to be among the most unadjusted of the students enrolled in a particular high school. Three criteria were applied in the selection of this group.

(1)

In cooperation with the girls1 vice-principal a

list was submitted of girls who in the experience of her office evidenced the more serious behavior problems.'*' b o y s 1 vice-principal submitted a similar list.

The

Both were

compiled on a census making basis, with the school counselor,

1 All serious disciplinary problems among students are referred to the attention and disposition of the viceprincipals. Such problems include smoking, truancy, dis­ respect of authority, and related problems.

37 registrar, and child welfare and attendance supervisor con­ tributing their evaluations;

The request for such a list

specified no particular number of names. in the sixties.

(2)

Both lists were

The index and high school grade average

on each of the names submitted was then obtained.

Where the

grade average was among the lowest in relation to the index, 2 the name was then starred for possible selection. (3) Merit averages were then considered and those with the lowest averages were noted. The selection of twenty-five boys and twenty-five girls was made where the discrepancy between index and grade average was most marked, or with two or more being equal, when the merit average was the lowest.

It was necessary to

arbitrarily eliminate all 12th grade students in order to keep the size of the group within realistic bounds. Home interviews and all schedules on the experimental * group were completed before selecting the students in the control group.

v The fifty students in the control group were matched

with fifty in the experimental group on the basis of sex, grade, index and occupational classification of the main breadwinner of the family.

2

No student was included when I.Q. was below 87.

3 The purpose of this was to obtain a similarity of socio-economic status between the two groups.

38 The matching procedure involved the following steps: (1)

Prom the school files containing 10th and 11th grade

students only, which files were arranged alphabetically, was selected the names of every fifth pupil.

Three hundred and

sixty names, including information on sex, grade, and I.Q., were thus obtained.

(2)

Through the cooperation of the

counselorfs office a mimeographed form was then sent out to each of the 360 students asking that they indicate present occupation of parent.

(3)

Bach occupation was then coded

according to the specifications of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. The foregoing data then completed the necessary infor­ mation required for the matching process. THE NATURE OF THE DATA COLLECTED Three separate schedules were used for purposes of recording data*

(1) school data,

(2) social data on student,

and (3) social data relative to the family. THE TECHNIQUE (F MAKING INVESTIGATIONS School data:

Information relative to index, grade

average, merit average, grade placement and age were obtained from the cumulative folder, filed for each student in the office of the school counselor.

39 Social data on student and family; Material relative to the social factors in the life of the student and his family was obtained through home interviews*

Prior to

these interviews, a telephone conversation was held with one of the parents*

The nature and purpose of the study was

explained and if the parent so approved, a definite time for the home visit was determined*

Only six parents indicated

their unwillingness to be interviewed.

In such instances,

other names were readily substituted. It was not advisable of course to inform the families of either group that the study included a selected number of unadj us te d student s * Interviews were held under various circumstances.

At

times only one parent provided social data on both the child and the family.

In some interviews both parents were

present; in some the entire members of the household.

It

was not possible within the responsibilities of the school day to interview the" student at school.

It would not have

been possible to have expected to interview the student privately in his home. A high proportion of the families in both groups interpreted the investigation as a good investment in better teacher-pupil understanding.

They seemed glad to have an

opportunity to talk about their children.

CHAPTER V RESULTS OP THE STUDY" The findings of the study are reported under three main sections.

The first is concerned with the distribution

of students according to grade, index and parent occupation; the second section reports on the experimental and control groups as related to school adjustment; and the third section compares the two groups in relation to social environmental factors* DISTRIBUTION OP EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS ACCORDING TO GRADE, INDEX AND PARENTS* OCCUPATION With the control group matched with the experimental group for sex, grade, intelligent quotient and parent occu­ pation, the following data presented itself. Distribution by grades:

As indicated in Table I,

more unadjusted students were found in the A 10th grade than in any other.

Forty-five per cent of the boys and forty-

eight per cent of the girls were in that grade. The distribution for the control group is of course the same• It is during the A 10th semester that students begin to drop out, and the percentage increases until in the A 11th the highest proportion of withdrawals occur.

41 TABLE I DISTRIBUTION OP EXPERIMENTAL GROUP BY GRADS

Grade Boys

B-10

A-10

B-ll

A-ll

2

11

8

4

1

12

JL.

9

3

23

11

t

Number

V

Girls \

Total

Total number of students

Distribution by intelligent Quotient :

13 50

The intelli­

gent quotient of each student in the control group was matched with the intelligent quotient of the student in the experimental group as closely as possible, giving due atten­ tion to other factors which were also a part of the matching process.

Among the boys the most marked difference was an

I.Q. of ninety-two matched with one of 105.

The greatest

discrepancy among the girls was an I.Q* of eighty-nine and one of ninety-nine.

The average intelligent quotient dis­

crepancy among the boys was 4.6 and among the girls 3.1. The mean intelligent quotient of both groups is shown in Table II. The mean I.Q. for the graduating class of June, 1949 >

was reported by the school counselor to be 105.

42 f

TABLE II fflEAN INTELLIGENT QUOTIENT OF BOYS AND GIRLS IN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS c_ _ _ _ _ _

Boys Mean I#Q# b-

Experimental

103.2

Girls Mean I#Q#

2.05.0 t

V

Control

101.9

103.2

Distribution according to occupational classification of parent:

As shown in the following Table III, the manage*-

rial and semi-professional classifications are grouped, as likewise are the clerical and sales.

This was done to

accommodate a small number of cases where the exact classifi­ cation for matching was not obtainable# The distribution of parental occupations shown in Table III does not presume to represent a cross-section of the student body of this school but shows only the occupa­ tional classification of parents whose children evidenced unadjustment at school.

43 TABLE t

III

DISTRIBUTION OP GROUPS ACCORDING TO PARENTS OCCUPATION

Occupational Class

Boys Exper # Control

Girls Exper t Control

Professional

2

2

1

JL

Managerial & SemiProfessional

5

5

5

5

Clerical & Sales

5

5

3

3

Skilled

7

7

9

9

Semi-skilled

4

4

3

3

Unskilled

1

1

1

1

Service

0

0

1

1

Unclassified

1

1

2

2

44 A COMPARISON OP THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS AS RELATED TO SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT Grade average :

The grade averages between the

experimental and control groups showed a marked contrast as indicated in the following Table IV. In both the experimental and control groups the girls show a slightly higher grade average than the boys.

The

intelligent quotient of the girls in both groups is also slightly higher. The school counselor reports that this tendency is consistent with the student body as a whole, although no exact figures as to the differences are available.

The only

explanation is based on the assumption that girls are prob­ ably more motivated to achieve academically, both in school grades and in paper and pencil tests which measure capacity. Merit average compared:

Significant differences in

merit averages are indicated in Table V.

The comparison

shows that the boys and girls of the experimental group did more of the things for which demerits are given than did the control group.

They were truant more often, tardy more

often, were more often accused of insubordination, lying, cheating, smoking and disrupting class room morale.

The

significantly lower grade averages made by the students of the upper group would indicate they were probably less

45 motivated by classroom activities and hence more likely to commit those acts for which merits are lost.

It is the

experience of almost every teacher that the more interested the student, the less likely is he to be late or absent from class.

The poorer students academically are usually ones

who fill the benches of the vice-principal1s office. The figures in Table V show a significant difference of 35.0 in the merit averages of the boys and girls in the experimental group.

According to the faculty chairman of

the Citizenship Board to which all students are referred when loss of merits is under consideration, more boys than girls are seen, by a ratio of 3 to 1.

The girls of the

experimental group, although with a grade average of only .3 higher than the boys, apparently make a better adjustment to classroom procedures than do the boys.

Such a difference

in merit average would also indicate that other phases of their school conduct comes into less conflict with the authorities than does that of the boys. School attendance compared:

The average number of

absences per semester were more than three times as great among the students in the experimental group than in the con­ trol group.

The statistically significant difference is

borne out by the critical ratio included in Table VI.

46 TABLE IV COMPARISON OP THE GRADE AVERAGES OP THE TWO GROUPS

Experimental

4.0

( D average )

Control

2.6

(C+ average )

Experimental

4*1

(D- average )

Control

2.6

(C+ average )

Exper iment al

3.8

(D+ average )

Control

2.5

(Midway between B and C)

Boys & Girls

Boys

Girls

That there is a statistically significant difference in the means of the grade averages is indicated by the following figures: Significant critical ratio for degrees of freedom of 100^ is 2*678*

Critical ratio, grade averages, boys and

girls combined is 15*9323* degrees of freedom of 50

2

Significant critical ratio for is 2.678*

Critical ratio, grade

averages, boys 12,3371, girls 8*6735*

1 J, P. Guilford, Fundamental Statistics in Psychol ogy and Education* (New YorE: McGraw-Hill Bools’Co., 1942) 2

Ibid., Table D, p* 323*

47 The critical ratios listed in Table IV are stated by Guilford to have significance at the 1 per cent level, i.e., there is the probability that these averages would be statis­ tically significant 99 times out of 100 with increases in the sample size.

Further sampling, then, of this type of

data with the same control methods, would probably give significant differences in the means.

TABLE V A COMPARISON OF MERIT AVERAGES

Merit Average Experimental

37.6

Control

93.8

Experiment al

72.6

Control

96.1

Critical Ratio

8.5399

Boys

5.3767

Girls

Note; Significant critical ratio for degrees of freedom of 50 is 2.678.

Absence as a symptom: Schools are coming to view absence as a symptom of school unadjustment even though the student will return on repeated occasions with legitimate excuses as defined by state law;

(illness, injury and death

48 TABLE VI A COMPARISON OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BY GROUPS MSSBSESNUBSBMCSSEtfBMS&flEnSSSSSSfeRErSBSS&GESSES

Average Days Absent per Semester . Boys

..

Experimental ' Control

14*0

Experimental

17*4

Critical Ratio

5*3523 3*9

Girls

4*5332 Control P

Experimental

6*0 15*7

Boys 8c Girls

6.6974 Control

5.0

1 Significant critical ratio for degrees of freedom of 50 is 2*678* 2 Significant critical ratio for degrees of freedom of 100 is 2.626.

49 in the family are the only lawful reasons for absence). The Child Welfare and Attendance Supervisor of the school calls repeatedly on the same offenders,

A headache, a

toothache, a pain, or a cold are the defense which the stu^ dent comes so easily to accept as fact.

The Mhooky cop11 of

yesterday is a vanishing concept as schools throughout the nation are seeing all behavior phenomena as caused behavior and are instrumenting this point of view with appropriate techniques and personnel. Some comments are necessary concerning the fact that girls of both groups as shown in Table VI were absent more days per semester than were boys.

The critical ratio indi­

cated that were the sample increased this tendency would probably remain constant.

Does this mean that girls were

truant more often, sick more often, or possibly more often kept home by parents to perform household duties?

Whereas

the girls of both groups maintained a higher grade average and merit average than.did the boys, might it be tentatively assumed that failure to come to school is for girls the more acceptable area in which to manifest symptomatic behavior problems? Withdrawal from school:

The following figures in

Table VII show the number of students in each group who by February, 1950 had withdrawn from school.

Withdrawal refers

50 to those whose school attendance has entirely ceased except for the required four hours per week at continuation school, unless the student becomes married.

It will be noted that

more than half of the boys and about one-third of the girls in the experimental group are no longer enrolled in full time school* TABLE VII WITHDRAWAL PROM SCHOOL as of February, 1950

Boys

15

Girls Total

Boys

1

Girls

1

Control

Experimental 8

S3

“5

A COMPARISON OP THE TWO GROUPS AS RELATED TO FACTORS IN THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT Age:

The figures in Table VIII show no significant

differences in the age of the experimental versus the control group.

The boys whose adjustment to school is in question

are no older or younger than a random selected group matched for grade, intelligent quotient, and parent occupation. girls of the control group are only one month older than

The

51 girls of the experimental group. Students in the junior high schools of the city are accelerated according to age*

Regardless of years of

schooling or academic achievment a student seldom remains in junior high school beyond 15.9 years of age.

This prac­

tice may likely be the reason why there are no age discrepancies between the experimental and control groups of this study* The average difference of two and one-half months between girls and boys of both groups is consistent with the difference in ages between the sexes for the student body as a whole.

TABLE VIII A COMPARISON CF THE TWO GROUPS IN TERMS OP AGES OP STUDENTS

Average Age Experimental

16.6

Control

16.6

Experimental

16.3

Control

16.4

Boys

Girls

52 Mobility:

The mobility of students including schools,

cities and homes is similar for each group.

Possibly the

degree of mobility is related to parental occupation and since the groups were matched for this item, Constances would be expected. Schools:

Boys and girls of the experimental group

attended only a fraction more schools than did students of the control group.

The differences in school mobility

although consistently higher for the experimental group on all three levels as shown in Table IX, is nevertheless in­ sufficient for purposes of generalization.

TABLE IX HUMBER OF SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY STUDENTS IN EACH GROUP

Difference

No. of Schools Attended Experimental

2.4

Control

2.1

.3

Elementary Experimental

1.3

.1

Junior H.S. Control

1.2

Experimental

1.4

Control

HI

.2

Senior H.S. 01 • i

53 Cities and homes;

The students in the control group

have lived in a fraction more cities than students of the experimental group, whereas in regard to houses the situation is reversed*

Data relative hereto is shown in Table X.

Work experienc e ;

More students in the experimental

group than in the control group had a record of work experi­ ence, although the amount of work experience is greater for the latter group as shown in Table XI.

The average number

of hours of employment is based on employment while in high school. Summer employment, after-school hours, Saturdays and vacations are totaled for purposes of final averages.

Of

the boys who had work experience, the control group had 14 per cent more than did the experimental group.

Of all the

girls who had worked, the control group again had 30 per cent more work experience.

These differences would appear suffi­

cient to presume that those students less unadjusted to school life are likewise less inclined toward productivity in other areas. Educational plans:

Although both groups are nearly

identical as to intelligent quotient and economic status of parents, there is considerable difference in regard to their educational plans, as the figures show in Table XII.

54 TAB IE X HUMBER OP CITIES AND HOUSES IN WHICH EACH GROUP HAS LIVED

Number of Cities Lived in

Number of Houses Lived in

Experimental

2.2

5.6

Control

2.5

4.9

TABLE XI EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE OP THE TWO GROUPS CONTRASTED

Experimental

Control

Number with Work Experience

22

Average number of hours of employment

58.4

51.4

Number with Work Experience

19

14

Average number of hours of employment

19.0

34.9

.

20

Boys

Girls

55 TABLE XII EDUCATIONAL PLANS OP EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL GROUP

Experimental

Control

Do not plan to complete high school

16

1

Plan to complete high school

19

19

Trade school or junior college

9

15

Pour year, college or university

6

15

The figures previously quoted, relative to students who had withdrawn from school, show that those not planning to complete high school are already moving in this direction. In fact, twenty-three in the experimental group have already withdrawn, whereas only sixteen indicated their Intention of doing so. Exactly three times as many in the control group as in the experimental plan training beyond high school.

Obvi­

ously, a student doing poorly in high school does not care to prolong the “agony11.

He may be a “prisoner of the law”

up to the age of eighteen; beyond that he will not choose to imprison himself. Social affiliation:

The students in the control

56 group show a tendency toward more social affiliation than those in the experimental group*

The contrast is more mark­

ed in terms of church attendance than club membership, as illustrated in Table XIII. TABLE XIII CHURCH ATTENDANCE OF THE TWO GROUPS CONTRASTED

Exp er iment al Number who attend

23

Control 32

Per Month Average number of times attended

3.1

Number who attend

9

Average number of times attended

2.7

3.8 11

Per Year 4.0

TABLE XIV A COMPARISON IN TERMS OF CLUB MEMBERSHIP 3

Experimental Number who belong to clubs Average number of clubs

21 1.7

Control 26 1.9

57 USB OF OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS Homework:

The boys in the experimental group studied

only one-fifth the number of minutes per day at home as did boys of the control group; the girls in the experimental group slightly less than one-half that of the control group* Averages are shown in Table XV. A total of twenty boys in the experimental group did no homework whatsoever, as against one in the control group* The ratio is 6 to 1 for the girls who did no studying at home.

Since the I.Q.*s were closely matched, grades in

school certainly appear to be related in part to the amount of study out of school.

The factor underlying such a differ­

ent study pattern is, however, a more important consideration. Home duties:

No marked difference is indicated

between the amount of time spent on home duties between the two groups of girls.

The boys in the control group, however,

gave twice the amount of time to such purposes. Radio and Television:

It was not possible to tabulate

separately the amount of time given over to radio and tele­ vision.

The home investigations of the experimental group

were made during August and September of 1949 and of the control group during October, November, and December of 1949. The fast growing industry of television found its way into

58 TABLE XV AMOUNT OP TIME SPENT AT HOME ON SCHOOL HOMEWORK

Average number of Minutes ________ per D a y _______ Expe r iment al

10

Control

50

Experimental

29

Control

62

Boys

Girls

TABLE XVI AMOUNT OP TIME SPENT ON HOME DUTIES

Average number of Minutes __________per Day_________ Experimental

17

Control

37

Exp er Imental

57

Control

64

Boys

Girls

59 thousands of additional homes within a span of only a few months during this period and undoubtedly additional families in the experimental group would have acquired television sets.

Family after family in both groups, however, reported

that student., time given over to television was, generally speaking, equivalent to time previously given to radio.

The

figures in Table XVTI represent the average number of hours per day given to radio and television combined. The students of the experimental group show a notice­ able tendency to give more time to this pursuit.

TABLE XVII AMOUNT OF TIME GIVEN TO RADIO AND TELEVISION

Average Number of Hours per day Exp er iment al Boys

Girls

2.9

•

Control

2.3

Exp er iment al

3.6

V

Control

2.6

60 Reading Interests;

Reading outside of assigned

school work was not a major pursuit of many students in either group.

A few significant trends nevertheless stand

out as indicated in the following tabulation*

The figures

indicate the number who do some reading in the category* Comic books certainly occupy more interest of the experimental group over the control, for both the boys and the girls*

The experimental group likewise evidences great­

er interest in popular fiction, while the same trend is carried over for the girls in movie and romance stories* The. control groups show a decidedly greater interest in newspaper reading, while for the boys" more interest is evidenced in sports*

The girls of this group apparently read more home

magazines* Motion pictures s

The average number of motion

pictures attended per month is higher among those in the experimental group.

While only one boy in the control group

attended more than 8 times per month, twelve in the experi­ mental group attended beyond this number, with one student attending 20 times per month*

One girl in the control group

attended beyond 6 times per month as against ten girls in the experimental who attended beyond this number.

61 TABLE XVIII READING INTERESTS OP THE TWO GROUPS COMPARED

Type of Reading

Exp eriment al Control Boys

Experimental Control Girls

Comic books

9

3

8

2

Popular fiction

7

4

15

12

Current, Life Magazine Time Magazine, etc.7

7

6

5

Newspapers

4

12

1

6

Non-fiction

2

4

2

2

Sports

5

10

1

1

No reading

2

1

3

0

Home magazines

0

0

3

7

Romance and movie

0

0

7

4

o o

. . .

62 Dates;

The hoys of hoth groups dated less than half

as much as did the girls. this.

Several factors may account for

With the hoys only an average of two and one-half

months older than the girls, their level of maturation would he considerably lower.

Again, because the data was

in so many instances obtained from the mothers, she may have been in a more likely position to have known the frequency with which a girl member of the family dated.

An adoles­

cent boy is too likely to report that he has been out **with the boystt.

The tabulation in Table XX Indicates the average

frequency of dating of those who do go out on dates. As' shown in Table XX, there are more who date in the experimental groups than in the control, while the average number of dates per month is only slightly higher for the former group. Time to b e d :

The students of the experimental group

stay up later at night than do the ones in the control group as shown in the following time table; 11 B* M.

Boys experimental group.

10 P. M.

Boys control group•

10:30 P. M.

Girls experimental group.

10:00 P. M.

Girls control group.

63 TABLE XIX HUMBER OF MOTION PICTURES WHICH EACH GROUP ATTENDED PER MONTH

Motion Pictures per Month Experimental

7.4

Control

4*4

Experiment al

5.7

Control

4.4

Boys

Girls

TABLE XX THE TWO GROUPS CONTRASTED IN TERMS OF NUMBERS OF DATES PER MONTH

Number who date

Number of dates per Month

Experimental

18

3.5

Control

14

3.4

Boys

Experimental

22

8.2

Control

18

7.2

Girls

64 Health and physical handicaps:

Only two students of

the 100 investigated were in any way handicapped physically* One girl in the control group showed a slight limp as a re­ sult of paralysis contracted in early childhood.

One hoy

in the experimental group required the use of braces for walking, also a result of the same disease in early child­ hood.

No other health problems were reported. Parental status :

More broken homes exist among

students in the experimental group than in the control group. Table XXI presents the picture relative to parental status. The unequal adjustment to school life between the two groups can be related only partially to the discrepancy in the number of broken homes since only seven more in the experimental group than in the control have lost one or more parent either by death,' desertion or divorce.

If broken

homes would be the answer, for instance, to the problem of low g r a d e s t h e grade averages of all students with natural parents should be similar inasmuch as I.Q. and economic status are relatively controlled factors.

The figures in

Table XXII present a comparison of the grade average, merit average and average days absent per semester of both groups of students who live with natural parents as against those who live in broken homes.

65 TABLE XXI CONTRAST OP THE TWO GROUPS IN TERMS OF PARENTAL STATUS

Experimental

Control

Natural parents both in home

23

30

One or more parents deceased

10

9

Divorced or separated

17

11 100

Father in home (natural or stepfather)

38

38

Mother in home (natural or stepmother)

48

49

66 TABLE XXII SCHOOL ADJUSTMENT RECORD COMPARED IN RELATION TO UNBROKEN AND BROKEN HOMES

Natural Parents

Broken Homes

Natural and Broken

Experimental

3.9

4.1

4.0

Control

2.5

2.7

2.6

Experimental

57.2

56.1

55.6

Control

94.5

94.5

94.5

Exp er ime nt al

14.5

16.9

15.7

6.3

5.0

Grade Average

Merit Average

Average Days Absent per Semester

Control

3.7 .

67 For purposes of this study dividing the groups into broken and unbroken homes has, as indicated in Table XXII, precluded the possibility of making broad generalizations relative to broken homes as a major causal factor in school adjustment.

The grade average of those from broken homes

is two-tenths lower than those from natural homes in both the experimental and control groups.

No difference of

consequence is noted In merit averages, while those from broken homes do show some slight increase in days absent, •

Siblings:

The number of siblings was only slightly

larger for the experimental group, 2.4 as against 2.0 for the control group. himself.

This number is exclusive of the student

Nine of the students in the experimental group,

and eleven in the control group, had no brothers or sisters. Occupational status of mothers:

The same number of

mothers in both groups had since the birth of the student, worked out of the home full time.

The average number of

working years for these mothers, however, was 12 and 1/2 per cent higher for the experimental group, as the figures in Table XXIII indicate. F amily income:

The purpose of this study in matching

for occupational classification, was primarily to obtain a similarity in economic status of both groups.

In many

68 TABLE XXIII EMPLOYMENT OP MOTHERS OUTSIIE THE HOME

Number who have worked full time 26

Average number of years of employment Experimental

26

8.5

Control

5.7

TABLE XXIV AVERAGE YEARLY INCOME OP FAMILIES

Experimental

Control

Under #3,000

18

16

#3,000 to #5,000

23

29

#5,000 to #10,000

8

4

Over #10,000

1

1

69 instances information relative to income was volunteered, and this information was a helpful basis in estimating the remainder of incomes.

The, data in Table XXIV, however,

must be viewed with considerable caution. Home ownership:

The less acceptable school adjust­

ment of those students in the experimental group as against the control group is not related to whether or not the families owned their own home.

Twenty-nine families in the

experimental group owned their own homes as against twentyseven in the control group. Size of homes:

The number of rooms per person living

in the home was identical for both groups,' i.e., 1.2 rooms per person.

Likewise, exactly “twenty-three students in

each group had their own separate bedrooms.

More students

in the control group, however, shared a room with a sibling of the same sex; seventeen against nine in the experimental. Of the number who slept in the parlor, there were thirteen in the experimental group and four in the control.

Nine

more students of the experimental group than of the control group were deprived of certain minimum standards of privacy. Proximity to business;

Those students showing more

marked unadjustment to school were found to be those living in more direct proximity to business areas.

A majority

70 of those in both groups, however, lived within two blocks of business areas or directly in the midst of business activity. TABLE XXV LOCATION OP HOMES IN RELATION TO BUSINESS AREAS

Experimental

Control

Strictly residential

10

15

Business center 1-2 blocks

30

24

Midst of business

10

11

Condition of homes and neighborhoods:

Previous social

surveys related to evaluation of homes and neighborhoods have established rather objective and detailed criteria for the purpose, based on the mean evaluation of several obser­ vers.

The ratings of the 100 homes and neighborhoods in­

cluded in this study have two limitations. made by one observer only.

The ratings were

Secondly, for purposes of

simplification, only generalized categories for rating were established.

No attempt was made to establish weights for

such specific items as pianos, drapes, etc.

The fact,

however, that the scores of the two groups presumably matched

71 for economic status, is so close, would indicate that a consistent basis- of rating was adhered to. Included In Tables XXVI and XXVII are the categories which were rated.

The better the conditions of homes and

neighborhood, the lower was the score.

For example, the

exterior of a home obviously run down received a rating of 3. 1 If in moderate condition 2, and if well cared for the score was 1.

The ratings shown in these tables show a

trend discernable In other tabulations relative to social factors.

The contrasts are small, often only a fraction,

with the less positive results on the side of the experis

mental.group. Education of parents:

The fathers of those students

in the control group have had more years of schooling than those in experimental, while the contrast in regard to the mothers is less marked.

In fact, three less mothers in the

control group finished high school.

However, while an

equal number went to college, those in the control group attended an average of six months longer.

The contrasts in

the educational picture of the fathers are more constant. There were four more in the experimental group who did not complete high school and seven less who did not go to college. The number of years which the fathers spent in college Is however, the same*

72 TABLE XXVI AVERAGE CONDITION OP HOMES

Condition of Home

Experimental

Control

Exterior: Paint and repair good ) Moderate care indicated ) Obviously run down )

2.3

2.3

2.4

2.2

2.0 2.1 2.3 2.4

2.0 2.0 2.1 2.4

Yard: Usually well kept ) Moderate care indicated ) Neglect apparent ) Interior: Cleanliness Orderliness Condition of furniture Harmonious, restful Average

2.3

2.2

73 TABLE XXVII NEIGHBORHOOD IN RESPECT TO SIZE AND CONDITION OP HOMES

Exp er iment al

Control

Neighborhood: Size of houses

4-5 rooms

29

29

6-7 rooms

17

17

0 + rooms

4

4

2.4

2.3

Condition of exteriors and yards: Unusual care ) Upkeep moderate ) Obvious neglect )

TABLE XXVIII A COMPARISON OP YEARS OP EDUCATION FOR PARENTS THE EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL GROUPS

Average No. of Total Yrs. of School

No. who Did not go to H. S.

No. who went to College

No. of years of College

*

Fathers: Experimental Control

10,3 11*4

17 18

9 16

3.0 3.0

Mothers: Experimental Control

11.4 11.3

8 11

‘ 13 13

2.0 2.5

74 Health of parents: A rather startling incidence in terms of contrast is presented in the health picture of the parents.

Six parents in the control group complained of

ill health, while twenty-seven in the experimental group listed complaints. alcoholism.

Of those in the latter, four confided

This was not revealed as a factor prevailing

among parents in the control group.

The list of reported

factors related to ill health were varied, and since many of the illnesses could be assumed to be self-diagnosed, no pur­ pose is served in presenting specific types of complaints. One parent in the control group and three in the experimental group were inactive due to long standing illnesses. Club membership of parents : More parents in the control group, although similar in economic background to the experimental, have active memberships in clubs. tabulation in Table XXIX presents the contrasts.

The The aver­

age number of clubs belonged to refers only to the club members, not the total number of parents included in the study. Parents of both groups belong to approximately the same number of clubs, that is, one and one-half each.

There

was no significant distinction between the type of clubs to which the c ontrasting groups belonged.

Club affiliation

included a wide cross-section, such as the Masons, Elks,

75 Eastern Star, P.T.A*, and Veterans organizations.

The

sample size of those belonging to clubs is not sufficient to attempt any scientific correlation between number of club memberships and amount of family income.

It is interesting

to observe, however, that of the parents in both groups who did belong to clubs, those whose incomes were over $5,000, belonged to an average of 2.1 clubs per person, while those whose incomes were less, belonged to an average of 1.3 clubs.

TABLE XXIX CLUB MEMBERSHIP OP THE PARENTS

No. who belong to clubs Experimental

Average Number

6

1.5

Control

16

1.4

Experimental

7

1.6

11

1.5

Fathers

Mothers Control

76 Unions:

None of the parents in either group express­

ed an active interest in union organizations.

In the

experimental group, fourteen fathers and one mother belonged, and in the control group, thirteen fathers and one mother. An overwhelming majority remarked that they merely paid dues and attended only required meetings* Leisure time interests of parents:

The tabulation

in Table XXX, relative to the reading interests of parents, presents no marked contrasts, but indicate some tendency for more serious reading on the part of parents in the control group. Sixteen more parents in the control group than in the experimental, read current literature, such as Time, News­ week, and Colliers.

Likewise, there are five more in this

group who read non-fiction; four more who read home magazines and four as against nine who do not read at all. Books and magazines:

The experimental group had an

average of ninety-one books in the home as against 142 for the control group.

Both groups subscribed to approximately

the same number of non-fiction periodicals, 1.8 for the experimental and 1.6 for the control.

Table XXX shows the

type of reading done by the mothers and fathers of the two groups.

77 TABLE XXX READING INTERESTS OF PARENTS

Experimental Mothers Fathers

Control Mothers Fathers

Newspapers

15

26

19

19

Current

17

17

29

21

Popular fiction

17

6

17

8

6

9

8

12

14

0

Non-fiction Home magazines

10

0 '

Bible, Religious

7

2

4

1

None

6

3

3

1

78 Motion pictures and lectures;

There is practically

no distinction relative to the number of motion pictures attended per month by the mothers and fathers of the experi­ mental and control groups*

A more active interest in

attendance at lectures is, however, noted on the part of parents in the control group, who attend a total of 166 lectures per year as against seventeen for parents of the experimental group.

In Table XXXI, the average number of

motion pictures attended per month is based on the total number of mothers and fathers included in the study.

The

average number of lectures attended per year, however, refers only to those who did actually attend; seven mothers and three fathers in the experimental group and nine mothers and seven fathers in the control group.

TABLE XXXI MOTION PICTURE AND LECTURE ATTENDANCE OP PARENTS

Experimental Mothers Fathers

Control Mothers Fathers

Motion pictures attended per month

2.0

1.8

2.0

1.6

Lectures attended per year

1*5

2.3

9.6

11.4

CHAPTER VI SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Summary :

This study has focused on two groups of

high school students*

The experimental group consisted of

fifty boys and girls who showed marked symptoms of school unadjustment*

The control group included a similar number

&nd was matched with the former for sex, school grade, I*Q*, and occupational classification of parent*

The factors

operating in the social environments of each group were investigated and the results compared* This has not presumed to be a detailed study of individual students*

The results apply to each group of

students as a whole.

The interaction of social and personal

factors as they operate in the adjustment of each individual, was not intended to be within the limits of this study. The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1.

/

It is probable that the intelligent quotients of

the students who showed symptoms of school unadjustment are equal to those for the student body as a whole. 2.

Only 26 per cent of the parents were classified

in the highest occupational brackets, professional, semiprofessional and managerial.

The clerical, sales, skilled,

and semi-skilled classifications included 62 percent.

80 3.

There was a marked difference of statistical

significance in the grade average, merit average and attend­ ance record of the two groups, even though they were matched for sex, grade, I.Q., and occupational classification of parent• 4.

Twenty-three of the students in the experimental

group have withdrawn from school within six months from the beginning date of the study.

Two from the control group

have withdrawn. 5.

The ages of the students in both groups were

practically identical. 6.

There is no significant difference between the

two groups in the number of schools attended or the number of cities and houses lived in. 7*

Although slightly more students in the experimen­

tal than in the control group had work experience, the control group had 22 per cent more work experience than did the other group. 8.

Twice as many students in the control group plan

educational training beyond high school. 9.

The number who attend church in the control group

is greater by 25 per cent.

Students in this group attend

church somewhat more frequently than those in the experimen­ tal group. 10.

The boys in the control group study five times

81 i as much at home than hoys in the experimental group* the girls approximately two times as much. 11.

Over twice as much time is given to helping around

the home hy boys in the control group compared with the ex­ perimental.

The girls in the control group help only

slightly more. 12.

The boys in the experimental group listen to the

radio or look at television only one-half hour more per day, than boys in the control groupj the girls one hour more per day. 15.

More than three times as many students in the

experimental than in the control group read comic books; on the other hand, three times as many of the latter read news­ papers.

The contrasts in regard to other reading interests

are not highly significant. 14.

Pour more movies per month are attended by students

in the experimental group than in the control. 15.

While a majority of students in each group go out

on dates, eight less students in the control group do so than in the experimental.

The latter group dates only

slightly more often. 16.

The students in the experimental group stay up on

an average of forty-five minutes later in the evenings. 17.

Seven more students in the experimental group come

from homes broken by divorce, separation or death.

82 18.

The school adjustment record of students in both

groups who come from unbroken homes, although slightly better, is not significant, in comparison to their respective groups as a whole. 19.

The number of siblings in the experimental group

is four-tenths per cent more than in the control. 20.

Twenty-six mothers in both groups have worked out

of the home, however, those mothers in the control group have worked on an average of two years and ten months longer. 21*

Approximately forty to forty-five families in

both groups were estimated to have an income per year of $5,000 or under. 22.

There were the same number of room per person for

families of both groups. have their own rooms.

An identical number in each group However, thirteen in the experimental

as against four in the control group slept in the parlor. 23*

About one-fifth of the families in each group

lived in the midst of business areas;

however, fifteen in

the control as against ten in the experimental lived in more strictly residential areas. 24.

There was no significant difference in the size

and condition of homes as between the two groups.

Neither

was there significant difference in the neighborhoods in respect to size and condition of homes. 25.

Parents in the control group had an average of

83 seven more months of schoolings

Seven more fathers in the

control group had gone to college, 26.

Twenty-seven parents in the experimental as

against six in the control complained of ill health. 27.

Three times as many parents in the control group

than in the experimental were affiliated with clubs.

There

was no significant difference in the number of clubs to which each group belonged. 28.

The parents in the control group read more current

literature and slightly more non-fiction.

More in the

experimental group do no reading, nine as against five. 29*

There is no significant difference between the

groups in the number of motion pictures which parents attend­ ed per month. ¥

However, parents in the experimental group

attend a total of seventeen lectures or concerts per year as against 166 for the control group. Conclusion;

While there was considerable difference

in the school adjustment of the two groups, the contrasts in the social environment were less marked.

Why was this so?

The following alternate explanations are suggested; /

1.

The two groups as a whole were not equal in terms

of social class position.

Behavior, including school ad­

justment, is functionally related to social class position. The two groups were not matched on this basis.

Occupational

84 classification of parent is not a sufficient criteria of social class position.

To determine socio-economic status,

it is necessary to know the occupation, source of income, house type and dwelling area.

The combined ratings of no

less than three of these items is reliable.

Therefore, the

contrasts in school adjustment could possibly be attributed to some discrepancies in social class position between the two groups as a whole. If social class position is viewed as the main deter­ miner of behavior, a few more families of higher or lower position in either group would have been sufficient to askew the results. 2*

The two groups appeared to have a relatively equal

social status.

Several criteria would indicate that most of

the families investigated had approximately a lower-middle class status. homes.

None of the families lived in luxurious

None kept full or part time servants.

Most, incomes

were $5,000 or less, which in terms of present economy is no considerable amount. moderate condition.

Most lived in average sized homes in The occupational classification of

parents were chiefly those characteristic of middle class position. Had the groups as a whole had upper-middle or lowerupper status, there should have been more active interest in civic affairs, more club life, more travel, reading and the

85 like.

Hone of the students in either group were among the

top leaders in school and only a few were active in school functions. If the two groups were similar in terms of social position, why then were the discrepancies in school adjust­ ment so marked? 3#

The answer to the problem of school adjustment can

best be measured by a knowledge of the interaction of person­ al and social factors and not by the social factors alone. Observations growing out of home investigations for the study support the above statement.

Gases were observed

where happy and well adjusted children were living in modest circumstances and where severely unadjusted children were living under the pressure of anxious parents more financially and culturally endowed.

Many of the social factors isolated

for measurement in this study bore no relationship to the dynamics of the home.

Many families whose children were

experiencing unfavorable school adjustments, lived in un­ broken homes, had a room of their own and any number of good books at their disposal.

Some students with better school

adjustment records seemed to be experiencing most unfavorable environmental pressures. 4*

There is a degree of relationship between certain

social factors as measured in this study and the problem of school adjustment.

Some of the social factors appeared

to have ho bearing on the problem. greatest relationships were;

The factors showing the

(1) more in the control group

attended church; (2) students in this group did more home studying;

(3) a far greater number of the experimental group

have withdrawn from school;(4) the boys of the eontrol group were more helpful around the home;

(5) the mothers in the

experimental group had worked out of the home a longer period of time; (6) more of the students of the experimental group had less sleeping and dressing privacies;

(7) more in

the control group lived in desirable residential areas;

(8)

fathers in the control group had more years of schooling; (9) more parents in the control group were affiliated with clubs;

(10) considerably more parents in the experimental

group complained of ill health, either organic or psychoso­ matic in origin;

(11) parents in the control group attended

by far the greater number of concerts and lectures. The conclusions of this study suggest the following research problems: 1.

A study of the school adjustment of students all

of whom are in a similar social class position, as determined by reliable criteria, which would give more precise evidence on the influence of social class status. 2.

A study which would measure the influence of the

dynamics of family relationships on school adjustment would be pertinent.

What are the degree of social distance or

87 social nearness among members of the family?

Does the

student live in a happy home? 3*

What is the relationship between emotional stabil

ity and good school adjustment?

Are students who make

higher grades, and evidence .other forms of school adjustment less neurotic than students who have poor school records?

BIBLIOGRAPHY

*89 BOOKS Aickhorn, August, Wayward Youth. 1936* 236 pp. “

New York: The Viking Press.

American Council on Education, Helping Teachers Understand Children. Washington: 1945* 468 pp. Bios, Peter, The Adolescent Personality. Century CroFts, inc7, T 9 4 1 * S I 7 pp.

t

New York: Appelton-

Burgess, Ernest f., Warner, Lloyd W . , Alexander* Franz and Mead, Margaret, Environment and Education. Chicago: Committee on Human Development, The~Unlversity of Chicago Press, 1942* 66 pp. Davis, Aliison, Social Class Influence Upon Learning. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, i"U48r~YU0 p p • Chopin, Stuart F., Contemporary American Institutions. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1935*""423 pp. Havighurst, Robert and Tab a, Hilda, Adolescent Character and Personality. New York: John Wiley and Sons,~Tnc•, 1919* 315 pp. Hollingshead, August B., Elmtown's Youth. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1949T""480 pp. Kuplan, Albert J., Behavior Problem Pupils in a Secondary School. Philadelphia: Doctorai™Dl^serta tx on, Temple University, 1933* 187 pp. Lynd, Robert S. and Merrill, Helen, Middletown. New York: Ear court, Brace and Company, 1929. 3KCT”pp. Shivky, Esbref and Williams, Marilyn, The Social Areas of Los Angeles, Los Angeles: The Universiiy of California Press, 194 9 . 172 pp. Steiner, Alice P., Radio, Motion Picture and Reading Inter ­ ests : A Study of High School PupllsT Uew Y o r k : Teachers College, QoiumE>Ia""lMlversity, '1947.' Doctoral Disser­ tation, 102 pp.

90 Warner, W. Lloyd, Havighurst, Robert J., and Loeb, Martin B., Who Shall be Educated? New York: Harper and Brothers, pp. ---- Warner, W. Lloyd and Lunt, Paul S., The Social Life of a Modern Community, Vol. I. New Haven: ^aTe^niveroTty

Press7 19417 4So pp. Warner, W. Lloyd, Meeker, Marchen and Eils, Kenneth, Social Class In America. Chicago: Science Research Associates, inc,, 19497 m pp. Zachry, Caroline and Lighty, Margaret, Emotion and Conduct in Adolescence. New York: Appel ton-Century Crofts, Inc., 1940. 563 pp.~ PERIODICAL; ’LITERATURE Essig, Mary and Morgan, D. H . , "Adjustment of Daughters of Employed Women, Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 37, 1946. p p 7 ~ S I 3 3 S 3 H “-------- ----- -----Gordon, Milton M., "Social Class in American Sociology," American Journal of Sociology, Vol. XV, No.3. H o v e iiS e r, ”T 9 ^ 7 ~ p p 7 2B2f=2f5ST^ Havighurst, Robert J., "Educating the Individual for a Free World Society," American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol. XIX, No.4. pp. 579-5947“ Kvaraceus, William C., "Juvenile Delinquency and Social Class," Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 18. September, 1944. pp. 51-54.

APPENDIX

'Fa b l e

xxxii

INTELLIGENT QUOTIENT OF BOYS IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AND CONTROL GROUP

Intelligent Quotient

127 124 121 120 111 110 109 107 106 105 104 103 102 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92 91 90 87

'Number of Boys Experimental Control 1 1 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 2 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 1 0

0 0 1 1 3 0 1 2 0 2 1 1 0 23 2 0 0 1 0 2 2 1 1 1 1

93 TABLE XXXIII 'INTELLIGENT QUOTIENT OP GIRLS IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP AND CONTROL GROUP

Intelligent Quotient V"'"'

.................................. i—

i— i

3-32 125 123 119 118 117 116 114 112 111 110 109 106 105 104 103 102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 90 89

....................................

Number of Girls Experimental Control -

- i-

1 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 2; 3 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 1

---

-

■■■—

.«...........

0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 2 3 1 1 0 0 2

94 TABLE XXXIV A COMPARISON OP GRADE AVERAGES OP BOYS EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL GROUP.

Average

1*5 2.0 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 5.0

Number of Boys Control Experimental

1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 3 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 3 3 3 2 4 1 ' 1 2 1 1

95 TABLE XXXV £ COMPARISON OF GRADE AVERAGES OF GIRLS EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL GROUP

Average

Iv? 1.7 1.9 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3>.23 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.6 4.7

Number of Girls Experimental Control 1 i i

2 3 3 1 2 2 3 1 1 1. 1 1 3 2 2 2 3 4 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

96 TABLE XXXVI A COMPARISON OP MERIT AVERAGES OP BOYS EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL

Merit Score

100 99 98 97 96 95 94 92 91 90 88 84 77. 73 . 69 68 67 66 59 56 54 51 49 48 42 35 31 29 26 24 22 21 12 6 -28 -67

Number of Boys Experimental Control 2 3 2 3 1 1 2 2 2 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

97

?

TABLE XXXVII A COMPARISON OP MERIT AVERAGES OP GIRLS EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL

Merit Score

100 99 98 96 95 94 93 91 90 89 88 87 84 83 81 79 74 70 64 63 59 57 56 53 44 7

Number of Girls Experimental Control

1 1

10 5 2 3 1 1

1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1

1 *

1

98 TABIE XXXVIII AVERAGE NUMBER OP DAYS ABSENT PER SEMESTER BOYS Number of Days Absent 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 30 32 35

Experimental f

2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1

Control 3 2 5 4 1 4 1 2 1

1

99 TABLE XXXIX AVERAGE HUMBER OF DAYS * ABSENT PER SEMESTER GIRLS

Number of Days Absent b 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 16 21 23 26 27 28 34 50

Experimental

1 1 21 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1

Control i 3 5 4 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1

1

100 TABLE XL EDUCATIONAL PLANS OP BOYS AND GIRLS EXPERIMENTAL VERSUS CONTROL

Boys Exper. Control Do not plan on completing high school

Girls Exper. Control

10

0

6

1

Plan to complete high school only

9

10

10

9

Plan trade or juniorcollege

3

7

6

8

Plan to attend college

3

8

3

7

101 TABLE XLI , HOURS PER DAY SPENT ON HOMEWORK BOYS AND GIRLS

Hours 0

Boys .Exper. Control :.20

1/4 1/2

3 2

3/4 1

1

Girls Exper. Control 6 '£2 8

6

1 [ 9

1 3

10

6

8

1 and 1/4 1 and 1/2

3

2

1 and 3/4 2

1

1

4

2 and 1/4 2 and 1/2

1

102 TABLE XLII HOURS PER DAY SPENT ON HOME DUTIES BOYS AND GIRLS

Hours

Boys Exper. Qontrol

Girls Exper. Control

1

0

,6

1/4

11

9

3

1/2

7

10

9

10

1

4

6

8

1

1

4

3

1

2

1

...

3/4 1 1 and 1/4 1 and l/2 1 and 3/4 2

2

2 and l/4 2 and 1/2 2 and 3/4 3

103 .TABLE JCLIII HOURS PER DAY SPENT OH RADIO AND TELEVISION BOYS AND GIRLS

Hours 0

Boys Exper, Control 1

2

Girls IjSxper. Control 1,

1/4

1

1/2 1

2 1

1 and 1/2 2

9

2 and 1/2

7

2

1

2

2

8

3

10

1

3

5

3 and 1/2

1

4

2

4 and 1/2 5

1

1

J. 3 1

1

5

1

1

1

1

5

1

1

5 and 1/2 6

1 2

1

6 and 1/2 7

3

2 1

2

1

1

104 TA3LE XLIV MOTION PICTURES ATTENDED PER MONTH BOYS AND GIRLS -4E=

Number of Pictures

Boys Exper. Control

0

1

1/4

1

Girls Exper. Control 1

1/2

1

2 2 and.

3 1/2

2

1

3

4

4 4 and

3

5 1/2

8

1

6

1

3

7

1

8 8 and

1

1

6

3

4

2

1

10

2

12

2

1

16

1

1

20

4

1 6

1/2

1

1 1

1/2

5

9

5

7 and

3

1

1

3

1

105 SCHOOL DATA Hame

Grad©

Major:

Birthdate: Age:

I.Q. Merit average: Grades A B C D P

Grade average

Attendance: Days absent; B-10 A-10 B-ll A-ll

106 SOCIAL DATA STUDENT Grade

Nam© School Mobility ^Number attended:

Employment

Hours per week

Elementary schools Junior High schools^ High schools Number of w eeks

---

A-10 B-ll A-ll Summer 1948 Siaramer 1949 Social Affiliation UTmrch"Member"Attendance

Yes

No "Times per month

Out of school clubs Member of 1, School clubs Member of

. 2. 2

1.

V ocational Plans Occupation ~ College Trade School

Finnish High School Junior College ____ * Hours per day Home duties _ Radio ___ _ Television School work ~ Reading interests

Use of out-of-school time — Per week T e r month Sports ___ Movies School Dances Non-school Dates

1 Usual time to bed Special Health Problem;

Time up

.

2

.

107 PARENT INFORMATION Nam© of Student___________________ Parental Status: “Natural parents both at home: Father out of home: Div. _ Mother out of home: Div.___ Stepfather in home: “

Sep. Des.___Dec. Sep._ Des. _Dec. Stepmother Tn home:_____

Siblings:(Circle if in home) Brothers: N o ._____ Sisters : No. Total Number in Home: Religion:

.

Mother _ _ _ _

Father

^

Language spoken in home: English_______ Foreign Occupation of Father:

M ixed

Employed_________

Occupational status of mother: Full time in home ___ Kind of work out of home ______________ _ Hours per week ___________ ______ Years worked Income per Year: ~

Under $5,000 $5)000-5,000____ ’

Education: Las£"~grade attended Degrees Health:

Mother

$5,000-10,000 over $10,000 Father

(spec, problems)

Social Affiliation: Church membership Attend per month Clubs, lodges Attend per month Unions Attend per month

_ “ 1 2 ~

T 2

108 Parent Information, cont* Mobilit 'Number of cities lived in since student born Number of homes lived in since student born *

Housing: “ Own or buying home Number of rooms

Renting Does student have own room

NAME Condition of home Exterior; "Paint and repair good Moderate care indicate!" Obviously run down _ Yard: Usually well kept Moderate care indicate!" Neglect apparent _ Interior: Cleanliness Good Orderliness ~ Condition of Furn, Harmoni ous -Rest* N e ighb or ho o d : Size o f house: 4-5

5-7

8+

"Moderate

rooms •

Unusual c a r e ___ Upkeep Moderate< Obvious Neglect^ Strictly residential_____ Business center 1 block In midst of business

Condition of exteriors and yards: Proximity to business:

Leisure Time Interests: Reading interests

Mother 1* 2. 3._____________

Father

'

Evenings per week: Shows _____ Lectures Concerts

“

Number of non-fiction periodicals subscribed Number of books in home

Neglect