Doctoral Degrees (Psychology)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Psychology) by Author "Beukes, R."

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    The development and validation of a social emotional school readiness scale
    (University of the Free State, 2009-09-23) Bustin, Caron; Beukes, R.; Esterhuyse. K. G. F.
    English: The first year at school is a major life transition. School readiness assessments do not always assess social-emotional competence although it is considered to be a key aspect of successful school adjustment. This omission is compounded by the absence of an appropriate measure of social-emotional school readiness. Subsequently, this research aimed at the identification of behaviours that underpin the major social-emotional school readiness constructs, namely Self Awareness and Regulation, Social Relationships, Empathy and Coping Skills. A scale, in the form of a questionnaire (BUSSE-SR), was developed for such assessment. A convenience sample of 338 Grade R children in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, were evaluated by their parents and Grade R teachers according to these scales. The same cohort was assessed the following year by their Grade One teachers in terms of their adjustment to school and academic performance in Life Skills, Literacy and Numeracy. The results indicated that the predictive validity of the scales was greater for Grade R teachers than Grade R parents. Through factor analysis, 28 behaviours of the most valid items were identified for the final version of the scales. The correlation coefficient for social-emotional competence and school adjustment, and social-emotional competence and academic performance, indicated a significant relationship between Self Awareness, Self Regulation, Social Relationships, Coping Skills and school adjustment and performance in Grade One.
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    The development of a school readiness screening instrument for grade 00 (pre-grade R) learners
    (University of the Free State, 2013-01) Mohamed, Shireen Ahmed; Beukes, R.; Esterhuyse, K. G. F.
    English: School readiness is increasingly being recognised as major need in education as it has far reaching consequences in a child’s educational and later life. Inadequate preparation and lack of timeous identification of at risk factors in this phase of life has many negative sequaleae. The literature has highlighted the role of prediction variables for scholastic achievement to facilitate appropriate intervention. School readiness assessments have been criticised for a lack of multidimensional assessment approach. In contrast to previous studies, which are generally univariate in their approach, this research aimed at a multidimensional approach to assessing at risk factors in grade 00 learners in the age cohort (4-5 ½ years). A further aim was to investigate the predictor variables/isolate the dimensions of development that would be linked to academic achievement in reading, spelling and maths in grade 1. The behaviours underpinning eight developmental domains and 19 dimensions (indicated in brackets) namely, 1) Cognitive (Ability, Approaches to learning); 2) Perceptual (Body awareness, Auditory, Spatial ability); 3) Speech (Speech, Language); 4) Neurological (Fine motor, Gross motor, Low tone), 5) Emotional (Empathy, Emotional Regulation, Self-confidence); 6) Social (Interpersonal competencies, Social regulation behaviour, Social graces, Play); 7) Developmental (Concentration, Sensory) and 8) Independence were identified in the form of a screening instrument (comprehensive version) for assessment of grade 00 learners. Factor analyses reduced the total pool of 214 items to 100 on the Comprehensive version of the test. A shortened version of the screening instrument was also compiled, using 42 items. Cronbach α coefficient’s yielded high values (>0.7) indicating sound reliabilities for the 19 dimensions and 8 domains. A convenience sample of 579 grade 00 learners in Durban schools were evaluated on the questionnaire by their teachers and parents in the first phase of the study. The same cohort were followed up in grade 1 and assessed on South African standardised tests, the ESSI and VASSI in spelling, reading and maths. The results indicated that the domains of Cognitive, Perceptual, Speech and Language displayed acceptable validity to predict academic achievement of grade 1 learners. The remaining domains, viewed as indirect variables, play an integral part in the child’s future scholastic achievement. Results of a stepwise regression analyses showed that the combined value of four predictor variables (Cognitive Ability, Social Regulation, Sensory, and Speech) roughly contribute to 17% of the variance in academic achievement of Grade 1 learners. As MANOVA analyses showed small effect sizes between the mean domain and dimension scores for the two gender groups, norms were calculated for the entire sample in the form of percentiles and stanines. The present research supports previous studies that show that early cognitive, perceptual and speech and language are strong predictors of grade 1 academic achievement. The findings of the study have implications at policy and practice level for early identification and intervention. It is suggested that the screening instrument be used to facilitate curriculum goals at preschool level, that the predictor variables be targeted for intensive intervention at preschool level and later schooling to ensure positive academic trajectories.