Special Education ETDs

Publication Date

7-12-1973

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to survey the attitudes of two groups of mothers of male children with learning disabilities. Group I consisted of mothers of boys diagnosed as hyperactive and receiving medication at the time of the evaluation. Group II was the mothers of boys diagnosed as academically disabled and not receiving medication at the time of the evaluation. This study was specifically concerned with maternal attitudes toward: 1) the clinical evaluation at Lovelace Clinic, 2) the change in their child's home behavior, 3) the responsiveness of the school to each child's needs, and 4) the child's reaction to school. A comparison of the mother's responses of Group I and Group II was made. The attitudes about medication of mothers of hyperactive children (Group I) were included. The sample for this study consisted of mothers of 28 boys in elementary school clinically diagnosed as having learning disabilities. The sample was subdivided into two groups. Group I was 14 mothers of boys diagnosed as hyperactive and receiving medication at the time of the evaluation. Group II was 14 mothers of boys diagnosed a academically disabled. Two questionnaires were used in this study, Questionnaire A, completed by the mother at the conclusion of the home interview, was a structured format which offered a concrete preselected choice of answers. Questionnaire B, asked by the researcher at the home interview, consisted of open-ended question to which the mother could give her own impressions and opinions. No time limit was imposed for the completion of either questionnaire. The majority of mothers of both groups rated the evaluation at Lovelace Clinic as satisfactory or better. Both groups of mothers indicated that their children had fewer problems at the time of this inquiry than before the clinical evaluation. The majority of mothers in Group I and Group II indicated their children were in regular classrooms and viewed their children as having satisfactory or better attitudes toward school at the time of this investigation. However, both groups of mothers indicated their child was still having academic problems but had shown improvement in interaction with peers and teachers. The mothers of hyperactive children (Group I) indicated their children had more behavior problems at the time of referral than did the mothers of academically disabled children (Group II). A higher proportion of mothers in Group I felt their children still had behavior problems than did the mothers in Group II. More mothers of academically disabled children felt their child's classroom placement was good or excellent; fewer of such favorable judgments were reported by the mothers of hyperactive children. The majority of the mothers in Group I were neutral about medication or were dubious about it before the evaluation. The majority of the children were still receiving medication at the time of this investigation. All mothers of boys taking medication indicated that teachers reported a marked improvement in the child when he was first put on medication. This study indicated that most mothers were satisfied with the clinical evaluation. It also shows that most of the children, whether hyperactive or academically disabled, find themselves in regular classrooms and receiving no special services at school.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Special Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Special Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

James Samuel Everett

Second Committee Member

Roger Lee Kroth

Third Committee Member

Glenn Van Etten

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