School and Family Based Management Approaches of Aggressive Behavior Among preschool Children and its Association with their Academic progress.(The case of selected private and public primary schools of bench Sheko Zone)

Abstract

The purpose of the study was assessing school and family based management approaches of preschooler’s aggression and associated behavioral problems in both private and public primary schools of Bench Sheko Zone. A descriptive survey design with the mixed research approach was employed to achieve the research objectives. A total 94 participants who were purposely selected were used as a source of data. The revised version of TOCA-R tool was used to identify children with aggression and associated behaviors with the help of their teachers. An interview guide and observation checklist was also used to collect qualitative data. Frequencies, percentage, mean analysis, Pearson moment correlation, an independent t-test and multiple linear regressions were used in analyzing quantitative data. The qualitative data was analyzed through narration, thematic analysis techniques. The analysis revealed that majority of the suspected preschooler’s as rated by their teachers, 30(53.57%) were reported to have high level of aggression followed by poor pro social behavior,30(53.6) and moderate (42(75%) level of concentration. Preschooler’s from public schools were found to be more aggressive; less concentrated and with poor pro-social behavior than those children identified from private schools. But, only the difference in aggression was found to be statistically significant t-(54)=4.686, p=.001. Gender, ß (44.00)=-7.275 was found to be statistically significant an independent predictors of children aggression at 0.05 alpha level(p=0.001). All behavioral problems have significant very weak to moderate negative and positive correlation with their academic progress. The qualitative analysis revealed reduction of severe corporal punishment in both private and public primary schools as a tool of managing children behavior despite the rare cases observed in private schools in which children were threatened and punished with sticks and anger shouts. However, in almost all schools included in this study the psychological strategies that might help to diagnose and treat children behavior were less understood and applied. The study concluded that children had aggression and it can hinder their academic progress. Consequently, recommendations were made for teachers, parents and child development professional to look on better ways of managing children behavior.