Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Teacher and parent perceptions of behavior problems among a sample of African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white studients

  • Published:
American Journal of Community Psychology

Abstract

A multiracial/multiethnic sample of middle school adolescents and their teachers was used to assess whether teacher ratings of student behavior problems varied according to teacher-student racial/ethnic differences and students' perception of teachers' attitudes toward them. No significant mean score differences were found for Hispanic or non-Hispanic white students according to the race/ethnicity of the teachers doing the ratings. However, African American students rated by Hispanic and non-Hispanic white teachers had significantly higher mean total behavior problem scores than African American students rated by African American teachers. Teacher ratings were also compared to those made by parents. The percentage of students rated as cases by teachers but not by parents differed significantly by race/ethnicity of student. Other findings indicated highly significant relationships between student-perceived teacher disparagement and the assignment of high behavior problem scores to students by teachers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1991).Integrative guide for the 1991 CBCL/4-18, YSR, and TRF Profiles. Burlington: University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., Bird, H. R., Canino, G., Phares, V., Gould, M. S., & Rubio-Stipec, M. (1990). Epidemiologic comparisons of Puerto Rican and U.S. mainland children: Parent, teacher, and self-reports.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adedescent Psychiatry, 29, 84–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. (1983).Manual of the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. (1986).Manual for the Teacher's Report Form and Teacher Version of the Child Behavior Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Babad, E., Bernieri, F., & Rosenthal, R. (1991). Students as judges of teachers' verbal and nonverbal behavior.American Educational Research Journal, 18, 211–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bachman, J., O'Malley, P., & Johnston, L. (1978).Youth in transition: Vol. 6. Adolescence to adulthood: Change and stability in the lives of young men. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrington, B., & Hendricks, B. (1989) Differentiating characteristics of high school graduates, dropouts, and nongraduates.Journal of Educational Research, 82, 309–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, R., Gottesman, R., Rock, D., & Cerullo, F. (1993). Influence of behavior perceptions and gender on teachers' judgments of students' academic skill.Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 347–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bird, H. R., Gould, M. S., Rubio-Stipec, M., Staghezza, B. M., & Cannino, G. (1991). Screening for childhood psychopathology in the community using the CBCL.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 116–123.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bohrnstedt, G., & Knoke, D. (1982).Statistics for social data analysis. IL: F. E. Peacock.

  • Brandenburg, N. A., Friedman, R. M., & Silver, S. E. (1990) The epidemiology of childhood psychiatric disorders: Prevalence findings from recent studies.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 29, 76–83.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brattesani, K., Weinstein, R., & Marshall, H. (1984). Student perceptions of differential teacher treatment as moderators of teacher expectation effects.Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 236–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brophy, J. (1983). Research on the self-fulfilling prophecy and teacher expectations.Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, 631–661.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brophy, J., & Good, T. (1974).Teacher-student relationships: Causes and consequences. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brosnan, F. (1983). Overrepresentation of socioeconomic minority students in special education programs in California.Learning Disabilities Quarterly, 6, 517–525.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calabrese, R., & Poe, J. (1990). Alienation: An explanation of high dropout rates among African American and Latino students.Educational Research Quarterly, 14(4), 23–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, L., Jussim, L., & Isaac, J. (1991). Black students' reactions to feedback conveyed by White and Black Teachers.Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 21, 460–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costello, E. J., & Janiszewski, S. (1990). Who gets treated? Factors associated with referral in children with psychiatric disorders.Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 81, 523–529.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cronbach, L. J. (1951). Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests.Psychometrika, 16, 297–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eaves, R. C. (1975). Teacher race, student race, and the Behavior Problem Checklist.Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 3, 1–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Edmonds, R. (1986). Characteristics of effective schools. In U. Neisser (Ed.),The school achievement of minority children (pp. 93–104). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodenow, C. (1993). Classroom belonging among early adolescent students: Relationships to motivation and achievement.Journal of Early Adolescence, 13(1), 21–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodlad, J. (1984).A place called school: Prospects for the future. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J. D., Von Cleve, E., & Catalano, R. F. (1991). Reducing early childhood aggression: Results of a primary prevention program.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 208–217.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hawkins, J., Doueck, H., & Lishner, D. (1988). Changing teaching practices in mainstream classrooms to improve bonding and behavior of low achievers.American Educational Research Journal, 25, 31–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirschi, T. (1969).Causes of delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hudley, C. (1993). Comparing teacher and peer perceptions of aggression: An ecological approach.Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(2), 377–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jussim, L. (1989). Teacher expectations: Self-fulfilling prophecies, perceptual bias, and accuracy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 469–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jussim, L. (1991). Grades may reflect more than performance: Comment on Wentzel.Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 153–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kagan, D. M. (1990). How schools alienate students at risk: A model for examining proximal classroom variables.Educational Psychologist, 25, 105–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, H. B., & Fukurai, H. (1992). Negative social sanctions, self-rejection, and drug use.Youth and Society, 23, 275–298.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, H. B., Johnson, R. J., & Bailey, C. A. (1986). Self-rejection and the explanation of deviance: Refinement and elaboration of a latent structure.Social Psychology Quarterly, 49, 110–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lethermon, V., Williamson, D., Moody, S., & Wozniak, P. (1986). Racial bias in behavioral assessment of children's social skills.Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 84, 329–337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loeber, R., & Dishion, T. (1983). Early predictors of male delinquency: A review.Psychological Bulletin, 93, 68–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mailander, J., Rubin, A., & Doig, S. K. (1993, January 19). Black students twice as likely to be suspended.The Miami Herald, pp. 11A.

  • Marcus, G., Gross, S., & Seefeldt, C. (1991). Black and White students' perceptions of teacher treatment.Journal of Educational Research, 84, 363–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, H., & Weinstein, R. (1984). Classroom factors affecting students' self-evaluations: An interactional model.Review of Educational Research, 54(3), 301–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McConaughy, S. H., Stanger, C., & Achenbach, T. M. (1992). Three-year course of behavioral/emotional problems in a national sample of 4- to 16-year-olds: I. Agreement among informants.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 313, 939–940.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugai, G., & Maheady, L. (1988, Fall). Cultural diversity and individual assessment for behavior disorders.Teaching Exceptional Children, pp. 28–31.

  • Tomlinson, J., Acker, N., Conter, A., & Lindborg, S. (1977). Minority status and school psychological services.Psychology in the Schools, 14, 454–460.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, J. (1980). Ethnic proportions in classes for the learning disabled: Issues in nonbiased assessment.Journal of Special Education, 14, 93–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verhulst, F. C., & Koot, H. M. (1991). Longitudinal research in child and adolescent psychiatry.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 30, 361–368.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wehlage, G. C., & Rutter, R. A. (1986). Dropping out: How much do schools contribute to this problem?Teachers College Record, 87, 374–392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, T. (1976). Teacher prophecies and the inheritance of inequality.Sociology of Education, 49, 223–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ysseldyke, J., Thurlow, M., Graden, J., Wesson, C., Algozzine, A., & Deno, S. (1983). Generalizations from five years of research on assessment and decision making: The University of Minnesota Institute.Exceptional Education Quarterly, 4, 75–93.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami, Miami, USA

    Elizabeth L. Khoury & George J. Warheit

  2. University of California-Berkeley, Berkeley, USA

    William A. Vega

  3. University of Connecticut, Connecticut, USA

    Andres G. Gil

  4. Department of Behavioral Medicine, 127 College of Medicine Office Building, University of Kentucky, 40536-0086, Lexington, Kentucky

    Rick S. Zimmerman

Authors
  1. Rick S. Zimmerman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth L. Khoury
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. William A. Vega
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andres G. Gil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. George J. Warheit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, R01DA05912; William A. Vega, Principal Investigator. The authors express their appreciation to Superintendent Octavio Visiedo, Dr. James Mennes, Dr. Sylvia Rothfarb, and the cooperating staff and teachers of the Dade County Public Schools for their support in the conduct of this research.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zimmerman, R.S., Khoury, E.L., Vega, W.A. et al. Teacher and parent perceptions of behavior problems among a sample of African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white studients. Am J Commun Psychol 23, 181–197 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02506935

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02506935

Key words

Search

Navigation