Perceptions of Children's Behavior, Teacher-child Relationships, and Variations among Children with and Without Disabilities
Wynne, Taylor
Citations
Abstract
The current research on young children with disabilities is growing, yet there are some gaps within the literature regarding children with disabilities attending inclusive education settings. The purpose of the current study was to explore teacher and parent perceptions of child behavior in an inclusive setting over time, examine differences among teacher-child relationships for children with disabilities as compared to their peers who are typically developing across time, and finally to explore whether parents thoughts about inclusion are associated with the teacher-child relationship. The results indicated that children with disabilities were perceived to exhibit higher levels of anxious and aggressive behavior than children without disabilities. Additionally, aggressive behavior decreased for children with and without disabilities, while prosocial behavior increased over time. Results also showed that parents and teachers differed in their reports of children�s aggressive behavior, with parents reporting lower levels of aggressive behavior than teachers. Significant findings also emerged for conflict and closeness within the teacher-child relationships, as teachers reported less conflict and more closeness in their relationships with children without disabilities. The results suggest both support and implications for inclusive early childhood education settings.