Academic adjustment of gifted fifth, sixth, and seventh grade children placed in accelerated math courses
Abstract
Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of participation in accelerated math courses on Academic Adjustment for gifted fifth, sixth, and seventh grade children, with special interest in gifted females and their math placement. The constructs, Academic and Psychological Adjustment were conceptualized to determine whether psychological advantages existed for students in accelerated math classes and were conceptualized as social variables related to school and emotional variables related to overall psychological well-being. Academic Adjustment included positive academic indicators consisting of attitudes toward school, attitudes towards teachers and classes, motivation and self-regulation, academic self-perception, and goal motivation to determine social emotional wellbeing. Psychological Adjustment was conceptualized through variables that measured psychological well-being such as autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relationships with others, personal growth, self- acceptance, and purpose in life. Bivariate correlations were generated to examine the intra-relationship among the variables defining both construct. Bivariate correlations were also utilized to analyze the interrelationship between the variable sets. The influence of acceleration and gender on Academic adjustment was examined through repeated measures ANOVA analysis. Findings and Conclusions: Significant positive correlations were reported within variable sets for Academic Adjustment and Psychological Adjustment and a relationship between the two constructs was statistically significant, though small. A statistically significant three-way interaction existed for gender, math group, and Academic Adjustment. Significant simple main effects were found in three of the five subscales of Academic Adjustment suggested psychological advantages were evident for non-accelerated girls in their attitude towards school and attitude for teachers and classes. For motivation, there was a pattern change in that for girls, the non-accelerated scored higher than the accelerated group, but the opposite was true for boys. Boys in the accelerated group scored significantly higher in motivation than did the non-accelerated group. Finally, there were no gender differs by group for student academic perception or goal valuation.
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- OSU Dissertations [11222]