Search

The aim of this study was to examine if perceived family violence of victimized children is related to their perceived aggressive behavior. It has been acknowledged that children learn and behave what they observe and practice including violence. A stratified random sample (N =1160) of Omani school students was drawn from grades 6 to 9. The study used perceived family violence and perceived aggressive behavior measures to collect data. CFA was performed to test the proposed factor structure as well as the structural model. The invariance test lent support to the hypothesis that the structure of constructs is invariant across gender. However, the relations between constructs were not invariant. Children (boys and girls) who expressed high verbal violence on them reported they were more verbally and physically aggressive. Boys, but not girls, who reported high physical violence on them reported they were more verbally and physically aggressive. The relation between perceived family violence and perceived aggressive behavior seem to be dependent on gender and types of family violence as well as the kind of children's aggressive behavior.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to examine if the perception of teaching value and a teacher's self-efficacy (SE) are related to burnout. Previous research has shown a strong relation between teachers SE and burnout. Rarely, however, job value has been included in any of the previous studies. Method: A stratified random sample (N =2446) of Omani teachers was drawn. Three measures: Job value, Maslach burnout inventory (MBI) and the teachers' sense of efficacy scale (TSES) were used. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the proposed factor structure of the measures as well as the proposed structural model. Results: The invariance tests proved that the structure of constructs and the relations between constructs were invariant across gender. Job value significantly related to both SE and burnout dimensions. Consistent with predictions, SE of student engagement related to all three burnout dimensions; whereas the other two dimensions of SE didn't relate to burnout dimensions in the expected direction. Job value and SE explained significant variances in each of the burnout dimensions. Discussion and Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the importance of job value and SE of engaging students as cognitive self-regulatory mechanisms used in the stressful situations like teaching and to help control stress and burnout. Ministry of education, media and socity at large should be aware of the social status of teaching and teachers and provide more respect to the teachers and their job. Such respect would improve the morale of teachers and help them become more efficacious and less exhausted.

Rarely has the self-description questionnaire II (SDQ-II) been used with Arab samples. The Arab culture has unique characteristics that warrant investigating self-concept among individuals who are impacted by the culture. The SDQ-II has eleven factors and each is measured by 8 or 10 items. This study used a short version of the SDQ-II with an Omani sample (n = 700). The Arabic short version has nine factors with 4 items measuring each factor. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed twice: one with nine factors, and another with nine first-order factors and 2 high-order factors. The fit indices for the two models were acceptable and they were not significantly different. All of the items loaded substantially on their respective factors with mean loadings of 0.59. The correlation between the high-order factors was 0.79. All of the bivariate correlations were significant -except for two. The average of the correlations was 0.31 (range from 0.08 to 0.67), thus providing evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. The results indicate that self-concept dimensions can be used separately, and each of the high-order factors can be used as one instrument. The implications are that researchers and counselors can use the short form for research and assessment purposes.

Introduction: Mathematics is one of the most important academic subjects in school. However, it is one of the most difficult subjects, and both students and teachers face difficulties in this subject. Teachers have difficulty engaging students in learning the subject. Rarely has the concept of engagement been researched in the Middle East region, in general, and in Oman in particular. Similarly, the concept of self-efficacy has been minimally investigated. The purpose of this study is to test the construct validity of: self-efficacy, engagement, and anxiety in mathematics. Once constructs are validated, models of relations among constructs were developed and tested. Method: A multi stage cluster sample (n=900: 420 females; 480 males) was selected from two Omani school directorates. The sample was selected from grades 6, 8 and 10 in Muscat and Aldhahira. Three measures were administered to intact classes. Results: The results revealed reasonable construct validity for each construct. Structural equation models indicated that self-efficacy significantly predicted engagement. Neither self-efficacy nor engagement was able to predict anxiety. Discussion and Conclusion: The implication of our results is that for programs and initiatives to promote engagement in mathematics, students should develop confidence in learning mathematics. Also, any program should assess students math anxiety and focus more on students with low to medium math anxiety since students in this category of math anxiety produce negative correlations between math anxiety and self-efficacy and between math anxiety and engagement in mathematics.

Extensive support for the seemingly paradoxical negative effects of school- and class-average achievement on academic self-concept (ASC)-the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE)--is based largely on secondary students in Western countries or on cross-cultural Program for International Student Assessment studies. There is little research testing the generalizability of this frame of reference effect based on social comparison theory to primary school students and or to matched samples of primary and secondary students from different countries. Using multigroup-multilevel latent variable models, we found support for developmental and cross-cultural generalizability of the BFLPE based on Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study data; positive effects of individual student achievement and the negative effects of class-average achievement on ASC were significant for each of the 26 groups (nationally representative samples of 4th- and 8th-grade students from 13 diverse countries; 117,321 students from 6,499 classes).

The internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model and dimensional comparison theory posit paradoxical relations between achievement (ACH) and self-concept (SC) in mathematics (M) and verbal (V) domains; ACH in each domain positively affects SC in the matching domain (e.g., MACH to MSC) but negatively in the nonmatching domain (e.g., MACH to VSC). This substantive-methodological synergy based on latent variable models of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data supports the generalizability of these predictions in relation to: mathematics and science domains, intrinsic motivation as well as self-concept, and age and nationality, based on nationally representative matched samples of fourth-and eighth-grade students from three Middle Eastern Islamic, five Western, and four Asian countries (N=117,321 students) with important theoretical, developmental, cross-cultural, and methodological implications.

The aims of this study are to: (a) assess if cognitive self-concept (competence) and affective self-concept in mathematics and science are different constructs, (b) evaluate the construct validity of self-concept in the context of conflation and separation, and (c) test if the relationships among cognitive and affective variables are invariant across gender. The data for this study were obtained from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007 database. Data about 2,687 out of 4,099 eighth grade Saudi students were subject to various analyses. The variables used in this study were mathematics and science self-concepts, and mathematics and science subject value as part of the Students Background Questionnaire. The relationships among constructs were examined with the use of SPSS16 and the structural equation modeling software, AMOS16. The results demonstrated that subject value and self-concept were different constructs. Also, the results demonstrated that cognitive and affective self-concepts were independent, but strongly related constructs, and the structure of the construct was clearer when self-concept was separated into cognitive and affective components than when it was conflated. The relationships among cognitive, affective, and subject value in mathematics and science were invariant across gender. However, their relationships with achievement were not invariant across gender.

Introduction: Learning difficulties (LD) is a recent construct. It has been agreed that the individual who suffers from learning difficulties has a disorder in one or more of the basis psychological processes, including attention, cognition, formation of concepts, memory, problem solving, understanding or reading, speaking or writing, or computing. Method: This study was designed to test the construct (convergent and discriminate) validity of this conception of LD with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Also, responses of normal students were compared to responses of students identified as having learning difficulty. The sample comprised 410 children from Muscat School Zone, who were rated by their teachers (30) based on the new questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed by six domains and each measures one component of difficulties. These components are difficulties in: perception, attention, memory, writing, arithmetic and reading. Results: Reliability analysis and factor analysis revealed that the measure possesses both reliability and factorial validity. Discussion and conclusion: The CFA confirmed the structure of the measure. ANOVA revealed significant differences between normal and LD children on most of the LD components, the providing further support to its construct validity.

For the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS2007) math and science motivation scales (self-concept, positive affect, and value), we evaluated the psychometric properties (factor structure, method effects, gender differences, and convergent and discriminant validity) in 4 Arab-speaking countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt) and 4 English-speaking Anglo-Saxon countries (United States, England, Australia, and Scotland). In this article, we also highlight methodological weaknesses in the TIMSS approach to these motivation measures. We found reasonable support for within-group invariance across the math and science domains and between-group invariance across countries for full factor loading invariance and partial item intercept invariance. However, the factor structure is complicated by strong negative-item method effects and correlated unique characteristics associated with the use of math and science items with parallel wording. Correlations involving the motivation factors were reasonably similar across countries, supporting both discriminant and convergent validity in relation to achievement, plans to take more coursework in math and science, and long-term educational aspirations. However, gender differences largely favor girls in the Arab countries (with strong single-sex education systems) relative to Anglo countries (and international norms). The juxtapositions of latent mean differences in achievement and motivation factors are perplexing; students from Anglo countries had substantially higher achievement than students from Arab countries but had substantially lower motivation across all 8 math and science factors. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

Introduction: Optimism and pessimism are two psychological constructs that play a significant role in human mental and psychological hygiene. The two construct are strongly but negatively correlated. Optimism and pessimism can be influenced by culture and the environment. The present study attempts to test the structure of optimism and pessimism across two countries: United Arab Emirates and Oman. Also, physical education students were compared to non-physical education students. Method: College students from SQU in Oman (n = 103) and the UAEU (n = 200) participated in the study. The sample was a convenient one. The SQU sample was primarily physical education students (males = 60, females = 43). The instrument consisted of thirty Likert-type items. Optimism was measured by 15 items and so as pessimism. Results: Exploratory factor analysis clearly identified two factors rather than one bipolar factor. The number of factors (2), the pattern of factor loadings, the factor correlations and uniqueness were invariant across P.E. and non P.E samples. MANOVA revealed that P.E. subjects were more optimistic than non P.E. subjects. However, no significant difference was found in pessimism between P.E. and non P.E. subjects. Discussion and Conclusion: The results revealed that optimism and pessimism can influenced by the immediate environment as well as the type of study. It terms of structure, the instrument was as valid and reliable in Oman and UAE as it was valid and reliable in Kuwait where the instrument was originally developed and standardized. (Contains 4 tables.)

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a diagnostic measure of attention deficit, hyperactivity disorder and impulsivity. Method: The instrument was administered to normal (n=51), learning disability (LD) (n=96) and intellectually disabled (ID) (n=108) children. The instrument in its final form comprises 36 items. Results: Reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the instrument possesses good reliability and validity estimates. MANOVA revealed that intellectually disabled, learning disabled and normal children differed significantly on all of the five subscales. The pattern of difference mainly favored I.D. children then L.D. The lowest scores on all of the subscales were those of the normal children. Discussion and Conclusion: It is important that children with L.D. be differentiated from other types of disabilities. The instrument at hand is presumed to make such distinction. Namely, the instrument is a tool to identify children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)

Investigates the structure of attitudes to school subjects and the causal relationship among attitudes, levels of aspiration, and achievement focusing on 280 California high school students. Reveals that attitudes to school indirectly influenced achievement, while aspiration significantly affected achievement and mediated between attitudes and achievement. (CMK)

A study tested a structural model that involves training variables and work environment variables in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. Data collected from 113 people with a disability in the training program and work environment indicated psychological support and suitability of the training environment positively affected their views of their work. (Author/CR)

To assess the reliability and validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) in a non-Western setting, the instrument was administered to 223 teachers in Jordan. Results indicate an acceptable reliability for the MBI and suggest that it has promise for use in non-Western countries. (SLD)

This study proposed and tested a model of mathematics achievement and its relations to antecedent and subsequent factors using structural equations modeling. A sample of elementary school students in A1-Ain school district (n = 394) completed an Arabic version of the Self-description Questionnaire as well as a questionnaire measuring their perception of the importance of mathematics, anxiety about it, and the amount of effort they exerted in studying. Mathematics grades were obtained from the official school records. Importance and effort were positively related to achievement which in turn had a positive path coefficient to self-concept and a negative path to anxiety. The hypothesized model explained 40%, 64%, and 73% of the variance in achievement, self-concept, and anxiety, respectively. The results can be interpreted as indicating that achievement is an important outcome and antecedent construct within the proposed model.

This study tested the construct validity and invariance of a multidimensional measure of self-concept, the Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ-I), on a non-Western sample of boys and girls. Separate exploratory factor analyses [...]

The aim of this study is to predict how anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic affects empathy, compliance with government actions, safety precautions, and precautions, and conspiracy beliefs, among adult Arab citizens. Responses were recruited electronically through a self-report online questionnaire designed electronically on the Jotform website during the period from April 25 to May 17, 2020. Respondents were 1302 (62% females) citizens from several Arab countries and Arab residents in some countries around the world with an age range between 22 and 60 years. Consistent with previous research, we found a positive association between anxiety and conspiracy thinking. The more anxious Arab males and females were the more they endorsed conspiracy theory. The results revealed a stronger association between anxiety and conspiracy thinking among males than females. Also, in line with previous research, adherence to official measures is negatively associated with conspiracy thinking, but only for males. Males who showed weak readiness to obey official measures (guidelines), believed more in conspiracy theory. Pandemic anxiety generated stronger feelings of empathy toward others and more respect for safety precautions. Empathic responding, in turn, was a strong predictor of compliance to official measures whereas, anxiety was unrelated to compliance. The findings are useful in terms of providing evidence for designing interventions and implementing preventative approaches to mitigate the psychopathological consequences of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to assess the structure of the Maslach Burnout Inventory for 218 Jordanian and 162 Emirati teachers. LISREL was used to test the invariance of factor structure across the two Middle Eastern samples. Coefficients alpha were computed for the three subscales of the inventory for the samples. The results indicated that the parameter estimates were invariant across the two samples; however, not all factor correlations were invariant. Factor correlations of Jordanian teachers were larger than those of the Emirati teachers. Coefficients alpha ranged between .71 and .84 for the Jordanians and between .68 and .83 for the Emiratis. The inventory appears to be valid and reliable for non Western teachers as well as Western teachers.

The aim of this study was to determine the usability of the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) by investigating its psychometric properties with an Arab sample of school students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Adaptations were made to some verbal items to fit the Emirates society. Some items of this scale were translated into Arabic language; other items were developed. The sample for this study consisted of 1721 individuals with an age range from 6-28 years from all geographic locations in the UAE, and was proportionally distributed between males and females. Data were analyzed with various procedures such as the analysis of variance and SEM. Stability and reliability estimates were computed for the subtests and the total IQ sca1es for each age group and for each gender, and all were adequate. The four scales discriminated well among the age groups and among normal individuals and individuals with special needs thus providing support to its usability for clinical assessment. The SEM analysis confirmed the structure of the scale with verbal and performance scales moderately correlated (.66). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we examined the structure of self-concept (SC) and the internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model for elementary (n = 276) and junior high (n = 293) students in the United Arab Emirates. The results provided support for the multifaceted interpretation for both groups of students. However, the study provided stronger support for the hierarchical structure with junior high than with elementary students‘ data. Higher-order confirmatory factor analysis (HCFA) of each group revealed that the second-order factor model was the best fitting model. The pattern of correlations indicated that SC in various areas becomes more differentiated with age. Self-concept dimensions were more distinct for junior high students than for elementary students. SDQ-I subscales were more reliable with junior high students (range: .72-.94) than with elementary students (range: .74-.90). We found partial support for the propositions of the I/E frame of reference model for both groups of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]