ERIC ED344130: Effect of a Summer Enrichment Program for At-Risk Youths on Locus of Control and the Relation to Motivational Orientation.

92 Pages·1992·2.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 344 130
CG 024 123
Ayersman, David J.
AUTHOR
TITLE
Effect of a Summer Enrichment Program for At-Risk
Youths on Locus of Control and the Relation to
Motivational Orientation.
PUB DATE
92
92p.; M.A. Thesis, West Virginia University. Paper
NOTE
presented at the Annual Meeting of the Eastern
Educational Research Association (Hilton Head, SC,
March 5-9, 1992), and also at the Meeting of the
American Alliance for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation, and Dance (Indianapolis, IN, April 7-11,
1992).
Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses (042) --
PUB TYPE
Speeches/Conference Papers (150)
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MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
*Adolescents; Camping; *Children; Drug Abuse; *High
DESCRIPTORS
Risk Students; *Locus of Control; *Motivation;
Motivation Techniques; Prevention; *Program
Effectiveness; *Summer Programs
ABSTRACT
Children presently in school face a multitude of
problems new and unique to their age group. To combat these problems
educators must find new solutions and search out ways of reaching
young people oefore it is too late for them to respond. By examining
locus of control, and showing an effective treatment program for
transitioning from externality to internality, it may be possible to
predict other behaviors and eliminate negative behaviors (drug use,
low self-esteem, poor grades) associated with externality which will
assist in keeping children in school. Showing a link between locus of
control and motivation may help educators develop a better
understanding of student behavioral variables. This study examined
the relationship between locus of control and motivation. The effects
of a multidimensional summer camp program on the locus of control of
41 children at risk for academic failure was also examined. The
subjects were given a pre- and posttest at the beginning and end of
the six-week summer camp. The effects of the program from pre- to
posttest were not statistically significant; however, the I-retest
scores were significantly more external than previously established
norms. Statistical significance was also found by age and gender with
younger females being the most external and older males being the
most internal. A moderate negative correlation was found linking one
of the five motivation subscales (independent judgment) with locus of
control. (LLL)
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Effect Of A Summer Enrichment Program For At-Risk
Youths On Locus Of Control And The Relation
To Motivational Orientation
Curtis Jay Bonk
Ayersman
David J.
West Virginia University
West Virginia University
Presented at the 1992 Meeting of the
Eastern Educational Research Association
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Presented at the 1992 Meeting of the
American Alliance for Health Physical Education
Recreation and Dance
Indiannapolis, Indiana
Running Head: LOCUS OF CONTROL
Room 608 Allen Hall
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV 26505-6122
[phone]
OF EDUCATION
U S DEPARTMENT
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Acknowledgments
I would like to recognize and thank those persons that
My advisor,
were instrumental in conducting this study.
Dr. Curtis Jay Bonk, was primarily responsible and provided me
much advice and completed many arduous readings of my draft
Michael
The other members of my committee; Dr. W.
copies.
Reed and Dr. Benjamin H. Bailey were also key persons to
D. Floyd Jones,
provide me guidance during this period.
Dr.
the members of the Wheeling, West Virginia Project Y.E.S.
staff, and the many children in attendance during the summer of
Most importantly, however, I
1991 are all owed my gratitude.
would like to thank my father, for everything I have earned or
completed is directly because of him.
3
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
LIST OF TABLES
CHAPTER
INTRODUCTION
1
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
3
II
History of Measurement
5
LOC/MOT Relationships
8
Justification
10
Statement of Problem
11
14
Research Questions
15
METHOD
III
15
Subjects
16
Instruments
17
Procedure
18
Independent Variables
19
Analysis of the Data
22
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION
IV
22
Question 1
23
Question 2
25
Question 3
26
Diagram of MOT Instrument
27
Other Analyses
iv
30
DISCUSSION
V
Findings
30
Suggestions
34
36
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
49
A. Nowicki-Strickland Scale
52
B. Harter Scale
C. Raw Data
56
72
TABLES
85
ABSTRACT
86
APPROVAL OF EXAMINING COMMITTEE
v
LIST OF TABLES
PAGE
TABLE
Comparison of Pretest Sample and Population Means
1.
72
for the Younger Age Group
Comparison of Pretest Sample and Population Means
2.
73
for the Older Age Group
Comparison of Posttest Sample and Population
3.
74
Means for the Younger Age Group
Comparison of Posttest Sample and Population
4.
75
Means for the Older Age Group
Posttest ANOVA Comparisons of Control and
5.
76
Experimental Groups
Pretest/Posttest t-Test Comparison of
6.
77
Experimental Group
Pretest ANOVA Examining Effects of Gender and Age
78
7.
Posttest ANOVA Examining Effects of Gender and
8.
79
Age
Correlation Matrix Showing Relation of LOC
9.
80
Posttest and IJ Subscale of Motivation
81
10. Simple Regression of COGCLUS and LOC Posttest
11. Pretest ANOVA Examining Effects of Gender and Age
82
for all Pretest Scores
Effects
12. Internal Criteria Subscale ANOVA Showing
83
of Age and Gender
13. Curiosity/Interest Subscale ANOVA Showing Effects
84
of Age and Gender
t;
Locus of Control
CHAPTER I
Introduction
(Rotter, 1966)
Since the development of the Rotter Scale
construct has
two and a half decades ago, locus of control as a
This
researchers.
been an area of intense focus for many
(1954) social learning
construct has originated from Rotter's
either from an
theory as a belief that reinforcement comes
If reinforcement is believed
external or an internal source.
(fate, luck or chance) one does
to come from an external source
accept responsibility for
or does not see a need to
not
from an
Whereas, if reinforcement is seen to come
events.
is attributed
internal source (self), responsibility of events
to one's own actions.
negatively correlated with
Locus of control (LOC) has been
Ryckman & Sherman, 1973),
self-esteem (Fish & Karabenick, 1971;
fluency (Brecher &
self-concept (Martin & Coley, 1984), verbal
performance (Crandall,
Denmark, 1969; Penk, 1969), academic
1976), achievement
Katkovsky, & Crandall, 1965; Lefcourt,
Studies have
other areas.
(Nowicki & Roundtree, 1971) and many
inquisitive, and
shown that internals are more perceptive,
They have also
(Lefcourt).
efficient in processing information
and incidental learning
been shown superior in intentional
have higher aspirations (Lao,
(Wolk & Ducette, 1974) and to
feelings of
Internals tend to maintain stronger
1970).
1
7
Locus of Control
in the
competence and self-determination than externals
maintaining greater
presence of constraints, thereby also
1985).
motivation and satisfaction (Freedman & Phillips,
have the view of
Persons with an internal locus of control
being captains of their own ships (Kay, 1990).
continuum, externality is
On the other end of the locus
(Butterfield, 1964;
positively related to debilitating anxiety
utilization of birth
Watson, 1967) and linked to both reduced
likelihood to become
control (MacDonald, 1970) and a greater
1982; Phares, 1968) and
smokers (Clarke, MacPherson, & Holmes;
The wide range of areas
drug abusers (Jurich & Poison, 1984).
externality is obviously
where internality is the preference to
orientation.
much broader than a pure academic
2
Locus of Control
CHAPTER II
Review of Literature
(1971) stated the
In a review of the literature, Joe
less able to
research suggests externals describe themselves as
frustration.
show constructive responses in overcoming
and depression than
Externals report more feelings of anger
Griffin, 184), exhibit
internals (Abramowitz, 1969; Siegal &
hopelessts
powerlessness (Sedlin, 1972), and
more feelings of
on verbal
(Serednesky, 1974), and perform significantly poorer
Not
Thompson, 1989).
problem solving tasks (Wildstein, &
related to suicidal
surprisingly, externality is directly
tendencies (Williams, & Nickels, 1969).
preventing these tendencies from
One method of effectively
effective
reaching fruition is to intervene and one
of these at-risk youths
intervention is early identification
Students possessing an
(Eddy, Wolpert, & Rosenberg, 1987).
begin work more slowly
external LOC earn lower grades and also
Most
(Allen et al., 1974).
than those with an internal LOC
this is even more evident
drug users have an external LOC, and
This study defined
1984).
in drug abusers (Jurich & Polson,
of legal or
drug use as occasional or infrequent use
physical or psychological
nonaddictive drugs and drug abuse as
by almost daily ingestion.
dependence upon drugs exemplified
drugs for recreational
While drug users are more apt to use
3
Locus of Control
with an external LOC.
purposes/ drug abusers use drugs to cope
would be desirable if
It would appear extreme internality
not the case.
the research were correct, but this is simply
accepting
Extreme internality results in individuals
be controlled and
responsib.lity for mail), events that can not
physical health problems.
has even been shown to be linked with
orientation are thought
Young children with an extreme internal
negative life experiences
to hold themselves responsible for
Alcoholics
Yves, 1989).
following parental separation (St.
significantly in the internal direction
more frequently score
by
This was confirmed more recently
(Goss, & Morosko, 1970).
frequent drinkers of
Johnson and Reszka (1986) who found
internal) than
alcohol scored significantly lower (more
infrequent drinkers on Rotter's scale.
have been shown
Although alcoholics, contrastingly/ also
1974; MacKay, 1961;
to have a more external LOC (Carmen,
these discrepancies in
Williams, 1970), it should be noted that
differing reasons for becoming
the research are attributed to
to
Extreme internaJity results in an attempt
alcoholic.
such as the lives of
control typically uncontrollable events
events (Schneider, et
others, acts of nature, and international
and it
This is thought to contribute to stress,
al., 1989).
alcoholic drinks to reduce or escape this
appears the internal
alcoholic drinks to escape
stress, whereas the external
4