Method
Subjects. For this study, 36 educable mentally
handicapped boys were selected from boys
currently enrolled in public school special education
classes and identified by teachers as behavior
problems on the Pupil Behavior Rating
Scale. The chronological ages of the subjects
were 9 through 13 and the IQ range was
from 56 to 80. Twelve subjects were white
and 24 were Negro.
All subjects in this study who had not been
tested with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for
Children or the L-M Form of the Stanford-
Binet Intelligence Scale for 2 years previous to
the study were retested using the Wechsler
Intelligence Scale for Children. Information
needed to determine socioeconomic status
such as father's occupation, income, dwelling
area, and house type were taken from permanent
records, current year's registration
forms, administrators, teachers who had made
home visits, and, when necessary, home visits
made by the principal investigator.
Groups. The 36 subjects comprised two
groups—A (experimental) and B (control)-
of 18 each matched on the basis of chronological
age, IQ, race, and socioeconomic status.
Groups A and B were administratively
divided into three subgroups each. The six subgroups spent equal time with the principal |
investigator over a period of 12 weeks. The
three subgroups in group A received group |
counseling sessions with the principal investi- i
gator who acted as counselor over the 12 week
period. These sessions were held in the same ,
place each time. Makeup sessions were held
360 JANUARY
for those subjects who were absent from the
regular scheduled meetings. The three subgroups
in group B received 12 library sessions
with the principal investigator. These consisted
of supervised reading and study. A minimum
of personal interaction took place between
the control subjects and the counselor.
Pretest. All the subjects in the study received
a pretest with two self concept scales
and an anxiety measurement. This pretest was
administered in small groups consisting of six
students in each. All questions were read to
the subjects in order to insure that reading
ability would not be a factor in the testing
procedure. A few absentees were tested in
small groups after the initial testing. One student,
who left the experimental group after
seven sessions, was tested before leaving.
Teacher rating. Teachers were asked to rate
each subject at the beginning of the study and
then again at the end of the study on the
variables of deportment (conduct), reading,
and arithmetic. The students were rated on a
5 point scale from A to F.
Attendance. Days absent were computed
for each student for a 12 week period prior
to the study and then again for the 12 week
period for the duration of the study.