Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

5-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Don Dickinson

Committee Members

Steve McCallum, Charles Hargis, Richard Saudargas

Abstract

This study examined relationships among student coping in academic and social situations and academic and social attributions for success and failure, academic achievement, and social skills. Student coping was measured using the Student Academic/Social Coping Inventory (SASCI), which was developed for use in this study. The SASCI was developed to measure student reported problem-focused and emotion-focused coping in academic and social situations. The SASCI also contains a measure of controllability and stress for each coping situation. Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability coefficients indicate that the SASCI is reliable; however, validity is questionable due in part to low ratings for emotion-focused coping. Academic attributions were measured using the American revised version of the Sydney Attributions Scale, which is a scale developed in Australia, but renormed and revised for use with American students by Dr. Sherry Bell. Social attributions were measured using the Student Social Attributions Scale - Revised (SSAS-R). Academic performance was measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). Social skills were measured using the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS). Third, fourth, and fifth graders from two schools participated in this study for a total of 281 subjects. The instruments were given in a counter balanced order and were read to each class by the principal investigator. Correlational procedures indicated significant positive relationships with problem-focused coping and controllability and stress. This suggests that problem-focused coping is used when students perceive that an academic or social situation is stressful and they believe that they have the ability and resources to do something about it. Discriminant analyses also provided support for the relationship between problem-focused coping and controllability. Correlational procedures also indicated significant positive, though weak, relationships between problem-focused coping and internal attributions for academic and social successes, TCAP math scores, and social skills (cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, and self control). This may suggest that because the academic and social stressors were perceived as more controllable, perhaps these students perceived their own ability and efforts as effective in causing successful outcomes. Results suggest that student coping, controllability, attributions, academic performance, and social functioning are related. Further development and refinement is needed of the SASCI is needed before additional research is conducted.

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