Scheduled for Research Consortium Free Communication: Teaching Adapted Physical Education, Thursday, March 15, 2007, 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM, Convention Center: 327


Effects of a Label and Visual Information on PETE Majors' Beliefs

April Tripp, Towson University, Towson, MD, Hosung So, California State University at San Bernardino, San Bernardino, CA and Terry L. Rizzo, California State University, Redlands, CA

This study assessed the effects of labeling and visual information on preservice professionals' behavioral beliefs (Ab), normative beliefs (SNb), control beliefs (PBCb), attitude (ATB), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), intention (I), and behavior (B) toward teaching a student labeled with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants were 265 undergraduate physical education teacher education (PETE) majors from six California State Universities. Of the 265 PETE majors, 226 (85%) participated and completed the survey. Participants included 103 (46%) females and 123 males (54%) average age=24.69, SD=5.49. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups. Group I (n=79) read a vignette with a label (ADHD). Group II (n=76) read a vignette with the label and watched a 7-minute video of a 9-year-old girl playing soccer. Group III (n=71) read the vignette, without a label and watched the video. Each group completed Physical Educators' Intention Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities II Preservice Survey (PEITID-II-PS). The PEITID-II-PS adheres to Ajzen's (2002) Theory of Planned Behavior TpB for survey construction. It has 35 items and all items use a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The PEITID-II-PS (So, Tripp, & Rizzo, in preparation) reported moderate to high internal consistency coefficients (Cronbach's ∝; I = .83, ATB = .77, SN = .88, PBC = .77, Ab = .73, SNb = .77, PBCb = .74). Test-retest reliabilities g for I, ATB, SN, PBC, Ab, SNb, and PBCb were .93, .90, .94, .89, .90, .92, and 93, respectively. Results from a One-way ANOVA showed significant group differences on Ab [F(2, 223)=6.12, p<.01] and PBCb [F(2, 223)=3.04, p<.05]. Tukey Post Hoc multiple comparison tests showed group differences between Group III (M=69.18) and Group I (M=52.92) on Ab. Group II (M=60.39) showed no statistically significant group difference with Groups I and III. Similarly, a group difference was found between Group III (M=80.17) and Group I (M=67.54) on PBCb. No significant mean differences were found between Group II (M=77.26) and Groups I and III. The results indicate that the ADHD label adversely affects PETE majors' beliefs and visual information (i.e., observing motor performance) can reduce the negative effect of labeling. These findings support teaching PETE majors with a noncategorical approach toward disability and giving them appropriate visual examples so they are able to make necessary accommodations to teach all students who attend their physical education classes.
Keyword(s): adapted physical activity, physical education PK-12, professional preparation

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