Page 27 - IJSA, Vol. 1, No 1-2, 2018

Vol. 1, No. 1-2, 2018 IJSA

3. Do you think that you are capable of coping with Lieblich et al. (1998, p. 112-113) involves breaking the
single parents’ children behavioral problems? text into smaller units of content.
There were three questions asked to participants as Results
open-ended. These individual interviews were This study reflects only a small partial of very wide
recorded. The approximate duration of interviews is 10 range of scientific research project. The research title is
minutes. 300 minutes interviews records were “Preparing a Psycho-Educational Program for
transcribed as 32 pages of written data (Times New Identifying Problems of Single Parents and Solving
Roman 12, spacing 1.5). These Problems”. To make visible study for problems
This study was designed by qualitative research of single parents’ students, this qualitative study was
methods using document review technique. These kind designed. In this study, 30 elementary teachers who are
of studies aim to depict the past or present as it exists experienced more than ten years were interviewed.
(Karasar, 2008, p. 77). Qualitative research is Before these interviews, those teachers were
frequently used in anthropology, philosophy, participated a conference on behavioral tendency. In
humanistic psychology, sociology, social psychology, this conference, the author of this study explained to
environmental psychology, linguistics. However, the teachers what is assertive, aggressive and
qualitative research is also used in interdisciplinary submissive behavior of any person especially
studies such as educational sciences. Qualitative elementary student. 90 minutes conference on Children
research offers a flexible working environment for Action Tendency were held for experienced elementary
researchers. In qualitative research, interview methods teachers.
have positive contributions such as giving flexibility to After the conference, the working group (30 teachers)
researchers, dominating responses, following were interviewed with three open ended questions.
nonverbal behaviors, providing control over the Themes from their answers are shown as Table 1 as in
environment and getting in-depth information below.
(Yıldırım and Şimşek, 2008). In question one “What do you think about single
Data analysis and reliability. The two terms are sine parents’ children over all?” asked to the teachers. 26
qua non for all researches not only quantitative but also teachers out of 30 gave positive statements. According
qualitative ones. Reliability is a term which is used in to the teachers there are a few students of single parents
quantitative research to indicate the consistency of in all classes and it is pity that they are problematic. In
measurement. The term is also applied to some statistically this seems to be in high ratio (86%).
qualitative research, particularly that which adopts a “What is your opinion on single parents’ children
realist epistemology. In qualitative research, the behavioral tendencies such as assertiveness,
evaluative criteria that are applied are more commonly aggressiveness and submissiveness?” asked to the
transparency and trustworthiness. Validity is the extent teachers as a second question. According to the
to which research measures or reflects what it claims teachers single parents’ students are failure in
to. It is most meaningfully used in research with a presenting assertive behavior. Girls seem to be
realist epistemology (Frost, 2011, p. 108). submissive whereas boys are more aggressive when
The thematic model can be applied to a wide range of comparing to their same age and sex counter parts of
narrative text, including narratives produced in two parents’ students. 28 teachers out of 30 agree with
interviews and written documents. The analyst can start this situation and this is also in high percentage (93%).
the thematic analysis by the open coding of data. The The last question was “Do you think are you capable of
steps in the categorical content analysis described by cope with single parents’ children behavioral
Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, and Zilber (1998) can be problems?” 20 teachers out of 30 (66%) stated that they
used in the process of thematic analysis. The have lack of information how to cope with single
categorical content analysis focuses on thematic parents’ students. Even if they know something to
similarities and differences between narratives intervene there will be time problem to devoting to
generated in interviews. The analytical approach of problematic students.

Table 1. Teachers response on behavioral tendencies of single parents’ students.
Questions Response f % Sample from responses
(frequency) (percentage)
1. What do you think about single Socially, emotionally, I think there are several such kind of students
parents’ children over all? behavioral problems 26 86 an all class but sometimes it is difficult to
guess who they are. I believe and I know that
most of them have social, emotional and
behavioral problems.
2. What is your opinion on single More submissive or Especially single parent girls are more
parents’ children behavioral aggressive and less 28 93 submissive. I know a girl she was with her two
tendencies such as assertiveness, assertive parents and was very lively. But now even she
aggressiveness and prefers being far away from her old friends.
submissiveness? Ohh boys are every time problematic yelling
fighting whatever you think as undesired
behavior.
3. Do you think are you capable Professionally no and 20 66 I know something but where and when I
of cope with single parents’ limited time should intervene.
children behavioral problems?

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