Teachers' Judgments of Problem Behaviors

Abstract

This study analyzes whether educators' perceptions of problem behaviors are influenced by differences in teacher group (regular v. special) and classroom context (disruptive v. nondisruptive). After viewing a series of short videotaped vignettes within disruptive or nondisruptive contexts, teachers rated severity, tolerance, manageability, and contagion factors related to a target child. Results indicated significant multivariate differences for both main effects, with univariate follow-ups showing regular educators to be less tolerant and more severe judges of behaviors. Differences in context suggest that both groups generally identified the target as causal in the disruptive context, verifying fears of behavioral contagion.