A study of special education administrators' use of seven bases of social power to influence conflicts with parents

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dc.contributor.authorSzakonyi, Diane R.en
dc.contributor.committeechairJones, Philip R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberFortune, Jimmie C.en
dc.contributor.committeememberHolland, Carlen
dc.contributor.committeememberMcLaughlin, John A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberUnderwood, Kenneth E.en
dc.contributor.departmentSpecial Education Administration and Supervisionen
dc.date.accessioned2017-01-10T21:18:07Zen
dc.date.available2017-01-10T21:18:07Zen
dc.date.issued1986en
dc.description.abstractIn recent years special education administrators have frequently found themselves in conflict with parents of handicapped children regarding such issues as: (1) private school placement of handicapped children; (2) transportation of handicapped children; (3) the provision of related services for handicapped children; and (4) due process hearings requested regarding the evaluation and placement of handicapped children. The problem this study investigated is whether the power base used by the special education administrator to influence conflicts with parents is affected by the socioeconomic status of the parents, the race of the child and the parents, and/or the handicapping condition of the child. In order to examine how special education administrators use social power to influence conflicts with parents seven bases of social power were studied. The original five power bases developed by French and Raven (1959)--expert, referent, legitimate, reward, and coerci ve--were used, plus two additional bases--information power developed by Raven and Kruglanski (1970) and connection power developed by Hersey, Blanchard and Natemeyer (1979). In addition three variables (the socio-economic status of the parents, the race of the parents and the child, and the handicapping condition of the child) were examined through the use of scenario questions. The scenario questions were developed by the researcher and were tested to establish their reliability and validity. The study examined five primary research questions, secondary research questions, and a research hypothesis. While no definite pattern of responses emerged, it was found that (1) administrator's decision making appeared to be sensitive to the context in which it was made; (2) administrators relied on reward power to influence conflicts; and (3) administrators used information power to resolve conflicts with white, high SES parents.en
dc.description.degreeEd. D.en
dc.format.extentx, 293 leavesen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/74217en
dc.language.isoen_USen
dc.publisherVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 15293145en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V856 1986.S924en
dc.subject.lcshChildren with disabilities -- Education -- United Statesen
dc.subject.lcshEducation -- Study and teachingen
dc.subject.lcshUniversities and colleges -- Administrationen
dc.titleA study of special education administrators' use of seven bases of social power to influence conflicts with parentsen
dc.typeDissertationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineSpecial Education Administration and Supervisionen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameEd. D.en

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