The effects of the Getting Away Clean program on disruptive school behaviors in the black male child

Abstract

Disruptive school behaviors in the black male child are of much concern to educators. While not developed specifically for use with black males, the Getting Away Clean program was designed to help children develop productive thinking skills, and to empower children to negotiate the social environment. Decision-making skills are strengthened, and children learn to counteract negative peer pressure and to relate positively to others.

Selected fifth and sixth grade black male students from two elementary schools in a metropolitan Virginia school system were identified for the study. Eight students who were identified as those who had exhibited disruptive behaviors in the school setting, or those who needed skills to counteract negative peer pressure,were assigned to the treatment group. A group of eight students from the elementary schools was identified for the control group.

The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, Edelbrock and Achenbach, 1983) was used to obtain data from parents, and the Teacher's Report Form (TRF, Edelbrock and Achenbach, 1983) was used to obtain data from teachers. In order to obtain pre-test data, teachers of the treatment and control group subjects for the 1987-88 school year completed the TRF. At the end of the treatment post-test data were obtained by requesting that teachers of the 1988-89 school year complete the TRF for treatment and control group subjects. The CBCL was also completed by parents of subjects in the treatment group.

The statistical analyses used to determine differences between the two measures were the Rank Tranform Analysis of Covariance, Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon nonparametric tests and Wilcoxon Signed Rank Tests. Results indicated positive, but nonstatistically significant, differences between the pre and post measures.

In addition, four subscales (Anxious, Social Withdrawal, Inattentive, and Aggressive) were statistically analyzed with the Multivariate Tests of Significance. Positive, but nonstatistically significant, differences between the treatment and control groups on either of the subscales on the pre and post measures will all subjects were found. Parent responses were interpreted in case summaries.

While a statistically significant difference was not found between the pre and post measures, positive effects are noted and the Getting Away Clean program can be considered an alternative strategy for reducing disruptive school behaviors.