Changes in the attitudes of 158 high school girls toward children after experience in a child development unit

This investigation is a study of the high school girl’s attitude in the guidance of preschool children before and after experiences in a child development unit.

The sample studied were students the writer had in her home economics classes. It consisted of 28 tenth grade students who had previously studied child development. It also included 130 ninth grade students (42 in the academic year of 1961-62 and 88 in 1962-63)

Attitude surveys were administered to the students early in the year before the child development unit and then again after the study and experiences with normal preschool children to see if there were changes in their attitude.

Results of data collected revealed that classroom teaching and experiences with normal preschool children modified the attitudes of the high school students toward the guidance of preschool children. In relation to the students ability to change attitudes toward guidance of preschool children, there was a statistically significant relationship to (1) position of student in the family, (2) previous experience with preschool children, and (3) belonging and taking an active part in youth organizations. There was no statistical significance between the intelligence quotient of the high school student and change of student attitudes toward guidance of preschool children.