Effect of a “Causal” Teacher Training Program on Authoritarianism and Responsibility in Grade School Children
This study is a secondary follow-up of three intermediate level grade school classes whose teachers had been subjected to a "causal" training program during the period June, 1954, to April, 1955. The primary follow-up, as well as the content of the training program, is described elsewhere (10). The definition of the term "causal" as it applies to the behavior of the teacher is based on the general definition (7 ) and is presented along with the description of the training p r ~ g r a m . ~ Briefly, the program consisted of six units, including one of 20 hours of group psychotherapy, spanning a one-month period. A practicum in the preparation of special teaching aids extended over the entire 10-month training period with biweekly conferences being held. These conferences were also used as sessions in which immediate classroom problems were discussed. Various teaching materials based on the causal approach to curricular content were provided for the teachers. In addition, some teachers developed their own materials under the supervision of the staff. The basic orientation of the training program is given in Footnote 2. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of the causal teacher training program on authoritarianism and responsibility of the children in their classes. PROCEDURE The experimental groups comprised a 4th, a 5th, and a 6th grade class whose teachers participated in the training program. The control groups consisted of two 4th, two 5th, and two 6th grade classes from a single school. Two tests were administered, one to all nine classes and one to the 5th and 6th grades only in May of 1955, shortly after the conclusion of the teacher training program and the primary follow-up testing. The tests were the CADS, (Children's Anti-democratic Tendency Scale), a measure of authoritarianism adrninistered to all classes, and the Minnesota "How I Feel about Citizenship" Test,