An Exploratory and Evaluative Study of the Prevalence of Behavioral Problems among School going Children and Effect of Parental Teaching Progamme Regarding its Management on the Knowledge of Parents in Selected Schools of Mysore

Bringing up children is complicated and strenuous experience, but it can also be great fun and very rewarding. However all children follow basic patterns of growth and development from infancy to childhood². Issues regarding behavioral problems related to sleep problems and separation anxiety, school phobia, socialization problem etc., are faced by parents. It is ironic that despite the fact that it is one of the most important jobs anyone ever does, it does not receive that recognition and there is virtually no training available.

Present study is to identify the prevalence of behavioral problems among school going children and to evaluate the effect of Parental teaching programme regarding management of behavioral problems among school going children.

H₁: Mean post test knowledge scores of parents regarding the management of behavioral problems among school going children will be significantly higher than their mean pre test knowledge score.

H₂: There will be significant association between knowledge levels of parents regarding the management of behavioral problems among school going children with their selected personal variables viz. age, gender, education, occupation, family income, religion, marital status, type of family.

Research design: Pre-experimental one group pre-test post-test design.

Research approach: An evaluative research approach was used for the study.

Setting: The study was conducted in selected primary schools at Mysore.

Sampling: The purposive sampling technique was used for the present study. The sample consisted of 60 parents of children with behavioral problems.

The tools used for the data collection were, Rutter-B scale to be filled by school teachers to identify the children with behavioral problems. Structured knowledge questionnaire to assess the knowledge of parents regarding management of behavioral problems among school going children.

Findings: - The prevalence rate of behavioral problems among school going children was 12.11%.

- The mean post-test knowledge score of parents was significantly higher than their pre-test knowledge score. t ₍₅₉₎ = 12.02, p > 0.05.

- Among studied socio-demographic variables, education, family income and religion were associated with the knowledge of parents regarding management of behavioral problems.

Parental teaching programme which acts as motivating factor for these parents to mould the behavior of their child and helps to prevent major psychiatric disorders in future.