The effect of adaptation problems on the academic archievement of the children of the Turkish workers returning from abroad compared with the ones brought up in Turkey

125 SUMNftRY THE EFFECT OF THE ADAPTATION PROBLEMS ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CHILDERN OF THE TURKISH WORKERS RETURNING FROM ABROAD COMPARED WITH THE ONES BROUGHT UP IN TURKEY In this study, ehildim of workers who, after. returning from the Fe deral Republic of Genrany(FRG), are going to schools in Turkey were compa- red with their classmates who were raised in Turkey. The comparison was based on variables determined by academic success and psychological adap tation with regard to whether or not the children returning from the FRG showed any differences according to some variables related to their life abroad. A sample of 333 students was taken; consisting of: 222 students who had returned from the FRG, and 111 students who had been raised in Turkey. Along with the psychological adaptation of the students, their le vels of depression, and anxiety, and their academic success was limited by whether they had passed their courses or not. In this study, the dep ression level of the students was measured by the use of Beck's Depression Invent ory(BDI). The students' anxiety level was measured by the use of Sta te Treat Invent ory(SIAI). A personal information form was used in order to determine the students' personal qualities. The students' academic stan ding was determined through the use of their teachers' gradebooks.The da ta, thus obtained, was statistically analyzed by the use of "Variance A- nalysis", the "F, T-Test", and the "Khi Square" technique. The results of this study show that children returning from the FRG have statistically lower levels of depression and anxiety than those stu dents who were raised in Turkey. These results remained consistent when considering such variables as school, sex, age and whether or not the stu dents lived with their parents. When depression and anxiety levels of students who had been *? suc cessful in their courses were compared with those who had been unsuccess-126 ful,,it was determined that students who had been raised in Turkey had higher levels of depression and anxiety in more courses than students who had returned from the FRG. Other variables used to determine academic suc cess were: Whether or not the student was being tutored, the degree : of active participation in the classroom, the schools they attend, the teachers they have, the level of discipline of the school they attend, and the personal factors related to the student. Among the students who returned from the FRG, the depression and anxiety levels of those attending Yunus Bnre Anatolian High School were ob served to be significantly lower than students attending other state schools. These results remained constant with other variables, i.e., boys had lower levels of depression and anxiety than girls; just as those who stayed ab road longer had lower levels than those who stayed abroad shorter. Those who recently returned to Turkey showed lower levels than those who retur ned a longer time ago; just as those who returned between the ages of 12-14 had lower levels than those who returned at other ages. Furthermore, it was found that the depression and anxiety levels of those students who willingly returned to Turkey were statistically lower than those who returned unwillingly, just as the levels of those who felt better off in Turkey were lower than those who felt worse off, lonelier and alienated. However,no statistically significant difference was obser ved in the variables like reasons for returning to Turkey and strength of desire to return to the FRG.