An investigation of the effects of mothers’ child rearing attitudes on child’s social cohesion and skills for 5-6 years old childs who attend kindergarten.

ABSTRACT An Investigation of the Effects of Mothers? Child Rearing Attitudes on Child?s Social Cohesion and Skills for 5-6 Years Old Childs who Attend Kindergarten. Sarı, Elif Master, Early Childhood Teaching Programme Advisor: Assist. Prof. Dr. Fatma TEZEL ŞAHİN June-2007 This research was carried out in order to investigate the effects of mothers?s child rearing attitudes on child?s social cohesion and skills for 5-6 years old childs who attend kindergarten. The population was composed of mothers of 5-6 years old childs who attend public and private kindergartens in Ankara. Random sampling approach was applied beacuse the population size. There were 433 kindergartens that were formed by 367 public kindergartens and 66 private kindergartens in the region of Ankara. Two different research and sampling designs were used for public and private schools. Districts that were included into the sample were Altındağ, Çankaya, Keçiören, Mamak, and Yenimahalle. The population and the sample sizes were 26150 and 370 mothers of childs for public schools and 2772 and 330 mothers of childs for private schools respectively. Total size of the population and the sample were 28922 and 700 people respectively. 700 of 1357 questionnaires were responded. ?GENERAL INFORMATION FORM?, ?PARENT ATTITUDE RESEARCH INSTRUMENT? (PARI), and ?SOCIAL COHESION MEASUREMENT SCALE? were used in order to gather information on mothers? and childs? demographic characteristics, mothers? child rearing attiudes, and childs? social choesion at 22 private and 25 public kindergartens. vi Demographic characteristics of the research sample were discussed based on the frequency and percent tables. T test for the variables that have 2 sub-groups and one way variance analysis (ANOVA) for the variables that have more 2 sub-groups were applied for analyzing mothers? attitudes towards their childs and childs? social cohesion and skills. The dual comparison methods of Tukey and Tamhane were used so as to determine the direction of the difference between the groups after finding differences as a result of One Way Variance Analysis (ANOVA). The results of Tukey were taken into consideration in groups with homogeneous variance and the results of Tamhane were emphasized in groups with heteregenous variance. 5% significance level were used between group means. Correlation analysis was applied in order to determine whether there were significant relationships between the dimensions of the measurement scales of Family Life and Child Rearing Attitudes and Social Cohesion. The resulting inferences were as follows, The number of male students (51,86%) were higher than the number of female students (48,14%) at public and private schools. There were more students in the 5 years old group (56,67%) in private schools while there were more students in the 6 years old group (85,68%) in public schools. The number of 6 years old group students were higher (65,71%) at an aggregate level of pulic and private schools. Most of the childs in the 5-6 years old group have a sister or brother (44,71%). The first child proportion (56,71%) was higher at public and private schools. Most of the parents of childs in private schools were university graduates (35,45% of mothers, 44,85% of fathers) while most of the parents of childs in public schools were high school graduates (39,73% of mothers, 37,03% of fathers). It was found that most of the mothers were within 31-35 age range (36,00%) while most of the fathers were within 36-40 age range (34,71%). Mothers were generally housewifes while fathers had some different professional business (Doctor, Engineer, Manager, Teacher, Academician, Specialist). vii ?Heavy Protector Motherhood? exhibited significant difference with respect to number of brother/sister, mother?s education level, father?s education level, mother?s age, mother?s working position and father?s proficiency. ?Democratic Attitude and Egalitarian Acknowledgement? showed significant difference with respect to number of brother/sister, mother?s education level, father?s education level, mother?s age and father?s proficiency. ?Housewife Refusal? pointed out difference with respect to school type, age group, number of brother/sister, mother?s education level, and father?s age. ?Matrimonial Troubles? presented difference with respect to mother?s education level, father?s education level, father?s age, and mother?s working position. ?Compulsion and Discipline? exhibited significant difference with respect to number of brother/sister, mother?s education level, father?s education level, mother?s working position and father?s proficiency. ?Social Cohesion? showed significant difference with respect to mother?s and father?s age. ?Social Disharmony? exhibited significant difference with respect to school type and age group. ?Limited Social Cohesion? presented significant difference with respect to school type, mother?s education level, and mother?s working position. There were significant relationships between the ?Heavy Protector Motherhood? dimension and ?Social Cohesion?, ?Social Disharmony? and ?Limited Social Cohesion? dimensions. There were significant relationships between the ?Democratic Attitude and Egalitarian Acknowledgement? dimension and ?Social Cohesion?, ?Social Disharmony? and ?Limited Social Cohesion? dimensions. Significant relationships were found between ?Housewife Refusal? dimension and ?Social Disharmony? and ?Limited Social Cohesion? dimensions. Significant relationships were found between ?Matrimonial Troubles? dimension and ?Social Disharmony? and ?Limited Social Cohesion? dimensions. There were significant relationships between the ?Compulsion and Discipline? dimension and ?Social Disharmony? and ?Limited Social Cohesion? dimensions.