The Analysis of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems existing in 5th, 6th and 7th grades elementary school students according to a number of variables

m ABSTRACT THE ANALYSIS OF INTERNALIZING AND EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS EXISTING IN 5TH, 6TH AND 7TH GRADES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ACCORDING TO A NUMBER OF VARIABILES Ferah ÇEKİCİ MA Thesis, Department of Education Sciences Supervisor: Ass.Prof.S.Sonay GÜÇRAY January,2003, 85 pages The main purpose of this study is to identify internalizing and externalizing behavior problems of 11 to 14-year-olds, by examining whether there is a significant difference between the students' self-evaluation and the teachers' evaluation. The report explores three leves; the students,' age, socioeconoinic status and gender. This study also seeks to understand if there is dis/agreement between the informants. The population in the study consists of 767 students from 9 different schools in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades in Adana (from both Seyhan and Yüreğir) as well as 27 teachers. The teenagers were given a "Youth Self Report", while the classroom- counseling teachers were given " Child Behavior Checklist the Version of Teacher Report Form". In addition, the students were given another form, the 'Student Personal Information form', elaborated by the researcher from Bacardi's (1997) "Socioeconomic Status Identification Scale". According to results of the study both the students and the teachers reported that girls were having more internalizing problems. Furthermore, the fact that the students from low socio-economic status were having more behavior problems than the ones from other socio-economic status was reported, both by students and teachers. When the teacher and student reports were compared in terms of Internalizing, Externalizing and Total Problem Behaviors, students reported having more problem behaviors than their teachers reported for them. Keywords: Internalizing behavior problems, externalizing behavior problems, 11 and 1 4 age old students *«Keyword: Davranış bozuklukları = Behavioral disorders ; Duygusal sorunlar = Emotional problems ; Dışsallaştırma = Externalizing ; İlköğretim öğrencileri = Primary education students ; İçselleştirme sorunları = Internalize problems