Parental attitudes in the play centre : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education at Massey University

(1)

Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for

a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and

private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without

the permission of the Author.

(2)

Massey University Library New Zealand ^&Pacific Colle-~

.PAmm'AL ATTITODI.:S IN TBE PLAY Ctlft'BE

theaia preHllted in partial fulfilae

t

oft.be reqairaeat• for the dep-e-e of Maater of Art• ill Education

at l-la•MT UaiYenit,-.

Barry E • Bard n. January-,

1971 .

(3)

It is an expr ese opinion of the ~:,.,, Zealanc: I·lny Centre Pedcrution that parent.al involveutent in th• Play Centre will be effective in allowing huabanrls anc: wi vcA t,o e:ain ~ore 1.mrl1>rRt;:,n d ng of thci r role as parcntc. If this were •o it coulo. b xpecteJ th t there ,rcmhl he "m,c modification f tbeae parent•• attitudes tovarc.lo chilclron and ti .!'~i!.ll·

u

:rin-' tllc ;>oriod of the aseocitttion.

This atudy 1--as plrom ,J to ll.xnminc tlleso e1..~ect 1tiorn; ns i t wae

considered that tke 1'1..:.y {;ent:re mov01.11ent would h-Onofi t fron SOJ"11fl 1'110\oledge of the parental ,,ttitm!cs .Jf its mw.bers an(l of tl. vCftwtiver,(!Sii of its programmes m c1 as 1Cll vl.c ',ur sex uiffcrencc m:ro ~inparcnt in pareutal ntti tu,:cs r.:.1 i! their. .;,Ol'.i£icntion.

l t waa l,ypothosise 1 that p.1rcnt.al involvc.r·cnt ;,;oul<l ix,cr ;::sc the

i,courocy of ~rer;tn • n~1dc:r~tnndit.,:. of Pl:,y Centre: ir-c .. s r1r.1· wo~l,, twlp modify parental attit.utlDs i.o bcc0t.1e r.,orc li,.o tho!;:. o:: the I lay Cpnt.rci but

be sv:x diffe1·enct's in the perception ar.l~ 1•¹0,'ific.:.1.tiou of parental nttitu ➔os • . '-. moc1ifi !Ji for.• of the :'11rentnl \ttltUt.le °;.est!..4'Ch lr.strur-.ent, rell8Ce the Parent Atti tut.le '.;urve;r ·.uesti01.u1 it'u, was ac>ir .. istcrecl to two oups of parents (both part er!:!) ,10 wer~ ^1:':1tcie<l !!O

t

t .! COOl)flrifJon of attit dtta on a pre- and

post-involV®1ent bash

could be c.acl . 'Ibo subject• were asked to respond to th l'AS first as thougll statin th ir own point of vin an<1 aec

a• thouah

stating c

Plny

Centre

••

point of vi w. of ll

y

Ce tre xperta were•• res d to the PASQ •• thou

etatin

the Ply C

ntre

int of view, to aur of Ply C ttitu •

Tb

~s1,oru1e■

of 133 eubjecta (inoludi

•

76 IIUbJeota of th

tat

group) to the 128 it o the

~Q

were intereorrelat and

f

aotor analyaed

uina t.he principal cam,onent• •olution rotat t no ised Varimax

■tructure.

(4)

The ten

factor• were taken

n•

the attitude factor

acal•••

A

aeoond-order factor analyaia revealecl twe factors, an authoritarian-reatrictiven•••

scale

and e democratic..permiaeiven••• aule

. Mea

eo rea of

the

teat and expert

groups

on the

ten-fftctor....eal•• nre c_.,,.red uaing the t-Te■t of

dpificant

difference bat these

coraparieODe rnealeci

little significant difference between group mean

score■

esoept between the

attitude■

of perenta

and

of the

Play

Centre

and

betnen perenu perception

of

Play Centre attitudH and the

atti

tut

e■ of the l'lay Cqtre.

ln tenn• of the o .il problem this woul ^f\ee1, t,o rahe eoi~t! <loubta

about

the effectivcnes

oi

the Play Centre'• imre t education

prop-

rme at

lcost for t,Lis ;rro _{1 ,} in rnt pnr<~nt.s did ?lot h.1 ·e · vc•ry occurat.e porception of the parentDl attitudes of the Play Centre, t 1ot there was not an ppreciable ebift in parentnl :1tti t rlcs , urinr, tlw t.iJr,e of involvor ont. in the l'lny Centre, t.hat the f.flrents' nun th<- J'lny Centre •s ntti t t'cs Cic ,'if fer sigr¹ific:mtly and that t.he anticipl'te11 ('1 fe>r .ncei:J in pnrcntnl " .ti mfo~ twt ecn hm;br.r ds and wivef. w o er<' c}j fi<•rent ~- iHvolvc-<¹ in t.hc I'l[,y

re

t.rc, v ere oot app:-irent.

Caution must be e:..-prea ed ho ever as to t.hc :;en n :l z:11.ion of these cormnents to the total I'lny Centre popnlat.:ion in viow of tlic lidtation11 of the

inve•tir,At,·cm, t.hr · 11 Pno epE>cializerl eer-plc CI!t' tl~c 1'.iificult· cf oaauring accurately parental ttitudes.

Scoree

on four of tnctor

scales opp o d r li ble

enoudl

to give

sa · 1 • ln

neral

cmtic in th i:r

s e

indicetio

of

e p

rental attitud

s of

the■e Ply Centl'e par ts •re •ore pe~i

attitude■

townrd th ir re-sc ool-e e ohil

would indicate.

t

n the New Z ltm

lite ture

f det;. ilo<l · search in thi

bytb

findinp of thi prelimi ry inT ti tion inc &11

(5)

inatrument to mensur

·

Nntal attitudea, their relation to

pen

Hty

ftriable■, rriage pattel"n8 Md ■ex role■ in marri

p,

and the accuracy

of the tranafer of Ply

Centre

id•a•

and

policy at a regiOllftl and local

level

.

(6)

7

aincere

tbenJr•

are

utended

to

l'Nf

HNr

C. G. N. Hill aiad

r

. D • .,cAlphle,

for their

Wtial

•.ae•ti , peroe tin ritici

1 iDt•N•t and enc pant:

t

all theee who are the Play Centre

_.,.Milt,

and eapecially those

. . ther• a

nd

f

nthen who

PT• their tiae to auwer rous

q

eti

to

colleapes in Palaent• J1e-rth, MellMnlrDe and Adelaide wh . . queations

were not al ... ,- ... red:

to Mr. David Bruce,

A.c

.R. who baa •iailar roblema:

.

• ii

to Prof eaeor S .B. 1181~Nld, Psycholoa Departaent, >!elbourne Univeni ty whoa• computer ekill ■ and intenat ia f ly

•t

di•• opened IIIIUIY' r■

and:

to

Mia■ D

i

S

n, who••

prove-ntn1

ekill• re.ain • cl ed door

and:

to

tho•• lib ahould be fir■t are alw79 laat, Judi th, >tic

•l,

Raebel ml Denj n who are

oat

^thi•i• all • •

lal •

J r'T.

1971 .

(7)

TABLE 02

CONTENI§

Lint

or

^Tabl^es^.

1.

"

... .

3.

Intro.~uc .i.m-.

1. l\:J J roblw. and · rrosr. 2. ~ ic ' l ti Se

,, ... .

:1.

ypothescs. froceilurce.

1.

,, ... .

l.•cfir:.;.t:ion oi' 'ien-r.

i .

i i. .,c cri 1tion of h Sruzmlc. i i i. ~ ,,ichinf, oi' ¹est t,1·oupe.

,._ _{!·C i}

ll"

. .

Ûôtti^Côll

t i

•

5. P l

^{Centh A}^ttitde••

6.

^si ^1'

t • 7. -

^ct.or ^l^yai^a^.

i . ctor ly■ie.

i .• _l_yaie oce 'DJ' • •

i ·1. r P ctor lyaia.

iii

l'uge

V

l 1

5

8 p

9 11

17

3A b

52 5 5 56

5

(8)

Page

5.

Presentation of Reaulta.

l . a. Pnctor Analyaill Hesulte. 75

b. Second Order Factor .r\nalyais. 81

2. T-Teat Compariaona of Factor.Scale Score■• 8"

6. Discussion and Interpretation of Renlte. 113

1 . Factor

~\nalyaia of

Parental Attitud•• • 113

2.

T-Test Compari•on• .

3 . Parental Attitudes .

7.

Conclusions and Implicatiana.

l . General Concluaione · Implientione.

2. Linitatione to Conclusions.

3. Suggestion• far Further Research. Appendix.

Bibliography.

u,.

119 123 123 l!:?6

128 130 163

iv

(9)

v .

LI ST OF TABJm

Tt"1>le: Page

1. rean Age at !- rri

att

of Teat Group• and Nearest

National Groups (in

yeon)

. 41

2. Lducation Level of Teet Groups by Number and Percentage. 42 3. Occupation Level of Teat Groupe by Nunber and Pereentoge. lt3

,. _

5.

6.

a.

9.

Occupation Levels of Teat and National

Groupa

by Percentage ( 'ale Only).

r-·atching of Teet Groups - 'ivea. l-'atching of Toat Groups - Hueband,.

l:dueati on Level of Factor ,\.nalyaia Semple by Nunber

and

Perccntat;c.

ccupation level of Factor

Analysis Sample by Number and Ferccntnge.

ccupution Lovela of the Total Factor Analysia Group and National Distribution (t-:ale) By Percentage.

47

61

62

64

10. fleliobility Coefficients of the Ten Rotated Factor-Scales

67

11. Correlation } ntrix: 'I'en Rotftted P;\SQ l:'actor-Scalcs. 68 12. Second Order Analyst.: Unrotated Solution.

13. Second Order ,\nalyais: Rotated Solution.

Ill. Perceived Play Centre Parental Attitude• of •iothen

69 70

of Begiimars and Moth era oi' Filli.eh•ra.

86 15. Perceived Play Centre Parental

Attitude• of

Fathore

of Begi n

am

Fat.hen of Finiahora. 87

16.

P

rental

Attitudes

of

1-lothere of "De;:inn•ra"

o n

of •Finiahera". 88

17. P rentAl ttltud•• ot Father• ot "De(lirmen" and

Fathers "Finiahers" . 89

18. r to.l and l'erc•iTed-Plq Centre Atti tud•• of l-other•

of Depnn ra . 91

19. P

Nntal

Perceived-Play Centre

Attitw!••

of

F

ere

ot Beginners.

(10)

20 . Parent al nd Perceivet!-Play Centre

Attitude■

of }.iothers of Finisher••

21 . Parental and

Perceived...Play Centre Attitudes of Fath.ere of Fiw.8hor111.

22. rarental Atti tu.des of MO'tbere of Beginners and Play Centre l::xperta.

23. Parental Attitudee of l-'athers of Beginnen and

rtay Centre Expert• .

24.. Parental Attitudes of ~~others of FiniBhen and

93

97

Play Centre r:xperta.

99

25. Parental Attitudes of Fathers of Finisher& and

Play Centre Experts. 100

26. Perceive, !'lay Centre Parental Attitudes of lfothers

o:f Iieginnc1.-s 8Jld T'lay Centre "Experts". 102 27. Perceived l'lay Centre Parental Attitudes of Fathers

of Beginners and

Pl ay

Centre "Experts•. 103 28. Perceived r1ay Centre Parental Attitudes of Mothers

of "Finishersn au'1Play Centre "1::xperts". 10%

29. Pereeived

r 1ay

Centre Parental Attitude• of Fathers

of

"Finishere"

aDl

Play

Centre "I.:xperte". 105 30. Parental Attitudes of Mothers and Fathers of

Deginners . 107

31. Parental Attitude• of Mother• and Fathers of

Finishers. 108

32 . Perc•ived

Play

Centre Parental Attitud~• of

J.tothers and Fa

en

of Beg.inn re. 110

33 . Perceivad Play

C.ntN

P&ll'ental Attitude• of

other• onl Fathen of Finisher •

111

3~. P

rent

Attitude Mean Scale Score■, Bepnnen and

l•lay Cent.r

Experte ,

by,. - 1 eiptiq. 120

(11)

LIST OF .u>rUIDICI..S

1. Itmn Scales Writteu for this Survey.

2. Pareut .\tti tude Survey ¹~estionnAiro.

3. lnfomnti on f:ltcct.

4. FM Uy "clntions C,'u.estionnairc.

5.

Request for inforration,Play Centre •XJ>t!rl•• 6. Item Correlettcmal Matrix of I'AS<,, Item Score■•

7.

2u Principal Compouenta - t;nrotated. 8.

H'

Factor Eotation.

9.

Factor '·• :,utl1oritllrian .\ttitudct.

10. Fnctcr

n .

!~calitiea of Parenthood. 11. Factor C. ? atom.al -~cenclancy.

12. Fact<r · • !:Cetrictive Attitudes. 13. ^Foctor _• ^~•iscouragin~ T n~epen<lencc.

1.\. Factor P. Intu'equacy of 'lerLul Conr:onication.

15. Pact<r G. Irritauility.

16. Factor I • quali tarianisn1.

17.

Pectcr I. ti&setie!uction in Ilcxner.a1..in6; Roh. 18. Fnctor J . Hcepect

tor

ludiTidwuity.

vii

Page 131

135

1"1

142

14.\

1%5

11-6

147

1'18

156

158 159

160

161

162

(12)

Cbapter 1 lur,pdpctt

The Probl

•

Thia

•twcl7

waa iDten

d to •vwhw ficati

ef parellUl atti tad• ba pareuta of childrea attending Play C :t.rea 1• ^ewZealand.

f i

ta jor

1.. that

of

"Pa

"To proride metlDS

land Pla:,

^C

tre Pede tion ha•••

--ti•" er

^N

ispecifieall7 ta •:r

p i

for

th

elw•,

N

dentaDdiD& of tlleir rele u paNDt•• . 1

If

huMDda

and

win• d

pJn thia

ere ter un ratanclJ.nc

be expected

that n

will dification of parental

attitude• over • pert

d

of

th•

naaociation.

N

ot

only doe•

tl:l Pla7 Centre

atate

thi•

pneral

ia,

t i t aleo spells t

anoeiation

with

the Pla7 Centre

.

"Thi• )d f l•arninc

(by

acti•• anoeiati ) the ke7 to wbi i• reapouiWe i

i

t.

^lea.m. ^F ^r

Naia

7

•

^iaYol

(

rl

7 ma,

1.

(13)

2

.

1111111 .tit

in n

1 e -•a.Jcati with th• iw atipter

that

thq feel there la eften

• medific-ati ef

parental

attitud • a a P'orih iD undentandilla of children aa a renlt ef parental aa■eciation with a play centre••

parent

educati pro.n-1e. ReceaU7 Geraldine ll ld3

liat•

••lt

report. fra ...,- ef her u.ple of Pla7

Centre

•-tlw1-e bad.icatlna

of their ilffolfflNllt with play c

tre .

no ca:acl

iff

n■

rch

eondacrt.ed that aaain•• either the parental att.itud•• ot

pannu

of children

att

i•I • pla7 eeatre,

or re signiti

it17

whether ficaticm of parental attit'Qde occu:n in

the parent■

in tho time that the7 are aaaociat d with •r i11nlnd in

th•

actiTi tica of the Pla7 Ce re IIOt'emetlt. In

tact

the Play Ceatre itaelf haa called

t

renarc:h

into

thia nry upeet f i t • nn

p f f p w.

• of rellNreh eoald

be:-

paNDt.8¹ ttitudea bef

re

and

fter a peri

Pla7 Ceatre mn·_.nn; • ao defillitift, officially

atat.d &tti

aluioao

r ef

Pla7

Ceaue puli

u - (Bill,

y, 5 ·

Gael"Nt,

6 - n e t GreJ', 7)

wppert. • :rea~tabl,-

criptiff

(8111, ... ,.,

pJ'ff1 • • • ri iti . . , . .

-.,u:n-

wi

• ri

• lr WII J111:1&11-1u t

ii'

(14)

3.

1Mtth fo l a iDfflll&l aapecta. tin partici tia i• ••ic t. the whole pr ••• d i ludff aHtin1 other pa.rents and

talkha

with them, diacuastna children with ot

n,

•rkiq; rith tmd watdd.ng children. Thi• tbe Play Centro conaidera will fccilitat.e tho kiad of derataruUaa that )JIU"ftte _,. or will h4lp parent. to tiad

R t more about their ^WDchildren.

"Drrery

play• nlon

i•

a furUMr

au

~ fomal aspect inelud • tioD&l and regianal aemiaan.

workshops, refr aher and in-eervice coaran, evening lectm-ea, diseussion groupa, fila:a, introductory talkll and iadiTidual lecture

•essiona. Speanr■ are drc1m fNID YU'ioas eoarcea includina Uuh·erai ti et Teachen Collepa, the . . c11ca1 profeaai and actift mesnb«?r,s of the Play Ceatre itMlf.

ln hi•

..n

contact with play eeatrea and Play Centre personnel eince 1967, the bwutiptor had felt coaeern

•"bout ti • aakH and atatementa mad• t. .iJ.ia that indicate ertainty eODfaai• iJl th lllllda of • .a nt■ a

aapeets of

ch:iltl-ruring

];lUl'POried

to

have aa

"Play

Cenb'e policy' • The 1 - ~ in

duetiltc

t . ti

•ti

eti ...

,artlc:Dlar, pael'lllly ef

for lay camb"fl,.

flt tiffll . . .

ee'"'neil't&

~tcr _ _..

•f Mlr'fl~

•~Jd.•

_•

It

appeered

tut

i l n i - e:Kil,Qllia

n97

[ : t u ~ ~ mo..l!alln~

Dlll"Ct:~ ocn:a:ati . . wl ....

Yltb i • pal ef

a

eqtalll•

uti n

be-lue

it

(15)

,.

adequate knwledp of

th• •~titudes

tbripareDU 'bnu&bt to pla:, centre

with

their ehlldrn ner an ebJ tin aaeaaent of

th•

•ffeet that

it.a

parent edacatiGD pro..,.._.

^had

on

the

pareata

N

.. ...

^·1 ^land^CeJltN^Feder

tie.u to ~• .... Jmwl eztent to

which

these

differ fraa ih•

tliade•

Play Centre it.aelf.

1

t

appeared lleceaoJ7 u well,

that

th lay Centre

• ua.,...tnt of the effeeUTenNS

of its prop"'UIN,

that is

an

cmawer to

the question, •

•

pannta

the parental attiWdu of the Play Centi- ^JaO ent aa a reewt A.netlier

aapeet o f ~ general

qveation of parental attitlld••

that neded to oe aaeucd

^wu^thewai,ieipated

Furt.h.emore, :ia Yi ew of the freq entlT expreased c cern a.

the lack of pat.erpa)

iBYol•••t

in Play Centre, tbore a a1 . . th ed

to iuveati te au

4iff

ereac"

iD t.h mod.if

ication

ef

panmal atti

^fi

ticm

did

eecv)

.

F er

. . . tilen

UU7

MIi

....u.lttle. I

t

wu

a l •

-,e

ea11'boilgte· a little • • • ^CUTGlt.k:Mlrl

ir

childna

la

Hew - - - -•

conaide.red

t • •ttlilb'

Q

(16)

, .

tel7 i t d

taa.e

T

coaaider tb&

been :n.eceUU7

to

--,le t.tal popalati o1 both 1'1-:, C tN

ff rent aocial

elaas

p-eap~, to y aori ,~M,EmD

urban-

rural sampl s,

as-e control IJ'OUPS, and to plc ttitud • in

111Dte gr-onps a pre- aad pori-iavel

t

aie. It wnld

alN

Te been eceasaey to aeeee the MI0\1Dt

of

inYolvC!IDCtnt for differ~nt groups al!d BDal,-e these in relation

to

the io

par ct rs involTCd. Thia would hove involved a aturly, ih•

ecope or u

ch

went beyond the

limit•

of

W•

uerciao. lt s decided

to

c

act

thia inTeat.i

tio.u

aa a liJ:dDary nne7

of

a more

limi-ted ple, to

determine and

coml)llN

the po.rental

attitudes of two matched groapa

of

parents

(fOl'

both husbands

a wives) of children attendina play

cutna

in t&.c I·aJ.mera

'erth area. fine group would cepriH parents of children who

bad NCcntly c need pl, 7 c trc (•Degilmers•), th other d dr.1wn fr pare-nts of c i ldren who :bad bee attc

na

pla7

c~lltre

for • ti (• .. ird

era")

. It wu Gl•o planned

te

asure th cclll'Ocy of nai~ts • perception of th rl C

mo·nt&ft1Jrt¹a atti •• in Nlati

to

th atti c 117 fanmed 7 e lay

•ta tom 1011 ... :

1 . t

en)

•f '111811-e11.1t.a

• t

re • paNllta1 at.U't.l.v:.._

(17)

a. now

well do ~ porceiye. the po.natal

a-ttit

Play Cctrtre, l .e. are there diffennces in the pcrcepi.i of

P ly

Centre ttitades by peNnta end the nttitudos of 'Ule Play Cc re moveomt it elf - aud in what ana ?

6.

.\. t

t

,liffercnces in Parental ottitudcs exist bctlreen 1irmen nnd Fini e.r■ ,

5.

!JOCS n.ssoeiati with the

Plny

Centre .

:lCJJt

1 d parente oe of Play C re's int of new?

6. .\re there s,ex differen:ca in the arons of rnrcn 1 attltudeaf

(18)

Footno;te-a , Cbapter 1.

2

·c

^.^G.^~^. JT i 11, G .L. S

rs.et

. nd A. GNy. Litia,g and

Leru,unc

With Child.rm (Wellington, Prie~· 1",ilbarn, 1965), p.U4.

(uapublishcd

.aster'•

Thesia,

Departanent of Ldueatiu.,

Victoria tluiveniiy,

19'9),

pp.311-312.

4•J

n

Smith.

•0ar

t:treet.ora

et Traud

,

What

Are ?;107

Tht nkiaa

Ahli\ ,, ,

Plpy £!ere Jogn,al

,

15 (1969)

p.3-\

5

_{i 11,} ~Somerset and Grey, ttp .ei

t .

The

New

i,ealand

l'lay Cell't.N Federa'tioD,

1962) .

8

i-1111, Somoraet. and Gre7, op . cit . pxii .

9·s

rset

^and

Grey, ibid

.

p

.

l

.

10 -n111,

Somerset and

Ore)",

.

cit. p

.l 8

1.