Review of Hoglund and Leadbeater Article About Family, School, and Classroom Ecology

Hoglund, W. L., & Leadbeater, B. J. (2004). The effects of family, school, and

classroom ecologies on changes in children's social competence and emotional and behavioral problems in first grade [Electronic Version]. Developmental Psychology, 40(4), 553- 544.

This study by Hogland and Leadbeter was conducted to examine how the classroom, family, and school settings affect children's social competence, behavior, and emotions. The researchers used questionnaires to interview 432 first grade students at 17 different schools. This data was collected during the 2000- 2001 school year. Hogland and Leadbeter found that family and school ecological factors do affect the behavior in the classroom. The study also found that in many cases a prosocial classroom did not stop aggressive behavior.

This article was very difficult to read. There were many graphs, charts, and numbers that were hard to understand. There were no clear explanations of the charts. The choice of vocabulary caused the reader to concentrate more on how the author was giving the information, rather than to allow the reader to comprehend what the research meant.

All participants involved in the study were first grade students. This reflected a purposeful sampling approach. These students did not seem to have a lot of diversity. Since the study was to look at how different environments effected behavior it would have been more appropriate to select participants from a variety of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social status. Stratified sampling would have given the researchers a broader view of what they were trying to study.

The first grade students were asked to complete a questionnaire. Given the age of these students, a different method may have been more appropriate. The questionnaires were read to the students and assistants circled the room to help any child that did not understand a question. This could have created flaws in the testing process. If a child needed guidance, the assistant may have unknowingly led the child to answer differently than he would have answered if he were able to do so on his own. Teachers were asked to complete several questionnaires about the classroom environment as well. A teacher could have a biased view of his or her own classroom.

The discussion section of the article was very confusing as well. Some of the findings were consistent with the hypothesis, while others were not consistent. There were many suggestions in the discussion section as well. Some of these suggestions did not seem to relate to any of the research findings. This section was full of possible answers and explanations instead of any information that was really clear.

The overall need for the study was important, and the information could have been useful in a classroom. There were many factors that could have improved this study. One idea would be to perform the same research in different areas of the country. Also, different results would be found in areas with drastic differences in social and economic status. Perhaps the research would have been more beneficial if the results were written in a way that was clear and easy to understand. While the research may be important, it will make no difference if the reader isn't able to understand it.