Efficacy of a Virtual Reality Biofeedback Game (DEEP) to Reduce Anxiety and Disruptive Classroom Behavior: Single-Case Study

Background Many adolescents in special education are affected by anxiety in addition to their behavioral problems. Anxiety leads to substantial long-term problems and may underlie disruptive behaviors in the classroom as a result of the individual’s inability to tolerate anxiety-provoking situations. Thus, interventions in special needs schools that help adolescents cope with anxiety and, in turn, diminish disruptive classroom behaviors are needed. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a virtual reality biofeedback game, DEEP, on daily levels of state-anxiety and disruptive classroom behavior in a clinical sample. In addition, the study also aimed to examine the duration of the calm or relaxed state after playing DEEP. Methods A total of 8 adolescents attending a special secondary school for students with behavioral and psychiatric problems participated in a single-case experimental ABAB study. Over a 4-week period, participants completed 6 DEEP sessions. In addition, momentary assessments (ie, 3 times a day) of self-reported state-anxiety and teacher-reported classroom behavior were collected throughout all A and B phases. Results From analyzing the individual profiles, it was found that 6 participants showed reductions in anxiety, and 5 participants showed reductions in disruptive classroom behaviors after the introduction of DEEP. On a group level, results showed a small but significant reduction of anxiety (d=–0.29) and a small, nonsignificant reduction of disruptive classroom behavior (d=−0.16) on days when participants played DEEP. Moreover, it was found that the calm or relaxed state of participants after playing DEEP lasted for about 2 hours on average. Conclusions This study demonstrates the potential of the game, DEEP, as an intervention for anxiety and disruptive classroom behavior in a special school setting. Future research is needed to fully optimize and personalize DEEP as an intervention for the heterogeneous special school population.

Influencia de las competencias del profesorado de secundaria en los comportamientos disruptivos en el aula | Influence of the competences of secondary teachers on disruptive behavior in the classroom

Introducción: Los comportamientos disruptivos en las aulas ocasionan gran cantidad de problemas en el transcurso de las clases, entre los estudiantes e incluso en el estado de ánimo de los docentes. El profesor es el principal factor en evitar este tipo de conductas si desarrolla buenas competencias. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar cómo las competencias del docente pueden predecir los comportamientos disruptivos en el aula de Educación Física. Método: Participaron en el estudio 680 estudiantes de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria de las provincias de la Región de Murcia y Alicante (España) (339 chicos, 341chicas; Medad= 14.83, DT=1.45). La distribución por curso de ESO fue de 152 en 1º ESO (22,35%), 160 en 2º ESO (23,53%), 182 en 3º ESO (26,76%) y 186 estudiantes en 4º ESO (27,35%). Se utilizó un cuestionario compuesto por las siguientes escalas: Evaluation of Teaching Competencies Scales (ETCS), y Physical Education Classroom Instrument (PECI). Los análisis estadísticos que se realizaron fueron descriptivos, correlación de Pearson y regresión lineal simple, con el SPSS v.22. Resultados: Se halló una relación positiva con el comportamiento de agresividad y negativa, con conductas de bajo autocontrol, desobediencia a las normas, irresponsabilidad y alteración del ambiente de clase. Conclusiones: El docente de EF tiene una labor importante en el comportamiento de los estudiantes en el aula como se puede observar en los resultados obtenidos de este trabajo. Por el contrario, una incompetencia del docente de EF predice conductas inadecuadas en los adolescentes.AbstractIntroduction: Disruptive classroom behaviors cause a lot of problems in the course of classes, among students and even in the mood of teachers. The teacher is the main factor avoiding this type of behavior if he develops good skills. The objective of this study was to analyze how teacher competencies can predict disruptive behaviors in the Physical Education classroom. Method: 680 students of mid highschool took part on this study from the provinces of the Region of Murcia and Alicante (Spain) participated (339 boys, 341 girls, Medad = 14.83, DT = 1.45). The distribution by course of ESO was 152 in 1 º ESO (22.35%), 160 in 2 º ESO (23.53%), 182 in 3 º ESO (26.76%) and 186 students in 4 º ESO (27.35) %). A questionnaire composed of the following scales was used: Evaluation of Teaching Competencies Scales (ETCS), and Physical Education Classroom Instrument (PECI). The statistical analyzes that were carried out were descriptive, Pearson correlation and simple linear regression, with the SPSS v.22. Results: A positive relationship was found with the behavior of aggressiveness and negative, with behaviors of low self-control, disobedience to the norms, irresponsibility and alteration of the classroom environment. Conclusions: The Physical Education teacher has an important role in the behavior of students in the classroom as can be seen in the results obtained from this work. On the contrary, an incompetence of the Physical Education teacher predicts inappropriate behaviors in teenagers.

Investigating the Association Between Home-School Dissonance and Disruptive Classroom Behaviors for Urban Middle School Students

Disruptive classroom behaviors are a major schooling dilemma in urban schools. While several contextual and motivational factors have been statistically associated with disruptive classroom behaviors, one overlooked factor has been home-school dissonance. The current study examined the relationship between 260 middle school students’ reports of perceived home-school dissonance, several motivational antecedents of academic performance, and disruptive classroom behaviors. Six hundred sixty middle school students completed six subscales of the Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales (PALS), including the Home-School Dissonance subscale, Mastery Goal, Performance Approach, and Performance Avoidance Goal Orientations, and the Disruptive Classroom Behavior subscales. Home-school dissonance scores were significantly associated with lower mastery goal orientation and lower academic efficacy scores. Home-school dissonance scores were also significantly associated with higher disruptive classroom behavior scores and higher performance approach and performance avoidance goal orientation scores. In addition, structural equation modeling with multiple mediators showed that mastery goal orientation and performance approach goal orientation mediated the relationship between home-school dissonance and disruptive classroom behavior.

The Effectiveness of Strategies Used by Teachers to Manage Disruptive Classroom Behaviors: A Case Study at a Religious School in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia

Studies have indicated that there is a positive correlation between disruptive behaviors and low academic achievement which resulted in other problems such as absenteeism, school drop-out and delinquent behaviors. Lack of knowledge and skills and failure in managing classroom disruptive behaviors have caused frustration, stress and burnout among teachers which pushed teachers to leave the profession especially novice teachers. The pervasiveness of classroom disruptive behaviors implied that strategies employed by teachers to manage disruptive behaviors are not effective. This requires immediate attention and action to find effective solutions. Therefore, this exploratory study attempts to discover the common classroom disruptive behaviors; to identify strategies used by teachers in managing misbehaviors; and to find out to what extent the strategies used by teachers were actually effective in managing classroom disruptive behaviors. This is especially critical in religious schools since the majority of teachers teaching in religious schools in the state of Selangor had no formal training in education; and they were not trained in classroom management, thus have no exposure on handling student classroom disruptive behaviors. Participants of this study were 14 teachers from a religious school in the district of Rawang, Selangor. Data collected using self-constructed instrument and semi-structured interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis. Findings of this study revealed that majority of classroom disruptive behaviors were low-level disruptions; nonetheless they were burdensome to teachers which led to teacher frustration. Majority of teachers used ineffective punitive measures to handle student misbehaviors. Implications from the study were discussed.