Special Treatment, 2015. Vol. 1. (3.) - full text

The present study focuses on the examination of sound localization abilities of sighted and visually impaired persons. Sample: n = 59 (50 sighted and 9 visually impaired) persons, and 30 sighted persons. Method: we used Leybold 58707 piezo sound source in an anechoic room, and in the case of simulation of a virtual sound field, we used the Alice software in order to examine sound localization. Result: there is no significant difference between sound localization achievements of sighted and visually impaired persons in the free sound field. The localization uncertainty is higher when we apply a virtual reality simulator.

The central question of this longitudinal research (2006-2010) is whether differentiated education has positive effects on the self-esteem of upper-grade elementary school students. Sample: n = 354 persons (177 students in the examination group, 177 students in the control group), age: 10-14 years. Method: Coopersmith's Self-esteem inventory was applied before, after, and three times during the development (a total of 5 occasions of measurement). Result: the controlled and planned differentiated development has a significant impact on positive self-esteem and school achievement.

This paper is about the effect of sport participation on self-esteem, anxiety, psychological immune system, and achievement motivation among early adolescents. Sample: 47 athletes (handballers) and 46 non-athletes boys took part in this research (age: 11-13 years). Methods: Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1984), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI, Spielberg, 1973), Achievement Motivation Scale (Tóth, 2005) and Psychological Immune System Inventory Junior (PIK-J, Oláh, 2005). Results: sport increases self-esteem and coping, decreases anxiety and achievement motivation. Furthermore, these factors are not independent so positive changes in one field cause positive changes in others as well.

Students with special educational needs (SEN) are participants of the Hungarian educational system. The goal of this study is to compare the body type indexes and motoric abilities of SEN students and mainstream students. Sample: n = 160 persons (80 SEN students and 80 mainstream students) from 1-8 grades of elementary school. Method: the survey of body type indexes and motoric abilities physical skills was based on the Hungarian NETFIT system (NETFIT is a Hungarian acronym of the National Unitary Student Fitness Test). Results: much more emphasis should be given to physical education lessons of SEN students because their physique indicators and motoric performances are significantly worse than mainstream pupils’.

This paper offers methodological guidance to the mathematical-statistical analysis of criterium-oriented effectiveness studies (in case of examining one sample, when we compare the observed values to a criterium value of a development plan) of development programs for children who need special treatment. We provide practical help to choose the adequate mathematical-statistical test for examining differences in the case of one sample (see: Abari et all, 2015), to create commands for R statistical software, as well as to the interpretation of R results.

The reviewed book is:

Mező Katalin (Szerk.) (2015): Játékkal a különleges bánásmódot igénylő gyermekekért. Bíbor Kiadó, Miskolc. 122 oldal, ISBN: 978-615-5536-00-7

Date: 2016. May 25-26.
Place: Debreceni Egyetem Gyermeknevelési és Felnőttképzési Kar (Hajdúböszörmény, Désány István u. 1-9.)