AGGRESSIVE PLAYGROUND BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN WITH EMOTIONAL AND OR BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES/

This study takes the form of an action research project. The focus is on the aggressive playground behaviour demonstrated by a class of 10 7 -8 year old boys in a special school for children with emotional and/o r behavioural difficulties. An overview of the central issues is prese nted and potential strategies for behaviour improvement are identified . These strategies are evaluated and the most appropriate are identifi ed for implementation in an attempt to remedy the aggressive playgroun d behaviour. A non-participant observation procedure is adopted and in itial observations on the varying frequencies and levels of individual children's involvement in aggressive incidents are recorded. These fi ndings are then analysed in order to identify the main types of aggres sive actions and the children's individual roles within the incidents. The most appropriate strategies are then implemented, after which a s econd set of recordings of playground behaviour is taken. These show a marked decrease in the frequency of aggressive behaviours. Finally, t he main findings are evaluated and a summary of procedures and central issues is offered.