RESULTS OF EXAMINATION OF 91 GIRLS AT A STATE INSTITUTION By Margaret C. Brooke, M.A. Child Study Department, Rochester, New York In 1925, a request came to the Univ. of Penn. Psychological Clinic for someone to do psychometric work at a state school for delinquent girls. Work was so arranged that it was possible for a member of this clinic staff to be available for this work at certain times weekly. As a result, ninety-one girls were tested, from nine years, five months, to eighteen years, eleven The comparison of the ninety-one scores with the seven hundred seventy-eight girls tested by this Clinic at the "fifteenyear level" is very interesting and significant.

ranging months.

Environmental Factors

girls in this group are placed in the institution by civil authorities- throughout the state, and their placement generally means a two-year program there. They are neither kept nor accepted after twenty-one years of age. The cottage plan is used and the atmosphere of the entire plant savors less of institutional life than is generally the case. Undoubtedly the "wheels go round," but one never sees them. To the casual observer, these girls apparently have unlimited freedom, but actually, their whole proThe

gram revolves itself around an elaborate system of merits and demerits. With the possible exception of the cottage where the newest arrivals live, the examiner was always impressed by the absence of almost everything which savored of group disciplinary life usually apparent in institutions. Individualism was allowed even in dress, with no semblance of regulation uniform. At the time this group was tested, school was not in session; consequently the grade proficiency was listed as given by the girl prior to her placement. Most of the girls had never been in school In almost

at the institution.

correlate with the

no

instance did the intellectual level retardation ranging from two

grade given?the

to five or six years.

make-up of this colony was especially wholesome singing seemed spontaneous, with a normal ten-

The emotional and

?laughter dency to chastise

and "kid."

EXAMINATION AT STATE INSTITUTION

23

CULTURAL STATUS

The cultural status was not so easily recognized, due perto the heterogeneous mixture of human beings. The cottage life was a great stimulus. Furniture and decorations were in excellent taste?entirely in keeping with the surroundings. Every-

haps

thing was immaculate, and every girl, to all appearances, was keenly interested in keeping it so. The living rooms were livable, and looked as though they were really used. Each cottage had some individual and differentiating feature?doubtless due to the tastes of the matrons and her assistants. Jazz music and varying records both jazz were seen and heard; the latest in "bobs" was to be seen on all sides, and the afternoon and morning dresses were dainty, and of the prevailing mode. Every girl seemed to enjoy her meals, and typical of her sex, those at the small tables in each dining room, all talked at once without being boisterous. Doubtless those in authority would be prone to smile at these impressions of a rank outsider, but I repeat, doubtless wheels did go 'round, but seldom where the public figured, or when visitors were on the scene. Personally, the examiner was converted at the time of her first contact?and is now a loyal and sympathetic admirer of the institution

as a

whole.

girls suffered from a mal-adjusted home environment, otherwise they would never have reached the Court because of truancy, immorality, et cetera, but in the majority of cases they were "more sinned against than sinning." Naturally,

In each

a)

&)

these

examination,

some

attempt

was

made to get:

Mental status from a battery of tests used at the fifteenyear level. School proficiency with fundamentals.

Little attempt was made and little recorded concerning the social status, since that information was self-evident from the office records, and the mere fact that the girl was in the institution. The battery of tests to determine mental status and school those used originally in making standards and fifteen-year level (Learning). This included first trials on the performance tests, known as the Witmer and second Cylinders and Dearborn Formboard 1C. The former has been standardized and found to be a test at about the six-year level. Statistical data has not been compiled on the Dearborn Formboard

proficiency norms

were

at the

24

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

undoubtedly a more difficult performance test than Cylinders. Memory span for digits, both auditory and visual, and the reThe latter was not included in Dr. Learnverse span were given. ing's original study. The Stanford Revision of the Binet-Simon Scale was given, and an arithmetic test including eight problems involving the four fundamental processes, using digits only. The Binet Test, the simple arithmetic problems and possibly the memory span were given as an index to intellectual status, since they dealt with knowledge and the ability to organize knowledge through language. According to Dr. Witmer, intellectual ability is that which makes it possible to acquire, retain, organize and use knowledge." On the Binet Test, these girls failed more consistently on the tests involving understanding and use of language than on those in which understanding only was involved. Consequently, the vocabulary and questions involving likenesses and differences were more often a source of failure than those in which intelligence was involved to a greater degree than intellect?for example, the problems of fact, and the morals from fables. At the eight-year level of the Binet Scale?the problems of similarities, involving a series of four questions, the first being, "How are wood and coal alike?"?95.6% pass this test, and 4.4% fail. At the twelve-year level?problems of similarities, the first of which is, "How are a snake, a cow and a sparrow alike?"? 46.1% pass and 53.9% fail. At the fourteen-year level?questions involving differences between President and King, including Tenure, Accession and Power?8.2% pass, and 91.8% fail. At the fourteen-year level?problems of fact, involving three questions, the first of which is, "A man who was walking in the woods near a city stopped suddenly, very much frightened, At the sixteen-year level? etc. "?51.6% pass, and 48.3% fail. tests asking for an interpretation of Fables?23.1% pass, and 76.9% fail. An index to intellectual status is available in Test No. 4, eight-year level, if something more than a simple likeness is given, but most of the children pass this test by giving obvious comparisons which, of course, must be credited, but which are not 1C,

but it is

the Witmer

''

....

an

index to their intellectual level. This test involves discerncomplexity or intellect.

ment more than

EXAMINATION AT STATE INSTITUTION

25

twelve-year level ("In what way are alike?") is a more complex one if for no other reason than that a third word is introduced, necessitating a higher intellectual level for purposes of classification with increased ability to discern, not necessary in the similar test at the eight-year level. Test No. 3 at the fourteen-year level, concerning the differences between president and king is a test where intellect, or academic training, is essential, for no child without school training could answer this satisfactorily. It is then very significant, but not that such a surprising large percentage of this group should fail Test No. and

8,

at the

with this test. In direct contrast are the problems of fact at the same age level. Here we find intelligence?which, according to Dr. Witmer, is "the ability to solve what for the individual is a new problem

?the necessary equipment for satisfactory completions, together with an ideational background producing appropriate associations. These prerequisites?primarily intelligence?were not lacking, as shown by the percentage of satisfactory completions, as were the

prerequisites?mainly intellectual?in tests at the fourteen-year level.

the tests of differences, both

The percentage of failures with the Fables is particularly sigdelinquents are concerned. Terman says this is a generalization test valuable when examining delinquents, since it

nificant where

gives an insight into the status of social consciousness and the ability to interpret motives underlying acts and attitudes. Probably a lack of this insight is sufficient explanation for the failure of transgressors to meet human problems and situations without outside help or interference. In other words, the fables involve the practical application of an abstract situation, and from generalizations, the ability to appropriate broader interpretations applicable in everyday life. VOCABULARY ANALYSIS

(91 Cases) Word

Number

%

passing

Failing 6.6% 9.9% 8.8% 11.0% 3.3%

1. gown 2. tap

85

3. scorch

83

4.

81

5.

puddle envelope

82

88

Word

Number

% passing Failing

rul0

8?

7. health

71

5.5% 22.0%

8.

74

18.7%

eye-lash

9. copper 10. curse

42

53.9%

79

13.2%

26 11.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC 25.

13. southern

62

14. lecture

51

15.

62

9.9% 30.8% 31.9% 44.0% 31.9%

16. skill

23

74.8%

30.

17. ramble

17

31. tolerate

7

18. civil

27

32. artless

8

pork

82

12. outward

63

dungeon

19. insure

45

20. nerve

51

81.4% 80.4% 50.6% 44.0%

21. juggler

18

22.

hysterics

32

26. Mars

23

27. mosaic 28. bewail 29.

33.

14

priceless disproportionate

14 .

11

depredation

34. lotus

3

80.3%

35. frustrate

1

22

75.9%

36.

23. stave

10

89.1%

37. flaunt

1

24. brunette

30

67.1%

38. ochre

1

regard

harpy

64.9% 74.8% 100.0% 84.7% 84.7% 88.0% 92.4% 91.3% 100.0% 96.8% 98.91% 100.0% 98.91% 98.91%

girl made a vocabulary score of seventy-five, which superior adult level. No one word in the list of required words was scored perfectly by the entire group. "Envelope" receives the highest score for the group?88 passed; "rule" was second, with 86 passing; "gown," third, with 85. Not one passed "mosaic," "harpy" or "depredation" or any Not

one

at

is

''

word in the first line after ochre.'' At the higher age levels, there are very few questions where of language is not involved, consequently the Intelligence use the Quotients suffered. In many cases the girls had the ability to but lacked the vocabulary adequate to enable the tests according to the standards laid down by them to pass Terman. answer

questions,

INSTITUTIONAL GROUP

FIFTEEN-YEAR LEVEL

91 Females

778 Females

Chronological Age

Chronological Age Maximum

19-2

Maximum

Minimum

12-0

Minimum

18-11 9-5

(3 Mode

14-4 to 15-8

60%

Memory Span?Auditory

Mode 60%

10

Maximum

Minimum

4

Minimum

Memory Span?Visual

9 5 5-7

Memory Span?Visual

Maximum

10

Maximum

Minimum

5

Minimum

60% Mode

7-9

Span given

14-3 to 16-11

60% Mode

6-8

Mode

No Reverse

yrs.)

Memory Span?Auditory

Maximum

60%

below 12

at

fifteen-year

60% Mode level.

No correlation available.

9 0 6-8

EXAMINATION AT STATE INSTITUTION Intelligence Quotient

Intelligence Quotient Maximum Minimum 60% Mode

54

81-110

Cylinders?First Trial

40.6

63.5-84.9

Cylinders?First

Maximum Minimum

22"

60% Mode

Trial F

Maximum Minimum 60% Mode

F

52-96"

40" 58-112"

Cylinders?Second

Trial

Maximum Minimum

60% Mode

Trial ^

Maximum Minimum 60% Mode

F 18" 41-66"

26" 41-72"

Dearborn 1C?First Trial

Dearborn 1C?First Trial Mnyirmim

Minimum 60% Mode

100

Maximum Minimum 60% Mode

144

Cylinders?Second

27

F

Maximum

36"

Minimum

132-549"

60% Mode

104-375"

Dearborn 1C?Second Trial

Dearborn 1C?Second Trial F

Maximum Minimum

21"

55-185"

60% Mode

^

^

Maximum Minimum 60% Mode

30"

72-272"

CONCLUSIONS

The results show marked pedagogical retardation, but a normal display of intelligence. Since no test has been devised that determines intelligence alone, the conclusion that these girls disI.

play more intelligence than intellect is reached only through analysis and interpretation of their reactions to submitted test material. The examiner attempted to accomplish this by noting kinds of errors and how they were corrected, which necessitated an insight into the many contributing factors. From careful observation of children, it is the consensus of opinion that intelligence is an aggregate of congenital both general and specific. Intelligence is thought to be above average when it works at a high intellectual level. As this group does not function at such a level, they may be diagnosed as having normal intelligence. Intellectual levels are determined by

not

acquired through education, but is

abilities,

school proficiency, which is relative superiority in competition. Their school competency can be estimated only through school proficiency. These proficiencies were especially apparent in their deficient vocabulary and lack of arithmetical foundations. is

largely agogical retardation?in fact, any II.

If

delinquency

referable to number of

truancy and pedthings which might

28

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

result from poor home environment?the comparisons and findings in this study are especially interesting and valuable. III. Many of those in this group are adolescent girls who are chronologically able to profit by additional instruction and will

doubtless raise their intellectual level as the result of the school programs to which they are now subjected. For this reason, a

subsequent psychological examination would be interesting and should be significant, before they leave the institution, not only from a psychological point of view, but as an index of the value of the program carried out in the institution. IV. Personality ratings giving some index of emotional traits with social and psycho-physical characteristics, would make an interesting correlation and enhance the value of the psychological findings. An insight into the individual qualities from this angle

would also be invaluable to the personnel of the institution. Findings could be recorded weekly by the persons exercising the most constant supervision and consistent authority over each girl.

Results of Examination of 91 Girls at a State Institution.

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