Teacher ratings of the achievement-related classroom behaviors of maltreated and non-maltreated children

This study investigated in what ways, if any, maltreated children differ from nonmaltreated children in regard to achievement-related classroom behaviors. Elementary school teachers completed the Hahnemann Elementary School Behavior Rating Scale on 33 maltreated children, 33 non-maltreated public assistance children, and 33 non-maltreated lower middle class children. The maltreated children were matched to the comparison children on gender and grade level. Results indicated that the maltreated children exhibited significantly less classroom behavior that is positively linked with academic achievement than did a comparable group of non-maltreated, public assistance children. However, the maltreated children did not differ significantly as a group from the public assistance children in most behaviors that are negatively linked with academic achievement, such as disruptive social involvement in the classroom. When compared with the lower middle class children, the maltreated children were rated as engaging in significantly less classroom behavior that is positively related to academic achievement and significantly more classroom behavior that is negatively related to academic achievement.