| Abstract [eng] |
There are a lot of researches, which confirm a link between goal orientations and academic achievements, learning motivation, behavioral and emotional problems and school environment. Still, there is not a lot of information on the link between goal orientations and intellectual abilities of adolescents as well as with their self-esteem. Also, there is not enough information about the factors that may influence goal orientations. One of the aims of this research was to estimate the intellectual abilities, academic achievements, behavioral and emotional problems, self-esteem and school environment of the adolescents, living in foster home. Also, to clear up, what are the main factors, that may influence the goal orientations of adolescents, living in foster home. Adolescents, living in foster home (n = 34) took part in this research. The goal orientations were assessed by means of questionnaire, in which there were mastery goal orientation scale (α = 0, 62) and task performance goal orientation scale (α = 0, 67). Adolescents were also evaluated by their educators, foster home’s social workers (either psychologists or housefathers), using the Inventory of children behavioral problem’s. Intellectual abilities were assessed by performing WISC-III intellect test. Also, the adolescents completed the questionnaire of self-esteem (α = 0,89) and the questionnaire of school environment (α = 0,74). The results showed, that the intellectual abilities of adolescents, who took part in this research, are quite low (indexes of IQ results are below 100, that is, below the mean) and their academic achievements are as well poor. These adolescents also experience many different behavioral and emotional problems, they are not confident about themselves and have average self-esteem. Mostly of them rate their school environment as not motivating to seek high academic evaluations. The hypotheses about the link between goal orientations and intellectual abilities, academic achievement, behavioral and emotional problems, self-esteem and school environment were not confirmed. Such results could be influenced by quite homogeneous results of the factors, mentioned above, and by the insufficient variety of the research data. On purpose to evaluate those links more accurately, the sufficient distribution of the research data should be secured. The adolescents, living in foster home, could be compared with children, living in their biological families, and also with children with higher intellectual abilities and better academic achievements. However, research revealed a lot of important facts, concerning the intellectual abilities, academic achievement, behavioral and emotional problems, self-esteem and school environment of the adolescents, living in foster home. These psychological peculiarities of adolescents, living in foster home, may have an important influence on their motivation, academic achievement and successful adaptation to the society. |
