Kuwaiti Teachers’ Classroom Behavior Management Practices, Experiences, and Beliefs

Abstract

Recent statistics suggest that student externalizing behaviors are increasing in Western and Asian countries; however, there is a paucity of research on teachers’ perspectives of these behaviors in Middle Eastern countries. A mixed-methods research design was used to investigate Kuwaiti public elementary and middle school teachers’ perceptions of their classroom behavior management (CBM) experiences, including their (a) academic preparation; (b) use of CBM practices to support students with externalizing behaviors; (c) observations of student externalizing behaviors; and (d) perceptions on administrative support and family involvement. Participants included 2,140 general and special education teachers randomly recruited from 45 schools. Results indicated that fewer than half of the teachers surveyed had prior instruction in CBM, reported using a wide variety of CBM practices in response to student behavior problems, and perceived higher levels of administrative support than family involvement. Implications of the study’s findings and suggestions for further research were discussed