Mahmoud Mohamed Emam

Teachers’ perceptions of the concomitance of emotional behavioural difficulties and learning disabilities in children referred for learning disabilities in Oman

Research has documented overlapping and coexisting characteristics of learning disabilities (LD) and emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD). Such concomitance may impact teacher referrals of children at risk for LD which in turn may influence service delivery. Using the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory (LDDI) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), we examined teachers’ ratings of EBD and LD symptoms in 439 students referred for LD in elementary schools in Oman. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that there were no gender differences in LD symptoms, whereas there were significant gender differences in teachers’ ratings of hyperactivity and conduct problems in referred children. There was an association between teachers’ ratings on the LDDI and SDQ dimensions, reflecting children’s concurrent display of LD and EBD symptoms. Implications are discussed within an Omani context in which there is a need to increase teachers’ awareness of the behavioural and emotional profile of children at risk for LD.

Emotional and behavioural difficulties among middle school students in Oman: an examination of prevalence rate and gender differences

ABSTRACT Children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) began to receive considerable attention in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa region including Oman. In the Omani context, there is lack of valid assessment instruments which can be used to obtain information on EBDs in schools. The current study used the Arabic self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (A-SDQ) to examine EBDs in a sample of middle school students. 816 middle school students from both genders, who were randomly selected from different schools in two big cities in Oman, filled out the A-SDQ. Results provided initial evidence of good psychometric properties of the A-SDQ reflecting that it can be a valid tool for use in schools in Oman. Further, the participants reported moderate to high rates of EBDs as measured by the different subscales of the A-SDQ. Significant gender differences were found in students self-report of EBDs. Compared to boys, girls reported more emotional symptoms, less conduct and peer problems. Implications of the study findings for the identification of students with EBDs in schools in Oman are presented.

Religious coping, meaning‐making and stress: perspective of support staff of children with disabilities in residential disability centres in Oman

Staff providing support to children with disabilities in residential disability centres in Oman are exposed to stressful work environments which may put them at an increased risk of burnout. Previous research has examined predictors of stress in disability support staff, but there is little consensus as the findings are inconclusive. Using a cross-sectional design, a short survey examined religious coping styles, meaning and inner sense of peace, attitude to meaning in life, organisational religiousness practices and stress of 142 female disability support staff from community disability centres in Oman. Multiple regression analyses indicated that positive religious coping was more predictive of stress than negative religious coping. There was an association between meaning-making and stress in disability support staff. Religious organisation explained most of the variance in stress scores and was the best predictor of stress in disability support staff. Implications of the study are discussed in relation to the role of both culture and religion.

Spiritual Experiences, Personal Commitment: Relationship With Work Stress Among Support Staff for Children with Disabilities in Oman

Background: The development of a meaningful career for support staff working with children who have disabilities is part of a process of self-exploration and crystallization of identity. Such process is determined by several individual characteristics including spirituality and personal commitment. This study examined whether both constructs can predict levels of stress in disability support staff in Oman. Additionally this study examined how both constructs are perceived by support staff in relation to the stress related to serving and supporting children with disabilities in disability centers in Oman. Methods: A mixed method approach was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. For quantitative data, a cross-sectional design involved administration of a short survey that examined spiritual experiences (DSE), personal commitment (PC), and stress in 142 female support staff from community disability centers in Oman. For qualitative data, focus group were conducted to interview a cohort of support staff who took a two-year specialized course in special education at a Public University in Oman. Results: Multiple regression analyses indicated that DSE and PG were modest predictors of support staff stress. Qualitative analysis showed participants’ belief in the importance of spirituality in their lives and its impact on the capability to manage work stress related to serving children with disabilities. The study findings are discussed in the light of related literature focusing on work stress of support staff.

‘Much ado about something’ how school leaders affect attitudes towards inclusive education: the case of Oman

ABSTRACT The development of inclusive education (IE) is arguably the biggest challenge currently facing school systems in Oman. School leadership (SL) was argued to be a determinant of organisational effectiveness and an antecedent of organisational commitment (OC). The current study investigated how SL affects teachers’ attitudes towards inclusive education (TATIE). A total of 378 teachers from both genders responded to the Principal Leadership Style (PLS), Scale of Teachers’ Attitudes towards Inclusive Classrooms (STATIC), and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ). Using structural modeling, we tested a set of hypotheses drawn from a conceptualised model which we developed from previous research evidence. Results supported our conceptualised model. OC was found to mediate the relationship between PLS and TATIE. Further, different PLSs showed different indirect effects on TATIE through OC. Results are discussed in relation to the context of Oman.

Academic and social attributions as predictors of emotional and behavioural difficulties in students referred for learning disabilities and typically achieving students: the female profile in Oman

ABSTRACT Identification of children who exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBDs) has been prioritized in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region including Oman. Research showed that cognitive attribution processes are biased and defective in atypical populations such as students with learning disabilities (LD). The current study examined the relationship between school-based attributions including academic and social attributions and the display of EBDs in students referred for having LD and typically achieving students. The Student Academic Attribution Scale (SAAS), Student Social Attribution Scale (SSAS), and the Arabic version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (A-SDQ) were administered to 135 typically achieving students and 89 students referred for LD. The participants were all females from middle school. Stepwise regression analyses showed that academic and social attributions were more predictive of EBDs in students referred for LD compared to typically achieving students. The attribution profile of students with LD reflected negative symptoms that lead to the display of internalizing and externalizing EBDs. The study findings are discussed in relation to how schools can utilize the cognitive process of attribution to support students with EBDs.

Visual motor integration as a screener for responders and non-responders in preschool and early school years: implications for inclusive assessment in Oman

ABSTRACT Visual motor integration (VMI) is the ability of the eyes and hands to work together in smooth, efficient patterns. In Oman, there are few effective methods to assess VMI skills in children in inclusive settings. The current study investigated the performance of preschool and early school years responders and non-responders on a VMI test. The full range test of visual motor integration (FRTVMI) was administered to a sample of 359 children from preschool and elementary school settings in Oman. A two-way analysis of variance showed that there are statistically significant differences in VMI between preschool and early school non-responders. Gender did not show any effect on preschool childrens performance on the FRTVMI, whereas it had an effect on elementary school childrens performance. Results of the study are discussed in relation to the use of VMI assessment in screening for responders and non-responders in preschool and elementary school settings. Implications for psycho-educational assessment of children who struggle academically in inclusive settings are presented.

Identification of Children at Risk for Reading Disabilities in Elementary Schools in Oman: The Role of Phoneme Segmentation and Phoneme Blending in Learning Arabic

 Abstract—Reading skills have begun to be strongly considered by researchers and practitioners for the identification of students who have or at risk for reading disabilities (RDs). The current study investigated role of phoneme segmentation and phoneme blending in identifying children at risk for RDs. 240 students from the second and fourth grade and who were either referred for the learning disabilities unit or who were normally achieving responded to tests on phoneme segmentation (PS) and phoneme blending (PB). A three way MANOVA showed that female students attained higher scores on PS and PB than did female students; fourth grade students attained higher scores on PS but not on PB than did second grade students; and finally normally achieving students attained higher scores on PS and PB than did students referred for RDs. No interaction effects of the three variables were significant. Results are discussed in relation to the component model of reading.