Journal of Educational Sciences > Volume 2, No. 1, 1990

Identification of Elementary Students' Problems by the Application of School Problem Screening Inventory / A.A. Al-Damatty, M. Mahrous, M. Al-Shinnawi

This study addresses the problems present in identifying students who confront difficulties especially at the elementary level. It also deals with the need to develop a simple tool by which school counsellors and teachers can identify such students.
      In order to prepare such a tool the researchers have utilized Thomas Gnagey’s “School Problem Screening Inventory". The Arabic version was administered to a sample of 114 pupils , grades 1-3,  in one of the elementary schools in Riyadh.
       This instrument was found to be applicable in identifying problem students by its validity, reliability, and ease of use. Two points. however. must be kept in mind in using this tool:
        1. The sample was small and drawn from only one Riyadh district school. Hence, the results are regarded as initial indications of the utility of the tool and can not be generalized to other  grades, schools or districts.
         2. This tool is intended to be used exclusively in screening students suspected of having educational problems. It can not, therefore, be used either in the assessment or the diagnosis of these students. After identification, the students must be referred to the appropriate specialists for in-depth diagnosis, and deci- sions concerning their problems must be made. and a method to deal with them should be devised.