Procedia

Social and
Behavioral
Sciences

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2012) 000000

www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

WCES 2014

INCREASING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

IN ROMA PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
Raluca Comnescu a1, Iulia Ciorbea b
a

Department of Psychology and Social Work, Ovidius University of Constanta, B-dul Mamaia nr.124 ,Constanta 900527, Romania
Department of Psyhciology, University of Bucharest, Sos. Panduri nr.90, Bucharest 050657, Romania

Abstract
The educational opportunities of minorities are a main research theme. The Roma minority has developed low expectations in
terms of educational and social achievement which explains the poor adaptation to academic life and the consecutive poor
academic results. Recent research showed that there are also non-cognitive factors, besides the general intelligence, responsible
for high academic performance. Numerous studies sustain the significant impact of the emotional intelligence on academic, social
and professional adaptation (e.g. Marquez, Martin & Brackett, 2006; Mestre, Guil, Salovey & Gil-Olarte, 2006). The emotional
intelligence is considered crucial for the academic and later social success in pre-school childhood (Denham, 2006).
2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords: emotional intelligence, academic performance, Roma minority, educational development.

1. Introduction
S-a demonstrat de nenumarate ori c succesul n via depinde 80% de inteligena emoional i doar 20% de intelect. n
timp ce intelectul ne ajut s rezolvm probleme, s facem calcule sau s procesm informaii, inteligena emoional (EQ) ne
permite s fim mai creativi i s ne folosim emoiile pentru a ne rezolva problemele. Inteligena emoional este abilitatea de a
percepe i exprima, de a asimila emoii n gndire, de a nelege prisma emoiilor i de a regla emoiile proprii i ale altora
(Salovey, 1990, p. 185-186).
Accentul asupra investigrii inteligenei emoionale n precolaritate se datoreaz posibilitii de a surprinde dinamica
dezvoltrii competenelor emoionale prin maturare cerebral i practici de socializare, posibilitii de a relaiona competenele
emoionale cu cele cognitive i sociale, relaia cu inteligena emoional a prinilor i de a investiga gradul de educabilitate al
acestor competene printr-un program de dezvoltare a competenelor socio-emoionale dezvoltat n mediul educaional.
Cele trei componente ale competenei emoionale: reglarea, exprimarea i nelegerea emoional, sunt cruciale pentru
succesul copilului att n perioada precolar ct i n sarcinile sociale mai trziu (Denham, 2006) iar inteligena emoional
intervine ca i competen general ntre aceste abiliti.
ntr-un efort de a investiga empiric inteligena emo ional i reu ita colar la pre colarii de etnie rrom, scopul studiului
nostru este de a evidenia necesitatea elaborrii i aplicrii unui program de dezvoltare a inteligenei emoionale, a consilierii
precolarilor de etnie rroma pentru cunoaterea propriilor emoii, gestionarea i direcionarea adecvat a acestora, a dezvoltrii
empatiei i relaiilor personale, rezultatele putnd genera noi alternative n cunoa tere i educaie.
Literatura internaional ofer un spaiu generos chestiunii anselor educaionale ale elevilor aparinnd minoritilor, cu o
atenie special acordat minoritilor rasiale i populaiilor imigrante. n ambele cazuri, studiile au pornit de la necesitatea
investigrii deficitelor educaionale ale unor minoriti, precum afro-americanii din SUA, sau ale diferitelor categorii de imigrani
din rile occidentale (Byfield, 2008).
1

Raluca Comnescu. Tel.: +40722554277

E-mail address: rally.comanescu@yahoo.com

Comnescu Raluca, Ciorbea Iulia / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2012) 000000

Diversele studii consacrate performanei colare ale elevilor apar innd minoritarit ilor etnice au artat c, n proporii
variate, diferenele de rezultate colare dintre elevii aparinnd minoritilor i cei ai populaiei autohtone pot fi atribuite nti i
nti deosebirilor de nzestrare economic. Statusul socio-economic inferior al multor astfel de categorii explic, n mare msur,
dificultile de acomodare colar ale copiilor afro-americani din SUA sau ale descendenilor imigranilor mexicani din SUA sau,
n general, ale copiilor familiilor de imigrani din Europa (Levels, Dronkers i Kraaykamp, 2008). Nu exist, n acest moment,
argumente suficiente pentru a susine teza unor diferene semnificative din punct de vedere etnic a poziionrii n spaiul social
ntre maghiari i romni stratificarea social este similar. Eventualitatea unor distribuii neomogene din acest punct de vedere
la nivel etnic oblig analiza la controlul variaiei rezultatelor colare n funcie de indicatori ai statusului socio-economic.
O alt direcie de investigare a disimilaritilor de realizri educaionale ale populaiilor majoritare i a celor minoritare
pornete de la o seam de factori socioculturali. O parte este inspirat din teoriile lui Sewell cu privire la importana atitudinilor
n determinarea realizrilor colare i sociale (Sewell i Hauser, 1975). Astfel, o aplicaie a acestei direcii de argumentaie o
gsim n celebra teorie a culturilor de opoziie a lui Ogbu (Ogbu i Simons, 1998), elaborat pentru a explica eecul colar
sistematic al elevilor din minoritatea afro-american a SUA.
Pe scurt, teoria lui Ogbu pornete de la distincia ntre mai multe categorii de minoriti n funcie de statusul lor fa de
populaia majoritar. Afro-americanii din SUA, la fel ca i rromii din Romnia, constituie minoriti involuntare, ajunse n
aceast situaie prin for, i care au o istorie ndelungat de oprimare, discriminare, de situare pe poziii sociale subordonate.
Minoritile din aceast categorie dezvolt ateptri reduse pe ceea ce privete realizrile colare i cele sociale, ceea ce explic
adaptarea redus la condiiile vieii colare i rezultatele consecutive proaste (Luciak, 2004). In plus, studiile comparative
internaionale susin, n general, faptul c folosirea n plan domestic a unei alte limbi dect a celei de nvare duce la scderea
rezultatelor colare (Levels et al., 2008).

2. Aim of the study

Our pilot study aimed to identify the relationship between the emotional intelligence and academic performance and to develop
and investigate the effectiveness of a Emotional Intelligence Development Program on pre-school Roma children.

3. Method
We used the Emotional intelligence scale for children (Roco, 2004). Four teachers used a four scale criteria (low, average, high
and superior) in order to evaluate the children`s academic performance. N=40 Roma children from preparatory class aged
between 6-8 years. We formed two equivalent groups 20 children participated to our four-month Emotional Intelligence
Development Program and 20 children formed the control group. Participants were evaluated on both variables at the beginning
and at the end of the Program.

4. Results
In cercetarea noastra, programul de intervenie pentru dezvoltarea inteligen ei emo ionale la copiii rromi a avut ca scop
dezvoltarea competenelor socio-emoionale n mediul educaional, cu rol n prevenia primar a problemelor emoionale n
precolaritate, dar i a prevenirii abandonului colar. Acest program a fost structurat pe 10 edin e de grup, cu durata de 120 de
minute fiecare, derulate sptmnal. Forma de organizare a interven iei terapeutice s-a bazat pe grupul nchis, alctuit din 20 de
copii de etnie rrom, care de fapt a fost mprit n dou grupuri de cte 10 pre colari pentru ca activit ile s se desf oare ntr-un
cadru mai adecvat i fiecare copil s aib posibilitatea s lucreze eficient pentru dezvoltarea inteligen ei lor emo ionale i
creterea performanelor colare. Pentru implementarea programului s-a utilizat o curricul elaborat de noi i s-a realizat un plan
cu activiti concrete pe care nvtoarele le-au desfurat n cadrul celor dou grupuri nchise pentru stimularea competenelor
socio-emoionale i dezvoltarea inteligenei emoionale.
n derularea prezentei cercetri s-au urmarit ca obiective specifice:
1. Evaluarea nivelului de inteligen emoional i de inteligen cognitiv la copiii de etnie rrom;
2. Identificarea unei corelaii semnificative statistic ntre inteligen a emo ional i inteligen a cognitiv la copiii de etnie
rrom.
3. Elaborarea unui program de intervenie pentru cre terea i ameliorarea semnificativ a inteligen ei emo ionale i a
performanei colare.
4. Implementarea unui program de dezvoltare a competenelor socio-emoionale n mediul educaional, cu rol n
prevenia primar a problemelor emoionale n precolaritate.
5. Validarea programului de intervenie n vederea dezvoltrii inteligen ei emo ionale prin identificarea unor diferen e n
ceea ce privete inteligena emoional i performan a colar nainte i dup parcurgerea programului.
Firstly we found that academic performance positively correlates with emotional intelligence ( = 0,462, p < 0.01).
Correlations
Inteligenta emotionala
Performanta

Comnescu Raluca, Ciorbea Iulia / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2012) 000000

Inteligenta emotionala

Correlation Coefficient
Sig. (2-tailed)
N

Spearman's
rho

1,000
.

,462**
,003

40

40

Correlation Coefficient
,462**
1,000
Performanta
Sig. (2-tailed)
,003
.
N
40
40
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Mrimea efectului acestei corelaii, dat de ridicarea la ptrat a valorii coeficientului de corelaie, este de r2 = 0,213,
corespunztoare unei variane explicate de 21,3%. Putem considera c, inteligen a emoional corespunde n procent de 21,3%
performanei colare, ceea ce nu ne surprinde, innd cont de faptul c 28 din cei 40 de precolari au o performan colar
sczut.
In al doilea rand am demonstrat c exist o corelaie negativ ntre inteligen a cognitiv i performan a colar a copiilor
de etnie rrom ( = 0,511, p < 0.01).
Correlations
Inteligenta cognitiva
Performanta
Correlation Coefficient
1,000
,511**
Sig. (2-tailed)
.
,001
Inteligenta emotionala
N

Spearman's
rho

40

40

**

Correlation Coefficient
,511
1,000
Sig. (2-tailed)
,001
.
N
40
40
**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
Mrimea efectului acestei corelaii, dat de ridicarea la ptrat a valorii coeficientului de corelaie, este de r2 = 0,261,
corespunztoare unei variane explicate de 26,1%. Putem considera c, inteligen a cognitiv corespunde n procent de 26,1%
performanei colare, dar n sens invers, ceea ce nu ne surprinde, innd cont de faptul c 28 din cei 40 de precolari au o
performan colar sczut.
Performanta

Thirdly we confirmed that the emotional intelligence (t = - 14,802, p < 0.01) and consecutively, the academic performance
(Z = - 3.87, p<0.01), significantly increase in children undergoing the Program in comparison with the control group.
Abaterea
Eroarea standard
Media
N
standard
a mediei
Inteligen
emoional
93,00
20
9,652
2,158
preintervenie
Pair 1
Inteligen
11,951
emoional
124,25
20
2,672
postintervenie
Diferena celor dou medii ale scorurilor este de - 31,25, fiind n acelai timp semnificativ statistic: t (19) = - 14,802, p = 0,000
< 0,01. Rezultatele arat c exist diferene semnificative ntre mediile scorurilor obinute de pre colarii de etnie rrom la
inteligena emoional nainte de a participa la Programul de dezvoltare al inteligenei emoionale i mediile scorurilor obinute
dup intervenia terapeutic pentru dezvoltarea inteligenei emoionale.
Mrimea efectului acestei corelaii, dat de ridicarea la ptrat a valorii coeficientului de corelaie, este de r2 = 0,261,
corespunztoare unei variane explicate de 26,1%. Putem considera c, inteligen a cognitiv corespunde n procent de 26,1%
performanei colare, dar n sens invers, ceea ce nu ne surprinde, innd cont de faptul c 28 din cei 40 de precolari au o
performan colar sczut.
Forthly, we demonstrated that the Emotional Intelligence Development Program significantly improves the emotional intelligence
(t= 14.125, p < 0.01) and the academic performance (U=95.00, p<0.01) in comparison with the control group.
Testul Levene de
Testul-t de egalitate a mediilor
egalitate a
variantelor

Comnescu Raluca, Ciorbea Iulia / Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 00 (2012) 000000

Inteligenta
emotionala

Variante egale

Variante inegale

Intervalul de incredere a
diferentelor 95%
Inferior
Superior

Sig.

df

Prag de
semnificatie

2,247

,142

14,125

38

,000

40,692

54,308

14,125

35,859

,000

40,679

54,321

Performana postintervenie
Mann-Whitney U
Wilcoxon W
Z

95,000
305,000
-3,122

Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed)

,002

Exact Sig. [2*(1-tailed Sig.)]

,004b

a. Grouping Variable: grupul

b. Not corrected for ties.
Mrimea efectului pentru comparaia dintre grupul de lucru i cel de
control este: d = 4,46, ceea ce nseamn un efect mare. Valoarea
obinut indic un nivel ridicat al mrimii efectului, semn al faptului c
programul de dezvoltare al inteligenei emoionale are un efect
important asupra creterii nivelului inteligenei emo ionale la
precolarii de etnie rrom.
Bazndu-ne pe aceste rezultate, putem s acceptm ca fiind adevrat i aceasta ipoteza care arata c exist diferen e
semnificative ntre grupul de lucru i grupul de control privitor la performan ele colare i inteligen a emo ional a pre colarilor
de etnie rrom.

5. Implications of the study

Programul de dezvoltare al inteligenei emoionale s-a dovedit un succes, ns ar fi necesar implementarea acestuia pe durata
unui an, eventual introducerea n planul de nvmnt a acestor tipuri de activiti deoarece i-au dovedit eficacitatea n ultimele
decenii n plan internaional iar numeroase studii susin relevana inteligenei emoionale n adaptarea colar, social i ulterior
adaptarea profesional, satisfactia si succesul n via.
Pentru ca programul s fie ns cu adevrat eficient ar fi necesar o durat mai lung de implementare (a a cum am spus, minim
un an scolar), cu metode mai riguroase de observare a modificrilor individuale i cu exersarea abilitilor i acas (trainingul
prinilor) i oferirea unor activiti de stimulare a competenelor socio-emoionale n practicile de socializare cu copiii de etnie
rroma.
Nu in ultimul rand, pentru perfectarea programului educational, putem introduce n studiul nostru i a alte variabile care pot
influena performana colar i capacitatea de adaptare a copilului de etnie rrom la rigorile actului educaional, cum ar fi
temperamentul, competenele emoionale i copingul emotional.

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