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Papers by Joseph A . Bawalsah

Research paper thumbnail of Preferred Learning Styles among Students with Learning Disabilities

International Journal of Education, 2020

Students with learning disabilities (LD) can benefit more in school contexts when they are allowe... more Students with learning disabilities (LD) can benefit more in school contexts when they are allowed to learn according to their preferred learning style. The purpose of this study was to identify preferred learning styles in 10th-grade students with LD and to determine whether these styles differ according to gender and Grade Point Average (GPA). A quantitative design through questionnaires and personal interviews were applied, 184 students completed self-report questionnaires for defining their learning style, and were interviewed for LD diagnosis. Results revealed that 45 students of them were at risk of having LD, and that kinesthetic and auditory learning styles were the most preferred styles among them, and these styles were correlated to gender between males and females, and correlated to GPA as students with higher achievement prefer kinesthetic and auditory learning styles respectively. The presence of LD managed to predict the preferred learning style according to gender and GPA, as males with LD preferring the auditory learning style managed to have better GPA compared to other students with LD, while females with LD who preferred kinesthetic learning style managed to have a better GPA compared to other females with LD. Findings were discussed according to the current educational practices adopted by teachers in schools compared to desired practices that should be compatible with preferred learning styles.

Research paper thumbnail of Cyberbullying: Roles of School Psychologists and School Counselors in Addressing a Pervasive Social Justice Issue

Children and Youth Services Review, 2019

School psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prev... more School psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prevent cyberbullying, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Cyberbullying is an emerging form of bullying that has shown an alarming increase in society within the last decade and in schools as microcosms of society. Cyberbullying among K-12 students has adverse social, physical, and emotional impacts for victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Advocacy for prevention, intervention, and more effective policies from school psychologists and counselors is of paramount importance for student and school community well-being and safety. This article provides an overview of cyberbullying in schools as a social justice issue; explores advocacy, ethical, and practitioner roles of both school psychologists and school counselors to address this issue among students in schools; discusses empirically based psychotherapy techniques for intervention and risk assessment; and offers policy and practice options to address cyberbullying.

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between bilingualism and cognitive development among Saudi Arabian school-aged children

International Journal of Child Health and Human Development, 2019

The relationship between second language acquisition and cognitive abilities (IQ) has long been t... more The relationship between second language acquisition and cognitive abilities (IQ) has long been the focus of research in the West, yet none had been conducted in Arabic speaking parts of the world. This study gathered data from female high school students in Saudi Arabia to explore the relationship between second language acquisition and IQ. An analysis of covariance revealed a difference between the two language acquisition groups in Raven’s total raw scores, with bilingual students attaining statistically significant and practically significant (i.e., moderate effect size) higher raw scores, on average than their monolingual peers. Analysis of scaled scores revealed statistically significant differences in all Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition IQ scale subtests (Similarities, Picture Completion, Digital Span, Symbol Search, and Arithmetic). Speaking more than 1 language has linguistic benefits and, as this research confirms, general cognitive benefits. The findings support the benefits of bilingual education programs.

Research paper thumbnail of The Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as Perceived by Parents and Teachers

This research aimed to examine symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on children with Atten... more This research aimed to examine symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) according to age and sex as perceived by parents and teachers. An Arabic version of The High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire was used on a sample of (62) child diagnosed with ADHD using Conners’ Parent and Teacher Rating Scale.
The results showed that both parents and teachers perceived children with ADHD to have ASD traits, estimations were more significant toward male than female, and for younger children than older children for social interaction, communication problems, stereotype and repetitive behaviors but not for motor clumsiness.

Research paper thumbnail of Self-Esteem in Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Jordan

Due to the increasing interest in exploring the consequences of raising children with disabilitie... more Due to the increasing interest in exploring the consequences of raising children with disabilities in ethnically and culturally diverse families, this study aimed to identify levels of self-esteem in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) compared to control group in Jordanian population, and whether these levels will differ according to age, sex, educational attainment, and years of marriage. The sample consisted of ninety-eight Jordanian parents of 6 to 11 years old children completed Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale and an inventory for demographic variables. Participants were divided for two groups, ASD group consisted of 47 parents of children diagnosed with ASD, and comparison group consisted of 51 parents of matched non-ASD peers. Results indicated low levels of self-esteem for parents of children with ASD. The lowest levels of self-esteem were found to be for oldest parents aged 50-59 years old, and for fathers but not for the mothers, and for highly educated parents, but no differences in levels of self-esteem were found to be according to years of marriage. The findings are discussed in relation to existing literature, possible specific cultural issues, and the limitations of the study. Implications for supporting families of children with ASD in different social and cultural contexts are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Stress and Coping Strategies in Parents of Children with Physical, Mental, and Hearing Disabilities in Jordan

International Journal of Education, 2016

This research aimed to investigate levels of stress in parents of children with disabilities in J... more This research aimed to investigate levels of stress in parents of children with disabilities in Jordan, and coping strategies they used to handle these stresses. An Arabic translation of Parental Stress Scale and Coping Strategies Inventory were used on a sample of 134 parents of children with physical, mental, and hearing disabilities enrolled in diurnal special education centers. The results indicted high levels of stress experienced by parents of children with disabilities; Parents of children with physical disability tend to have the highest levels of stress, while parents of children with hearing impairment have the lowest levels of stress. The results also showed that engagement coping strategies were frequently more used in parents, with preference to use problem focused engagement strategies more than emotion focused engagement strategies. In the other hand, fathers of children with disabilities preferred to use engagement strategies more likely than mothers who preferred disengagement strategies. And finally, the results indicated high positive and significant correlation and acceptable predictable relation between levels of stress and coping strategies.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effectiveness of a Program Based on (NLP) in the Development of Social Communication for the Gifted Sixth Grade Students in Amman

International Journal of Education, 2016

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a training program based on Neuro Linguistic Progra... more This study aimed to investigate the impact of a training program based on Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) in the development of social communications skills among gifted six grade students in the city of Amman. The sample of the study consisted of (60) gifted students from sixth grade for the second semester of the academic year (2012/2013). The students were divided into two groups, the experimental group with (30) students and the control group with (30) students. To achieve the objectives of the study a training program based on NLP was designed with ten training sessions. The measure of social communication was applied and was prepared by researchers from the perspective of NLP on the experimental and control group as pre and post measure. After an appropriate statistical analysis, the results showed statistically significant differences in social communication skills between the experimental group and control group in favor of the experimental group. Students in the experimental group showed better level of possessions and use of social communication skills. Depending on the results of the current study, the researchers have made a series of recommendations to take advantage of NLP in various fields of life.

Research paper thumbnail of Levels of depression in parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Jordan

This study aimed to identify levels of depression in parents of children diagnosed with attention... more This study aimed to identify levels of depression in parents of children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder compared to control group, and weather these levels of depression will differ according to age, sex, educational attainment, and years of marriage in Jordanian population. The sample consisted of 152 participants divided for two groups, ADHD group consisted of 76 parents of ADHD children and comparison group consisted of 76 parents of match non-ADHD children. Beck Depression Inventory, and an inventory for demographic variables developed by the researcher was used for the purposes of this study. Results revealed that parents of children with ADHD exhibit significant higher levels of depression compared to parents in control group, these levels of depression differ significantly in parents of ADHD children according to age as older group of parents showed higher levels of depression. And according to sex as mothers showed higher levels of depression compared to fathers. And according to years of marriage as participants who were married for more than 20 years exhibit higher levels of depression. But the results showed no significant differences in levels of depression according to educational attainment. Based on the results of the study, implications and recommendations were offered to parents and special educators working with ADHD children.

Research paper thumbnail of Preferred Learning Styles among Students with Learning Disabilities

International Journal of Education, 2020

Students with learning disabilities (LD) can benefit more in school contexts when they are allowe... more Students with learning disabilities (LD) can benefit more in school contexts when they are allowed to learn according to their preferred learning style. The purpose of this study was to identify preferred learning styles in 10th-grade students with LD and to determine whether these styles differ according to gender and Grade Point Average (GPA). A quantitative design through questionnaires and personal interviews were applied, 184 students completed self-report questionnaires for defining their learning style, and were interviewed for LD diagnosis. Results revealed that 45 students of them were at risk of having LD, and that kinesthetic and auditory learning styles were the most preferred styles among them, and these styles were correlated to gender between males and females, and correlated to GPA as students with higher achievement prefer kinesthetic and auditory learning styles respectively. The presence of LD managed to predict the preferred learning style according to gender and GPA, as males with LD preferring the auditory learning style managed to have better GPA compared to other students with LD, while females with LD who preferred kinesthetic learning style managed to have a better GPA compared to other females with LD. Findings were discussed according to the current educational practices adopted by teachers in schools compared to desired practices that should be compatible with preferred learning styles.

Research paper thumbnail of Cyberbullying: Roles of School Psychologists and School Counselors in Addressing a Pervasive Social Justice Issue

Children and Youth Services Review, 2019

School psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prev... more School psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prevent cyberbullying, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Cyberbullying is an emerging form of bullying that has shown an alarming increase in society within the last decade and in schools as microcosms of society. Cyberbullying among K-12 students has adverse social, physical, and emotional impacts for victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Advocacy for prevention, intervention, and more effective policies from school psychologists and counselors is of paramount importance for student and school community well-being and safety. This article provides an overview of cyberbullying in schools as a social justice issue; explores advocacy, ethical, and practitioner roles of both school psychologists and school counselors to address this issue among students in schools; discusses empirically based psychotherapy techniques for intervention and risk assessment; and offers policy and practice options to address cyberbullying.

Research paper thumbnail of Relationship between bilingualism and cognitive development among Saudi Arabian school-aged children

International Journal of Child Health and Human Development, 2019

The relationship between second language acquisition and cognitive abilities (IQ) has long been t... more The relationship between second language acquisition and cognitive abilities (IQ) has long been the focus of research in the West, yet none had been conducted in Arabic speaking parts of the world. This study gathered data from female high school students in Saudi Arabia to explore the relationship between second language acquisition and IQ. An analysis of covariance revealed a difference between the two language acquisition groups in Raven’s total raw scores, with bilingual students attaining statistically significant and practically significant (i.e., moderate effect size) higher raw scores, on average than their monolingual peers. Analysis of scaled scores revealed statistically significant differences in all Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition IQ scale subtests (Similarities, Picture Completion, Digital Span, Symbol Search, and Arithmetic). Speaking more than 1 language has linguistic benefits and, as this research confirms, general cognitive benefits. The findings support the benefits of bilingual education programs.

Research paper thumbnail of The Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as Perceived by Parents and Teachers

This research aimed to examine symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on children with Atten... more This research aimed to examine symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) according to age and sex as perceived by parents and teachers. An Arabic version of The High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire was used on a sample of (62) child diagnosed with ADHD using Conners’ Parent and Teacher Rating Scale.
The results showed that both parents and teachers perceived children with ADHD to have ASD traits, estimations were more significant toward male than female, and for younger children than older children for social interaction, communication problems, stereotype and repetitive behaviors but not for motor clumsiness.

Research paper thumbnail of Self-Esteem in Parents of Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Jordan

Due to the increasing interest in exploring the consequences of raising children with disabilitie... more Due to the increasing interest in exploring the consequences of raising children with disabilities in ethnically and culturally diverse families, this study aimed to identify levels of self-esteem in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) compared to control group in Jordanian population, and whether these levels will differ according to age, sex, educational attainment, and years of marriage. The sample consisted of ninety-eight Jordanian parents of 6 to 11 years old children completed Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale and an inventory for demographic variables. Participants were divided for two groups, ASD group consisted of 47 parents of children diagnosed with ASD, and comparison group consisted of 51 parents of matched non-ASD peers. Results indicated low levels of self-esteem for parents of children with ASD. The lowest levels of self-esteem were found to be for oldest parents aged 50-59 years old, and for fathers but not for the mothers, and for highly educated parents, but no differences in levels of self-esteem were found to be according to years of marriage. The findings are discussed in relation to existing literature, possible specific cultural issues, and the limitations of the study. Implications for supporting families of children with ASD in different social and cultural contexts are also discussed.

Research paper thumbnail of Stress and Coping Strategies in Parents of Children with Physical, Mental, and Hearing Disabilities in Jordan

International Journal of Education, 2016

This research aimed to investigate levels of stress in parents of children with disabilities in J... more This research aimed to investigate levels of stress in parents of children with disabilities in Jordan, and coping strategies they used to handle these stresses. An Arabic translation of Parental Stress Scale and Coping Strategies Inventory were used on a sample of 134 parents of children with physical, mental, and hearing disabilities enrolled in diurnal special education centers. The results indicted high levels of stress experienced by parents of children with disabilities; Parents of children with physical disability tend to have the highest levels of stress, while parents of children with hearing impairment have the lowest levels of stress. The results also showed that engagement coping strategies were frequently more used in parents, with preference to use problem focused engagement strategies more than emotion focused engagement strategies. In the other hand, fathers of children with disabilities preferred to use engagement strategies more likely than mothers who preferred disengagement strategies. And finally, the results indicated high positive and significant correlation and acceptable predictable relation between levels of stress and coping strategies.

Research paper thumbnail of The Effectiveness of a Program Based on (NLP) in the Development of Social Communication for the Gifted Sixth Grade Students in Amman

International Journal of Education, 2016

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a training program based on Neuro Linguistic Progra... more This study aimed to investigate the impact of a training program based on Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) in the development of social communications skills among gifted six grade students in the city of Amman. The sample of the study consisted of (60) gifted students from sixth grade for the second semester of the academic year (2012/2013). The students were divided into two groups, the experimental group with (30) students and the control group with (30) students. To achieve the objectives of the study a training program based on NLP was designed with ten training sessions. The measure of social communication was applied and was prepared by researchers from the perspective of NLP on the experimental and control group as pre and post measure. After an appropriate statistical analysis, the results showed statistically significant differences in social communication skills between the experimental group and control group in favor of the experimental group. Students in the experimental group showed better level of possessions and use of social communication skills. Depending on the results of the current study, the researchers have made a series of recommendations to take advantage of NLP in various fields of life.

Research paper thumbnail of Levels of depression in parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in Jordan

This study aimed to identify levels of depression in parents of children diagnosed with attention... more This study aimed to identify levels of depression in parents of children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder compared to control group, and weather these levels of depression will differ according to age, sex, educational attainment, and years of marriage in Jordanian population. The sample consisted of 152 participants divided for two groups, ADHD group consisted of 76 parents of ADHD children and comparison group consisted of 76 parents of match non-ADHD children. Beck Depression Inventory, and an inventory for demographic variables developed by the researcher was used for the purposes of this study. Results revealed that parents of children with ADHD exhibit significant higher levels of depression compared to parents in control group, these levels of depression differ significantly in parents of ADHD children according to age as older group of parents showed higher levels of depression. And according to sex as mothers showed higher levels of depression compared to fathers. And according to years of marriage as participants who were married for more than 20 years exhibit higher levels of depression. But the results showed no significant differences in levels of depression according to educational attainment. Based on the results of the study, implications and recommendations were offered to parents and special educators working with ADHD children.