A comparison of adolescent attitudes of secondary school students in Grenada and the United States

Abstract

The effects of the expanded educational services in Grenada have not yet been determined. In 1984, a questionnaire was administered to 729 Grenadian secondary school students to compare their educational and vocational aspirations; attitudes towards family, school, work, and military experience; family background; subject preferences; study habits; extra-curricular activities; and social and political attitudes with those of students from Muncie, Indiana, who had completed a similar questionnaire. American students reported a greater number of close friends, while the Grenadians were more likely to have family member confidants. Although Grenadian families tended to be larger than American families, Grenadian mothers and fathers lived apart twice as often as their American counterparts. Compared to American students, Grenadian students reported significantly less agreement with fathers and significantly more agreement with mothers. Both cultures valued parents spending time with children and respecting their opinions, and supported the combination of wife, mother, and career roles for women. Grenadians reported having more school work and reading more books, but reported receiving lower grades than American students. Despite the greater demands, students in Grenada expressed a significantly more positive attitude towards continuing school. Careers in engineering and science appealed most to Grenadian boys and the majority of the students' career choices involved further education. Despite the Grenadians' enthusiasm for continuing education, the opportunities for it are highly limited on the island