Ethiopian Journal Of Behavioural Studies

Growing up with a Sibling who has a Developmental Disability: Quality of Life in the Eyes of Parents

Tihtena T. Wolde — 2026-03-31

Living with a sibling who has a developmental disability (DD) like autism spectrum disorder (ASD),
or intellectual disability (ID) can impact the siblings in diverse ways. This study examines the quality
of life for children growing up with a sibling with DD from the perspective of parents. We interviewed
eight parents (6 mothers and 2 fathers). We explored three superordinated themes using interpretive
phenomenological analysis: the life domain of siblings,’ lifespan siblings, and parental involvement.
The findings showed that parents reported both positive and negative experiences, indicating that
having a sibling with a DD influenced siblings’ quality of life. Among these, social support and trust
in well-being are strongly linked with positive outcomes: acceptance, forbearance, mutual
understanding, experience sharing, and dealing with the outside world, reflected in mixed responses.
Age has a greater influence on the lifetime sibling theme; however, achieving a balance in parental
involvement is essential for successful results. In conclusion, having a sibling with DD can impact the
lives of siblings without DD in both positive and negative ways. The negative effects encompass
difficulties in having joint activities and mutual understanding, whereas the beneficial elements entail
heightened trust in well-being and social support. The dynamics of relationships and parental
engagement significantly contribute to improving siblings’ quality of life. Enhancing connection
dynamics and understanding the extent and nature of parental participation elevate the quality of life
for both typical and atypical children during their developmental years.

Navigating Displacement, Educational Challenges, and Interventions for Internally Displaced Children in Oromia and Amhara Regions of Ethiopia

Dechasa Merga Debelo — 2026-03-31

Prolonged conflict has caused great internal displacement to Ethiopia and disrupted education in the Oromia and Amhara regions of the country. The research paper examines the existing systemic obstacles to education among internally displaced children and explores the possibility of community and psychosocial factors mediating the efficacy of Education in Emergencies (EiE) interventions. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used and involved 624 participants (IDP children, caregivers, and teachers). Quantitative data were explored in terms of descriptive statistics, multiple
regression, and mediation analysis (model fit: R 2 =.75, F (9,614) = 38.50, p <.001), and qualitative data were analyzed in terms of reflexive thematic analysis, with the ethical considerations being IRB approval and informed consent/assent. These findings suggested that Temporary Learning Spaces (0.30 = 0.001) and Accelerated Learning Programs (0.28 = 0.001) were the most significant predictors of positive educational results. Overcrowding, untrained teachers, and student trauma,along with community involvement and psycho-social support, were found to be the major barriers and the basic mediators of intervention acceptance and sustainability, respectively, identified through qualitative analysis. The researchers find that successful EiE demands a paradigm shift from
standalone efforts to integrated and community-based intervention and recommend, among other things, multi-year funding of integrated intervention packages, forced training of teachers in trauma models, formal certification systems of accelerated learning, and investment in community-based governance systems.

The Relevance, Reliability, and Validity of the National Graduate Admission Test (N- GAT) as an Admission Tool into Graduate Programs in Ethiopia

Belay Hagos Hailu — 2026-03-31

Addis Ababa University introduced the Graduate Admission Test (GAT) for the first time in 2020 as a
screening aptitude test for candidates interested in applying for their postgraduate studies. Later, this
was scaled up as a national GAT by the Ministry of Education in October 2023 and became a
mandatory screening test for all applicants to graduate programs in all public and private
universities. The need for the GAT arose due to concerns over the quality of graduate programs
offered by various universities in Ethiopia. The objectives of the study were 1) to explore the reliability
and validity of the GAT; 2) to analyze the factors associated with the test, and 3) to suggest future
actions that could improve the quality of the test. Data were collected from the archives of the entire
test takers who sat for the national GAT in October 2023. The entire cohort of test takers, totaling
34,520 candidates, had filled in their background information and their undergraduate GPAs, which
were linked to their scores on the national GAT. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests (such as
chi-square tests), and inferential statistics (such as t-test and analysis of variance) were used to
answer the research questions. Findings of this study showed that most candidates (about 82.4%)
came from four regions; that is, from Oromia (28.5%), Addis Ababa (26.2%), Amhara (17.5%), and
SNNPR (10.2%), while only about 17.6% came from the other regional states. Besides, there were
significantly higher numbers of male (74.7%) than female (25.3%) test takers in all locations who sat
for the GAT administration in October 2023. Scores on GAT were positively associated with
candidates’ socioeconomic background, where those who had internet access in their homes, for
instance, and those who had better undergraduate CGPA scored higher on the GAT. Furthermore, the
interaction of gender and undergraduate CPA was also explored using linear regression analysis, and
it was found that female candidates who had higher undergraduate CGPA were more likely to score
higher on GAT as compared to their male counterparts. Furthermore, as a screening tool, the GAT
was found to be highly reliable, with moderate predictive validity for candidates who joined the MSc
and MA programs, but not for those who joined the PhD programs. Results were discussed and
recommendations forwarded.

Student Agency in Selected Primary and Middle Schools in Ethiopia: Teachers’ Conceptualization, Instructional Perception, and Reported Practice

Atalel Kassa Adgeh — 2026-03-31

This study explores teachers’ conceptualization and reports practices of student agency in two
primary and middle case schools. A case study design that employed quantitative and qualitative
methods was employed. Data was collected from a total of 123 teachers (M=76, F=47) . The
qualitative data collected from 14 purposefully selected interviewees were transcribed, coded, and
categorized into themes, whereas the quantitative data collected from 109 randomly selected teachers
using a questionnaire was screened and analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Teachers
conceptualized student agency in terms of student ability, teachers’ pedagogy, and school system
capacities. The findings further indicate that teachers’ current practices are shaped by gaps between
theory and practice (praxis), stemming from unclear theoretical grounding, constrained teacher
agency, absence of reflective practice, and insufficient effort to address ingrained misconceptions.
Teachers perceived instructional practices as largely traditional, causing stasis in student-
centeredness and student agency development. Participants attributed the observed instructional
stasis mainly to teachers’ pedagogical skill gaps and lack of readiness, student passivity or lack of
interest, and school structural barriers. At a time when student agency is highly critical for student
learning and concerns about schools’ and teachers’ responsiveness to student agency in light of
advancements and diversities for student learning opportunities are growing, the paper emphasizes a
coherent effort by educational policy, curriculum, teachers’ professional development, and parents to
enhance student agency and learning with responsibility.

Adaptation and Validation of Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Scale (RPWS) Among Adolescents in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia

Geda Tolera — 2026-03-31

This research aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of Ryff’s Psychological Well-being
Scale (RPWS) among adolescents residing in Jimma town, southwest Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study
design was used. The study sample comprised 340 adolescents in grades 9 to 12, chosen through a
stratified random sampling technique. The validation stool, RPWS, was utilized to gather data
together with an anchor scale: Engagement, Perseverance, Optimism, Connectedness, and
Happiness-EPOCH Measure of Adolescent Well-being. In order to ensure content equivalence and
consistency of meaning between the source English version and Afaan Oromoo version of the scale,
professional bilingual experts have conducted forward and backward translation. Moreover, an expert
review panel consisting of six psychologists assessed the content validity of both scales. The internal
consistency reliability of the scales were evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha. Furthermore,
descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients, and Confirmatory Factor
Analysis (CFA), were employed to analyze the data. Overall reliability index for the RPWS was
acceptable (α = 0.89). The convergent validity of the RPWS was established by a significant moderate
positive correlation (r = 0.62, P < 0.01) with the EPOCH measure of adolescent well-being, which
assesses a similar construct. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed the RPWS six-factor
model fit to the data gathered from a sample of Ethiopian adolescents residing in Jimma town,
yielding a Chi square value of 4.268, CFI of .962, and an RMSEA of .067.Tthe findings confirm that
the original factor structure of the RPWS, following the exclusion of items with insufficient factor
loadings, effectively captured the distinct dimensions of psychological well-being within the study
sample.. The researchers recommended further psychometric testing of the RPWS in different
Ethiopian socio-cultural contexts.

Competency-Based Education as the Future of Higher Education: A Critical Reflection

Ashenafi Tsegaye Tegegn — 2026-03-31