Differential Prediction in the Use of the SAT and High School Grades in Predicting College Performance: Joint Effects of Race and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shewach, Oren R.; Shen, Winny; Sackett, Paul R.; Kuncel, Nathan R.

2017-01-01

The literature on differential prediction of college performance of racial/ethnic minority students for standardized tests and high school grades indicates the use of these predictors often results in overprediction of minority student performance. However, these studies typically involve native English-speaking students. In contrast, a smaller…

Growth in young Filipino children predicts schooling trajectories through high school.

PubMed

Daniels, Melissa C; Adair, Linda S

2004-06-01

Several studies link childhood malnutrition to adverse schooling outcomes, including delayed or diminished enrollment and increased grade repetition. However, the effects of nutrition on schooling trajectories are obscured by the cross-sectional nature of most previous research and the complex array of other phenomena that affect schooling outcomes. We explored the association between height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) at 2 y and schooling trajectory among 2198 children from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey. Parity, parental education, maternal height, household assets, environmental cleanliness, presence of electricity, and household income were identified as potential confounders. Crude and adjusted logistic and multinomial regressions of schooling outcomes (entrance age, grade repetition, and grades completed) were conducted. Entrance age and IQ were evaluated as potential mediators between HAZ and schooling outcomes. After adjustment for confounders, greater height for age protected against late enrollment among both boys and girls and predicted early enrollment among boys. Taller children were less likely to repeat grades [girls OR = 0.78 (0.67, 0.89); boys OR = 0.86 (0.74, 0.99)] and less likely to drop out during grade school rather than graduate from high school [girls OR = 0.74 (0.56, 0.98; boys OR = 0.66 (0.51, 0.84)]. Models predicting the changes in school outcomes associated with a change in overall height from -2 to 0 SD of HAZ were simulated. Absolute probability of late enrollment dropped substantially, from 6% for both boys and girls to 2% for boys and 1% for girls. Absolute grade repetition dropped approximately 7% for boys and 9% for girls. Improving early childhood nutrition may have long-lasting educational benefits, increasing the likelihood of high school completion in developing countries.

Early childhood precursors and adolescent sequelae of grade school peer rejection and victimization.

PubMed

Bierman, Karen L; Kalvin, Carla B; Heinrichs, Brenda S

2015-01-01

This study examined the early childhood precursors and adolescent outcomes associated with grade school peer rejection and victimization among children oversampled for aggressive-disruptive behaviors. A central goal was to better understand the common and unique developmental correlates associated with these two types of peer adversity. There were 754 participants (46% African American, 50% European American, 4% other; 58% male; average age=5.65 at kindergarten entry) followed into seventh grade. Six waves of data were included in structural models focused on three developmental periods. Parents and teachers rated aggressive behavior, emotion dysregulation, and internalizing problems in kindergarten and Grade 1 (Waves 1-2); peer sociometric nominations tracked "least liked" and victimization in Grades 2, 3, and 4 (Waves 3-5); and youth reported on social problems, depressed mood, school adjustment difficulties, and delinquent activities in early adolescence (Grade 7, Wave 6). Structural models revealed that early aggression and emotion dysregulation (but not internalizing behavior) made unique contributions to grade school peer rejection; only emotion dysregulation made unique contributions to grade school victimization. Early internalizing problems and grade school victimization uniquely predicted adolescent social problems and depressed mood. Early aggression and grade school peer rejection uniquely predicted adolescent school adjustment difficulties and delinquent activities. Aggression and emotion dysregulation at school entry increased risk for peer rejection and victimization, and these two types of peer adversity had distinct as well as shared risk and adjustment correlates. Results suggest that the emotional functioning and peer experiences of aggressive-disruptive children deserve further attention in developmental and clinical research.

Predicting Long-Term College Success through Degree Completion Using ACT[R] Composite Score, ACT Benchmarks, and High School Grade Point Average. ACT Research Report Series, 2012 (5)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radunzel, Justine; Noble, Julie

2012-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of ACT[R] Composite score and high school grade point average (HSGPA) for predicting long-term college success. Outcomes included annual progress towards a degree (based on cumulative credit-bearing hours earned), degree completion, and cumulative grade point average (GPA) at 150% of normal time to degree…

School Mobility and Developmental Outcomes in Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Herbers, Janette E.; Reynolds, Arthur J.; Chen, Chin-Chih

2014-01-01

School mobility has been shown to increase the risk of poor achievement, behavior problems, grade retention, and high school drop-out. Using data over 25 years from the Chicago Longitudinal Study, we investigated the unique risk of school moves on a variety of young adult outcomes including educational attainment, occupational prestige, depression symptoms, and criminal arrests. We also investigated how the timing of school mobility, whether earlier or later in the academic career, may differentially predict these outcomes over and above associated risks. Results indicate that students who experience more school changes between kindergarten and twelfth grade are less likely to complete high school on time, complete fewer years of school, attain lower levels of occupational prestige, are more likely to experience symptoms of depression, and are more likely to be arrested as adults. Furthermore, the number of school moves predicted above and beyond associated risks such as residential mobility and family poverty. When timing of school mobility was examined, results indicated more negative outcomes associated with moves later in the grade school career, particularly between fourth and eighth grade. PMID:23627959

Social Norms in the Development of Adolescent Substance Use: A Longitudinal Analysis of the International Youth Development Study

PubMed Central

Eisenberg, Marla E.; Toumbourou, John W.; Catalano, Richard F.; Hemphill, Sheryl A.

2014-01-01

Identifying specific aspects of peer social norms that influence adolescent substance use may assist international prevention efforts. This study examines two aggregated measures of social norms in the school setting and their predictive association with substance (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) use 2 years later in a large cross-national population-based cohort of adolescents. The primary hypothesis is that in Grade 7 both “injunctive” school norms (where students associate substance use with “coolness”) and “descriptive” norms (where student substance use is common) will predict Grade 9 substance use. Data come from the International Youth Development Study, including 2,248 students (51.2 % female) in the US and Australia attending 121 schools in Grade 7. Independent variables included injunctive norms (aggregating measures of school-wide coolness ratings of each substance use) and descriptive norms (aggregating the prevalence of school substance use) in Grade 7. Dependent variables included binge drinking and current use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana in Grade 9. Associations between each type of school-wide social norm and substance use behaviors in Grade 9 were tested using multilevel logistic regression, adjusting for covariates. In unadjusted models, both injunctive and descriptive norms each significantly predicted subsequent substance use. In fully adjusted models, injunctive norms were no longer significantly associated with Grade 9 use, but descriptive norms remained significantly associated with tobacco and marijuana use in the expected direction. The findings identify descriptive social norms in the school context as a particularly important area to address in adolescent substance use prevention efforts. PMID:24633850

Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents.

PubMed

Duckworth, Angela L; Seligman, Martin E P

2005-12-01

In a longitudinal study of 140 eighth-grade students, self-discipline measured by self-report, parent report, teacher report, and monetary choice questionnaires in the fall predicted final grades, school attendance, standardized achievement-test scores, and selection into a competitive high school program the following spring. In a replication with 164 eighth graders, a behavioral delay-of-gratification task, a questionnaire on study habits, and a group-administered IQ test were added. Self-discipline measured in the fall accounted for more than twice as much variance as IQ in final grades, high school selection, school attendance, hours spent doing homework, hours spent watching television (inversely), and the time of day students began their homework. The effect of self-discipline on final grades held even when controlling for first-marking-period grades, achievement-test scores, and measured IQ. These findings suggest a major reason for students falling short of their intellectual potential: their failure to exercise self-discipline.

Validity of the MicroDYN Approach: Complex Problem Solving Predicts School Grades beyond Working Memory Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweizer, Fabian; Wustenberg, Sascha; Greiff, Samuel

2013-01-01

This study examines the validity of the complex problem solving (CPS) test MicroDYN by investigating a) the relation between its dimensions--rule identification (exploration strategy), rule knowledge (acquired knowledge), rule application (control performance)--and working memory capacity (WMC), and b) whether CPS predicts school grades in…

Academic and emotional functioning in early adolescence: longitudinal relations, patterns, and prediction by experience in middle school.

PubMed

Roeser, R W; Eccles, J S; Sameroff, A J

1998-01-01

Adopting a motivational perspective on adolescent development, these two companion studies examined the longitudinal relations between early adolescents' school motivation (competence beliefs and values), achievement, emotional functioning (depressive symptoms and anger), and middle school perceptions using both variable- and person-centered analytic techniques. Data were collected from 1041 adolescents and their parents at the beginning of seventh and the end of eight grade in middle school. Controlling for demographic factors, regression analyses in Study 1 showed reciprocal relations between school motivation and positive emotional functioning over time. Furthermore, adolescents' perceptions of the middle school learning environment (support for competence and autonomy, quality of relationships with teachers) predicted their eighth grade motivation, achievement, and emotional functioning after accounting for demographic and prior adjustment measures. Cluster analyses in Study 2 revealed several different patterns of school functioning and emotional functioning during seventh grade that were stable over 2 years and that were predictably related to adolescents' reports of their middle school environment. Discussion focuses on the developmental significance of schooling for multiple adjustment outcomes during adolescence.

Online gaming and risks predict cyberbullying perpetration and victimization in adolescents.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Miao, Nae-Fang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Lee, Ching-Mei; Huang, Tzu-Fu; Pan, Yun-Chieh

2015-02-01

The present study examined factors associated with the emergence and cessation of youth cyberbullying and victimization in Taiwan. A total of 2,315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected in 2010 and 2011. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to examine the factors. Multivariate analysis results indicated that higher levels of risk factors (online game use, exposure to violence in media, internet risk behaviors, cyber/school bullying experiences) in the 10th grade coupled with an increase in risk factors from grades 10 to 11 could be used to predict the emergence of cyberbullying perpetration/victimization. In contrast, lower levels of risk factors in the 10th grade and higher levels of protective factors coupled with a decrease in risk factors predicted the cessation of cyberbullying perpetration/victimization. Online game use, exposure to violence in media, Internet risk behaviors, and cyber/school bullying experiences can be used to predict the emergence and cessation of youth cyberbullying perpetration and victimization.

Mental health predicts better academic outcomes: A longitudinal study of elementary school students in Chile

PubMed Central

Murphy, J. Michael; Guzmán, Javier; McCarthy, Alyssa; Squicciarini, Ana María; George, Myriam; Canenguez, Katia; Dunn, Erin C.; Baer, Lee; Simonsohn, Ariela; Smoller, Jordan W.; Jellinek, Michael

2015-01-01

The world’s largest school-based mental health program, Habilidades para la Vida [Skills for Life, SFL], has been operating at a national scale in Chile for fifteen years. SFL’s activities include using standardized measures to screen elementary school students and providing preventive workshops to students at risk for mental health problems. This paper used SFL’s data on 37,397 students who were in first grade in 2009 and third grade in 2011 to ascertain whether first grade mental health predicted subsequent academic achievement and whether remission of mental health problems predicted improved academic outcomes. Results showed that mental health was a significant predictor of future academic performance and that, overall, students whose mental health improved between first and third grade made better academic progress than students whose mental health did not improve or worsened. Our findings suggest that school-based mental health programs like SFL may help improve students’ academic outcomes. PMID:24771270

Predicting Early Academic Failure in High School from Prior Academic Achievement, Psychosocial Characteristics, and Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casillas, Alex; Robbins, Steve; Allen, Jeff; Kuo, Yi-Lung; Hanson, Mary Ann; Schmeiser, Cynthia

2012-01-01

The authors examined the differential effects of prior academic achievement, psychosocial, behavioral, demographic, and school context factors on early high school grade point average (GPA) using a prospective study of 4,660 middle-school students from 24 schools. The findings suggest that (a) prior grades and standardized achievement are the…

The Eighth Grade CRCT as a Predictive Measure of Student Success on the Ninth Grade EOCT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Body, Matthew

2013-01-01

Student performance on high stakes testing in secondary education has contributed to the need for students' testing potential to be identified before entering high school. There is evidence to suggest that a greater understanding of how earlier test scores predict later test scores will help educators and school officials increase student…

Predicting Change over Time in Career Planning and Career Exploration for High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creed, Peter A.; Patton, Wendy; Prideaux, Lee-Ann

2007-01-01

This study assessed 166 high school students in Grade 8 and again in Grade 10. Four models were tested: (a) whether the T1 predictor variables (career knowledge, indecision, decision-making selfefficacy, self-esteem, demographics) predicted the outcome variable (career planning/exploration) at T1; (b) whether the T1 predictor variables predicted…

Validity of High-School Grades in Predicting Student Success beyond the Freshman Year: High-School Record vs. Standardized Tests as Indicators of Four-Year College Outcomes. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.6.07

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geiser, Saul; Santelices, Maria Veronica

2007-01-01

High-school grades are often viewed as an unreliable criterion for college admissions, owing to differences in grading standards across high schools, while standardized tests are seen as methodologically rigorous, providing a more uniform and valid yardstick for assessing student ability and achievement. The present study challenges that…

Navigating into, through, and beyond the middle grades: the role of middle grades attendance in staying on track for high school graduation.

PubMed

Kieffer, Michael J; Marinell, William H; Neugebauer, Sabina Rak

2014-12-01

In this longitudinal study, we investigated the use of attendance during middle school as a behavioral indicator of engagement to predict whether students are on track toward high school graduation. We used administrative data from four cohorts of students in New York City schools (N=303,845) to (a) explore patterns of change in attendance between Grades 4 and 8 and (b) determine the extent to which changes in attendance between Grades 4 and 8 predict which students are on track in Grade 9 for going on to graduate from high school. Results of latent growth modeling indicated that students demonstrate the most substantial declines in attendance during Grade 8 and that attendance changes are most variable in this year, with some students demonstrating much more dramatic declines than others. In addition, these changes in attendance were robust predictors of whether students were on track for high school graduation. To identify students who are at risk for not graduating for the purposes of providing appropriate interventions, educators should pay attention to their commonly collected data on attendance rates as a behavioral indicator of engagement. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of School-Based Physical Activity Opportunities, Socioeconomic Status, and Third-Grade Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kern, Ben D.; Graber, Kim C.; Shen, Sa; Hillman, Charles H.; McLoughlin, Gabriella

2018-01-01

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is the most accurate predictor of academic performance in US schools. Third-grade reading is highly predictive of high school graduation. Chronic physical activity (PA) is shown to improve cognition and academic performance. We hypothesized that school-based PA opportunities (recess and physical education)…

How Minimal Grade Goals and Self-Control Capacity Interact in Predicting Test Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertrams, Alex

2012-01-01

The present research examined the prediction of school students' grades in an upcoming math test via their minimal grade goals (i.e., the minimum grade in an upcoming test one would be satisfied with). Due to its significance for initiating and maintaining goal-directed behavior, self-control capacity was expected to moderate the relation between…

The Interplay of Students’ School Engagement, School Self-Concept and Motivational Relations during Adolescence

PubMed Central

Bakadorova, Olga; Raufelder, Diana

2017-01-01

Existing literature evidences the association between adolescents’ school self-concept and engagement, both concepts being related to students’ perception of teachers and peers as motivators. However, few longitudinal studies explore the interplay of these factors. The present study aims to close this gap, applying latent cross-lagged panel design to two-wave data from German adolescent students [1088 8th grade students at T1 (Mage = 13.7, SD = 0.53; 53.9% girls) and 845 9th grade students at T2 (Mage = 14.86; SD = 0.57; 55% girls) from the initial sample]. Besides direct effects, three cross-lagged over-time paths were found to be significant: students’ perception of peers as positive motivators (PPMs) at the beginning of 8th grade (T1) positively predicts their behavioral school engagement at the end of 9th grade (T2), as well as emotional school engagement at the beginning of 8th grade positively predicts students’ perception of PPMs 1.5 years later. Furthermore, behavioral school engagement at T1 functions as a predictor of a student’s school self-concept at T2. PMID:29321754

The Interplay of Students' School Engagement, School Self-Concept and Motivational Relations during Adolescence.

PubMed

Bakadorova, Olga; Raufelder, Diana

2017-01-01

Existing literature evidences the association between adolescents' school self-concept and engagement, both concepts being related to students' perception of teachers and peers as motivators. However, few longitudinal studies explore the interplay of these factors. The present study aims to close this gap, applying latent cross-lagged panel design to two-wave data from German adolescent students [1088 8th grade students at T1 ( M age = 13.7, SD = 0.53; 53.9% girls) and 845 9th grade students at T2 ( M age = 14.86; SD = 0.57; 55% girls) from the initial sample]. Besides direct effects, three cross-lagged over-time paths were found to be significant: students' perception of peers as positive motivators (PPMs) at the beginning of 8th grade (T1) positively predicts their behavioral school engagement at the end of 9th grade (T2), as well as emotional school engagement at the beginning of 8th grade positively predicts students' perception of PPMs 1.5 years later. Furthermore, behavioral school engagement at T1 functions as a predictor of a student's school self-concept at T2.

The effects of family, school, and classroom ecologies on changes in children's social competence and emotional and behavioral problems in first grade.

PubMed

Hoglund, Wendy L; Leadbeater, Bonnie J

2004-07-01

This study tested the independent and interactive influences of classroom (concentrations of peer prosocial behaviors and victimization), family (household moves, mothers' education), and school (proportion of students receiving income assistance) ecologies on changes in children's social competence (e.g., interpersonal skills, leadership abilities), emotional problems (e.g., anxious, withdrawn behaviors), and behavioral problems (e.g., disruptiveness, aggressiveness) in first grade. Higher classroom concentrations of prosocial behaviors and victimization predicted increases in social competence, and greater school disadvantage predicted decreases. Multiple household moves and greater school disadvantage predicted increases in behavioral problems. Multiple household moves and low levels of mothers' education predicted increases in emotional problems for children in classrooms with few prosocial behaviors. Greater school disadvantage predicted increases in emotional problems for children in classrooms with low prosocial behaviors and high victimization. Policy implications of these findings are considered. Copyright 2004 APA, all rights reserved

Predicting Dyslexia in a Transparent Orthography from Grade 1 Literacy Skills: A Prospective Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigozzi, Lucia; Tarchi, Christian; Pinto, Giuliana; Accorti Gamannossi, Beatrice

2016-01-01

We conducted this prospective cohort study to explore the predictability of dyslexia from 1st-grade literacy skills in Italian students. We followed 407 Italian students in primary school from the 1st through the 3rd grades. Students were diagnosed with dyslexia in the 3rd grade. We retrospectively tested participants' 1st-grade performance in…

Predicting Handwriting Legibility in Taiwanese Elementary School Children.

PubMed

Lee, Tzu-I; Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Chen, Hao-Ling; Wang, Tien-Ni

This study investigates handwriting characteristics and potential predictors of handwriting legibility among typically developing elementary school children in Taiwan. Predictors of handwriting legibility included visual-motor integration (VMI), visual perception (VP), eye-hand coordination (EHC), and biomechanical characteristics of handwriting. A total of 118 children were recruited from an elementary school in Taipei, Taiwan. A computerized program then assessed their handwriting legibility. The biomechanics of handwriting were assessed using a digitizing writing tablet. The children's VMI, VP, and EHC were assessed using the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration. Results indicated that predictive factors of handwriting legibility varied in different age groups. VMI predicted handwriting legibility for first-grade students, and EHC and stroke force predicted handwriting legibility for second-grade students. Kinematic factors such as stroke velocity were the only predictor for children in fifth and sixth grades. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Family income, school attendance, and academic achievement in elementary school.

PubMed

Morrissey, Taryn W; Hutchison, Lindsey; Winsler, Adam

2014-03-01

Low family income is associated with poor academic achievement among children. Higher rates of school absence and tardiness may be one mechanism through which low family income impacts children's academic success. This study examines relations between family income, as measured by receipt of free or reduced-price lunch, school attendance, and academic achievement among a diverse sample of children from kindergarten to 4th grade (N = 35,419) using both random and within-child fixed-effects models. Generally, results suggest that the receipt of free or reduced-price lunch and duration of receipt have small but positive associations with school absences and tardies. Poor attendance patterns predict poorer grades, with absences more associated with grades than tardies. Given the small associations between receipt of free or reduced-price lunch and school attendance, and between the duration of receipt of free or reduced-price lunch and children's grades, results do not provide strong evidence that absences and tardies meaningfully attenuate relations between the duration of low family income and student achievement; poorer attendance and persistent low income independently predict poorer grades. Implications for policy and future research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Family and School Influences on Youths' Behavioral and Academic Outcomes: Cross-Level Interactions between Parental Monitoring and Character Development Curriculum.

PubMed

Top, Namik; Liew, Jeffrey; Luo, Wen

2017-01-01

The authors examined the joint (interactive) roles of the Second Step curriculum (a validated social-emotional learning and bullying prevention program; Committee for Children, Seattle, WA) and parenting practices on students' behavioral and academic outcomes in Grades 5-8. Participants were 763 parents and their children from 22 schools (8 control and 14 treatment). A 2-level random coefficient model was conducted to assess the effect of parental monitoring on school outcomes, as well as the interaction between character development curriculum and parental monitoring. Results indicated that parental monitoring was a significant predictor of school behaviors and school grades. Furthermore, the Second Step curriculum moderated the relationship between parental monitoring and problem behaviors, prosocial behaviors, and grades at school. Specifically, in schools without the Second Step curriculum parental monitoring predicted higher school grades but had no impact on students' school behaviors. By contrast, in schools with the Second Step curriculum, parental monitoring predicted fewer problem behaviors as well as more prosocial behaviors. The study results highlight the joint influences of the family and the school in children's behavioral and academic trajectories. Results have implications for education and intervention, including improving the school climate, student behaviors, and learning or achievement.

Changes in verbal and visuospatial working memory from Grade 1 to Grade 3 of primary school: Population longitudinal study.

PubMed

Nicolaou, E; Quach, J; Lum, J; Roberts, G; Spencer-Smith, M; Gathercole, S; Anderson, P J; Mensah, F K; Wake, M

2018-05-01

Adaptive working memory training is being implemented without an adequate understanding of developmental trajectories of working memory. We aimed to quantify from Grade 1 to Grade 3 of primary school (1) changes in verbal and visuospatial working memory and (2) whether low verbal and visuospatial working memory in Grade 1 predicts low working memory in Grade 3. The study design includes a population-based longitudinal study of 1,802 children (66% uptake from all 2,747 Grade 1 students) at 44 randomly selected primary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Backwards Digit Recall (verbal working memory) and Mister X (visuospatial working memory) screening measures from the Automated Working Memory Assessment (M = 100; SD = 15) were used to assess Grades 1 and 3 (ages 6-7 and 8-9 years) students. Low working memory was defined as ≥1 standard deviation below the standard score mean. Descriptive statistics addressed Aim 1, and predictive parameters addressed Aim 2. One thousand seventy (59%) of 1802 Grade 1 participants were reassessed in Grade 3. As expected for typically developing children, group mean standard scores were similar in Grades 1 and 3 for verbal, visuospatial, and overall working memory, but group mean raw scores increased markedly. Compared to "not low" children, those classified as having low working memory in Grade 1 showed much larger increases in both standard and raw scores across verbal, visuospatial, and overall working memory. Sensitivity was very low for Grade 1 low working memory predicting Grade 3 low classifications. Although mean changes in working memory standard scores between Grades 1 and 3 were minimal, we found that individual development varied widely, with marked natural resolution by Grade 3 in children who initially had low working memory. This may render brain-training interventions ineffective in the early school year ages, particularly if (as population-based programmes usually mandate) selection occurs within a screening paradigm. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Peer Rejection and Aggression and Early Starter Models of Conduct Disorder

PubMed Central

Miller-Johnson, Shari; Coie, John D.; Maumary-Gremaud, Anne; Bierman, Karen

2009-01-01

Peer rejection and aggression in the early school years were examined for their relevance to early starting conduct problems. The sample of 657 boys and girls from 4 geographical locations was followed from 1st through 4th grades. Peer rejection in 1st grade added incrementally to the prediction of early starting conduct problems in 3rd and 4th grades, over and above the effects of aggression. Peer rejection and aggression in 1st grade were also associated with the impulsive and emotionally reactive behaviors found in older samples. Being rejected by peers subsequent to 1st grade marginally added to the prediction of early starting conduct problems in 3rd and 4th grades, controlling for 1st grade ADHD symptoms and aggression. Furthermore, peer rejection partially mediated the predictive relation between early ADHD symptoms and subsequent conduct problems. These results support the hypothesis that the experience of peer rejection in the early school years adds to the risk for early starting conduct problems. PMID:12041708

Which Specific Skills Developing during Preschool Years Predict the Reading Performance in the First and Second Grade of Primary School?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papadimitriou, Artemis M.; Vlachos, Filippos M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine if specific skills that are developed during preschool years could predict the reading performance in the first and second grade of primary school. Two hundred and eighty-seven children participated in this longitudinal study. At the kindergarten level, phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatised naming,…

The Validity of College Grade Prediction Equations Over Time.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawyer, Richard L.; Maxey, James

A sample of 260 colleges was surveyed during the years 1972-1976 to determine the validity of predicting college freshmen grades from standardized test scores and high school grades using the American College Testing (ACT) Assessment Program, an evaluative and placement service for students and educators involved in the transition from high school…

Association between elementary school personality and high school smoking and drinking.

PubMed

Peterson, Sarah J; Smith, Gregory T

2017-11-01

Among US high school students, alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking are associated with numerous concurrent and future harms. We tested whether multiple elementary school personality dispositions to behave impulsively can predict these addictive behaviors invariably across gender and race. This longitudinal design involved testing whether individual differences on impulsigenic traits in elementary school predicted drinking and smoking 4 years later in high school in 23 public schools in Kentucky, USA. A total of 1897 youth, mean age 10.33 at wave 1, drawn from urban, rural and suburban backgrounds. Drinking and smoking frequency were assessed by single-item questions. The key predictors were impulsigenic traits measured with the UPPS-P Child Version impulsive behavior scale. Important covariates included were pubertal status, depression, negative affect and positive affect; each was assessed by self-report. Three personality traits measured in 5th grade, each representing different dispositions to engage in impulsive behavior, predicted drinking and smoking in 9th grade above and beyond other risk factors and 5th grade drinking and smoking. Specifically, urgency (b = 0.10, 0.13), sensation-seeking (b = 0.13, 0.07) and low conscientiousness (b = 0.14, 0.11) each uniquely predicted both high school drinking and smoking, respectively. There was no evidence that any trait predicted either outcome more strongly than the other traits, nor was there evidence that predictive results varied by gender or race. Three personality traits (urgency, sensation-seeking and low conscientiousness), when measured in 11-year-old children, predict those children's drinking and smoking behavior individually at age 15. The effects are invariant across gender and race. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Impact of Low Social Preference on the Development of Depressive and Aggressive Symptoms: Buffering by Children's Prosocial Behavior.

PubMed

He, Jin; Koot, Hans M; Buil, J Marieke; van Lier, Pol A C

2017-12-19

Holding a low social position among peers has been widely demonstrated to be associated with the development of depressive and aggressive symptoms in children. However, little is known about potential protective factors in this association. The present study examined whether increases in children's prosocial behavior can buffer the association between their low social preference among peers and the development of depressive and aggressive symptoms in the first few school years. We followed 324 children over 1.5 years with three assessments across kindergarten and first grade elementary school. Children rated the (dis)likability of each of their classroom peers and teachers rated each child's prosocial behavior, depressive and aggressive symptoms. Results showed that low social preference at the start of kindergarten predicted persistent low social preference at the start of first grade in elementary school, which in turn predicted increases in both depressive and aggressive symptoms at the end of first grade. However, the indirect pathways were moderated by change in prosocial behavior. Specifically, for children whose prosocial behavior increased during kindergarten, low social preference in first grade elementary school no longer predicted increases in depressive and aggressive symptoms. In contrast, for children whose prosocial behavior did not increase, their low social preference in first grade elementary school continued to predict increases in both depressive and aggressive symptoms. These results suggest that improving prosocial behavior in children with low social preference as early as kindergarten may reduce subsequent risk of developing depressive and aggressive symptom.

Predicting the Attitudes and Self-Esteem of the Grade 9th Lower Secondary School Students towards Mathematics from Their Perceptions of the Classroom Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Van Dat

2012-01-01

This study reports the validity of the hypothesis that students' perceptions of the learning environment of mathematics classroom may predict their attitudes and self-esteem towards mathematics. It examines data from 487 grade 9th students from 14 mathematics classes in 7 Vietnamese lower secondary schools to identify how students' perceptions of…

Differential Prediction Generalization in College Admissions Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguinis, Herman; Culpepper, Steven A.; Pierce, Charles A.

2016-01-01

We introduce the concept of "differential prediction generalization" in the context of college admissions testing. Specifically, we assess the extent to which predicted first-year college grade point average (GPA) based on high-school grade point average (HSGPA) and SAT scores depends on a student's ethnicity and gender and whether this…

Relationship of sociocultural factors and academic self-esteem to school grades and school disengagement in North African French adolescents.

PubMed

Régner, Isabelle; Loose, Florence

2006-12-01

The present study was designed to provide an integrated understanding of school grades and psychological disengagement among ethnic minority students. For that purpose, perceived parental involvement, acculturation orientations, and ethnic identity were simultaneously investigated in order to discover their respective contribution to grades among these students. Additionally, it was tested whether academic self-esteem mediated the relationship between grades and psychological disengagement. North African French junior high-school students completed a questionnaire assessing their ethnic identity, acculturation orientations, perceptions of parental involvement, academic self-esteem and trend toward the devaluing and discounting facets of psychological disengagement. Their grades in the main courses were obtained from the school records. Although perceived parental involvement displayed the strongest contribution to grades, acculturation orientations and ethnic identity still predicted grades, after controlling for parental involvement. Academic self-esteem mediated the influence of grades on both facets of disengagement, while this pattern was less clear for the devaluing process.

Predicting adolescent problematic online game use from teacher autonomy support, basic psychological needs satisfaction, and school engagement: a 2-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Yu, Chengfu; Li, Xian; Zhang, Wei

2015-04-01

Problematic online game use (POGU) has become a serious global public health concern among adolescents. However, its influencing factors and mediating mechanisms remain largely unknown. This study provides the first longitudinal design to test stage-environment fit theory empirically in POGU. A total of 356 Chinese students reported on teacher autonomy support, basic psychological needs satisfaction, school engagement, and POGU in the autumn of their 7th-9th grade years. Path analyses supported the proposed pathway: 7th grade teacher autonomy support increased 8th grade basic psychological needs satisfaction, which in turn increased 9th grade school engagement, which ultimately decreased 9th grade POGU. Furthermore, 7th grade teacher autonomy support directly increased 9th grade school engagement, which in turn decreased 9th grade POGU. These findings suggest that teacher autonomy support is an important protective predictor of adolescent POGU, and basic psychological needs satisfaction and school engagement are the primary mediators in this association.

The Best Years of Our Lives? Coping with Stress Predicts School Grades, Life Satisfaction, and Feelings about High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacCann, Carolyn; Lipnevich, Anastasiya A.; Burrus, Jeremy; Roberts, Richard D.

2012-01-01

This study examines whether problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping strategies predict key outcomes in a sample of 354 high school students. The four outcomes considered are: academic achievement, life satisfaction, positive feelings towards school, and negative feelings towards school. Results demonstrate that coping incrementally…

Kindergarten Knowledge of Print Conventions and Later School Achievement: A Five-Year Follow-Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Kaaren C.; Day, H. D.

1984-01-01

Administered the Concepts About Print (CAP) test during kindergarten and first grade (N=56). Results showed the CAP to be highly correlated with various tests of school achievement obtained during the second through the fourth grades and to effectively predict those children who would later be retained in school. (JAC)

The Performance of Latinos in Rural Public Schools: A Comparative Analysis of Test Scores in Grades 3, 6, and 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampton, Steve; And Others

1995-01-01

Examines effects of socioeconomic status, school funding, English proficiency, and Latino population concentration on achievement scores of students in grades 3, 6, and 12 in 66 rural California school districts. Performance on the California Assessment Program was predicted primarily by parental socioeconomic status, and, unexpectedly, improved…

[Usefulness and limitations of rapid automatized naming to predict reading difficulties after school entry in preschool children].

PubMed

Kaneko, Masato; Uno, Akira; Haruhara, Noriko; Awaya, Noriko

2012-01-01

We investigated the usability and limitations of Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) results in 6-year-old Japanese preschool children to estimate whether reading difficulties will be encountered after school entry. We administered a RAN task to 1,001 preschool children. Then after they had entered school, we performed follow-up surveys yearly to assess their reading performance when these children were in the first, second, third and fourth grades. Also, we examined Hiragana non-words and Kanji words at each time point to detect the children who were having difficulty with reading Hiragana and Kanji. Results by Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis showed that the RAN result in 6-year-old preschool children was predictive of Kanji reading difficulty in the lower grades of elementary school, especially in the second grade with a probability of 0.86, and the area under the curve showed a probability of 0.84 in the third grade. These results suggested that the RAN task was useful as a screening tool.

Does the nature of schools matter? An exploration of selected school ecology factors on adolescent perceptions of school connectedness.

PubMed

Waters, Stacey; Cross, Donna; Shaw, Therese

2010-09-01

Connectedness to school is a significant predictor of adolescent health and academic outcomes. While individual predictors of connectedness have been well-described, little is known about school-level factors which may influence connectedness. A school's ecology, or its structural, functional, and built aspects, coupled with interpersonal interactions, may also help to enhance adolescent connectedness. This study aims to identify school ecological characteristics which predict enhanced connectedness in secondary school. Data from 5,159 Grade 8 students (12-13 years) from 39 randomly selected schools were tracked until the end of Grade 9 (13-14 years). Students' self-reported school, teacher, and family connectedness, mental health and peer relationships were measured at two time points. Accounting for school-level clustering, student- and school-level ecological characteristics were modelled on self-reported school connectedness in Grades 8 and 9. Students' higher school connectedness in Grades 8 and 9 was influenced by greater levels of family connectedness, fewer classroom and peer problems, less difficult secondary school transition, fewer emotional problems, and greater prosocial skills. Seven school-level ecological variables were significantly associated with school connectedness after controlling for student-level predictors. At the school-level, priority for pastoral care and students' aggregated writing skills scores significantly predicted concurrent and future enhanced connectedness. Interventions to improve students' school connectedness should address individual student characteristics and school functional features such as pastoral care strategies and helping students to achieve greater academic outcomes. Future studies should focus on the cumulative longitudinal influence of school ecological and student-level predictors of school connectedness.

Early Predictors of Middle School Fraction Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Drew H.; Siegler, Robert S.; Geary, David C.

2014-01-01

Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic…

[The impact of precursors on reading, spelling, and arithmetic at school 2nd grade].

PubMed

Daseking, M; Petermann, F

2011-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the role of precursors in the prediction of school achievement. 372 children were followed from health examination for school entry to the second grade. Preschool skills assessed by a screening of developmental stage (SOPESS) were related to second-grade reading (ELFE 1-6), spelling (DERET 1-2+), and arithmetic (DEMAT 1+) by correlation and regression analyses. Correlations between numeracy and math abilities (r=0,340) met with our expectations as also did those between verbal abilities and spelling (r=0,276). The subtests of attention and counting (SOPESS) contribute significantly to an explanation of the variance in school achievement. Numeracy predicts math achievement, and verbal memory contributes to school achievement in math and spelling. Our findings support the contribution of visual selective attention, phonological memory, and verbal abilities to the development of reading, spelling, and math at primary school. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Family, peer, and neighborhood influences on academic achievement among African-American adolescents: one-year prospective effects.

PubMed

Gonzales, N A; Cauce, A M; Friedman, R J; Mason, C A

1996-06-01

Using a 1-year prospective design, this study examined the influence of family status variables (family income, parental education, family structure), parenting variables (maternal support and restrictive control), peer support, and neighborhood risk on the school performance of 120 African American junior high school students. In addition to main effects of these variables, neighborhood risk was examined as a moderator of the effects of parenting and peer support. Family status variables were not predictive of adolescent school performance as indexed by self-reported grade point average. Maternal support at Time 1 was prospectively related to adolescent grades at Time 2. Neighborhood risk was related to lower grades, while peer support predicted better grades in the prospective analyses. Neighborhood risk also moderated the effects of maternal restrictive control and peer support on adolescent grades in prospective analyses. These findings highlight the importance of an ecological approach to the problem of academic underachievement within the African American Community.

A longitudinal examination of factors predicting anxiety during the transition to middle school

PubMed Central

Grills-Taquechel, Amie E.; Norton, Peter; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2010-01-01

The transition from elementary to middle or junior high school is commonly regarded as a period of stress and turmoil for young adolescents, and has been associated with changes in anxiety and other psychological problems. However, less is known about risk and resilience factors that may predict these changes. This study examined changes in anxiety, as well as predictors of these changes among 77, predominantly Caucasian (88%), male and female (52%) adolescents from Grades 6 to 8. Repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted to examine the predicted grade and gender differences. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the prediction of eighth grade anxiety symptoms by sixth grade self-worth, perceived social acceptance, and social support, as well as the potential moderating role of gender in these relations. Results suggested a significant decrease in anxiety, particularly social anxiety, over this period for boys but not girls. Examination of predictors of changes in anxiety suggested that, in general, global self-worth, social acceptance, and gender were each associated with overall and social anxiety. Findings are integrated with extant literature on developmental changes associated with anxiety and school transitions and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:20711893

What is the effect of secondary (high) schooling on subsequent medical school performance? A national, UK-based, cohort study

PubMed Central

Tiffin, Paul A; Paton, Lewis W; Kasim, Adetayo S; Böhnke, Jan R

2018-01-01

Objectives University academic achievement may be inversely related to the performance of the secondary (high) school an entrant attended. Indeed, some medical schools already offer ‘grade discounts’ to applicants from less well-performing schools. However, evidence to guide such policies is lacking. In this study, we analyse a national dataset in order to understand the relationship between the two main predictors of medical school admission in the UK (prior educational attainment (PEA) and performance on the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)) and subsequent undergraduate knowledge and skills-related outcomes analysed separately. Methods The study was based on national selection data and linked medical school outcomes for knowledge and skills-based tests during the first five years of medical school. UKCAT scores and PEA grades were available for 2107 students enrolled at 18 medical schools. Models were developed to investigate the potential mediating role played by a student’s previous secondary school’s performance. Multilevel models were created to explore the influence of students’ secondary schools on undergraduate achievement in medical school. Results The ability of the UKCAT scores to predict undergraduate academic performance was significantly mediated by PEA in all five years of medical school. Undergraduate achievement was inversely related to secondary school-level performance. This effect waned over time and was less marked for skills, compared with undergraduate knowledge-based outcomes. Thus, the predictive value of secondary school grades was generally dependent on the secondary school in which they were obtained. Conclusions The UKCAT scores added some value, above and beyond secondary school achievement, in predicting undergraduate performance, especially in the later years of study. Importantly, the findings suggest that the academic entry criteria should be relaxed for candidates applying from the least well performing secondary schools. In the UK, this would translate into a decrease of approximately one to two A-level grades. PMID:29792300

Task Values and Ability Beliefs as Predictors of High School Literacy Choices: A Developmental Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durik, Amanda M.; Vida, Mina; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2005-01-01

This study examines how competence beliefs and task values predict high school achievement choices related to literacy. Students' task beliefs (self-concept of ability, intrinsic value, and importance) about reading in the 4th grade and English in the 10th grade were tracked over time. Task beliefs, school performance, and gender were used to…

What's in a Teacher Test? Assessing the Relationship between Teacher Licensure Test Scores and Student STEM Achievement and Course-Taking. Working Paper 158

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Gratz, Trevor; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We investigate the relationship between teacher licensure test scores and student test achievement and high school course-taking. We focus on three subject/grade combinations--middle school math, ninth-grade algebra and geometry, and ninth-grade biology--and find evidence that a teacher's basic skills test scores are modestly predictive of student…

The Predictive Value of Selection Criteria in an Urban Magnet School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohmeier, Jill Hendrickson; Raad, Jennifer

2012-01-01

The predictive value of selection criteria on outcome data from two cohorts of students (Total N = 525) accepted to an urban magnet high school were evaluated. Regression analyses of typical screening variables (suspensions, absences, metropolitan achievement tests, middle school grade point averages [GPAs], Matrix Analogies test scores, and…

Developing a Predictive Metric to Assess School Viability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, John T.; Tichy, Karen L.; Collins, Alan; Schwob, John

2008-01-01

This article examines a wide range of parish school indicators that can be used to predict long-term viability. The study reported in this article explored the relationship between demographic variables, financial variables, and parish grade school closures in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis. Specifically, this study investigated whether…

Association of school, family, and mental health characteristics with suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Lee, Gyu-Young; Choi, Yun-Jung

2015-08-01

In a cross-sectional research design, we investigated factors related to suicidal ideation in adolescents using data from the 2013 Online Survey of Youth Health Behavior in Korea. This self-report questionnaire was administered to 72,435 adolescents aged 13-18 years in middle and high school. School characteristics, family characteristics, and mental health variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ(2) tests, and logistic regression. Both suicidal ideation and behavior were more common in girls. Suicidal ideation was most common in 11th grade for boys and 8th grade for girls. Across the sample, in logistic regression, suicidal ideation was predicted by low socioeconomic status, high stress, inadequate sleep, substance use, alcohol use, and smoking. Living apart from family predicted suicidal ideation in boys but not in girls. Gender- and school-grade-specific intervention programs may be useful for reducing suicidal ideation in students. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of early adolescent alcohol use on mid-adolescent school performance and connection: a longitudinal study of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States.

PubMed

Hemphill, Sheryl A; Heerde, Jessica A; Scholes-Balog, Kirsty E; Herrenkohl, Todd I; Toumbourou, John W; Catalano, Richard F

2014-11-01

This article examines the effect of early adolescent alcohol use on mid-adolescent school suspension, truancy, commitment, and academic failure in Washington State, United States, and Victoria, Australia. Also of interest was whether associations remain after statistically controlling for other factors known to predict school outcomes. State-representative student samples were surveyed in 2002 (grade 7; N = 1858) and followed up annually to 2004 (grade 9) in both sites. Students completed a modified version of the Communities That Care survey to report alcohol use, school outcomes, and risk and protective factors. Response rates were above 74% and retention rates exceeded 98% in both places. Controlling for grade 7 risk factors, grade 7 current alcohol use, and heavy episodic drinking were associated with grade 8 school suspension. Grade 7 current and frequent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking were linked to grade 9 truancy. In fully adjusted analyses, associations between early alcohol use and academic failure and low school commitment did not remain. Although alcohol use is one factor influencing school performance and connection, there are other risk factors that need to be targeted to improve school outcomes. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Predictors of the Elementary School Proficiency Exams and Issues of Equality in Educational Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogan, Irfan; Meseci Giorgetti, Filiz; Cifcili, Vakur

2011-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to determine whether school/student, classroom/student, teacher/student ratio, and the Human Development Index (I.G.E.) rates by province predict a province's total 6th and 7th grade Elementary School Proficiency Exam (SBS) scores. To determine the relationships between the province's total 6th and 7th grade SBS…

The Relationship between Intensity and Breadth of After-School Program Participation and Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Ken; Diffily, Deborah

2012-01-01

We explored the extent to which intensity and breadth of participation in an after-school program (ASP) predicted academic achievement, as measured by changes in grades and attendance. The sample comprised 719 2nd-grade through 8th-grade Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas members during the 2009-2010 academic year. With respect to intensity,…

What's in a Teacher Test? Assessing the Relationship between Teacher Licensure Test Scores and Student STEM Achievement and Course-Taking. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Gratz, Trevor; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We investigate the relationship between teacher licensure test scores and student test achievement and high school course-taking. We focus on three subject/grade combinations-- middle school math, ninth-grade algebra and geometry, and ninth-grade biology--and find evidence that a teacher's basic skills test scores are modestly predictive of…

Social Adjustment of Deaf Early Adolescents at the Start of Secondary School: The Divergent Role of Withdrawn Behavior in Peer Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolters, Nina; Knoors, Harry; Cillessen, Antonius H. N.; Verhoeven, Ludo

2014-01-01

This study examined the peer relationships and social behaviors of deaf adolescents in the first 2 years of secondary school. Peer nominations and ratings of peer status and behavior were collected longitudinally with 74 deaf and 271 hearing adolescents from Grade 7 to Grade 8. The predictions of deaf adolescents' peer status in Grade 8 from Grade…

Impact of a universal school-based violence prevention program on violent delinquency: distinctive benefits for youth with maltreatment histories.

PubMed

Crooks, Claire V; Scott, Katreena; Ellis, Wendy; Wolfe, David A

2011-06-01

Child maltreatment constitutes a strong risk factor for violent delinquency in adolescence, with cumulative experiences of maltreatment creating increasingly greater risk. Our previous work demonstrated that a universal school-based violence prevention program could provide a protective impact for youth at risk for violent delinquency due to child maltreatment history. In this study we conducted a follow-up to determine if participation in a school-based violence prevention program in grade 9 continued to provide a buffering effect on engaging in acts of violent delinquency for maltreated youth, 2 years post-intervention. Secondary analyses were conducted using data from a cluster randomized controlled trial of a comprehensive school-based violence prevention program. Students (N=1,722; 52.8% female) from 20 schools participated in 21 75-min lessons in grade 9 health classes. Individual data (i.e., gender, child maltreatment experiences, and violent delinquency in grade 9) and school-level data (i.e., student perception of safety averaged across students in each school) were entered in a multilevel model to predict violent delinquency at the end of grade 11. Individual- and school-level factors predicting violent delinquency in grade 11 replicated previous findings from grade 9: being male, experiencing child maltreatment, being violent in grade 9, and attending a school with a lower perceived sense of safety among the entire student body increased violent delinquency. The cross-level interaction of individual maltreatment history and school-level intervention was also replicated: in non-intervention schools, youth with more maltreatment in their background were increasingly likely to engage in violent delinquency. The strength of this relationship was significantly attenuated in intervention schools. Follow-up findings are consistent with the buffering effect of the prevention program previously found post-intervention for the subsample of youth with maltreatment histories. A relative inexpensive school-based violence prevention program that has been shown to reduce dating violence among the whole student body also creates a protective effect for maltreated youth with respect to lowering their likelihood of engaging in violent delinquency. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of daytime sleepiness on the school performance of college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a prospective longitudinal study.

PubMed

Langberg, Joshua M; Dvorsky, Melissa R; Becker, Stephen P; Molitor, Stephen J

2014-06-01

This prospective longitudinal study evaluated the impact of daytime sleepiness on the school performance of 62 college students diagnosed comprehensively with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The primary goal of the study was to determine if self-reported daytime sleepiness rated at the beginning of the academic year could predict academic and overall functioning at the end of the academic year while also considering potentially important covariates, including symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, medication status and whether or not students lived at home or on-campus. Self-reported daytime sleepiness predicted longitudinally school maladjustment, overall functional impairment and the number of D and F grades (i.e. poor and failing) students received in courses above and beyond both self- and parent-report of symptoms, but did not predict overall grade point average. Living at home served as a protective factor and was associated with less school maladjustment and overall impairment. Gender was the only significant predictor in the overall grade point average model, with female gender associated with higher overall grades. The implications of these findings for monitoring and treatment of sleep disturbances in college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are discussed. © 2013 European Sleep Research Society.

Predictors of Attrition and Academic Success of Medical Students: A 30-Year Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Maslov Kruzicevic, Silvija; Barisic, Katarina Josipa; Banozic, Adriana; Esteban, Carlos David; Sapunar, Damir; Puljak, Livia

2012-01-01

Aim To determine attrition and predictors of academic success among medical students at University of Split, Croatia. Methods We analysed academic records of 2054 students enrolled during 1979–2008 period. Results We found that 26% (533/2054) of enrolled students did not graduate. The most common reasons for attrition were ‘personal’ (36.4%), transfer to another medical school (35.6%), and dismissal due to unsatisfactory academic record (21.2%). Grade point average (GPA) and study duration of attrition students were significantly associated with parental education. There were 1126 graduates, 395 men and 731 women. Their average graduation GPA was 3.67±0.53 and study duration 7.6±2.44 years. During 5-year curriculum only 6.4% (42/654) of students graduated in time, and 55% (240/472) of students graduated in time after curriculum was extended to 6 years. Variables predicting whether a student will graduate or not were high school grades, entrance exam score and year of enrollment. Significant predictors of graduation grades were high school grades and entrance exam score. Entrance exam score predicted length of studying. Conclusion Preadmission academic qualifications and year of enrollment predict academic success in medical school. More attention should be devoted to high attrition. PMID:22737228

Effects of early adolescent alcohol use on mid-adolescent school performance and connection: A longitudinal study of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States

PubMed Central

Heerde, Jessica Anne; Scholes-Balog, Kirsty Elizabeth; Herrenkohl, Todd Ian; Toumbourou, John Winston; Catalano, Richard Francis

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND This paper examines the effect of early adolescent alcohol use on mid-adolescent school suspension, truancy, commitment, and academic failure in Washington State, United States (US) and Victoria, Australia. Also of interest was whether associations remain after statistically controlling for other factors known to predict school outcomes. METHODS State-representative student samples were surveyed in 2002 (grade 7; N = 1858) and followed up annually to 2004 (grade 9) in both venues. Students completed a modified version of the Communities That Care survey to report alcohol use, school outcomes and risk and protective factors. Response rates were above 74% and retention rates exceeded 98% in both places. RESULTS Controlling for grade 7 risk factors, grade 7 current alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking were associated with grade 8 school suspension. Grade 7 current and frequent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking were linked to grade 9 truancy. In fully adjusted analyses, associations between early alcohol use and academic failure and low school commitment did not remain. CONCLUSIONS Although alcohol use is one factor influencing school performance and connection, there are other risk factors that need to be targeted to improve school outcomes. PMID:25274170

Family and school spillover in adolescents' daily lives.

PubMed

Flook, Lisa; Fuligni, Andrew J

2008-01-01

This study examined spillover between daily family stressors and school problems among 589 ninth-grade students (mean age = 14.9 years) from Mexican, Chinese, and European backgrounds. Spillover was examined using a daily diary methodology in which adolescents reported on their school and family experiences each day for 2 weeks. Analyses using hierarchical linear modeling revealed reciprocal spillover effects between adolescents' daily functioning in the family and school domains that spanned several days. Longitudinal analyses indicated that spillover between family stressors and school problems also occurs across the high school years, from 9th to 12th grade, and that both are predictive of poorer academic performance in 12th grade. These findings have practical implications for adolescents' academic achievement trajectories and general well-being.

The Predictive Validity of the Metropolitan Readiness Tests, 1976 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagle, Richard J.

1979-01-01

A sample of 176 first-grade children was tested on the Metropolitan Readiness Tests, 1976 Edition (MRT), during the initial month of school and was retested eight months later on the Stanford Achievement Test. Results demonstrated substantial validity of the MRT for predicting first-grade achievement. (Author/CTM)

The Relationship between Frustration Intolerance and Academic Achievement in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilde, Jerry

2012-01-01

Traditional measures of predicting academic achievement in college such as high school grades and standardized test scores account for approximately 25% of the difference between predicted and actual grade point average (GPA). Researchers have also examined the relationship between psychological factors and academic self-efficacy which may account…

College Performance and Retention: A Meta-Analysis of the Predictive Validities of ACT® Scores, High School Grades, and SES

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westrick, Paul A.; Le, Huy; Robbins, Steven B.; Radunzel, Justine M. R.; Schmidt, Frank L.

2015-01-01

This meta-analysis examines the strength of the relationships of ACT® Composite scores, high school grades, and socioeconomic status (SES) with academic performance and persistence into the 2nd and 3rd years at 4-year colleges and universities. Based upon a sample of 189,612 students at 50 institutions, ACT Composite scores and high school grade…

School Belonging, Generational Status, and Socioeconomic Effects on Mexican-Origin Children's Later Academic Competence and Expectations.

PubMed

Hernández, Maciel M; Robins, Richard W; Widaman, Keith F; Conger, Rand D

2016-06-01

This study examined factors that relate to academic competence and expectations from elementary to middle school for 674 fifth grade students (50% boys; M age = 10.86 years) of Mexican origin. Models predicting academic competence and expectations were estimated using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) framework, with longitudinal data from fifth to eighth grades. School belonging (i.e., social and emotional connectedness to school) predicted greater academic competence and expectations over time. Findings indicate that student feelings of belonging in school may act as a resource that promotes academic competence and expectations. Furthermore, family income, parent education, and generational status had direct effects on academic competence and expectations to some degree, suggesting the importance of contextual factors in this process.

School Belonging, Generational Status, and Socioeconomic Effects on Mexican-Origin Children’s Later Academic Competence and Expectations

PubMed Central

Hernández, Maciel M.; Robins, Richard W.; Widaman, Keith F.; Conger, Rand D.

2014-01-01

This study examined factors that relate to academic competence and expectations from elementary to middle school for 674 fifth grade students (50% boys; Mage = 10.86 years) of Mexican origin. Models predicting academic competence and expectations were estimated using a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) framework, with longitudinal data from fifth to eighth grades. School belonging (i.e., social and emotional connectedness to school) predicted greater academic competence and expectations over time. Findings indicate that student feelings of belonging in school may act as a resource that promotes academic competence and expectations. Furthermore, family income, parent education, and generational status had direct effects on academic competence and expectations to some degree, suggesting the importance of contextual factors in this process. PMID:27231419

Aloha Teachers: Teacher Autonomy Support Promotes Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Students' Motivation, School Belonging, Course-Taking and Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froiland, John Mark; Davison, Mark L.; Worrell, Frank C.

2016-01-01

Among 110 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, teacher autonomy support in 9th grade significantly predicted intrinsic motivation for math in 9th grade as well as math course-taking over the next 2 years, both of which in turn significantly predicted math achievement by 11th grade. In a second model, teacher autonomy support was positively…

The Effects of Two Semesters of Secondary School Calculus on Students' First and Second Quarter Calculus Grades at the University of Utah

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, William Baker

1970-01-01

The predicted and actual achievement in college calculus is compared for students who had studied two semesters of calculus in high school. The regression equation used for prediction was calculated from the performance data of similar students who had not had high school calculus. (CT)

Parental Attitude and Teacher Behaviours in Predicting School Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdogdu, M. Yüksel

2016-01-01

The main goal of this research is to present the relationship between "parental attitude and teacher behaviors in predicting school bullying". The population of this research is consisted of all primary school 4th grade students within Istanbul Küçükçekmece Municipality borders. Data were gathered from lower, mid and upper socio-economic…

What No Child Left Behind Leaves Behind: The Roles of IQ and Self-Control in Predicting Standardized Achievement Test Scores and Report Card Grades

PubMed Central

Duckworth, Angela L.; Quinn, Patrick D.; Tsukayama, Eli

2013-01-01

The increasing prominence of standardized testing to assess student learning motivated the current investigation. We propose that standardized achievement test scores assess competencies determined more by intelligence than by self-control, whereas report card grades assess competencies determined more by self-control than by intelligence. In particular, we suggest that intelligence helps students learn and solve problems independent of formal instruction, whereas self-control helps students study, complete homework, and behave positively in the classroom. Two longitudinal, prospective studies of middle school students support predictions from this model. In both samples, IQ predicted changes in standardized achievement test scores over time better than did self-control, whereas self-control predicted changes in report card grades over time better than did IQ. As expected, the effect of self-control on changes in report card grades was mediated in Study 2 by teacher ratings of homework completion and classroom conduct. In a third study, ratings of middle school teachers about the content and purpose of standardized achievement tests and report card grades were consistent with the proposed model. Implications for pedagogy and public policy are discussed. PMID:24072936

The Impact of Early Classroom Inattention on Phonological Processing and Word-Reading Development.

PubMed

Dittman, Cassandra K

2016-08-01

The present study investigated the longitudinal relationships between inattention, phonological processing and word reading across the first 2 years of formal reading instruction. In all, 136 school entrants were administered measures of letter knowledge, phonological awareness, phonological memory, rapid naming, and word reading at the start and end of their 1st year of school, and the end of their 2nd year, while teachers completed rating scales of inattention. School entry inattentiveness predicted unique variance in word reading at the end of first grade, after controlling for verbal ability, letter knowledge, and phonological processing. End-of-first-grade inattention predicted a small but significant amount of unique variance in second-grade word reading and word-reading efficiency. Inattention, however, was not a reliable predictor of phonological processing in either first or second grade. Early classroom inattentiveness influences learning to read independent of critical developmental precursors of word-reading development. © The Author(s) 2013.

Opposites Detract: Middle School Peer Group Antipathies

PubMed Central

Laursen, Brett; Bukowski, William M.; Nurmi, Jari-Eri; Marion, Donna; Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Kiuru, Noona

2010-01-01

This study examines variability in patterns of peer group antipathy. Same-grade adolescent peer groups were identified from sociometric nominations of preferred affiliates in a community sample of 600 Finnish 9th grade middle school students (M = 15.0 years-old). Hierarchical linear modeling determined characteristics of youth in actor groups (nominators) that predicted antipathy for youth in target groups (nominatees) on the basis of target group characteristics. Most antipathies were based on dissimilarity between groups representing the mainstream culture and groups opposed to it. The higher a peer group's school burnout, the more its members disliked students in peer groups with higher school grades and students in peer groups with higher sports participation. Conversely, the higher a peer group's school grades, the more its members disliked students in peer groups with higher school burnout. Students in peer groups with less problem behavior disliked students in peer groups with more problem behavior. There was some evidence of rivalry within the mainstream culture: The higher a group's school grades, the more its members disliked those in groups whose members participated in sports. PMID:20378125

A levels and intelligence as predictors of medical careers in UK doctors: 20 year prospective study

PubMed Central

McManus, I C; Smithers, Eleni; Partridge, Philippa; Keeling, A; Fleming, Peter R

2003-01-01

Objective To assess whether A level grades (achievement) and intelligence (ability) predict doctors' careers. Design Prospective cohort study with follow up after 20 years by postal questionnaire. Setting A UK medical school in London. Participants 511 doctors who had entered Westminster Medical School as clinical students between 1975 and 1982 were followed up in January 2002. Main outcome measures Time taken to reach different career grades in hospital or general practice, postgraduate qualifications obtained (membership/fellowships, diplomas, higher academic degrees), number of research publications, and measures of stress and burnout related to A level grades and intelligence (result of AH5 intelligence test) at entry to clinical school. General health questionnaire, Maslach burnout inventory, and questionnaire on satisfaction with career at follow up. Results 47 (9%) doctors were no longer on the Medical Register. They had lower A level grades than those who were still on the register (P < 0.001). A levels also predicted performance in undergraduate training, performance in postregistration house officer posts, and time to achieve membership qualifications (Cox regression, P < 0.001; b=0.376, SE=0.098, exp(b)=1.457). Intelligence did not independently predict dropping off the register, career outcome, or other measures. A levels did not predict diploma or higher academic qualifications, research publications, or stress or burnout. Diplomas, higher academic degrees, and research publications did, however, significantly correlate with personality measures. Conclusions Results of achievement tests, in this case A level grades, which are particularly used for selection of students in the United Kingdom, have long term predictive validity for undergraduate and postgraduate careers. In contrast, a test of ability or aptitude (AH5) was of little predictive validity for subsequent medical careers. PMID:12869457

Predicting Students' Academic Performance Based on School and Socio-Demographic Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiele, Tamara; Singleton, Alexander; Pope, Daniel; Stanistreet, Debbi

2016-01-01

Students' trajectories into university are often uniquely dependent on school qualifications though these alone are limited as predictors of academic potential. This study endorses this, examining associations between school grades, school type, school performance, socio-economic deprivation, neighbourhood participation, sex and academic…

The relation of parenting style to adolescent school performance.

PubMed

Dornbusch, S M; Ritter, P L; Leiderman, P H; Roberts, D F; Fraleigh, M J

1987-10-01

This article develops and tests a reformation of Baumrind's typology of authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative parenting styles in the context of adolescent school performance. Using a large and diverse sample of San Francisco Bay Area high school students (N = 7,836), we found that both authoritarian and permissive parenting styles were negatively associated with grades, and authoritative parenting was positively associated with grades. Parenting styles generally showed the expected relation to grades across gender, age, parental education, ethnic, and family structure categories. Authoritarian parenting tended to have a stronger association with grades than did the other 2 parenting styles, except among Hispanic males. The full typology best predicted grades among white students. Pure authoritative families (high on authoritative but not high on the other 2 indices) had the highest mean grades, while inconsistent families that combine authoritarian parenting with other parenting styles had the lowest grades.

Executive Functioning Predicts Academic Achievement in Middle School: A Four-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samuels, William Ellery; Tournaki, Nelly; Blackman, Sheldon; Zilinski, Christopher

2016-01-01

Executive functioning (EF) is a strong predictor of children's and adolescents' academic performance. Although research indicates that EF can increase during childhood and adolescence, few studies have tracked the effect of EF on academic performance throughout the middle school grades. EF was measured at the end of Grades 6-9 through 21 teachers'…

Self-Regulation of Homework Behavior: Homework Management at the Secondary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Jianzhong; Wu, Hongyun

2013-01-01

The authors examined empirical models of variables posited to predict homework management at the secondary school level. The participants were 866 eighth-grade students from 61 classes and 745 eleventh-grade students from 46 classes. Most of the variance in homework management occurred at the student level, with affective attitude and homework…

Predicting Academic Success in First-Year Mathematics Courses Using ACT Mathematics Scores and High School Grade Point Average

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayo, Sandra Sims

2012-01-01

Improving college performance and retention is a daunting task for colleges and universities. Many institutions are taking action to increase retention rates by exploring their academic programs. Regression analysis was used to compare the effectiveness of ACT mathematics scores, high school grade point averages (HSGPA), and demographic factors…

A Study of Placement and Grade Prediction in First College Mathematics Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madison, Bernard L.; Linde, Cassandra S.; Decker, Blake R.; Rigsby, E. Myron; Dingman, Shannon W.; Stegman, Charles E.

2015-01-01

A college mathematics placement test with 25 basic algebra items and 15 calculus readiness items was administered to 1572 high school seniors, and first college mathematics course grades were obtained for 319 of these students. Test results indicated that more than two thirds of the high school graduates were not college ready, and the test…

Verbal and visual-spatial working memory and mathematical ability in different domains throughout primary school.

PubMed

Van de Weijer-Bergsma, Eva; Kroesbergen, Evelyn H; Van Luit, Johannes E H

2015-04-01

The relative importance of visual-spatial and verbal working memory for mathematics performance and learning seems to vary with age, the novelty of the material, and the specific math domain that is investigated. In this study, the relations between verbal and visual-spatial working memory and performance in four math domains (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) at different ages during primary school are investigated. Children (N = 4337) from grades 2 through 6 participated. Visual-spatial and verbal working memory were assessed using online computerized tasks. Math performance was assessed at the start, middle, and end of the school year using a speeded arithmetic test. Multilevel Multigroup Latent Growth Modeling was used to model individual differences in level and growth in math performance, and examine the predictive value of working memory per grade, while controlling for effects of classroom membership. The results showed that as grade level progressed, the predictive value of visual-spatial working memory for individual differences in level of mathematics performance waned, while the predictive value of verbal working memory increased. Working memory did not predict individual differences between children in their rate of performance growth throughout the school year. These findings are discussed in relation to three, not mutually exclusive, explanations for such age-related findings.

A Five-Year Follow-Up on the Role of Educational Support in Preventing Dropout From Upper Secondary Education in Finland.

PubMed

Hakkarainen, Airi M; Holopainen, Leena K; Savolainen, Hannu K

2015-01-01

In this longitudinal study, we investigated the role of word reading and mathematical difficulties measured in 9th grade as factors for receiving educational support for learning in upper secondary education in Grades 10 to 12 (from ages 16 to 19) and furthermore as predictors of dropout from upper secondary education within 5 years after compulsory education. In addition, we studied the role of school achievement in Grades 9 and 11 in this prediction. The participants of this study were members of one age group of 16-year-old ninth graders (N = 595, females 302, males 293) in a midsized Finnish city, who were followed for 5 years after completing compulsory education. The path model results, where the effects of gender, educational track, and SES were controlled, showed, first, that students with academic learning difficulties received educational support for learning particularly in the 11th grade. Second, academic learning difficulties directly affected school achievement in the 9th grade, but no longer in the 11th grade. Third, mathematical difficulties directly predicted dropout from upper secondary education, and difficulties in both word reading and mathematics had an indirect effect through school achievement in Grades 9 and 11 on dropout. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Correlates of Black and White University Student Grades Beyond the Freshman Year.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horowitz, Joseph L; And Others

The freshman, sophomore and junior year grades of 126 black and 178 white freshmen entering the University of Maryland were used as criterion measures in this study on prediction of academic achievement as reflected in grades. Predictors included the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), high school grade point average (HSGPA), the California…

Validity of the MCAT in Predicting Performance in the First Two Years of Medical School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Robert F.; Thomae-Forgues, Maria

1984-01-01

The first systematic summary of predictive validity research on the new Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is presented. The results show that MCAT scores have significant predictive validity with respect to first- and second-year medical school course grades. Further directions for MCAT validity research are described. (Author/MLW)

Outdoor alcohol advertising near schools: what does it advertise and how is it related to intentions and use of alcohol among young adolescents?

PubMed

Pasch, Keryn E; Komro, Kelli A; Perry, Cheryl L; Hearst, Mary O; Farbakhsh, Kian

2007-07-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) document and describe all outdoor alcohol advertisements surrounding schools and (2) examine the association between exposure to alcohol advertising in sixth grade and youth alcohol use, intentions, norms, and attitudes in eighth grade. All outdoor alcohol advertisements within 1,500 feet of 63 Chicago school sites were documented and coded for content and theme. Longitudinal mixed-effects regression analysis was used to determine the association between number of alcohol advertisements around a school in sixth grade and student alcohol behaviors, intentions, norms, and attitudes at the end of eighth grade, 2 years later. Participants included 2,586 sixth-grade students in the 2002-2003 school year. The sample was 37% black, 33% Hispanic, and 15% white. Gender was evenly distributed, and the average age was 12.2 at the end of sixth grade. A total of 931 alcohol advertisements were found within 1,500 feet of the 63 school sites. Exposure to alcohol advertising around schools at the end of sixth grade was found to predict alcohol intentions at the end of eighth grade. This finding held true even for those students who were nonusers of alcohol in sixth grade. Exposure to outdoor alcohol advertising around schools is associated with subsequent youth intentions to use alcohol. The association between exposure to alcohol advertising and youth alcohol-use intentions was found even among sixth-grade nonusers of alcohol, suggesting that even those who have not used alcohol are still influenced by alcohol advertising. These findings suggest that restrictions in alcohol advertising near schools may be warranted.

Predictors of Global Self-Worth and Academic Performance among Regular Education, Learning Disabled, and Continuation High School Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiest, Dudley J.; Wong, Eugene H.; Kreil, Dennis A.

1998-01-01

The ability of measures of perceived competence, control, and autonomy support to predict self-worth and academic performance was studied across groups of high school students. Stepwise regression analyses indicate these variables in model predict self-worth and grade point average. In addition, levels of school status and depression predict…

Aggression in Primary Schools: The Predictive Power of the School and Home Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kozina, Ana

2015-01-01

In this study, we analyse the predictive power of home and school environment-related factors for determining pupils' aggression. The multiple regression analyses are performed for fourth- and eighth-grade pupils based on the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2007 (N = 8394) and TIMSS 2011 (N = 9415) databases for Slovenia. At the…

Are SSATs and GPA Enough? A Theory-Based Approach to Predicting Academic Success in Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigorenko, Elena L.; Jarvin, Linda; Diffley, Ray; Goodyear, Julie; Shanahan, Edward J.; Sternberg, Robert J.

2009-01-01

Two studies were carried out to predict academic success in the highly competitive environment of a private preparatory school, Choate Rosemary Hall. The 1st study focused on the question of whether there are indicators beyond middle school grade-point average (GPA) and standardized test scores that might enhance the validity of measures for…

Extending the Research on the Tests of Early Numeracy: Longitudinal Analyses over Two School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baglici, Stephanie Petreshock; Codding, Robin; Tryon, Georgiana

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to extend the research on the "Tests of Early Numeracy" (TEN) by following a cohort of 61 students from kindergarten through first grade. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between kindergarten and first-grade TEN measures built within and across school years and their predictive validity of a math…

Moving Forward: School Library Experiences beyond the Expected

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, James

2017-01-01

If you stopped by and visited the author's school library in Eminence, Kentucky, it would be difficult to predict everything you might see and experience. You might see first-grade students browsing and finding books to check out, a ninth-grade student using a compound miter saw to prepare parts for a project in an engineering class, a fifth-grade…

An Investigation of the Combined Assessments Used as Entrance Criteria for a Gifted English Middle School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsey, Colleen D.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if the four assessments for entrance into an academic middle school gifted English program were accurately predicting success, as measured by students' grades each nine-week grading period. Some students were dismissed from the program each year because they could not maintain the required minimum average…

The Role of Family Factors and School Achievement in the Progression of Adolescents to Regular Smoking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennanen, M.; Vartiainen, E.; Haukkala, A.

2012-01-01

This study examines whether parental smoking and single parenting were related to adolescents' school achievement and anti-smoking parental practices as well as how these factors predicted later smoking. The sample comprised 1163 Finnish students in Grades 7 through 9. Results show that at the beginning of the seventh grade, parental smoking and…

Predicting Different Grades in Different Ways for Selective Admission: Disentangling the First-Year Grade Point Average

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steenman, Sebastiaan C.; Bakker, Wieger E.; van Tartwijk, Jan W. F.

2016-01-01

The first-year grade point average (FYGPA) is the predominant measure of student success in most studies on university admission. Previous cognitive achievements measured with high school grades or standardized tests have been found to be the strongest predictors of FYGPA. For this reason, standardized tests measuring cognitive achievement are…

Prospective Predictors of Novel Tobacco and Nicotine Product Use in Emerging Adulthood

PubMed Central

Hampson, Sarah E.; Andrews, Judy A.; Severson, Herbert H.; Barckley, Maureen

2015-01-01

Objective To investigate whether risk factors for cigarette smoking assessed in adolescence predict the use of novel tobacco and nicotine products (hookah, little cigars, and e-cigarettes) in early emerging adulthood. Methods In a longitudinal study (N = 862), risk factors were measured in middle and high school and novel product use was measured in emerging adulthood (mean age 22.4 years). Structural equation modelling was used to test a model predicting lifetime use of any of hookah, little cigars, and e-cigarettes in early emerging adulthood from distal predictors (gender, maternal smoking through Grade 8, already tried alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana by Grade 8, and sensation seeking at Grade 8), and potential mediators (intentions to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or smoke marijuana at Grade 9, and smoking trajectory across high school). Results The most prevalent novel tobacco product was hookah (21.7%), followed by little cigars (16.8%), and e-cigarettes (6.6%). Maternal smoking, having already tried substances, and sensation seeking each predicted the use of at least one of these products via an indirect path through intentions to use substances and membership in a high school smoking trajectory. Conclusions Risk factors for cigarette smoking were found to predict novel tobacco use, suggesting that interventions to prevent cigarette smoking could be extended to include common novel tobacco products. PMID:26206439

Identifying the necessary and sufficient number of risk factors for predicting academic failure.

PubMed

Lucio, Robert; Hunt, Elizabeth; Bornovalova, Marina

2012-03-01

Identifying the point at which individuals become at risk for academic failure (grade point average [GPA] < 2.0) involves an understanding of which and how many factors contribute to poor outcomes. School-related factors appear to be among the many factors that significantly impact academic success or failure. This study focused on 12 school-related factors. Using a thorough 5-step process, we identified which unique risk factors place one at risk for academic failure. Academic engagement, academic expectations, academic self-efficacy, homework completion, school relevance, school safety, teacher relationships (positive relationship), grade retention, school mobility, and school misbehaviors (negative relationship) were uniquely related to GPA even after controlling for all relevant covariates. Next, a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine a cutoff point for determining how many risk factors predict academic failure (GPA < 2.0). Results yielded a cutoff point of 2 risk factors for predicting academic failure, which provides a way for early identification of individuals who are at risk. Further implications of these findings are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Parental Autonomy Granting and School Functioning among Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Adolescents’ Cultural Values

PubMed Central

Wang, Cixin; Do, Kieu Anh; Bao, Leiping; Xia, Yan R.; Wu, Chaorong

2017-01-01

School adjustment and achievement are important indicators of adolescents’ well-being; however, few studies have examined the risk and protective factors predicting students’ school adjustment and achievement at the individual, familial, and cultural level. The present study examined the influences of individual and familial factors and cultural values on Chinese adolescents’ school functioning (e.g., school adjustment and grades). It also tested whether cultural values moderated the relationship between parenting and adolescents’ school functioning. Self-report data were collected from a stratified random sample of 2,864 adolescents (51.5% female, mean age = 15.52 years, grade 6th – 12th) from 55 classrooms, in 13 schools in Shanghai, China. Results showed that self-esteem (bse→adj = 0.05, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001; bse→grades = 0.08, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), parent–adolescent conflict (bconflict→adj = -0.03, SE = 0.00, p < 0.001; bconflict→grades = -0.04, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001), and conformity to parental expectations (bconform→adj = -0.03, SE = 0.02, p < 0.05; bconform→grades = 0.10, SE = 0.04, p < 0.05) all had significant effects on both school adjustment and grades, respectively. More importantly, results showed that independent self-construal moderated the relationship between parental autonomy granting and adolescents’ grades (bindepxautom = 0.06, SE = 0.02, p < 0.01). The findings suggest that cultural values may influence adolescents’ appraisal of parental autonomy granting, which then impacts their school functioning. PMID:29326622

Racial Differences in the Transactional Relationship Between Depression and Alcohol Use From Elementary School to Middle School.

PubMed

Birkley, Erica L; Zapolski, Tamika C B; Smith, Gregory T

2015-09-01

The aim of this investigation was to test hypothesized reverse prospective relationships between alcohol consumption and depressive symptomatology as a function of race among youth. In a two-wave prospective study, 328 European American, 328 African American, and 144 Hispanic American youth were studied at the end of fifth grade (last year of elementary school) and the end of sixth grade (first year of middle school). A positive correlation was observed between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among all youth. However, the predictive relationship differed based on race. For European American and Hispanic American youth, depressive symptom levels at the end of elementary school predicted alcohol consumption at the end of the first year of middle school, but the converse relationship was not observed. For African American youth, the opposite pattern was found. Alcohol consumption at the end of elementary school predicted depressive symptom levels at the end of the first year of middle school, and the converse relationship was not observed. These findings suggest the possibility that etiological relationships between depression and alcohol use vary by race, thus highlighting the importance of considering race when studying the risk process.

Racial Differences in the Transactional Relationship Between Depression and Alcohol Use From Elementary School to Middle School

PubMed Central

Birkley, Erica L.; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Smith, Gregory T.

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of this investigation was to test hypothesized reverse prospective relationships between alcohol consumption and depressive symptomatology as a function of race among youth. Method: In a two-wave prospective study, 328 European American, 328 African American, and 144 Hispanic American youth were studied at the end of fifth grade (last year of elementary school) and the end of sixth grade (first year of middle school). Results: A positive correlation was observed between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms among all youth. However, the predictive relationship differed based on race. For European American and Hispanic American youth, depressive symptom levels at the end of elementary school predicted alcohol consumption at the end of the first year of middle school, but the converse relationship was not observed. For African American youth, the opposite pattern was found. Alcohol consumption at the end of elementary school predicted depressive symptom levels at the end of the first year of middle school, and the converse relationship was not observed. Conclusions: These findings suggest the possibility that etiological relationships between depression and alcohol use vary by race, thus highlighting the importance of considering race when studying the risk process. PMID:26402361

Predicting Pre-Service Classroom Teachers' Civil Servant Recruitment Examination's Educational Sciences Test Scores Using Artificial Neural Networks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demir, Metin

2015-01-01

This study predicts the number of correct answers given by pre-service classroom teachers in Civil Servant Recruitment Examination's (CSRE) educational sciences test based on their high school grade point averages, university entrance scores, and grades (mid-term and final exams) from their undergraduate educational courses. This study was…

Cognitive Ability and Personality Variables as Predictors of School Grades and Test Scores in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofer, Manfred; Kuhnle, Claudia; Kilian, Britta; Fries, Stefan

2012-01-01

The predictive power of cognitive ability and self-control strength for self-reported grades and an achievement test were studied. It was expected that the variables use of time structure, academic procrastination, and motivational interference during learning further aid in predicting students' achievement because they are operative in situations…

Longitudinal prediction and concurrent functioning of adolescent girls demonstrating various profiles of dating violence and victimization.

PubMed

Chiodo, Debbie; Crooks, Claire V; Wolfe, David A; McIsaac, Caroline; Hughes, Ray; Jaffe, Peter G

2012-08-01

Adolescent girls are involved in physical dating violence as both perpetrators and victims, and there are negative consequences associated with each of these behaviors. This article used a prospective design with 519 girls dating in grade 9 to predict profiles of dating violence in grade 11 based on relationships with families of origin (child maltreatment experiences, harsh parenting), and peers (harassment, delinquency, relational aggression). In addition, dating violence profiles were compared on numerous indices of adjustment (school connectedness, grades, self-efficacy and community connectedness) and maladjustment (suicide attempts, distress, delinquency, sexual behavior) for descriptive purposes. The most common profile was no dating violence (n = 367) followed by mutual violence (n = 81). Smaller numbers of girls reported victimization or perpetration only (ns = 39 and 32, respectively). Predicting grade 11 dating violence profile membership from grade 9 relationships was limited, although delinquency, parental rejection, and sexual harassment perpetration predicted membership to the mutually violent group, and delinquency predicted the perpetrator-only group. Compared to the non-violent group, the mutually violent girls in grade 11 had lower grades, poorer self-efficacy, and lower school connectedness and community involvement. Furthermore, they had higher rates of peer aggression and delinquency, were less likely to use condoms and were much more likely to have considered suicide. There were fewer differences among the profiles for girls involved with dating violence. In addition, the victims-only group reported higher rates of sexual intercourse, comparable to the mutually violent group and those involved in nonviolent relationships. Implications for prevention and intervention are highlighted.

School Contextual Features of Social Disorder and Mental Health Complaints—A Multilevel Analysis of Swedish Sixth-Grade Students

PubMed Central

Modin, Bitte; Plenty, Stephanie; Låftman, Sara B.; Bergström, Malin; Berlin, Marie; Hjern, Anders

2018-01-01

This study addressed school-contextual features of social disorder in relation to sixth-grade students’ experiences of bullying victimization and mental health complaints. It investigated, firstly, whether the school’s concentrations of behavioural problems were associated with individual students’ likelihood of being bullied, and secondly, whether the school’s concentrations of behavioural problems and bullying victimization predicted students’ emotional and psychosomatic health complaints. The data were derived from the Swedish National Survey of Mental Health among Children and Young People, carried out among sixth-grade students (approximately 12–13 years old) in Sweden in 2009. The analyses were based on information from 59,510 students distributed across 1999 schools. The statistical method used was multilevel modelling. While students’ own behavioural problems were associated with an elevated risk of being bullied, attending a school with a higher concentration of students with behavioural problems also increased the likelihood of being bullied. Attending a school with higher levels of bullying victimization and behavioural problems predicted more emotional and psychosomatic complaints, even when adjusting for their individual level analogues. The findings indicate that school-level features of social disorder influence bullying victimization and mental health complaints among students. PMID:29351244

Predicting Students' Performance on Agricultural Science Examination from Forecast Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreetsi, Thobega; Mbako, Masole Trust

2008-01-01

The Botswana Examination Council (BEC) uses forecast grades obtained from secondary school Agriculture teachers to review component 2 of Agriculture final examination. Moderation of component 2 can help to improve candidates' final grade. This descriptive-correlational study purports to determine which of the component 1 (multiple choice),…

Teacher Preference, Peer Rejection, and Student Aggression: A Prospective Study of Transactional Influence and Independent Contributions to Emotional Adjustment and Grades

PubMed Central

Mercer, Sterett H.

2008-01-01

This study assessed the importance of teacher preference of individual students, relative to peer rejection and student aggression, as an independent predictor of children's emotional adjustment and grades. First, a longitudinal, cross-lagged path analysis was conducted to determine the patterns of influence among teacher preference, peer rejection, and student aggression. Then, parallel growth analyses were examined to test whether lower initial and declining teacher preference, beyond the influence of initial-level and change in peer rejection and student aggression, predicted change in loneliness, depression, social anxiety, and grades. Social adjustment, emotional adjustment, and academic adjustment were assessed in the fall and spring of two consecutive school years with 1,193 third-grade students via peer-, teacher-, and self-report instruments as well as school records. In the cross-lagged path analysis, reciprocal influence over time between teacher preference and peer rejection was found, and student aggression predicted lower teacher preference and higher peer rejection. In the growth analyses, initial and declining teacher preference were independent predictors of increasing loneliness and declining grades. Discussion focuses on the relevance of the results within a transactional model of school adaptation. PMID:19083378

Teacher preference, peer rejection, and student aggression: a prospective study of transactional influence and independent contributions to emotional adjustment and grades.

PubMed

Mercer, Sterett H; DeRosier, Melissa E

2008-12-01

This study assessed the importance of teacher preference of individual students, relative to peer rejection and student aggression, as an independent predictor of children's emotional adjustment and grades. First, a longitudinal, cross-lagged path analysis was conducted to determine the patterns of influence among teacher preference, peer rejection, and student aggression. Then, parallel growth analyses were examined to test whether lower initial and declining teacher preference, beyond the influence of initial level and change in peer rejection and student aggression, predicted change in loneliness, depression, social anxiety, and grades. Social adjustment, emotional adjustment, and academic adjustment were assessed in the fall and spring of two consecutive school years with 1193 third-grade students via peer-, teacher-, and self-report instruments as well as school records. In the cross-lagged path analysis, reciprocal influence over time between teacher preference and peer rejection was found, and student aggression predicted lower teacher preference and higher peer rejection. In the growth analyses, initial and declining teacher preference were independent predictors of increasing loneliness and declining grades. Discussion focuses on the relevance of the results within a transactional model of school adaptation.

Transmission characteristics of different students during a school outbreak of (H1N1) pdm09 influenza in China, 2009.

PubMed

Wang, Ligui; Chu, Chenyi; Yang, Guang; Hao, Rongzhang; Li, Zhenjun; Cao, Zhidong; Qiu, Shaofu; Li, Peng; Wu, Zhihao; Yuan, Zhengquan; Xu, Yuanyong; Zeng, Dajun; Wang, Yong; Song, Hongbin

2014-08-07

Many outbreaks of A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza have occurred in schools with a high population density. Containment of school outbreaks is predicted to help mitigate pandemic influenza. Understanding disease transmission characteristics within the school setting is critical to implementing effective control measures. Based on a school outbreak survey, we found almost all (93.7%) disease transmission occurred within a single grade, only 6.3% crossed grades. Transmissions originating from freshmen exhibited a star-shaped network; other grades exhibited branch- or line-shaped networks, indicating freshmen have higher activity and are more likely to cause infection. R0 for freshmen, calculated as 2.04, estimated as 2.76, was greater than for other grades (P < 0.01). Without intervention, the estimated number of cases was much greater when the outbreak was initiated by freshmen than by other grades. Furthermore, the estimated number of cases required to be under quarantine and isolation for freshmen was less than that of equivalent other grades. So we concluded that different grades have different transmission mode. Freshmen were the main facilitators of the spread of A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza during this school outbreak, so control measures (e.g. close contact isolation) priority used for freshmen would likely have effectively reduced spread of influenza in school settings.

[Factors that influence sexual intercourse among middle school students: using data from the 8th (2012) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey].

PubMed

Gwon, Seok Hyun; Lee, Chung Yul

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence sexual intercourse among middle school students in South Korea. Using statistics from the 8th (2012) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. The study sample comprised 37,297 middle school students aged primarily 12 to 15. The significant predictors of sexual intercourse were grade, ever smoking, ever drinking, habitual or purposeful drug use, economic status, weekly allowance, cohabitation with family, and type of school. The results suggest that intensified sex education is needed not only in the 1st grade of middle school, but also in the upper grades of elementary school. Sexual health interventions for high-risk groups may be needed, given the factors predicting sexual intercourse.

Trajectories of Suicidal Ideation from Sixth through Tenth Grades in Predicting Suicide Attempts in Young Adulthood in an Urban African American Cohort.

PubMed

Musci, Rashelle J; Hart, Shelley R; Ballard, Elizabeth D; Newcomer, Alison; Van Eck, Kathryn; Ialongo, Nicholas; Wilcox, Holly

2016-06-01

The trajectory of suicidal ideation across early adolescence may inform the timing of suicide prevention program implementation. This study aimed to identify developmental trajectories of suicidal ideation among an urban cohort of community-residing African Americans (AA) longitudinally followed from middle school through early adulthood (ages 11-19 years). Subtypes based on the developmental course of suicidal ideation from late childhood through mid-adolescence were identified using longitudinal latent class analysis (LLCA) with 581 AA adolescents (52.7% male; 71.1% free or reduced school meals). The developmental trajectories of suicidal ideation were then used to predict suicide attempts in young adulthood. Our LLCA indicated two subtypes (i.e., ideators and nonideators), with 8% of the sample in the ideator class. This trajectory class shows a peak of suicidal ideation in seventh grade and a steady decline in ideation in subsequent grades. Additionally, suicidal ideation trajectories significantly predicted suicide attempt. Results of these analyses suggest the need for suicide prevention approaches prior to high school for AA youth. © 2015 The American Association of Suicidology.

Parent and Peer Links to Trajectories of Anxious Withdrawal From Grades 5 to 8

PubMed Central

Booth-LaForce, Cathryn; Oh, Wonjung; Kennedy, Amy E.; Rubin, Kenneth H.; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Laursen, Brett

2013-01-01

Individual differences in trajectories of anxious withdrawal were examined from Grades 5 to 8 across the transition to middle school in a community sample (N = 283), using General Growth Mixture Modeling. Three distinct pathways of anxious withdrawal were identified: low-stable (78%), high-decreasing (12%), and high-increasing (10%). In Grade 6, relative to the low-stable class, greater peer exclusion and more free time spent with mother predicted membership in the high-decreasing class; higher peer exclusion predicted membership in the high-increasing class. Within the high-increasing class, the growth of anxious withdrawal was predicted by lower parental autonomy-granting, less free time with mother, both nurturing and restrictive parenting, and greater peer exclusion. Results highlight the role of both parent–child relationship and peer difficulties in increasing the adjustment risk among youth who are anxiously withdrawn prior to the middle-school transition. PMID:22417188

Inflexible parents, inflexible kids: a 6-year longitudinal study of parenting style and the development of psychological flexibility in adolescents.

PubMed

Williams, Kathryn E; Ciarrochi, Joseph; Heaven, Patrick C L

2012-08-01

Parenting behaviors have been linked to children's self regulation, but it is less clear how they relate to adolescent psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility is a broad construct that describes an individual's ability to respond appropriately to environmental demands and internal experiences in the service of their goals. We examined the longitudinal relationships between perceived parenting style and psychological flexibility among students at five Australian schools (N= 749) over 6 years, beginning in Grade 7 (50.3% female, mean age 12.39 years). Parenting style was measured in Grades 7 and 12, and psychological flexibility from Grade 9 through 12. Psychological flexibility decreased, on average, with age. Multi-level modelling indicated that authoritarian parenting (low warmth, high control) in Grade 7 predicted later (low) psychological flexibility. Moreover, increases in authoritarian parenting and decreases in authoritative parenting (high warmth and control) were associated with adolescent psychological flexibility across the high school years. Change in parenting predicted future psychological flexibility but did not predict change over time. Structural Equation Modelling revealed that adolescent psychological flexibility in Grade 9 predicted later decreases in authoritarian and increases in authoritative parenting. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding how parenting changes and the consequences of such change for the development of psychological flexibility.

Delivery of State-Provided Predictive Analytics to Schools: Wisconsin's DEWS and the Proposed EWIMS Dashboard. WCER Working Paper No. 2016-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clune, Bill; Knowles, Jared

2016-01-01

Since 2012, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has maintained a statewide predictive analytics system providing schools with an early warning in middle grades of students at risk for not completing high school. DPI is considering extending and enhancing this system, known as the Dropout Early Warning System (DEWS). The proposed…

The role of family, peers and school perceptions in predicting involvement in youth violence.

PubMed

Laufer, Avital; Harel, Yossi

2003-01-01

This study explored the relative importance of family, peers and school in predicting youth violence. The analysis was done on a nationally representative sample included 8,394 students from grade 6th-10th in Israel. Measures of youth violence included bullying, physical fights and weapon carrying. The findings suggested that all three social systems had significant relations with youth violence, respectively. Variables found to predict violence were: Family-lack of parental support regarding school; Peers-Lack of social integration or too many evenings out with friends; School-feeling of school alienation, low academic achievement and perceptions of frequent acts of violence in school. School perceptions had the strongest predicting power. Findings emphasized the importance of focusing on improving the daily school experience in reducing youth violence.

Investigating kindergarteners' number sense and self-regulation scores in relation to their mathematics and Turkish scores in middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

İvrendi, Asiye

2016-09-01

Number sense and self-regulation are considered foundational skills for later school learning. This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of kindergarten children's number sense and self-regulation scores on their mathematics and Turkish language examination scores in the 5th and 6th grades. The participants in this study were 5th grade ( n = 46) and 6th grade ( n = 28) students, whose number sense and self-regulation skills were measured when they were in kindergarten in 2009 and 2010. Data were analyzed through multiple regression. The results showed positive and mid-level correlations. The children's kindergarten number sense and self-regulation scores significantly predicted their 5th and 6th grade mathematics and Turkish language examination scores. Self-regulation was the stronger predictor of mathematics scores, whereas number sense scores were the better predictor of Turkish language examination scores. The findings from this study provide further evidence as to the critical role of children's early skills in middle school mathematics and language achievement.

Behavioral Changes Predicting Temporal Changes in Perceived Popular Status

PubMed Central

Bowker, Julie C.; Rubin, Kenneth H.; Buskirk-Cohen, Alison; Rose-Krasnor, Linda; Booth-LaForce, Cathryn

2009-01-01

The primary objectives of this investigation were to determine the extent to which young adolescents are stable in high perceived popular status across the middle school transition and to examine whether changes in social behaviors predict the stability, gain, and loss of perceived popular status after the transition. The sample included 672 young adolescents (323 boys) who completed peer-nomination assessments of social behavior and perceived popularity at the end of elementary school (5th grade) and the beginning of middle school (6th grade). Findings indicated that 62 percent of perceived popular adolescents remained stable in their high popular status across the middle school transition. Multinomial logistic regression analyses revealed that a combination of aggression and arrogance/conceit was associated with stable and newly-gained perceived popular status after the middle school transition. Taken together, findings highlight the significance of contextual and temporal changes in adolescents’ perceived popular status. PMID:20209113

Puberty and the Education of Girls*

PubMed Central

CAVANAGH, SHANNON E.; RIEGLE-CRUMB, CATHERINE; CROSNOE, ROBERT

2010-01-01

This study extends previous research on the social psychological implications of pubertal timing to education by applying a life course framework to data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and from the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study. Early pubertal timing, which has previously been associated with major social psychological changes in girls' lives during middle school, predicted girls' grade point average and probability of course failure at the start of high school. Because of this initial failure during the high school transition, it also predicted their probability of dropping out of high school, and, among those who graduated, their grade point average at the end of high school. Such research demonstrates one way in which the immediate social psychological risk of early pubertal timing, measured as the age at menarche, translates into long-term disadvantage for girls, thereby opening up new avenues of research for social psychologists interested in youth development, health, and education. PMID:20216926

School violence in Taiwan: examining how Western risk factors predict school violence in an Asian culture.

PubMed

Chen, Ji-Kang; Avi Astor, Ron

2010-08-01

The current study explores whether theorized risk factors in Western countries can be used to predict school violence perpetration in an Asian cultural context. The study examines the associations between risk factors and school violence perpetration in Taiwan. Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 14,022 students from elementary to high school (Grades 4 to 12) across Taiwan. The analysis reported in this study focuses on only junior high school students (Grades 7 to 9, N = 3,058). The results of a regression analysis show that gender, age, direct victimization, witness victimization, alcohol use, smoking, anger traits, lack of impulse control, attitudes toward violence, poor quality of student-teacher relationships, and involvement with at-risk peers were significantly associated with school violence in Taiwan. The overall results suggest strong similarities in risk factors found in the West and school violence in Taiwan. They therefore point toward using similar strategies developed in the West to enhance students' positive experiences in their personal, family, and school lives to decrease school violence.

Physical activity during school in urban minority kindergarten and first-grade students.

PubMed

Reznik, Marina; Wylie-Rosett, Judith; Kim, Mimi; Ozuah, Philip O

2013-01-01

To determine if physical activity (PA) during the school day varied by school, grade level, gender, weight status, and physical education (PE) and recess participation among urban kindergarten and first-grade students. Cross-sectional study at 4 Bronx, NY, schools. Student PA was measured by a Yamax Digi-Walker pedometer, an objective and validated measure of PA in children. Each student wore a sealed pedometer during school for 5 consecutive days. Hierarchical models were fit to identify variables predictive of PA. A total of 916 had valid pedometer data (53% male, 70% Hispanic, mean age 5.98 years [SD 0.66], 45% overweight). PA varied by school (P < .0001). First-grade students took a significantly greater mean number of steps during school than kindergarten students. Overall, students took an average of 2479.7 (SD 961.8) steps/school day. PA did not differ by BMI status. Students took on average 724 more steps on PE days than on non-PE days and 490 more steps on days with outdoor recess than nonrecess days (P < .05 for both). Fewer than 1% of all students achieved lower cut points for previously published mean range of steps/school day for boys and girls. Multivariable analysis revealed higher grade level, participation in PE class, and outdoor recess as independent predictors of PA. PA levels were low in kindergarten and first-grade students. Future interventions incorporating classroom-based PA and outdoor recess may increase PA in resource-poor urban schools with limited PE facilities.

The Utility of the MAPI in Predicting Urban Middle School Competence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulus, John A.; Perosa, Linda M.

A sample of 107 eighth graders from a large urban middle school in the Midwest was administered the Millon Adolescent Personality Inventory (MAPI) to determine its utility in predicting grades earned, attendance, and social competence. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that the MAPI coping patterns significantly…

How does School Experience Relate to Adolescent Identity Formation Over Time? Cross-Lagged Associations between School Engagement, School Burnout and Identity Processing Styles.

PubMed

Erentaitė, Rasa; Vosylis, Rimantas; Gabrialavičiūtė, Ingrida; Raižienė, Saulė

2018-04-01

The existing research findings still do not provide a clear understanding of the links between adolescent school experience and their identity formation. To address this gap, we analyzed the dynamic links between adolescent school experiences and identity formation by exploring the cross-lagged associations between school engagement, school burnout and identity processing styles (information-oriented, normative and diffuse-avoidant) over a 2-year period during middle-to-late adolescence. The sample of this school-based study included 916 adolescents (51.4% females) in the 9th to 12th grades from diverse socio-economic and family backgrounds. The results from the cross-lagged analyses with three time points revealed that (a) school engagement positively predicted information-oriented identity processing over a 2-year period; (b) school burnout positively predicted the reliance on normative and diffuse-avoidant identity styles across the three measurements; (c) the effects were stable over the three time points and across different gender, grade, and socio-economic status groups. The unidirectional effects identified in our study support the general prediction that active engagement in learning at school can serve as a resource for adolescent identity formation, while school burnout, in contrast, can hinder the formation of adolescent identity. This points to the importance of taking developmental identity-related needs of adolescents into account when planning the school curriculum.

Predicting Middle School Students' Use of Web 2.0 Technologies out of School Using Home and School Technological Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Joan E.; Read, Michelle F.; Jones, Sara; Mahometa, Michael

2015-01-01

This study used multiple regression to identify predictors of middle school students' Web 2.0 activities out of school, a construct composed of 15 technology activities. Three middle schools participated, where sixth- and seventh-grade students completed a questionnaire. Independent predictor variables included three demographic and five computer…

Accuracy of Kindergarten Teachers' Predictions of Their Pupils' Subsequent Performance. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Virgin, Albert E.; Shecter, H. E.

This study is part of a series of three studies related to the incidence and effects of grade repetition on elementary school children. The focus of this study was to determine whether kindergarten teachers are able to make accurate predictions about their pupils' general academic and reading achievement when they reach Grade 3. In the 1970/71…

Personality traits measured at baseline can predict academic performance in upper secondary school three years late.

PubMed

Rosander, Pia; Bäckström, Martin

2014-12-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the ability of personality to predict academic performance in a longitudinal study of a Swedish upper secondary school sample. Academic performance was assessed throughout a three-year period via final grades from the compulsory school and upper secondary school. The Big Five personality factors (Costa & McCrae, ) - particularly Conscientiousness and Neuroticism - were found to predict overall academic performance, after controlling for general intelligence. Results suggest that Conscientiousness, as measured at the age of 16, can explain change in academic performance at the age of 19. The effect of Neuroticism on Conscientiousness indicates that, as regarding getting good grades, it is better to be a bit neurotic than to be stable. The study extends previous work by assessing the relationship between the Big Five and academic performance over a three-year period. The results offer educators avenues for improving educational achievement. © 2014 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Perceived Medical School stress of undergraduate medical students predicts academic performance: an observational study.

PubMed

Kötter, Thomas; Wagner, Josefin; Brüheim, Linda; Voltmer, Edgar

2017-12-16

Medical students are exposed to high amounts of stress. Stress and poor academic performance can become part of a vicious circle. In order to counteract this circularity, it seems important to better understand the relationship between stress and performance during medical education. The most widespread stress questionnaire designed for use in Medical School is the "Perceived Medical School Stress Instrument" (PMSS). It addresses a wide range of stressors, including workload, competition, social isolation and financial worries. Our aim was to examine the relation between the perceived Medical School stress of undergraduate medical students and academic performance. We measured Medical School stress using the PMSS at two different time points (at the end of freshman year and at the end of sophomore year) and matched stress scores together with age and gender to the first medical examination (M1) grade of the students (n = 456). PMSS scores from 2 and 14 months before M1 proved to be significant predictors for medical students' M1 grade. Age and gender also predict academic performance, making older female students with high stress scores a potential risk group for entering the vicious circle of stress and poor academic performance. PMSS sum scores 2 and 14 months before the M1 exam seem to have an independent predictive validity for medical students' M1 grade. More research is needed to identify potential confounders.

Parental Autonomy Granting and School Functioning among Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Adolescents' Cultural Values.

PubMed

Wang, Cixin; Do, Kieu Anh; Bao, Leiping; Xia, Yan R; Wu, Chaorong

2017-01-01

School adjustment and achievement are important indicators of adolescents' well-being; however, few studies have examined the risk and protective factors predicting students' school adjustment and achievement at the individual, familial, and cultural level. The present study examined the influences of individual and familial factors and cultural values on Chinese adolescents' school functioning (e.g., school adjustment and grades). It also tested whether cultural values moderated the relationship between parenting and adolescents' school functioning. Self-report data were collected from a stratified random sample of 2,864 adolescents (51.5% female, mean age = 15.52 years, grade 6th - 12th) from 55 classrooms, in 13 schools in Shanghai, China. Results showed that self-esteem ( b se→adj = 0.05, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001; b se→grades = 0.08, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), parent-adolescent conflict ( b conflict→adj = -0.03, SE = 0.00, p < 0.001; b conflict→grades = -0.04, SE = 0.01, p < 0.001), and conformity to parental expectations ( b conform→adj = -0.03, SE = 0.02, p < 0.05; b conform→grades = 0.10, SE = 0.04, p < 0.05) all had significant effects on both school adjustment and grades, respectively. More importantly, results showed that independent self-construal moderated the relationship between parental autonomy granting and adolescents' grades ( b indepxautom = 0.06, SE = 0.02, p < 0.01). The findings suggest that cultural values may influence adolescents' appraisal of parental autonomy granting, which then impacts their school functioning.

High school dropouts: interactions between social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and student dropout.

PubMed

Fall, Anna-Mária; Roberts, Greg

2012-08-01

Research suggests that contextual, self-system, and school engagement variables influence dropping out from school. However, it is not clear how different types of contextual and self-system variables interact to affect students' engagement or contribute to decisions to dropout from high school. The self-system model of motivational development represents a promising theory for understanding this complex phenomenon. The self-system model acknowledges the interactive and iterative roles of social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and academic achievement as antecedents to the decision to dropout of school. We analyzed data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002-2004 in the context of the self-system model, finding that perception of social context (teacher support and parent support) predicts students' self-perceptions (perception of control and identification with school), which in turn predict students' academic and behavioral engagement, and academic achievement. Further, students' academic and behavioral engagement and achievement in 10th grade were associated with decreased likelihood of dropping out of school in 12th grade. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

High school dropouts: Interactions between social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and student dropout☆

PubMed Central

Fall, Anna-Mária; Roberts, Greg

2012-01-01

Research suggests that contextual, self-system, and school engagement variables influence dropping out from school. However, it is not clear how different types of contextual and self-system variables interact to affect students’ engagement or contribute to decisions to dropout from high school. The self-system model of motivational development represents a promising theory for understanding this complex phenomenon. The self-system model acknowledges the interactive and iterative roles of social context, self-perceptions, school engagement, and academic achievement as antecedents to the decision to dropout of school. We analyzed data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002–2004 in the context of the self-system model, finding that perception of social context (teacher support and parent support) predicts students’ self-perceptions (perception of control and identification with school), which in turn predict students’ academic and behavioral engagement, and academic achievement. Further, students’ academic and behavioral engagement and achievement in 10th grade were associated with decreased likelihood of dropping out of school in 12th grade. PMID:22153483

Children's Understanding of Lies in Elementary School Years.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hajimu

2017-01-01

The author examined whether children's understanding of lies exhibits developmental trends in the elementary school years. Four story contexts were presented to 51 first-grade students, 44 fourth-grade students, and 58 adults. These stories represented combinations of a protagonist's intention (truthful or deceptive) and the truth of the protagonist's message (true or false). The results showed that adults judged whether these messages were lies by considering the protagonist's intentions. By contrast, approximately 30% of first-grade students and some fourth-grade students did not consider intentions in making judgments, although they appropriately predicted the outcomes of the messages. These results suggest that children in the early elementary school years have a conception of lies different from that of adults, and their conception of lies becomes more sophisticated after middle childhood.

Predicting First Grade Reading Performance from Kindergarten Response to Tier 1 Instruction

PubMed Central

Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Folsom, Jessica S.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Wanzek, Jeanne; Greulich, Luana; Meadows, Jane; Li, Zhi; Connor, Carol M

2010-01-01

Many schools are beginning to implement multi-tier response to intervention (RTI) models for the prevention of reading difficulties and to assist in the identification of students with learning disabilities (LD). The present study was part of our larger ongoing longitudinal RTI investigation within the Florida Learning Disabilities Center grant. This study used a longitudinal correlational design, conducted in 7 ethnically and socio-economically diverse schools. We observed reading instruction in 20 classrooms, examined response rates to kindergarten Tier 1 instruction, and predicted students’ first grade reading performance based upon kindergarten growth and end of year reading performance (n = 203). Teachers followed an explicit core reading program and overall, classroom instruction was rated as effective. Results indicate that controlling for students’ end of kindergarten reading, their growth across kindergarten on a variety of language and literacy measures suppressed predictions of first grade performance. Specifically, the steeper the students’ trajectory to a satisfactory outcome, the less likely they were to demonstrate good performance in first grade. Implications for future research and RTI implementation are discussed. PMID:21857718

Prospective Predictors of Novel Tobacco and Nicotine Product Use in Emerging Adulthood.

PubMed

Hampson, Sarah E; Andrews, Judy A; Severson, Herbert H; Barckley, Maureen

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether risk factors for cigarette smoking assessed in adolescence predict the use of novel tobacco and nicotine products (hookah, little cigars, and e-cigarettes) in early emerging adulthood. In a longitudinal study (N = 862), risk factors were measured in middle and high school, and novel product use was measured in emerging adulthood (mean age 22.4 years). Structural equation modeling was used to test a model predicting lifetime use of any of hookah, little cigars, and e-cigarettes in early emerging adulthood from distal predictors (gender, maternal smoking through Grade 8; already tried alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana by Grade 8; and sensation seeking at Grade 8) and potential mediators (intentions to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol or smoke marijuana at Grade 9, and smoking trajectory across high school). The most prevalent novel tobacco product was hookah (21.7%), followed by little cigars (16.8%) and e-cigarettes (6.6%). Maternal smoking, having already tried substances, and sensation seeking each predicted the use of at least one of these products via an indirect path through intentions to use substances and membership in a high-school smoking trajectory. Risk factors for cigarette smoking were found to predict novel tobacco use, suggesting that interventions to prevent cigarette smoking could be extended to include common novel tobacco products. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitude and Secondary School Science Students' Intention To Enroll in Physics: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawley, Frank E.; Black, Carolyn B.

This study explores the utility of the theory of planned behavior for understanding and predicting the behavioral intentions of secondary science students. Data were collected from secondary science students enrolling in earth science (8th grade), biology (9th grade), physical science (10th grade), or chemistry (11th grade). Cause-effect relations…

Predictors of the initiation and persistence of internet addiction among adolescents in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Lee, Ching-Mei; Chen, Ping-Hung; Miao, Nae-Fang

2014-10-01

The present study examined the psychosocial factors associated with the initiation and persistence of Internet addiction among adolescents in Taiwan. A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade, in Taipei, Taiwan. Self-administered questionnaires were collected in each year to assess the pattern of changes in Internet addiction and psychosocial factors. Of the 1602 students without an Internet addiction in the 10th grade, 253 (15.8%) had initiated Internet addiction by grade 11. Multivariate analysis results indicated that greater engagement in online activities (i.e., social network website use, online gaming), depression, and lower school bonding in grade 10 coupled with an increase in online activities, depression, and smoking from grades 10 to 11 predicted the initiation of Internet addiction. Of the 605 students with Internet addiction in the 10th grade, the addiction had persisted for 383 students (63.3%) in grade 11. An increase in the existence of depression and alcohol use from grades 10 to 11 predicted the persistence of Internet addiction. Online activities, depression, and substance use were important predictors of youth initiation and of the persistence of Internet addiction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weapon Carrying in Israeli Schools: The Contribution of Individual and School Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoury-Kassabri, Mona; Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami

2007-01-01

The present study employed an ecological perspective to examine the relative predictive power of individual and school contextual factors on weapon carrying at school. The study is based on a nationally representative sample of 10,400 students in Grades 7 through 11 in 162 schools across Israel. Hierarchical logistic modeling examined the…

Students' Perception of School Violence and Math Achievement in Middle Schools of Southern Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caputo, Andrea

2013-01-01

This study aims at both investigating bullying episodes occurring at school across different grades (from 6 to 8) and evaluating whether educational achievement in math can be predicted on the ground of students' perception of school violence. The sample was composed of 11,064 students coming from middle schools of Southern Italy. Standardized…

What Specific Facets of Executive Function are Associated with Academic Functioning in Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Dvorsky, Melissa R.; Evans, Steven W.

2013-01-01

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relation between ratings of Executive Function (EF) and academic functioning in a sample of 94 middle-school-aged youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Mage = 11.9; 78% male; 21% minority). This study builds on prior work by evaluating associations between multiple specific aspects of EF (e.g., working memory, inhibition, and planning and organization) as rated by both parents and teachers on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), with multiple academic outcomes, including school grades and homework problems. Further, this study examined the relationship between EF and academic outcomes above and beyond ADHD symptoms and controlled for a number of potentially important covariates, including intelligence and achievement scores. The EF Planning and Organization subscale as rated by both parents and teachers predicted school grades above and beyond symptoms of ADHD and relevant covariates. Parent ratings of youth’s ability to transition effectively between tasks/situations (Shift subscale) also predicted school grades. Parent-rated symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, and planning and organization abilities were significant in the final model predicting homework problems. In contrast, only symptoms of inattention and the Organization of Materials subscale from the BRIEF were significant in the teacher model predicting homework problems. Organization and planning abilities are highly important aspects academic functioning for middle-school-aged youth with ADHD. Implications of these findings for the measurement of EF, and organization and planning abilities in particular, are discussed along with potential implications for intervention. PMID:23640285

Perceived Prevalence of Teasing and Bullying Predicts High School Dropout Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornell, Dewey; Gregory, Anne; Huang, Francis; Fan, Xitao

2013-01-01

This prospective study of 276 Virginia public high schools found that the prevalence of teasing and bullying (PTB) as perceived by both 9th-grade students and teachers was predictive of dropout rates for this cohort 4 years later. Negative binomial regression indicated that one standard deviation increases in student- and teacher-reported PTB were…

The Role of Family Involvement in Predicting Student-Teacher Relationships and Academic and Behavioral Outcomes for Children of Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryce, Patrice

2012-01-01

Using a multi-ethnic, socioeconomically varied sample of children of immigrants attending Islamic and public schools from first through third grade, this dissertation examined the degree to which school-based family involvement predicted teacher perceptions of value differences with parents, teacher expectations, child externalizing behavioral…

Validity of the Optometry Admission Test in Predicting Performance in Schools and Colleges of Optometry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kramer, Gene A.; Johnston, JoElle

1997-01-01

A study examined the relationship between Optometry Admission Test scores and pre-optometry or undergraduate grade point average (GPA) with first and second year performance in optometry schools. The test's predictive validity was limited but significant, and comparable to those reported for other admission tests. In addition, the scores…

Developmental Trajectories of Compensatory Exercise and Fasting Behavior across the Middle School Years

PubMed Central

Davis, Heather A.; Guller, Leila; Smith, Gregory T.

2016-01-01

Compensatory exercise and fasting behavior, in the absence of binge eating and purging, appear to be important eating disorder behaviors that are associated with dysfunction, but little is known about these behaviors in youth. We studied the trajectories of their development in non-binge eating and non-purging girls during early adolescence. Using a longitudinal design, we assessed 564 girls six times over the three years of middle school (grades 6 through 8) and developed trajectories specifying different developmental patterns in relation to the behaviors. Prior to this period, when the girls were in 5th grade (elementary school), we assessed risk factors to predict girls’ subsequent trajectory group membership. Compensatory exercise trajectory groups included a non-engagement group, a group that increased in the behavior, and a group that decreased in the behavior. There were two fasting trajectory groups, one consistently engaging in the behavior and the other consistently not. Elementary school levels of depression, eating expectancies, and thinness expectancies predicted subsequent trajectory group membership. Risk for compensatory exercise and fasting should be evaluated as early as in 5th grade. Targeted interventions should focus on girls in late elementary school or middle school, as this appears to be a critical developmental and maintenance period for compensatory exercise and fasting behavior. PMID:27544806

A longitudinal examination of career preparation and adjustment during the transition from high school.

PubMed

Stringer, Kate; Kerpelman, Jennifer; Skorikov, Vladimir

2012-09-01

Preparing for an adult career and incorporating a career into one's identity is a key task during the transition to adulthood (Erikson, 1968), and completing developmental tasks is considered a major factor in adjustment (Havinghurst, 1972). Previous research has established associations between overall career preparation in high school and adjustment soon after high school graduation. Differences in the developmental patterns of career preparation dimensions (indecision, planning, and confidence) following high school graduation also have been found. The current study builds on that prior work by examining associations between changes in the dimensions of career preparation and changes in 3 aspects of adjustment (emotional stability, social adaptation, and self-actualization) from 12th grade in high school to 4.5 years after high school graduation in a sample of 454 youths, using latent growth curve analysis. Results showed that career preparation both predicts and is predicted by adjustment. Career confidence was a particularly important predictor of adjustment. Both 12th grade career confidence and changes in confidence over time predicted changes in adjustment and adjustment 4.5 years post-high school. In an alternative model, an increase in emotional stability was predictive of higher career confidence and lower indecision. Results are discussed in the context of developmental theories and the notion that adjustment and career are interrelated processes. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Personality and Family Background Correlates of Academic Performance in Minority Students. ERIC/IRCD Urban Disadvantaged Series, Number 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woloshin, Renee

Intellective measures such as aptitude test scores and previous school grades have long been used to predict a student's future academic potential. The information is relatively easy to obtain and has shown high correlations with college grades. Among minority students, however, there is evidence that they often defy what one would predict on the…

Predictive Value of the School-leaving Grade and Prognosis of Different Admission Groups for Academic Performance and Continuity in the Medical Course – a Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Kadmon, Guni; Resch, Franz; Duelli, Roman; Kadmon, Martina

2014-01-01

Background: The school-leaving GPA and the time since completion of secondary education are the major criteria for admission to German medical schools. However, the predictive value of the school-leaving grade and the admission delay have not been thoroughly examined since the amendment of the Medical Licensing Regulations and the introduction of reformed curricula in 2002. Detailed information on the prognosis of the different admission groups is also missing. Aim: To examine the predictive values of the school-leaving grade and the age at enrolment for academic performance and continuity throughout the reformed medical course. Methods: The study includes the central admission groups “GPA-best” and “delayed admission” as well as the primary and secondary local admission groups of three consecutive cohorts. The relationship between the criteria academic performance and continuity and the predictors school-leaving GPA, enrolment age, and admission group affiliation were examined up to the beginning of the final clerkship year. Results: The academic performance and the prolongation of the pre-clinical part of undergraduate training were significantly related to the school-leaving GPA. Conversely, the dropout rate was related to age at enrolment. The students of the GPA-best group and the primary local admission group performed best and had the lowest dropout rates. The students of the delayed admission group and secondary local admission group performed significantly worse. More than 20% of these students dropped out within the pre-clinical course, half of them due to poor academic performance. However, the academic performance of all of the admission groups was highly variable and only about 35% of the students of each group reached the final clerkship year within the regular time. Discussion: The school-leaving grade and age appear to have different prognostic implications for academic performance and continuity. Both factors have consequences for the delayed admission group. The academic prognosis of the secondary local admission group is as problematic as that of the delayed admission group. Additional admission instruments would be necessary, in order to recognise potentially able applicants independently of their school-leaving grade and to avoid the secondary admission procedure. PMID:24872856

Growth and change in attention problems, disruptive behavior, and achievement from kindergarten to fifth grade.

PubMed

Claessens, Amy; Dowsett, Chantelle

2014-12-01

Despite widespread interest in children's adjustment problems, existing research does not provide conclusive evidence regarding the direction of the associations of achievement with classroom attention problems and disruptive behavior over the course of elementary school. Using a nationally representative sample of 16,260 kindergarteners, this study examined the temporal sequence of achievement, classroom attention problems, and disruptive behavior, focusing on how changes in skills and problems unfold across key periods between kindergarten and fifth grade. Results indicate that improvements in attention during the earliest years of schooling predict achievement gains through third grade. However, changes in disruptive behavior do not predict subsequent changes in achievement. Evidence linking changes in achievement to changes in classroom attention problems and disruptive behavior was less consistent. These findings point to the need to develop and examine early interventions that can improve attention skills as a mechanism for improving children's academic trajectories in elementary school. © The Author(s) 2014.

Factors Related to the Academic Success and Failure of College Football Players: The Case of the Mental Dropout.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Gale; And Others

1988-01-01

Examines variables used to predict the academic success or failure of college football players. Valid predictors include the following: (1) high school grades; (2) repeating a year in school; (3) feelings towards school; (4) discipline history; (5) mother's education; and (6) high school background. (FMW)

School Attendance Revisited: A Study of Urban African American Students' GPA and Coping Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steward, Robbie J.; Steward, Astin Devine; Blair, Jonathan

This study investigated the degree to which at-risk, urban, African American high school students' coping strategies and grade point average (GPA) would predict attendance. Data were collected from 100 high school freshmen using the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences. Students' GPAs were identified through school records.…

Capacity and Opportunity: Predicting Engagement for Middle School Students with Behavioral Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herron, Marsha Dempsey; Martin, Jim

2015-01-01

This study examined the capacity and opportunity scores of 36 middle school students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) on the student version of the "American Institutes for Research (AIR) Self-Determination Scale" across three school engagement factors: grade point averages (GPA), school absences, and frequency of school…

Family and School Influences on Adolescent Smoking Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiium, Nora; Wold, Bente

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to examine how influences at home and school interact to predict smoking among adolescents. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 15-year-old pupils from Norway (n=1,404 in 73 Grade 10 school classes). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to determine how family and school influences interact to…

Predictive effects of teachers and schools on test scores, college attendance, and earnings.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Gary E

2013-10-22

I studied predictive effects of teachers and schools on test scores in fourth through eighth grade and outcomes later in life such as college attendance and earnings. For example, predict the fraction of a classroom attending college at age 20 given the test score for a different classroom in the same school with the same teacher and given the test score for a classroom in the same school with a different teacher. I would like to have predictive effects that condition on averages over many classrooms, with and without the same teacher. I set up a factor model that, under certain assumptions, makes this feasible. Administrative school district data in combination with tax data were used to calculate estimates and do inference.

Predictive validity of callous-unemotional traits measured in early adolescence with respect to multiple antisocial outcomes.

PubMed

McMahon, Robert J; Witkiewitz, Katie; Kotler, Julie S

2010-11-01

This study investigated the predictive validity of youth callous-unemotional (CU) traits, as measured in early adolescence (Grade 7) by the Antisocial Process Screening Device (APSD; Frick & Hare, 2001), in a longitudinal sample (N = 754). Antisocial outcomes, assessed in adolescence and early adulthood, included self-reported general delinquency from 7th grade through 2 years post-high school, self-reported serious crimes through 2 years post-high school, juvenile and adult arrest records through 1 year post-high school, and antisocial personality disorder symptoms and diagnosis at 2 years post-high school. CU traits measured in 7th grade were highly predictive of 5 of the 6 antisocial outcomes-general delinquency, juvenile and adult arrests, and early adult antisocial personality disorder criterion count and diagnosis-over and above prior and concurrent conduct problem behavior (i.e., criterion counts of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (criterion count). Incorporating a CU traits specifier for those with a diagnosis of conduct disorder improved the positive prediction of antisocial outcomes, with a very low false-positive rate. There was minimal evidence of moderation by sex, race, or urban/rural status. Urban/rural status moderated one finding, with being from an urban area associated with stronger relations between CU traits and adult arrests. Findings clearly support the inclusion of CU traits as a specifier for the diagnosis of conduct disorder, at least with respect to predictive validity. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved

A Prospective Study on the Influence of Scholastic Factors on the Prevalence and Initiation of Illicit Drug Misuse in Adolescence.

PubMed

Zubak, Zoran; Zenic, Natasa; Ostojic, Ljerka; Zubak, Ivana; Pojskic, Haris

2018-04-27

This study aimed to prospectively investigate the scholastic factors related to illicit drug misuse (IDM) and the initiation of IDM among older adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. This 2-year prospective study included 436 participants (202 females), who were an average of 16 years old at the beginning of the study (baseline). The participants were tested at baseline and follow-up (20 months later). The predictors included variables of scholastic-achievement (grade point average, school absences, unexcused absences and behavioral grade). The criteria were: (i) IDM at baseline; (ii) IDM at follow-up; and (iii) initiation of IDM over the study course. Results : Logistic regression indicated increased odds of IDM in adolescents who were more frequent absent from school (baseline: Odds Ratio (OR): 3.73, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.12⁻6.57; follow-up: OR: 2.91, 95% CI: 1.90⁻4.65). The lower grade point average and more unexcused absences were evidenced for adolescents who consumed drugs on follow-up (OR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.11⁻2.51; OR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.30⁻2.32 for grade point average and unexcused absences, respectively). Initiation of IDM was predicted by frequent absences from school (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3⁻3.8), and lower behavioral grades (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2⁻3.3). The findings confirmed strong correlations between scholastic failure and IDM. Absences from school and lower behavioral grades at baseline were predictive of the initiation of IDM in older adolescents.

The Long and Winding Road: Grades, Psychological Disengagement and Motivation among Female Students in (Non-)Traditional Career Paths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rinfret, Natalie; Tougas, Francine; Beaton, Ann M.; Laplante, Joelle; Ngo Manguelle, Christiane; Lagacé, Marie Claude

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the links between grades, psychological disengagement mechanisms (discounting evaluative feedback and devaluing school), and motivation among female students in traditional and non-traditional career paths. We predicted that the association between grades and discounting is affected by the importance of…

In Pursuit of the Elusive Elixir: Predictors of First Grade Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, Robin

Multivariate sets of predictor variables including both cognitive and social variables, different types of preschool experiences, and family environment variables were used to predict the first-grade reading achievement of 144 first-grade boys and girls. Measures for the predictor variables had been taken at school entry and at the end of the…

Grade-Level Declines in Perceived Academic Support from Peers: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altermatt, Ellen Rydell

2017-01-01

Prior research demonstrates that perceived academic support from peers positively predicts school adjustment. In this cross-sectional study, we provide evidence that perceived academic support from peers declines from 3rd to 8th grade and that this decline is partially mediated by grade-level declines in perceptions that academic success…

Reporting the incidence of school violence across grade levels in the U.S. using the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS).

PubMed

Yu, Lei

2004-01-01

School violence has increasingly captured public attention due to deadly school shootings. Controversy on school violence is demonstrated by a mixed picture of school safety and the lack of consensus on the definitions of violence, which makes comparison of findings across studies difficult. This study extended the application of the Rasch model to school violence research using TIMSS data. The results show that school violence occurred at a level much lower than the predictions of the measurement model. Across all grade levels the most frequently reported type of violence is intimidation or verbal abuse of students and the least frequently reported physical injury to teachers or staff. Copyright 2004

Children’s visuospatial memory predicts mathematics achievement through early adolescence

PubMed Central

Li, Yaoran

2017-01-01

A previous study showed that gains in visuospatial memory from first to fifth grade predicted end-of-fifth grade mathematics but not reading achievement, controlling other factors. In this follow up study, these relations were assessed from sixth to ninth grade, inclusive (n = 145). The results showed that growth in visuospatial memory across the elementary school years was related to growth in mathematics achievement after fifth grade, controlling intelligence, the central executive and phonological memory components of working memory, in-class attentive behavior, parental education, and fifth grade mathematics achievement. As found for fifth grade, this relation was not found for reading achievement after fifth grade. In total, the results suggest that visuospatial memory has a unique influence on ease of learning some types of mathematics and that this influence becomes more important across successive grades. PMID:28192484

Children's visuospatial memory predicts mathematics achievement through early adolescence.

PubMed

Li, Yaoran; Geary, David C

2017-01-01

A previous study showed that gains in visuospatial memory from first to fifth grade predicted end-of-fifth grade mathematics but not reading achievement, controlling other factors. In this follow up study, these relations were assessed from sixth to ninth grade, inclusive (n = 145). The results showed that growth in visuospatial memory across the elementary school years was related to growth in mathematics achievement after fifth grade, controlling intelligence, the central executive and phonological memory components of working memory, in-class attentive behavior, parental education, and fifth grade mathematics achievement. As found for fifth grade, this relation was not found for reading achievement after fifth grade. In total, the results suggest that visuospatial memory has a unique influence on ease of learning some types of mathematics and that this influence becomes more important across successive grades.

Performance on Monitoring Basic Skills Progress--Computation Probes in First, Second, and Third Grade: Is It a Predictor of Pennsylvania System of School Assessment Mathematics Achievement in Third Grade?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Adelle C.

2017-01-01

This study examined the predictive relationship of a brief computation measure administered in the fall, winter, and spring of first, second, and third grade with the mathematic portion of a state-mandated academic achievement test administered in the spring of third grade. The relationship between mathematical achievement and resource…

Effects of music on assertive behavior during exercise by middle-school-age students.

PubMed

Mills, B D

1996-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the association of a particular style of music and assertive behavior in middle-school-aged students during exercise. Participants were students enrolled in a public middle school (Grades 6, 7, and 8, N = 502). A statistically significant relationship was found between the number of assertive behaviors occurring while listening to fast tempo music and grades and between difference scores and grades. Difference scores were obtained by subtracting the number of assertive behaviors occurring while listening to fast tempo music from those while listening to slow tempo music. Discriminant function analysis showed the number of assertive behaviors when listening to fast tempo music and difference scores were predictive of membership by grade. The higher the more assertive behaviors were emitted when listening to fast tempo music.

Medical school dropout--testing at admission versus selection by highest grades as predictors.

PubMed

O'Neill, Lotte; Hartvigsen, Jan; Wallstedt, Birgitta; Korsholm, Lars; Eika, Berit

2011-11-01

Very few studies have reported on the effect of admission tests on medical school dropout. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive validity of non-grade-based admission testing versus grade-based admission relative to subsequent dropout. This prospective cohort study followed six cohorts of medical students admitted to the medical school at the University of Southern Denmark during 2002-2007 (n=1544). Half of the students were admitted based on their prior achievement of highest grades (Strategy 1) and the other half took a composite non-grade-based admission test (Strategy 2). Educational as well as social predictor variables (doctor-parent, origin, parenthood, parents living together, parent on benefit, university-educated parents) were also examined. The outcome of interest was students' dropout status at 2 years after admission. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to model dropout. Strategy 2 (admission test) students had a lower relative risk for dropping out of medical school within 2 years of admission (odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.39-0.80). Only the admission strategy, the type of qualifying examination and the priority given to the programme on the national application forms contributed significantly to the dropout model. Social variables did not predict dropout and neither did Strategy 2 admission test scores. Selection by admission testing appeared to have an independent, protective effect on dropout in this setting. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Early social behaviors and the trajectory of peer victimization across the school years.

PubMed

Sugimura, Niwako; Berry, Daniel; Troop-Gordon, Wendy; Rudolph, Karen D

2017-08-01

Research has established that long-term exposure to peer victimization is associated with higher levels of emotional and behavioral maladjustment. Yet, relatively little is known regarding predictors of stable versus declining victimization across extended periods of time. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study used latent growth curve modeling to examine the separate and unique contributions of 3 early social behaviors in 2nd grade (aggression, anxious solitude, and prosocial behavior) to victimization across 2nd to 8th grade. Five hundred and 76 youth (M = 7.96 years, SD = .34) reported their level of exposure to victimization once a year from 2nd to 8th grade, and their teachers rated each youth on the 3 social behaviors in 2nd grade. When examined separately, the analyses revealed that (a) all 3 social behaviors contributed to 2nd-grade victimization; (b) anxious solitude and prosocial behavior contributed to the trajectory of victimization differently for boys and girls; and (c) aggression and anxious solitude contributed to significantly different levels of 8th-grade victimization in girls. Of interest, some effects were stronger in boys during elementary school and others were stronger in girls after the transition to middle school. When examined simultaneously, aggression remained the only significant predictor of 2nd-grade victimization; both anxious solitude and prosocial behavior uniquely predicted the trajectory of victimization, and aggression and anxious solitude uniquely predicted 8th-grade victimization in girls. Results are discussed with regard to prevention of prolonged victimization, with attention to gender differences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Predictors of Intention to Eat 2.5 Cups of Vegetables among Ninth-Grade Students Attending Public High Schools in Eastern North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawlak, Roman; Malinauskas, Brenda

2008-01-01

Objective: To identify beliefs about eating 2.5 cups of vegetables and to assess how well these beliefs predict intention to eat them. Design: A survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Setting: Two public high schools in 2 counties in eastern North Carolina. Participants: 157 ninth-grade students (mean age = 14.71 years [SD = 0.82]).…

Student behavior during a school closure caused by pandemic influenza A/H1N1.

PubMed

Miller, Joel C; Danon, Leon; O'Hagan, Justin J; Goldstein, Edward; Lajous, Martin; Lipsitch, Marc

2010-05-05

Many schools were temporarily closed in response to outbreaks of the recently emerged pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus. The effectiveness of closing schools to reduce transmission depends largely on student/family behavior during the closure. We sought to improve our understanding of these behaviors. To characterize this behavior, we surveyed students in grades 9-12 and parents of students in grades 5-8 about student activities during a week long closure of a school during the first months after the disease emerged. We found significant interaction with the community and other students-though less interaction with other students than during school-with the level of interaction increasing with grade. Our results are useful for the future design of social distancing policies and to improving the ability of modeling studies to accurately predict their impact.

Examining Cognitive Predictors of Academic Cheating among Urban Middle School Students: The Role of Home-School Dissonance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, Kenneth M.

2015-01-01

Academic cheating within the middle grades has become a prevalent schooling dilemma for teachers and administrators. Among the various contextual and cognitive factors that promote academic cheating is home-school dissonance, which has been shown to predict the phenomenon among high school students. The current study extends this line of research…

An Empirically-Derived Index of High School Academic Rigor. ACT Working Paper 2017-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Jeff; Ndum, Edwin; Mattern, Krista

2017-01-01

We derived an index of high school academic rigor by optimizing the prediction of first-year college GPA based on high school courses taken, grades, and indicators of advanced coursework. Using a large data set (n~108,000) and nominal parameterization of high school course outcomes, the high school academic rigor (HSAR) index capitalizes on…

Child development at 5 years of age predicted mathematics ability and schooling outcomes in Malawian adolescents.

PubMed

Gandhi, Mihir; Teivaanmaki, Tiina; Maleta, Kenneth; Duan, Xiaolian; Ashorn, Per; Cheung, Yin Bun

2013-01-01

This study aimed to examine the association between child development at 5 years of age and mathematics ability and schooling outcomes at 12 years of age in Malawian children. A prospective cohort study looking at 609 rural Malawian children. Outcome measures were percentage of correctly answered mathematics questions, highest school grade completed and number of times repeating school grades at 12 years of age. A child development summary score obtained at 5 years of age was the main exposure variable. Regression analyses were used to estimate the association and adjust for confounders. Sensitivity analysis was performed by handling losses to follow-up with multiple imputation (MI) method. The summary score was positively associated with percentage of correctly answered mathematics questions (p = 0.057; p = 0.031 MI) and with highest school grade completed (p = 0.096; p = 0.070 MI), and negatively associated with number of times repeating school grades (p = 0.834; p = 0.339 MI). Fine motor score at 5 years was independently associated with the mathematic score (p = 0.032; p = 0.011 MI). The association between child development and mathematics ability did not depend on school attendance. Child development at 5 years of age showed signs of positive association with mathematics ability and possibly with highest school grade completed at 12 years of age. © 2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

Intra-Personal and Extra-Personal Predictors of Suicide Attempts of South Korean Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Ji-Young; Bae, Sung-Man

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore significant variables predicting adolescent suicidal attempts. Socio-environmental variables such as gender, school record, school grade, school adaptation, and family intimacy together with intra-individual variables including depression, anxiety, delinquency, stress, and self-esteem were considered as…

School Achievement Strongly Predicts Midlife IQ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinks, Ruth; Arndt, Stephan; Caspers, Kristin; Yucuis, Rebecca; McKirgan, L. William; Pfalzgraf, Christopher; Waterman, Elijah

2007-01-01

The relationship between measures of IQ and standardized school achievement tests is well established at around r~0.5 when the two are measured in close proximity. The current paper examined the stability of this correlation when comparing elementary school achievement (grades 3-8) and midlife IQ. Iowa Adoption Study participants who had…

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of screen time and physical activity with school performance at different types of secondary school.

PubMed

Poulain, Tanja; Peschel, Thomas; Vogel, Mandy; Jurkutat, Anne; Kiess, Wieland

2018-04-27

Previous studies have already reported associations of media consumption and/or physical activity with school achievement. However, longitudinal studies investigating independent effects of physical activity and media consumption on school performance are sparse. The present study fills this research gap and, furthermore, assesses relationships of the type of secondary school with media consumption and physical activity. The consumption of screen-based media (TV/video, game console, PC/internet, and mobile phone) and leisure physical activity (organized and non-organized) of 10 - to 17-year old adolescents participating in the LIFE Child study in Germany were related to their school grades in two major school subjects (Mathematics and German) and in Physical Education. In addition to a cross-sectional analysis at baseline (N = 850), a longitudinal analysis (N = 512) investigated the independent effects of these activities on the school grades achieved 12 months later. All associations were adjusted for age, gender, socio-economic status, year of data assessment, body-mass-index, and school grades at baseline. A further analysis investigated differences in the consumption of screen-based media and physical activity as a function of the type of secondary school (highest vs. lower secondary school). Adolescents of lower secondary schools reported a significantly higher consumption of TV/video and game consoles than adolescents attending the highest secondary school. Independently of the type of school, a better school performance in Mathematics was predicted by a lower consumption of computers/internet, and a better performance in Physical Education was predicted by a lower consumption of TV/video and a higher frequency of non-organized physical activity. However, the association between non-organized physical activity and subsequent grades in Physical Education was significant in girls only. The present results suggest that media consumption has a negative effect on school achievement, whereas physical activity has a positive effect, which, however, is restricted to the subject Physical Education. Future studies might explore the relationship between media consumption and school career, for example, the choice or change of the secondary school type, in more detail. LIFE Child study: ClinicalTrials.gov, clinical trial number NCT02550236.

The influence of peer affiliation and student activities on adolescent drug involvement.

PubMed

Jenkins, J E

1996-01-01

This study examined the importance of students' academic performance level and extracurricular activities as predictors of drug involvement relative to peer influence. Social development theory provided the theoretical rational for the study. Data were obtained from 2,229 randomly selected students in the eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades from seventeen school districts in northeastern Ohio. At all three grade levels, involvement in extracurricular activities and academic level were significantly correlated with students' gateway and hard drug use. Consistent with prior research, the strongest correlate of gateway and hard drug use across all grade levels was affiliation with drug-using friends. Having a job after school was marginally related to self-reported gateway drug use at grade level ten. Multiple regression analysis revealed that extracurricular involvement and academic performance level make small, but unique contributions to the prediction of adolescents' gateway drug use beyond affiliation with drug-using peers at all three grade levels. The findings of this study suggest that students' academic performance and extracurricular involvements are significantly related to adolescent gateway and hard drug use, but have less predictive significance relative to peer relationships.

The Predictive Relation of a High School Mathematic GPA to High-Stakes Assessment Achievement Scores in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Suzanne M.

2013-01-01

Course grades, which often include non-achievement factors such as effort and behavior and are subject to individual teacher grading philosophies, suffer from issues of unreliability. Yet, course grades continue to be utilized as a primary tool for reporting academic achievement to students and parents and are used by most colleges and…

Predictive Relation between Early Numerical Competencies and Mathematics Achievement in First Grade Portuguese Children.

PubMed

Marcelino, Lilia; de Sousa, Óscar; Lopes, António

2017-01-01

Early numerical competencies (ENC) (counting, number relations, and basic arithmetic operations) have a central position in the initial learning of mathematics, and their assessment is useful for predicting later mathematics achievement. Using a regression model, this study aims to analyze the correlational and predictive evidence between ENC and mathematics achievement in first grade Portuguese children ( n = 123). The children's ENC were examined at the point of school entry. Three criterion groups (low, moderate, and high ENC) were formed based on the results of the early numerical brief screener and mathematics achievement measured at the end of first grade. The following hypotheses were tested: children who started first grade with low numerical competencies remained low mathematics achievement at the end of first grade; and children who started with high numerical competencies, finished the first grade with high mathematics achievement. The results showed that ENC contributed to a significant amount of explained variance in mathematics achievement at the end of the first grade. Children with low numerical competencies performed lower than children with moderate and high numerical competencies. Findings suggest that ENC are meaningful for predicting first-grade mathematics difficulties.

Predictive Relation between Early Numerical Competencies and Mathematics Achievement in First Grade Portuguese Children

PubMed Central

Marcelino, Lilia; de Sousa, Óscar; Lopes, António

2017-01-01

Early numerical competencies (ENC) (counting, number relations, and basic arithmetic operations) have a central position in the initial learning of mathematics, and their assessment is useful for predicting later mathematics achievement. Using a regression model, this study aims to analyze the correlational and predictive evidence between ENC and mathematics achievement in first grade Portuguese children (n = 123). The children’s ENC were examined at the point of school entry. Three criterion groups (low, moderate, and high ENC) were formed based on the results of the early numerical brief screener and mathematics achievement measured at the end of first grade. The following hypotheses were tested: children who started first grade with low numerical competencies remained low mathematics achievement at the end of first grade; and children who started with high numerical competencies, finished the first grade with high mathematics achievement. The results showed that ENC contributed to a significant amount of explained variance in mathematics achievement at the end of the first grade. Children with low numerical competencies performed lower than children with moderate and high numerical competencies. Findings suggest that ENC are meaningful for predicting first-grade mathematics difficulties. PMID:28713308

Predictive effects of teachers and schools on test scores, college attendance, and earnings

PubMed Central

Chamberlain, Gary E.

2013-01-01

I studied predictive effects of teachers and schools on test scores in fourth through eighth grade and outcomes later in life such as college attendance and earnings. For example, predict the fraction of a classroom attending college at age 20 given the test score for a different classroom in the same school with the same teacher and given the test score for a classroom in the same school with a different teacher. I would like to have predictive effects that condition on averages over many classrooms, with and without the same teacher. I set up a factor model that, under certain assumptions, makes this feasible. Administrative school district data in combination with tax data were used to calculate estimates and do inference. PMID:24101492

Predicting weight status stability and change from fifth grade to eighth grade: the significant role of adolescents' social-emotional well-being.

PubMed

Chang, Yiting; Gable, Sara

2013-04-01

The primary objective of this study was to predict weight status stability and change across the transition to adolescence using parent reports of child and household routines and teacher and child self-reports of social-emotional development. Data were from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative sample of children who entered kindergarten during 1998-1999 and were followed through eighth grade. At fifth grade, parents reported on child and household routines and the study child and his/her primary classroom teacher reported on the child's social-emotional functioning. At fifth and eighth grade, children were directly weighed and measured at school. Nine mutually-exclusive weight trajectory groups were created to capture stability or change in weight status from fifth to eighth grade: (1) stable obese (ObeSta); (2) obese to overweight (ObePos1); (3) obese to healthy (ObePos2); (4) stable overweight (OverSta); (5) overweight to healthy (OverPos); (6) overweight to obese (OverNeg); (7) stable healthy (HelSta); (8) healthy to overweight (HelNeg1); and (9) healthy to obese (HelNeg2). Except for breakfast consumption at home, school-provided lunches, nighttime sleep duration, household and child routines did not predict stability or change in weight status. Instead, weight status trajectory across the transition to adolescence was significantly predicted by measures of social-emotional functioning at fifth grade. Assessing children's social-emotional well-being in addition to their lifestyle routines during the transition to adolescence is a noteworthy direction for adolescent obesity prevention and intervention. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cognitive skills, student achievement tests, and schools.

PubMed

Finn, Amy S; Kraft, Matthew A; West, Martin R; Leonard, Julia A; Bish, Crystal E; Martin, Rebecca E; Sheridan, Margaret A; Gabrieli, Christopher F O; Gabrieli, John D E

2014-03-01

Cognitive skills predict academic performance, so schools that improve academic performance might also improve cognitive skills. To investigate the impact schools have on both academic performance and cognitive skills, we related standardized achievement-test scores to measures of cognitive skills in a large sample (N = 1,367) of eighth-grade students attending traditional, exam, and charter public schools. Test scores and gains in test scores over time correlated with measures of cognitive skills. Despite wide variation in test scores across schools, differences in cognitive skills across schools were negligible after we controlled for fourth-grade test scores. Random offers of enrollment to oversubscribed charter schools resulted in positive impacts of such school attendance on math achievement but had no impact on cognitive skills. These findings suggest that schools that improve standardized achievement-test scores do so primarily through channels other than improving cognitive skills.

The Role of Testing in Affirmative Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Winton H.

Graphs and charts pertaining to testing in affirmative action are presented. Data concern the following: the predictive validity of College Board admissions tests using freshman grade point average as the criterion; validity coefficients of undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) alone, Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores, and undergraduate…

The Structure of Oral Language and Reading and Their Relation to Comprehension in Kindergarten through Grade 2

PubMed Central

Foorman, Barbara R.; Herrera, Sarah; Petscher, Yaacov; Mitchell, Alison; Truckenmiller, Adrea

2016-01-01

This study examined the structure of oral language and reading and their relation to comprehension from a latent variable modeling perspective in Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Participants were students in Kindergarten (n = 218), Grade 1 (n = 372), and Grade 2 (n = 273), attending Title 1 schools. Students were administered phonological awareness, syntax, vocabulary, listening comprehension, and decoding fluency measures in mid-year. Outcome measures included a listening comprehension measure in Kindergarten and a reading comprehension test in Grades1 and 2. In Kindergarten, oral language (consisting of listening comprehension, syntax, and vocabulary) shared variance with phonological awareness in predicting a listening comprehension outcome. However, in Grades 1 and 2, phonological awareness was no longer predictive of reading comprehension when decoding fluency and oral language were included in the model. In Grades 1 and 2, oral language and decoding fluency were significant predictors of reading comprehension. PMID:27660395

School-Based Racial and Gender Discrimination among African American Adolescents: Exploring Gender Variation in Frequency and Implications for Adjustment

PubMed Central

Chavous, Tabbye M.; Griffin, Tiffany M.

2012-01-01

The present study examined school-based racial and gender discrimination experiences among African American adolescents in Grade 8 (n = 204 girls; n = 209 boys). A primary goal was exploring gender variation in frequency of both types of discrimination and associations of discrimination with academic and psychological functioning among girls and boys. Girls and boys did not vary in reported racial discrimination frequency, but boys reported more gender discrimination experiences. Multiple regression analyses within gender groups indicated that among girls and boys, racial discrimination and gender discrimination predicted higher depressive symptoms and school importance and racial discrimination predicted self-esteem. Racial and gender discrimination were also negatively associated with grade point average among boys but were not significantly associated in girls’ analyses. Significant gender discrimination X racial discrimination interactions resulted in the girls’ models predicting psychological outcomes and in boys’ models predicting academic achievement. Taken together, findings suggest the importance of considering gender- and race-related experiences in understanding academic and psychological adjustment among African American adolescents. PMID:22837794

School-Based Racial and Gender Discrimination among African American Adolescents: Exploring Gender Variation in Frequency and Implications for Adjustment.

PubMed

Cogburn, Courtney D; Chavous, Tabbye M; Griffin, Tiffany M

2011-01-03

The present study examined school-based racial and gender discrimination experiences among African American adolescents in Grade 8 (n = 204 girls; n = 209 boys). A primary goal was exploring gender variation in frequency of both types of discrimination and associations of discrimination with academic and psychological functioning among girls and boys. Girls and boys did not vary in reported racial discrimination frequency, but boys reported more gender discrimination experiences. Multiple regression analyses within gender groups indicated that among girls and boys, racial discrimination and gender discrimination predicted higher depressive symptoms and school importance and racial discrimination predicted self-esteem. Racial and gender discrimination were also negatively associated with grade point average among boys but were not significantly associated in girls' analyses. Significant gender discrimination X racial discrimination interactions resulted in the girls' models predicting psychological outcomes and in boys' models predicting academic achievement. Taken together, findings suggest the importance of considering gender- and race-related experiences in understanding academic and psychological adjustment among African American adolescents.

Developmental trajectories of compensatory exercise and fasting behavior across the middle school years.

PubMed

Davis, Heather A; Guller, Leila; Smith, Gregory T

2016-12-01

Compensatory exercise and fasting behavior, in the absence of binge eating and purging, appear to be important eating disorder behaviors that are associated with dysfunction, but little is known about these behaviors in youth. We studied the trajectories of their development in non-binge eating and non-purging girls during early adolescence. Using a longitudinal design, we assessed 564 girls six times over the three years of middle school (grades 6 through 8) and developed trajectories specifying different developmental patterns in relation to the behaviors. Prior to this period, when the girls were in 5th grade (elementary school), we assessed risk factors to predict girls' subsequent trajectory group membership. Compensatory exercise trajectory groups included a non-engagement group, a group that increased in the behavior, and a group that decreased in the behavior. There were two fasting trajectory groups, one consistently engaging in the behavior and the other consistently not. Elementary school levels of depression, eating expectancies, and thinness expectancies predicted subsequent trajectory group membership. Risk for compensatory exercise and fasting should be evaluated as early as in 5th grade. Targeted interventions should focus on girls in late elementary school or middle school, as this appears to be a critical developmental and maintenance period for compensatory exercise and fasting behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender Stereotyping and Affective Attitudes Towards Science in Chinese Secondary School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mingxin; Hu, Weiping; Jiannong, Shi; Adey, Philip

2010-02-01

This study explores explicit and implicit gender-science stereotypes and affective attitudes towards science in a sample of Chinese secondary school students. The results showed that (1) gender-science stereotyping was more and more apparent as the specialization of science subjects progresses through secondary school, becoming stronger from the 10th grade; girls were more inclined to stereotype than boys while this gender difference decreased with increasing grade; (2) girls tend to have an implicit science-unpleasant/humanities-pleasant association from the 8th grade, while boys showed a negative implicit attitude towards science up to the 11th grade. In self-report, girls preferred humanities to science, while boys preferred science to humanities; (3) implicit affective attitude was closely related to implicit stereotype. In particular, implicit affective attitude has a stronger predictive power on stereotype than the other way around, the result of which may have more significance for girls.

Self-regulated learning and achievement by middle-school children.

PubMed

Sink, C A; Barnett, J E; Hixon, J E

1991-12-01

The relationship of self-regulated learning to the achievement test scores of 62 Grade 6 students was studied. Generally, the metacognitive and affective variables correlated significantly with teachers' grades and standardized test scores in mathematics, reading, and science. Planning and self-assessment significantly predicted the six measures of achievement. Step-wise multiple regression analyses using the metacognitive and affective variables largely indicate that students' and teachers' perceptions of scholastic ability and planning appear to be the most salient factors in predicting academic performance. The locus of control dimension had no utility in predicting classroom grades and performance on standardized measures of achievement. The implications of the findings for teaching and learning are discussed.

School Composition and Context Factors that Moderate and Predict 10th-Grade Science Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogrebe, Mark C.; Tate, William F., IV

2010-01-01

Background: Performance in high school science is a critical indicator of science literacy and regional competitiveness. Factors that influence science proficiency have been studied using national databases, but these do not answer all questions about variable relationships at the state level. School context factors and opportunities to learn…

Sex Differences in Secondary School Success: Why Female Students Perform Better

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Franziska; Schult, Johannes; Hell, Benedikt

2013-01-01

School success is closely linked to intelligence but also to non-cognitive factors such as achievement motivation. The present study examines which non-cognitive factors predict secondary school grades and looks at reasons why female students tend to outperform their male counterparts. A sample of 554 German freshman students provided measures of…

Predicting Student Responsiveness to Fast ForWord Using DIBELS Subtests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavallo, Fernando

2012-01-01

The current study was completed through a retrospective analysis of school records of elementary school students in the Northeast Region of the Philadelphia School District (PSD) who have participated in the Fast ForWord (FFW) Language program. The data requested from student records included: demographic information (e.g., gender, grade, age,…

School scoliosis screening by Moiré topography - Overview for 33 years in Miyazaki Japan.

PubMed

Kuroki, Hiroshi; Nagai, Takuya; Chosa, Etsuo; Tajima, Naoya

2018-04-05

Since 1981, we have performed school scoliosis screening (SSS) using Moiré topography in Miyazaki, Japan and attained a certain result in detecting scoliosis. However, this screening system was discontinued due to cessation of repair and production of Moiré topographic equipment. The purpose of this study was to make clear both the results and the problems of SSS by Moiré topography on the basis of our past 33 years' experiences. The subjects were 689,293 students (5th grade boys in 200,329, 5th grade girls in 191,919, 8th grade boys in 151,351, and 8th grade girls in 145,694) who were screened by Moiré topography between 1981 and 2013. The number of students received SSS, the positive rate of Moiré topography, the discovery rate of scoliosis greater than 20°, the reference rate to the second screening, and the positive predictive value of Moiré topography to detect scoliosis greater than 20° were investigated. The number of students received SSS achieved a peak in 1992. The positive rate of Moiré topography and the discovery rate of scoliosis were highest in 8th grade girls. The reference rates to the second screening were 49.8% in 5th grade students and 41.4% in 8th grade students. The positive predictive values were 2.1% in 5th grade students and 7.6% in 8th grade students. SSS by Moiré topography seemed to be effective in detecting scoliosis although both the positive predictive value and the reference rate to the second screening were low. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Classification Accuracy of Oral Reading Fluency and Maze in Predicting Performance on Large-Scale Reading Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Dawn M.; Hixson, Michael D.; Shaw, Amber; Johnson, Gloria

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether using a multiple-measure framework yielded better classification accuracy than oral reading fluency (ORF) or maze alone in predicting pass/fail rates for middle-school students on a large-scale reading assessment. Participants were 178 students in Grades 7 and 8 from a Midwestern school district.…

Predictive Effects of the Quality of Online Peer-Feedback Provided and Received on Primary School Students' Quality of Question-Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Fu-Yun; Wu, Chun-Ping

2016-01-01

The research objectives of this study were to examine the individual and combined predictive effects of the quality of online peer-feedback provided and received on primary school students' quality of question-generation. A correlational study was adopted, and performance data from 213 fifth-grade students engaged in online question-generation and…

Predicting Teachers' Sense of Efficacy and Job Satisfaction Using School Climate and Participatory Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Dianne L.; Tashakkori, Abbas

This study examined the relationship of teacher decisional participation and school climate to teachers' sense of efficacy and their job satisfaction. Data came from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS-88) project, involving 1,035 schools with eighth grade students, and from the 1990 follow up of 1,296 schools. The final data…

Intrinsic Motivation and Achievement in Mathematics in Elementary School: A Longitudinal Investigation of Their Association.

PubMed

Garon-Carrier, Gabrielle; Boivin, Michel; Guay, Frédéric; Kovas, Yulia; Dionne, Ginette; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal; Séguin, Jean R; Vitaro, Frank; Tremblay, Richard E

2016-01-01

This study examined the associations between intrinsic motivation and achievement in mathematics in a sample of 1,478 Canadian school-age children followed from Grades 1 to 4 (ages 7-10). Children self-reported their intrinsic motivation toward mathematics, whereas achievement was measured through direct assessment of mathematics abilities. Cross-lagged models showed that achievement predicted intrinsic motivation from Grades 1 to 2, and from Grades 2 to 4. However, intrinsic motivation did not predict achievement at any time. This developmental pattern of association was gender invariant. Contrary to the hypothesis that motivation and achievement are reciprocally associated over time, our results point to a directional association from prior achievement to subsequent intrinsic motivation. Results are discussed in light of their theoretical and practical implications. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

The Effectiveness of Four Readiness Tests As Predictors of First Grade Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Telegdy, Gabriel A.

1975-01-01

Results suggest that the STAR or MRT, coupled with teacher observations and the BGT, can provide a school system with an adequate screening readiness battery. Of the several skills measured by readiness tests, letter knowledge is the most predictive of actual first grade achievement. (Author)

Tobacco Use Behavior in Grades 5-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Daniel O.

This study examined the responses of 3,915 Oshkosh, Wisconsin students (in grades 5 through 12) to the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) standard form of common questions for school-based interventions. Also, a pilot questionnaire of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes concerning and predicting tobacco use was administered. NCI findings indicated an…

State Test Programs Mushroom as NCLB Mandate Kicks in: Nearly Half of States Are Expanding Their Testing Programs to Additional Grades This School Year to Comply with the Federal No Child Left Behind Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Lynn

2005-01-01

Twenty-three states are expanding their testing programs to additional grades this school year to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind Act. In devising the new tests, most states have defied predictions and chosen to go beyond multiple-choice items, by including questions that ask students to construct their own responses. But many state…

Student Behavior during a School Closure Caused by Pandemic Influenza A/H1N1

PubMed Central

Miller, Joel C.; Danon, Leon; O'Hagan, Justin J.; Goldstein, Edward; Lajous, Martin; Lipsitch, Marc

2010-01-01

Background Many schools were temporarily closed in response to outbreaks of the recently emerged pandemic influenza A/H1N1 virus. The effectiveness of closing schools to reduce transmission depends largely on student/family behavior during the closure. We sought to improve our understanding of these behaviors. Methodology/Principal Findings To characterize this behavior, we surveyed students in grades 9–12 and parents of students in grades 5–8 about student activities during a weeklong closure of a school during the first months after the disease emerged. We found significant interaction with the community and other students–though less interaction with other students than during school–with the level of interaction increasing with grade. Conclusions Our results are useful for the future design of social distancing policies and to improving the ability of modeling studies to accurately predict their impact. PMID:20463960

Parent Educational Involvement in Middle School: Longitudinal Influences on Student Outcomes.

PubMed

Garbacz, S Andrew; Zerr, Argero A; Dishion, Thomas J; Seeley, John R; Stormshak, Elizabeth A

2018-05-01

The present study examined influences of 6 th grade student-reported parent educational involvement on early adolescent peer group affiliations at 7 th and 8 th grade. In addition, student gender and ethnicity were explored as possible moderators. Drawn from a large effectiveness trial, participants in this study were 5,802 early adolescents across twenty middle schools in the Northwest region of the United States. Findings suggested that specifically parent's educational involvement in 6 th grade predicted increases in positive peer affiliation, when controlling for a general score of parent monitoring practices. The relation between parent educational involvement and peer affiliation varied by student ethnicity but not by gender. Findings suggest the social benefits of parent's engagement with the school context on early adolescent development.

Parent Educational Involvement in Middle School: Longitudinal Influences on Student Outcomes

PubMed Central

Garbacz, S. Andrew; Zerr, Argero A.; Dishion, Thomas J.; Seeley, John R.; Stormshak, Elizabeth A.

2017-01-01

The present study examined influences of 6th grade student-reported parent educational involvement on early adolescent peer group affiliations at 7th and 8th grade. In addition, student gender and ethnicity were explored as possible moderators. Drawn from a large effectiveness trial, participants in this study were 5,802 early adolescents across twenty middle schools in the Northwest region of the United States. Findings suggested that specifically parent’s educational involvement in 6th grade predicted increases in positive peer affiliation, when controlling for a general score of parent monitoring practices. The relation between parent educational involvement and peer affiliation varied by student ethnicity but not by gender. Findings suggest the social benefits of parent’s engagement with the school context on early adolescent development. PMID:29731534

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School

PubMed Central

Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E.; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

2016-01-01

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure. PMID:28066305

Student-Teacher Relationships As a Protective Factor for School Adjustment during the Transition from Middle to High School.

PubMed

Longobardi, Claudio; Prino, Laura E; Marengo, Davide; Settanni, Michele

2016-01-01

A robust body of research has identified school transitions during adolescence, and in particular the transition from middle to high school, as one of the riskiest phases for school failure, being characterized by significant social, emotional and behavioral changes. This transition is critical even with respect to academic achievement: in Italy, the highest frequency of school dropout can be observed in the 9th and 10th grades, partly as a consequence of poor adjustment to the new school context. The impact of students' relationships with their teachers may be particularly relevant during critical developmental periods. Indeed, student-teacher relationships have been widely recognized as protective factors in school adjustment and, in case of negative relationships, also as a factor that increases the risk of maladjustment. Positive and affective student-teacher relationships may play an important role in students' adaptation to the school environment, favoring both academic achievement and adaptive behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the quality of teacher-student relationships, as perceived by pupils, on academic achievement, and problem and prosocial behaviors during the relevant school transition. The sample consisted of 122 students (55% female). We employed a self-report questionnaire to collect information on: demographic characteristics, quality of the relationship with teachers, problem and prosocial behaviors, and academic achievement. Students filled in the questionnaires twice: once during the 8th grade and 1 year later, during their first year of high school (9th grade). Regression analyses indicated that both average and varying levels of closeness with teachers significantly predicted changes in academic achievement: A perceived increase in closeness in 9th grade, as well as a higher mean closeness level, was associated with an increase in academic achievement. In turn, an increase in the level of perceived conflict with teachers significantly predicted an increase in conduct problems and hyperactive behaviors. This study supports the significance of student-teacher relationships as a protective factor during students' transition to high-school. Our findings also highlight the importance of relationship quality in preventing students' risk of school failure.

Cognitive Skills, Student Achievement Tests, and Schools

PubMed Central

Finn, Amy S.; Kraft, Matthew A.; West, Martin R.; Leonard, Julia A.; Bish, Crystal E.; Martin, Rebecca E.; Sheridan, Margaret A.; Gabrieli, Christopher F. O.; Gabrieli, John D. E.

2014-01-01

Cognitive skills predict academic performance, so schools that improve academic performance might also improve cognitive skills. To investigate the impact schools have on both academic performance and cognitive skills, we related standardized achievement test scores to measures of cognitive skills in a large sample (N=1,367) of 8th-grade students attending traditional, exam, and charter public schools. Test scores and gains in test scores over time correlated with measures of cognitive skills. Despite wide variation in test scores across schools, differences in cognitive skills across schools were negligible after controlling for 4th-grade test scores. Random offers of enrollment to over-subscribed charter schools resulted in positive impacts of such school attendance on math achievement, but had no impact on cognitive skills. These findings suggest that schools that improve standardized achievement tests do so primarily through channels other than cognitive skills. PMID:24434238

Extracurricular participation among adolescents from immigrant families.

PubMed

Camacho, Daisy E; Fuligni, Andrew J

2015-06-01

Participation in organized after-school activities could be especially beneficial for youth from immigrant backgrounds, whose families often have little knowledge of American school systems. The role of extracurricular involvement in the achievement and motivation of students from immigrant families was examined among 468 eleventh grade (52.4% female) students from Asian American (44.4%), European American (19.0%) and Latino (36.5%) backgrounds who varied in generational status (first: 25%; second: 52.4%, third: 22.6%) and attended high school in the Los Angeles area. Participants completed questionnaires regarding their extracurricular activities, school belonging, and intrinsic motivation. Students' grade point average (GPA) was obtained from official school records. Controls included parental education, ethnicity, generational status, gender, school, and the outcome variables in tenth grade. First generation students were less likely to participate in academic activities than their third generation peers but, overall, there were few generational differences in participation. Participation predicted achievement and engagement after accounting for tenth grade levels of educational adjustment. Most notably, although all students benefitted from participation, the gain in GPA as a function of participation was greater for first generation than third generation students. Results suggest that organized after-school activities are particularly important for students in immigrant families, providing them with additional experiences that contribute to academic achievement.

Middle school-aged child enjoyment of food tastings predicts interest in nutrition education on osteoporosis prevention

PubMed Central

Cheng, Feon W.; Monnat, Shannon M.; Lohse, Barbara

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND NEEDs for Bones (NFB), based on the Health Belief Model, is a 4-lesson osteoporosis-prevention curriculum for 11-14 year-olds. This study examined the relationship between enjoyment of food tastings and interest in NFB. METHODS NFB was administered by teachers as part of standard practice and evaluated after the 4th lesson using a 21-item survey. Significant clustering of students within classrooms required use of random-intercept multilevel ordinal regression models in SAS proc GLIMMIX, with students nested within classrooms. Analyses considered tasting experience, eating attitudes, sex, grade, and cohort. RESULTS Students (N = 1619; 50% girls) participated from 85 4th-8th grade classrooms (47% 6th grade; 31% 7th grade) in 16 Pennsylvania SNAP-Ed eligible schools over 2 academic years. For all foods tasted, students who did not enjoy the food tasting were less interested in the lesson than students who did enjoy the food tasting (all p < .001); refried beans (OR 0.30), soy milk (OR = 0.55), cranapple juice (OR = 0.51), sunflower kernels (OR = 0.48), and Swiss cheese (OR = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS Enjoyment of food tasting activities can predict interest in nutrition education on osteoporosis prevention, supporting resource allocation and inclusion of food tasting activities in school-age nutrition education. PMID:26032277

Parenting Style and Parental Involvement: Relations with Adolescent Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulson, Sharon E.

1994-01-01

Eighty ninth-grade students completed questionnaires regarding their parents' demandingness, responsiveness, school involvement, and commitment to achievement. Boys' reports of both maternal and paternal parenting significantly predicted their achievement, with parental values toward achievement significantly predicting achievement in boys above…

A Survival Analysis of Adolescent Friendships: The Downside of Dissimilarity

PubMed Central

Hartl, Amy C.; Laursen, Brett; Cillessen, Antonius H. N.

2015-01-01

The present study examined whether adolescent friendships dissolve because of characteristics of friends, differences between friends, or both. Participants included 410 adolescents (201 boys, 209 girls) who reported a total of 573 reciprocated friendships that originated in the 7th grade (M age = 13.20 years). Discrete-time survival analyses were conducted in which peer nominations and teacher ratings collected in Grade 7 predicted the occurrence and timing of friendship dissolution across grades 8 to 12. Grade 7 individual characteristics were unrelated to friendship stability, but Grade 7 differences in sex, peer acceptance, physical aggression, and school competence predicted subsequent friendship dissolution. The findings suggest that compatibility is a function of similarity between friends rather than the presence or absence of a particular trait. PMID:26187246

Predicting Admission of Minorities into Medical School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Kathleen Bodisch; Woode, Moses K.

A study identifying the relationships between quantitative academic characteristics--specifically, grade point average (GPA) and MCAT scores--and admission into medical school for minorities is presented. Explanations are proposed for contradictory findings related to this question that have appeared in literature. Data from 58 minority student…

Assessing Practical Intelligence in Business School Admissions: A Supplement to the Graduate Management Admissions Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedlund, Jennifer; Wilt, Jeanne M.; Nebel, Kristina L.; Ashford, Susan J.; Sternberg, Robert J.

2006-01-01

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is the most widely used measure of managerial potential in MBA admissions. GMAT scores, although predictive of grades in business school, leave much of the variance in graduate school performance unexplained. The GMAT also produces disparities in test scores between groups, generating the potential for…

Empirically-Derived, Person-Oriented Patterns of School Readiness in Typically-Developing Children: Description and Prediction to First-Grade Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konold, Timothy R.; Pianta, Robert C.

2005-01-01

School readiness assessment is a prominent feature of early childhood education. Because the construct of readiness is multifaceted, we examined children's patterns on multiple indicators previously found to be both theoretically and empirically linked to school readiness: social skill, interactions with parents, problem behavior, and performance…

Validity of the Bracken School Readiness Assessment for Predicting First Grade Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panter, Janet E.; Bracken, Bruce A.

2009-01-01

The Bracken School Readiness Assessment (BSRA) was administered to all kindergarten students enrolled in two rural elementary schools in the fall of 2004. Eight months later, the reading portion of the Metropolitan Readiness Tests, 6th Edition (MRT-6) was administered. Teachers were asked to indicate whether they had concerns about each student's…

Double Jeopardy: Child and School Characteristics that Predict Aggressive-Disruptive Behavior in First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Duane E.; Bierman, Karen L.; Thompson, Celine; Powers, C. J.

2008-01-01

High rates of aggressive-disruptive behavior exhibited by children during their initial years of elementary school increase their risk for significant behavioral adjustment problems with teachers and peers. The purpose of the present study was to examine the unique and combined contributions of child vulnerabilities and school context to the…

Do Socio-Motivational Relationships Predict Achievement Motivation in Adolescents with High and Low School Self-Concepts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakadorova, Olga; Raufelder, Diana

2016-01-01

Considering the essential role that socio-motivational relationships at school play with respect to achievement motivation, this study examined the differences between students with a low school self-concept and students with a high school self-concept in a large sample of 7th and 8th grade students (N= 1088; M[subscript Age]= 13.7) in secondary…

School Progress Among Children of Same-Sex Couples.

PubMed

Watkins, Caleb S

2018-06-01

This study uses logit regressions on a pooled sample of children from the 2012, 2013, and 2014 American Community Survey to perform a nationally representative analysis of school progress for a large sample of 4,430 children who reside with same-sex couples. Odds ratios from regressions that compare children between different-sex married couples and same-sex couples fail to show significant differences in normal school progress between households across a variety of sample compositions. Likewise, marginal effects from regressions that compare children with similar family dynamics between different-sex married couples and same-sex couples fail to predict significantly higher probabilities of grade retention for children of same-sex couples. Significantly lower grade retention rates are sometimes predicted for children of same-sex couples than for different-sex married couples, but these differences are sensitive to sample exclusions and do not indicate causal benefits to same-sex parenting.

Students' perceptions of communication ease and engagement. How they relate to academic success.

PubMed

Long, G; Stinson, M S; Braeges, J

1991-12-01

The extent to which students' self-perceptions of communication ease and engagement relate to their academic achievement was assessed in a study of 95 high school students enrolled in a large urban school for the deaf. Four dimensions of classroom communication were measured: students' understanding of teachers, students' understanding of peers, and positive and negative feelings about communication at school. Engagement, the extent students report being excited and actively involved in the classroom, predicted only teacher-assigned grades when the variance of background variables such as residual hearing and IQ was removed. However, communication ease made a significant contribution to the prediction of the three standardized achievement test scores, as well as grades, when background variance was removed. The results suggest that students are more likely to learn if they perceive themselves as being effective in communicating and have positive feelings about the communication that occurs.

A Structural Equation Model Explaining 8th Grade Students' Mathematics Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yurt, Eyüp; Sünbül, Ali Murat

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate, via a model, the explanatory and predictive relationships among the following variables: Mathematical Problem Solving and Reasoning Skills, Sources of Mathematics Self-Efficacy, Spatial Ability, and Mathematics Achievements of Secondary School 8th Grade Students. The sample group of the study, itself…

A Comparative Analysis of Preschool Attendance and Reading Achievement among Second-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Kelly Latham

2011-01-01

Preschool attendance is considered an important factor for predicting later success in literacy achievement. This quantitative ex-post facto study examined whether attendance of public prekindergarten is related to improved reading achievement in 2nd grade students in a rural, southeastern school district. The learning theories of Piaget, Bandura,…

Social and Physical Aggression Trajectories from Childhood through Late Adolescence: Predictors of Psychosocial Maladjustment at Age 18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrenreich, Samuel E.; Beron, Kurt J.; Underwood, Marion K.

2016-01-01

This research examined whether following social and physical aggression trajectories across Grades 3-12 predicted psychological maladjustment. Teachers rated participants' (n = 287, 138 boys) aggressive behavior at the end of each school year. Following the 12th grade, psychosocial outcomes were measured: rule-breaking behaviors, internalizing…

Joint Trajectories of Behavioral, Affective, and Cognitive Engagement in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Archambault, Isabelle; Dupéré, Véronique

2017-01-01

The aim of the present study was to model student trajectories of behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement from Grade 3 to Grade 6. The authors also examined whether teachers perceptions could predict student trajectory membership. The authors collected data from a sample of 831 students and 152 teachers. Using multiple-process growth…

A study of the factors affecting advancement and graduation for engineering students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, John Thomas

The purpose of this study was, first, to determine whether a set of predictor variables could be identified from pre-enrollment and post-enrollment data that would differentiate students who advance to a major in engineering from non-advancers and, further, to determine if the predictor variables would differentiate students who graduate from the College of Engineering from non-graduates and graduates of other colleges at Auburn University. A second purpose was to determine if the predictor variables would correctly identify male and female students with the same degree of accuracy. The third purpose was to determine if there were significant relationships between the predictor variables studied and grades earned in a set of 15 courses that have enrollments over 100 students and are part of the pre-engineering curriculum. The population for this study was the 868 students who entered the pre-engineering program at Auburn University as freshmen during the Summer and Fall Quarters of 1991. The variables selected to differentiate the different groups were ACT scores, high school grade indices, and first quarter college grade point average. Two sets of classification matrices were developed using analysis and holdout samples that were divided based on sex. With respect to the question about advancement to the professional engineering program, structure coefficients derived from discriminant analysis procedures performed on all the cases combined indicated that first quarter college grade point average, high school math index, ACT math score, and high school science grade index were important predictor variables in classifying students who advanced to the professional engineering program and those who did not. Further, important structure coefficients with respect to graduation with a degree from the College of Engineering were first quarter college grade point average, high school math index, ACT math score, and high school science grade index. The results of this study indicated that significant differences existed in the model's ability to predict advancement and graduation for male and female students. This difference was not unexpected based on the male-dominated population. However, the models identified predicted at a high rate for both male and female students. Finally, many significant relationships were found to exist between the predictor variables and the 15 pre-engineering courses that were selected. The strength of the relationships ranged from a high of .82, p < .001 (Chemistry 103 grade with total high school grade index) to a low of .07, p > .05 (Chemistry 102 with ACT science score).

Breadth of Extracurricular Participation and Adolescent Adjustment Among African-American and European-American Youth

PubMed Central

Fredricks, Jennifer A.; Eccles, Jacquelynne S.

2012-01-01

We examined the linear and nonlinear relations between breadth of extracurricular participation in 11th grade and developmental outcomes at 11th grade and 1 year after high school in an economically diverse sample of African-American and European-American youth. In general, controlling for demographic factors, children's motivation, and the dependent variable measured 3 years earlier, breadth was positively associated with indicators of academic adjustment at 11th grade and at 1 year after high school. In addition, for the three academic outcomes (i.e., grades, educational expectations, and educational status) the nonlinear function was significant; at high levels of involvement the well-being of youth leveled off or declined slightly. In addition, breadth of participation at 11th grade predicted lower internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, alcohol use, and marijuana use at 11th grade. Finally, the total number of extracurricular activities at 11th grade was associated with civic engagement 2 years later. PMID:22837637

Breadth of Extracurricular Participation and Adolescent Adjustment Among African-American and European-American Youth.

PubMed

Fredricks, Jennifer A; Eccles, Jacquelynne S

2010-06-01

We examined the linear and nonlinear relations between breadth of extracurricular participation in 11th grade and developmental outcomes at 11th grade and 1 year after high school in an economically diverse sample of African-American and European-American youth. In general, controlling for demographic factors, children's motivation, and the dependent variable measured 3 years earlier, breadth was positively associated with indicators of academic adjustment at 11th grade and at 1 year after high school. In addition, for the three academic outcomes (i.e., grades, educational expectations, and educational status) the nonlinear function was significant; at high levels of involvement the well-being of youth leveled off or declined slightly. In addition, breadth of participation at 11th grade predicted lower internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, alcohol use, and marijuana use at 11th grade. Finally, the total number of extracurricular activities at 11th grade was associated with civic engagement 2 years later.

Relative Age Effects in Dutch Adolescents: Concurrent and Prospective Analyses

PubMed Central

Jeronimus, Bertus F.; Stavrakakis, Nikolaos; Veenstra, René; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.

2015-01-01

The literature on relative age position effects is rather inconsistent. In this study we examined intra-classroom age position (or relative age) effects on Dutch adolescents’ school progress and performance (as rated by teachers), physical development, temperamental development (fear and frustration), and depressive symptoms, all adjusted for age at the time of measurement. Data were derived from three waves of Tracking Adolescents' Individuals Lives Survey (TRAILS) of 2230 Dutch adolescents (baseline mean age 11.1, SD = 0.6, 51% girls). Albeit relative age predicted school progress (grade retention ORs = 0.83 for each month, skipped grade OR = 1.47, both p<.001), our key observation is the absence of substantial developmental differences as a result of relative age position in Dutch adolescents with a normative school trajectory, in contrast to most literature. For adolescents who had repeated a grade inverse relative age effects were observed, in terms of physical development and school performance, as well as on depressive symptoms, favoring the relatively young. Cross-cultural differences in relative age effect may be partly explained by the decision threshold for grade retention. PMID:26076384

Understanding Ecological Factors Associated With Bullying Across the Elementary to Middle School Transition in the United States.

PubMed

Espelage, Dorothy L; Hong, Jun Sung; Rao, Mrinalini A; Thornberg, Robert

2015-01-01

This study examines sociodemographic characteristics and social-environmental factors associated with bullying during the elementary to middle school transition from a sample of 5th-grade students (n = 300) in 3 elementary schools at Time 1. Of these, 237 participated at Time 2 as 6th-grade students. Using cluster analyses, we found groups of students who reported no increase in bullying, some decrease in bullying, and some increase in bullying. Students who reported increases in bullying also reported decreases in school belongingness and teacher affiliation and increases in teacher dissatisfaction. Students who reported decreases in bullying also reported decreases in victimization. These findings suggest that changes across the transition in students' relations to school and their teachers are predictive of changes in bullying.

Childhood socio-economic status, school failure and drug abuse: a Swedish national cohort study.

PubMed

Gauffin, Karl; Vinnerljung, Bo; Fridell, Mats; Hesse, Morten; Hjern, Anders

2013-08-01

To investigate whether socio-economic status (SES) in childhood and school failure at 15 years of age predict illicit drug abuse in youth and young adulthood. Register study in a Swedish national cohort born 1973-88 (n = 1,405,763), followed from age 16 to 20-35 years. Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for any indication of drug abuse. Our outcomes were hospital admissions, death and criminality associated with illicit drug abuse. Data on socio-demographics, school grades and parental psychosocial problems were collected from censuses (1985 and 1990) and national registers. School failure was defined as having mean school grades from the final year in primary school lower than -1 standard deviation and/or no grades in core subjects. School failure was a strong predictor of illicit drug abuse with an HR of 5.87 (95% CI: 5.76-5.99) after adjustment for age and sex. Childhood SES was associated with illicit drug abuse later in life in a stepwise manner. The lowest stratum had a HR of 2.28 (95% CI: 2.20-2.37) compared with the highest stratum as the reference, when adjusted for other socio-demographic variables. In the fully adjusted model, the effect of SES was greatly attenuated to an HR of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.19-1.28) in the lowest SES category, while the effect of school failure remained high with an HR of 4.22 (95% CI: 4.13-4.31). School failure and childhood socio-economic status predict illicit drug abuse independently in youth and young adults in Sweden. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Predicting performance: relative importance of students' background and past performance.

PubMed

Stegers-Jager, Karen M; Themmen, Axel P N; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Steyerberg, Ewout W

2015-09-01

Despite evidence for the predictive value of both pre-admission characteristics and past performance at medical school, their relative contribution to predicting medical school performance has not been thoroughly investigated. This study was designed to determine the relative importance of pre-admission characteristics and past performance in medical school in predicting student performance in pre-clinical and clinical training. This longitudinal prospective study followed six cohorts of students admitted to a Dutch, 6-year, undergraduate medical course during 2002-2007 (n = 2357). Four prediction models were developed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Main outcome measures were 'Year 1 course completion within 1 year' (models 1a, 1b), 'Pre-clinical course completion within 4 years' (model 2) and 'Achievement of at least three of five clerkship grades of ≥ 8.0' (model 3). Pre-admission characteristics (models 1a, 1b, 2, 3) and past performance at medical school (models 1b, 2, 3) were included as predictor variables. In model 1a - including pre-admission characteristics only - the strongest predictor for Year 1 course completion was pre-university grade point average (GPA). Success factors were 'selected by admission testing' and 'age > 21 years'; risk factors were 'Surinamese/Antillean background', 'foreign pre-university degree', 'doctor parent' and male gender. In model 1b, number of attempts and GPA at 4 months were the strongest predictors for Year 1 course completion, and male gender remained a risk factor. Year 1 GPA was the strongest predictor for pre-clinical course completion, whereas being male or aged 19-21 years were risk factors. Pre-clinical course GPA positively predicted clinical performance, whereas being non-Dutch or a first-generation university student were important risk factors for lower clinical grades. Nagelkerke's R(2) ranged from 0.16 to 0.62. This study not only confirms the importance of past performance as a predictor of future performance in pre-clinical training, but also reveals the importance of a student's background as a predictor in clinical training. These findings have important practical implications for selection and support during medical school. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Self-control as predictor of school grades, life balance, and flow in adolescents.

PubMed

Kuhnle, Claudia; Hofer, Manfred; Kilian, Britta

2012-12-01

Recently, several studies have shown that strength of self-control is a crucial factor in determining positive outcomes in individuals' lives. Most attention has been directed to the relationships that self-control has with learning and academic achievement. This article analyses the effects of self-control not only on school grades but also on the experience of life balance and flow. It is theorized that students with a higher level of self-control are better able to distribute their time in a satisfying way over academic and leisure matters, and are better able to shield their studying against distractions. A total of 697 eighth graders with a mean age of 13.4 years participated in the longitudinal study. Students completed a questionnaire containing measures of self-control, school grades, subjective life balance, and flow while studying at the beginning and at the end of the school year. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the relationships between the constructs. Results of cross-lagged analyses show that self-control predicted school grades, life balance, and flow. The findings suggest that self-control may assist adolescents to be better prepared, not only for school, but also for coordinating their investments in different areas of their lives. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Factors influencing medical informatics examination grade--can biorhythm, astrological sign, seasonal aspect, or bad statistics predict outcome?

PubMed

Petrovecki, Mladen; Rahelić, Dario; Bilić-Zulle, Lidija; Jelec, Vjekoslav

2003-02-01

To investigate whether and to what extent various parameters, such as individual characteristics, computer habits, situational factors, and pseudoscientific variables, influence Medical Informatics examination grade, and how inadequate statistical analysis can lead to wrong conclusions. The study included a total of 382 second-year undergraduate students at the Rijeka University School of Medicine in the period from 1996/97 to 2000/01 academic year. After passing the Medical Informatics exam, students filled out an anonymous questionnaire about their attitude toward learning medical informatics. They were asked to grade the course organization and curriculum content, and provide their date of birth; sex; study year; high school grades; Medical Informatics examination grade, type, and term; and describe their computer habits. From these data, we determined their zodiac signs and biorhythm. Data were compared by the use of t-test, one-way ANOVA with Tukey's honest significance difference test, and randomized complete block design ANOVA. Out of 21 variables analyzed, only 10 correlated with the average grade. Students taking Medical Informatics examination in the 1998/99 academic year earned lower average grade than any other generation. Significantly higher Medical Informatics exam grade was earned by students who finished a grammar high school; owned and regularly used a computer, Internet, and e-mail (p< or =0.002 for all items); passed an oral exam without taking a written test (p=0.004), or did not repeat the exam (p<0.001). Better high-school students and students with better grades from high-school informatics course also scored significantly better (p=0.032 and p<0.001, respectively). Grade in high-school mathematics, student's sex, and time of year when the examination was taken were not related to the grade, and neither were pseudoscientific parameters, such as student zodiac sign, zodiac sign quality, or biorhythm cycles, except when intentionally inadequate statistics was used for data analysis. Medical Informatics examination grades correlated with general learning capacity and computer habits of students, but showed no relation to other investigated parameters, such as examination term or pseudoscientific parameters. Inadequate statistical analysis can always confirm false conclusions.

New Perspectives on the Validity of the "GRE"® General Test for Predicting Graduate School Grades. ETS GRE® Board Research Report. ETS GRE®-14-03. ETS Research Report. RR-14-26

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klieger, David M.; Cline, Frederick A.; Holtzman, Steven L.; Minsky, Jennifer L.; Lorenz, Florian

2014-01-01

Given the serious consequences of making ill-fated admissions and funding decisions for applicants to graduate and professional school, it is important to rely on sound evidence to optimize such judgments. Previous meta-analytic research has demonstrated the generalizable validity of the "GRE"® General Test for predicting academic…

Parenting and Preschool Self-Regulation as Predictors of Social Emotional Competence in 1st Grade

PubMed Central

Russell, Beth S.; Lee, Jungeun Olivia; Spieker, Susan; Oxford, Monica L.

2016-01-01

The current longitudinal study used data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) to examine a model of development that emphasizes early caregiving environments as predictors of social emotional competence (including classroom competence). This path analysis model included features of parenting, emotion regulation, preschool language skills, and attention to predict child outcomes in 1st grade. Early caregiving environments were directly predictive of peer relationship satisfaction, oppositional behavior, social skills, and classroom competence over and above significant mediated effects through preschool self regulation (language, inattention, and anger/frustration). These results suggest that the characteristics of supportive and stimulating caregiving shift in valence over time, such that qualities of the infant-child relationship that are significant in predicting early childhood outcomes are not the same as the caregiving qualities that move to the foreground in predicting primary school outcomes. Implications for school-readiness programming are discussed, including interventions in the early caregiving system to encourage sensitive and supportive parent child interactions to bolster school readiness via the development of social-emotional competence. PMID:27616805

Predicting academic performance of medical students: the first three years.

PubMed

Höschl, C; Kozený, J

1997-06-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify a cluster of variables that would most economically explain variations in the grade point averages of medical students during the first 3 years of study. Data were derived from a study of 92 students admitted to the 3rd Faculty of Medicine in 1992-1993 academic year and who were still in the medical school at the end of the sixth semester (third year). Stepwise regression analysis was used to build models for predicting log-transformed changes in grade point average after six semesters of study-at the end of the first, second, and third years. Predictor variables were chosen from four domains: 1) high school grade point averages in physics, mathematics, and the Czech language over 4 years of study, 2) results of admission tests in biology, chemistry, and physics, 3) admission committee's assessment of the applicant's ability to reproduce a text, motivation to study medicine, and social maturity, and 4) scores on the sentimentality and attachment scales of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. The regression model, which included performance in high school physics, results of the admission test in physics, assessment of the applicant's motivation to study medicine, and attachment scale score, accounted for 32% of the change in grade point average over six semesters of study. The regression models using the first-, second-, and third-year grade point averages as the dependent variables showed slightly decreasing amounts of explained variance toward the end of the third year of study and within domains, changing the structure of predictor variables. The results suggest that variables chosen from the assessment domains of high school performance, written entrance examination, admission interview, and personality traits may be significant predictors of academic success during the first 3 years of medical study.

Factors Predicting READ 180 18-Week Grades among Middle School Students: The Role of Self-Efficacy, Ethnicity, Reading and Language Skills and Socioeconomic Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Rhonda M.

2014-01-01

Middle school students who struggle in reading are likely to also experience difficulty in their other subjects in school. A variety of reading intervention programs exist for schools to utilize to increase reading comprehension. The Scholastic READ 180 program is used as part of this study. This small, focused study of 160 students examined the…

Longitudinal evaluation of the importance of homework assignment completion for the academic performance of middle school students with ADHD.

PubMed

Langberg, Joshua M; Dvorsky, Melissa R; Molitor, Stephen J; Bourchtein, Elizaveta; Eddy, Laura D; Smith, Zoe; Schultz, Brandon K; Evans, Steven W

2016-04-01

The primary goal of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the homework assignment completion patterns of middle school age adolescents with ADHD, their associations with academic performance, and malleable predictors of homework assignment completion. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 104 middle school students comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD and followed for 18 months. Multiple teachers for each student provided information about the percentage of homework assignments turned in at five separate time points and school grades were collected quarterly. Results showed that agreement between teachers with respect to students assignment completion was high, with an intraclass correlation of .879 at baseline. Students with ADHD were turning in an average of 12% fewer assignments each academic quarter in comparison to teacher-reported classroom averages. Regression analyses revealed a robust association between the percentage of assignments turned in at baseline and school grades 18 months later, even after controlling for baseline grades, achievement (reading and math), intelligence, family income, and race. Cross-lag analyses demonstrated that the association between assignment completion and grades was reciprocal, with assignment completion negatively impacting grades and low grades in turn being associated with decreased future homework completion. Parent ratings of homework materials management abilities at baseline significantly predicted the percentage of assignments turned in as reported by teachers 18 months later. These findings demonstrate that homework assignment completion problems are persistent across time and an important intervention target for adolescents with ADHD. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Predicting Secondary School Dropout among South African Adolescents: A Survival Analysis Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weybright, Elizabeth H.; Caldwell, Linda L.; Xie, Hui; Wegner, Lisa; Smith, Edward A.

2017-01-01

Education is one of the strongest predictors of health worldwide. In South Africa, school dropout is a crisis where by Grade 12, only 52% of the age appropriate population remain enrolled. Survival analysis was used to identify the risk of dropping out of secondary school for male and female adolescents and examine the influence of substance use…

Connect-Text: Leveraging Text-Message Communication to Mitigate Chronic Absenteeism and Improve Parental Engagement in the Earliest Years of Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smythe-Leistico, Kenneth; Page, Lindsay C.

2018-01-01

Poor school attendance in the early grades is predictive of poor subsequent educational outcomes. We report on a pilot intervention aiming to reduce chronic absenteeism in kindergarten. We designed and implemented a two-way, text-based parent-school communication system to encourage daily attendance, provide parents with personalized feedback on…

Creative Thinking and Creative Performance in Adolescents as Predictors of Creative Attainments in Adults: A Follow-Up Study after 18 Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milgram, Roberta M.; Hong, Eunsook

1993-01-01

Results of an 18-year longitudinal study of 48 Israeli high school students who were seniors at the study's start suggest that measures of creative thinking and creative leisure activities were more important than school-oriented predictors of intelligence and school grades in predicting creative attainments in adults. (DB)

Longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's negative emotions, effortful control, and math achievement in early elementary school.

PubMed

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = .39 year) across kindergarten through second grade. Parents reported their reactions and children's EC. Math achievement was assessed with a standardized achievement test. First-grade EC mediated the relation between parents' reactions at kindergarten and second-grade math achievement, beyond stability in constructs across study years. Panel mediation model results suggested that socialization of EC may be one method of promoting math achievement in early school; however, when all omitted time-invariant covariates of EC and math achievement were controlled, first-grade EC no longer predicted second-grade math achievement. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

School-Age Test Proficiency and Special Education after Congenital Heart Disease Surgery in Infancy

PubMed Central

Mulkey, Sarah B.; Bai, Shasha; Luo, Chunqiao; Cleavenger, Jordyn E.; Gibson, Neal; Holland, Greg; Mosley, Bridget S.; Kaiser, Jeffrey R.; Bhutta, Adnan T.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate test proficiency and the receipt of special education services in school-age children who had surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) <1 year of age. Study design Data from Arkansas-born children who had CHD surgery at Arkansas Children's Hospital at <1 year of age from 1996–2004 were linked to state birth certificates and the Arkansas Department of Education longitudinal database containing achievement test scores in literacy and mathematics for grades 3-4 and special education codes. The primary negative outcome was not achieving grade-level proficiency on achievement tests. Logistic regression accounting for repeated measures associated achieving proficiency with demographics, maternal education, and clinical factors. Results 362 of 458 (79%) children who received surgery for CHD matched to the ADE database; 285 had grade 3 and/or 4 achievement tests scores. Fewer students with CHD achieved proficiency in literacy and mathematics (P < .05) compared with grade-matched state students. Higher 5-minute Apgar score, shorter hospitalization, and higher maternal education predicted proficiency in literacy (P < .05). White race, no cardiopulmonary bypass, and shorter hospitalization predicted proficiency in mathematics (P < .05). Sex, gestational age, age at surgery, CHD diagnosis, and type and number of surgeries did not predict test proficiency. Compared with all public school students, more children with CHD received special education services (26.9% vs 11.6%, P < .001). Conclusion Children with CHD had poorer academic achievement and were more likely to receive special education services than all state students. Results from this study support the need for neurodevelopmental evaluations as standard in children with CHD. PMID:27453376

Relationships between Peer Harassment and Adolescent Problem Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rusby, Julie C.; Forrester, Kathleen K.; Biglan, Anthony; Metzler, Carol W.

2005-01-01

Concurrent and predictive relationships between peer harassment and problem behavior were examined for middle and high school students as well as gender differences in these relationships. Students recruited in fifth through seventh grades (n = 223) and their parents provided quarterly questionnaire data and were followed up into high school. As…

Teaching Interactive Practices and Burnout: A Study on Italian Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mameli, Consuelo; Molinari, Luisa

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the role played by teaching interactive practices (measured through a self-report Likert scale) in predicting teacher burnout, after controlling for school grade (primary vs. secondary school) and teaching experience. Participants were 282 Italian teachers equally distributed between primary and…

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF PREDICTORS OF PHYSICIAN PERFORMANCE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

JACOBSEN, TONY L.; AND OTHERS

AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO DETERMINE THE PREDICTIVE ACCURACY OF THREE MEDICAL SCHOOL SELECTION DEVICES--PREMEDICAL GRADES, THE MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST (MCAT), AND THE BIOGRAPHICAL INVENTORY FOR MEDICINE (BIM). THE BIM REPRESENTS A NEWLY DEVISED SELECTION INSTRUMENT FOR THE MEDICAL SCHOOL. IN THE STUDY, EACH INSTRUMENT WAS VALIDATED AGAINST…

Relation between Video Game Addiction and Interfamily Relationships on Primary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zorbaz, Selen Demirtas; Ulas, Ozlem; Kizildag, Seval

2015-01-01

This study seeks to analyze whether or not the following three variables of "Discouraging Family Relations," "Supportive Family Relations," "Total Time Spent on the Computer," and "Grade Point Average (GPA)" predict elementary school students' video game addiction rates, and whether or not there exists a…

Longitudinal Evaluation of the Importance of Homework Assignment Completion for the Academic Performance of Middle School Students with ADHD

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Dvorsky, Melissa R.; Molitor, Stephen J.; Bourchtein, Elizaveta; Eddy, Laura D.; Smith, Zoe; Schultz, Brandon K.; Evans, Steven W.

2016-01-01

The primary goal of this study was to longitudinally evaluate the homework assignment completion patterns of middle school age adolescents with ADHD, their associations with academic performance, and malleable predictors of homework assignment completion. Analyses were conducted on a sample of 104 middle school students comprehensively diagnosed with ADHD and followed for 18 months. Multiple teachers for each student provided information about the percentage of homework assignments turned in at five separate timepoints and school grades were collected quarterly. Results showed that agreement between teachers with respect to students’ assignment completion was high, with an intraclass correlation of .879 at baseline. Students with ADHD were turning in an average of 12% fewer assignments each academic quarter in comparison to teacher-reported classroom averages. Regression analyses revealed a robust association between the percentage of assignments turned in at baseline and school grades 18 months later, even after controlling for baseline grades, achievement (reading and math), intelligence, family income, and race. Cross-lag analyses demonstrated that the association between assignment completion and grades was reciprocal, with assignment completion negatively impacting grades and low grades in turn being associated with decreased future homework completion. Parent ratings of homework materials management abilities at baseline significantly predicted the percentage of assignments turned in as reported by teachers 18 months later. These findings demonstrate that homework assignment completion problems are persistent across time and an important intervention target for adolescents with ADHD. PMID:26931065

Predictors of scientific understanding of middle school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strate, Joshua Matthew

The purpose of this study was to determine if middle school student scientific understanding could be predicted by the variables: standardized 5th grade score in science, standardized 5th grade score in mathematics, standardized 5th grade score in reading, student attitude towards science, socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity. The areas of the comprehensive literature review were trends in science learning and teaching, research in the K-12 science education arena, what factors have influenced K-12 science education, scientific understanding, what research has been done on K-12 scientific understanding, and what factors have influenced science understanding in the K-12 arenas. Based on the results of the literature review, the researcher of this study examined a sample of middle school 8th grade students. An Attitude Towards Science Survey (SATS) Simpson & Oliver (1990) and a Survey of Scientific Understandings (Klapper, DeLucia, & Trent, 1993) were administered to these 116 middle school 8th grade students drawn from a total population of 1109 who attend this middle school in a typical county in Florida during the 2010- 2011 school year. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test each sub-hypothesis and to provide a model that attempted to predict student scientific understanding. Seven null sub-hypotheses were formed to determine if there were significant relationships between student scientific understanding and the abovementioned variables. The results of the tests of the seven null sub-hypotheses showed that the sub-hypothesis that involved socioeconomic status was rejected, which indicated that the socioeconomic status of a family does influence the level of scientific understanding of a student. Low SES students performed lower on the scientific understanding survey, on average, than high SES students. This study can be a source of information for teachers in low-income schools by recognizing potential areas of concern for low-income students in their science classrooms. The study is also a guide for administrators in developing science curriculum that is designed to remediate critical science content. Recommendations, further research, and implications for stakeholders in the science education process are then identified in order to focus on the concerns that these stakeholders need to address through a needs assessment.

The validity of Iran’s national university entrance examination (Konkoor) for predicting medical students’ academic performance

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In Iran, admission to medical school is based solely on the results of the highly competitive, nationwide Konkoor examination. This paper examines the predictive validity of Konkoor scores, alone and in combination with high school grade point averages (hsGPAs), for the academic performance of public medical school students in Iran. Methods This study followed the cohort of 2003 matriculants at public medical schools in Iran from entrance through internship. The predictor variables were Konkoor total and subsection scores and hsGPAs. The outcome variables were (1) Comprehensive Basic Sciences Exam (CBSE) scores; (2) Comprehensive Pre-Internship Exam (CPIE) scores; and (3) medical school grade point averages (msGPAs) for the courses taken before internship. Pearson correlation and regression analyses were used to assess the relationships between the selection criteria and academic performance. Results There were 2126 matriculants (1374 women and 752 men) in 2003. Among the outcome variables, the CBSE had the strongest association with the Konkoor total score (r = 0.473), followed by msGPA (r = 0.339) and the CPIE (r = 0.326). While adding hsGPAs to the Konkoor total score almost doubled the power to predict msGPAs (R2 = 0.225), it did not have a substantial effect on CBSE or CPIE prediction. Conclusions The Konkoor alone, and even in combination with hsGPA, is a relatively poor predictor of medical students’ academic performance, and its predictive validity declines over the academic years of medical school. Care should be taken to develop comprehensive admissions criteria, covering both cognitive and non-cognitive factors, to identify the best applicants to become "good doctors" in the future. The findings of this study can be helpful for policy makers in the medical education field. PMID:22840211

The Role of Executive Function in Children’s Competent Adjustment to Middle School

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Lisa A.; Williford, Amanda P.; Pianta, Robert C.

2012-01-01

Executive function (EF) skills play an important role in children’s cognitive and social functioning. These skills develop throughout childhood, concurrently with a number of developmental transitions and challenges. One of these challenges is the transition from elementary into middle-level schools, which has the potential to significantly disrupt children’s academic and social trajectories. However, little is known about the role of EF in children’s adjustment during this transition. This study investigated the relation between children’s EF skills, assessed both before and during elementary school, and sixth grade academic and social competence. In addition, the influences of the type of school setting attended in sixth grade on children’s academic and behavioral outcomes were examined. EF assessed prior to and during elementary school significantly predicted sixth grade competence, as rated by teachers and parents, in both academic and social domains, after controlling for background characteristics. The interactions between type of school setting and EF skills were significant: parents tended to report more behavioral problems and less regulatory control in children with weaker EF skills who were attending middle school. In contrast, teachers reported greater academic and behavioral difficulty in students with poorer EF attending elementary school settings. In conclusion, children’s performance-based EF skills significantly affect adjustment to the academic and behavioral demands of sixth grade, with parent report suggesting greater difficulty for children with poorer EF in settings where children are provided with less external supports (e.g., middle school). PMID:21246422

Covariates of Tooth-brushing Frequency in Low-income African Americans From Grades 5 to 8

PubMed Central

Koerber, A.; Graumlich, S.; Punwani, I.C.; Berbaum, M.L.; Burns, J.L.; Levy, S.R.; Cowell, J.M.; Flay, B.R.

2009-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine tooth-brushing frequency in 575 urban and nearby suburban African American children as part of a comprehensive risk-reduction study for students at high risk for violence, drugs, school delinquency, and unsafe sexual behaviors to determine which covariates predicted tooth-brushing frequency. Methods Students were surveyed 5 times, from the beginning of grade 5 and the end of each year through grade 8, and parents were surveyed at the beginning of grade 5. Peer influence, importance of being liked, self-esteem, attitudes towards tooth-brushing, oral health knowledge, self-efficacy, parental attitudes, and other covariates were examined for the ability to predict self-reporting of tooth-brushing frequency. Results In the fifth grade, peer influence, the importance of being liked, and physical self-esteem were the significant predictors, and peer influence continued to predict tooth-brushing in the eighth grade. Oral health knowledge and parental influence were not significant. Conclusion Peer influence is an important factor in tooth-brushing behavior in metropolitan African American preadolescent children. PMID:17249434

Covariates of tooth-brushing frequency in low-income African Americans from grades 5 to 8.

PubMed

Koerber, A; Graumlich, S; Punwani, I C; Berbaum, M L; Burns, J L; Levy, S R; Cowell, J M; Flay, B R

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine tooth-brushing frequency in 575 urban and nearby suburban African American children as part of a comprehensive risk-reduction study for students at high risk for violence, drugs, school delinquency, and unsafe sexual behaviors to determine which covariates predicted tooth-brushing frequency. Students were surveyed 5 times, from the beginning of grade 5 and the end of each year through grade 8, and parents were surveyed at the beginning of grade 5. Peer influence, importance of being liked, self-esteem, attitudes towards tooth-brushing, oral health knowledge, self-efficacy, parental attitudes, and other covariates were examined for the ability to predict self-reporting of tooth-brushing frequency. In the fifth grade, peer influence, the importance of being liked, and physical self-esteem were the significant predictors, and peer influence continued to predict tooth-brushing in the eighth grade. Oral health knowledge and parental influence were not significant. Peer influence is an important factor in tooth-brushing behavior in metropolitan African American preadolescent children.

Role of students’ context in predicting academic performance at a medical school: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Thiele, Tamara; Pope, Daniel; Singleton, A; Stanistreet, D

2016-01-01

Objectives This study examines associations between medical students’ background characteristics (postcode-based measures of disadvantage, high school attended, sociodemographic characteristics), and academic achievement at a Russell Group University. Design Retrospective cohort analysis. Setting Applicants accepted at the University of Liverpool medical school between 2004 and 2006, finalising their studies between 2010 and 2011. Participants 571 students (with an English home postcode) registered on the full-time Medicine and Surgery programme, who successfully completed their medical degree. Main outcome measures Final average at year 4 of the medical programme (represented as a percentage). Results Entry grades were positively associated with final attainment (p<0.001). Students from high-performing schools entered university with higher qualifications than students from low-performing schools (p<0.001), though these differences did not persist at university. Comprehensive school students entered university with higher grades than independent school students (p<0.01), and attained higher averages at university, though differences were not significant after controlling for multiple effects. Associations between school type and achievement differed between sexes. Females attained higher averages than males at university. Significant academic differences were observed between ethnic groups at entry level and university. Neither of the postcode-based measures of disadvantage predicted significant differences in attainment at school or university. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that educational attainment at school is a good, albeit imperfect, predictor of academic attainment at medical school. Most attainment differences observed between students either decreased or disappeared during university. Unlike previous studies, independent school students did not enter university with the highest grades, but achieved the lowest attainment at university. Such variations depict how patterns may differ between subjects and higher-education institutions. Findings advocate for further evidence to help guide the implementation of changes in admissions processes and widen participation at medical schools fairly. PMID:26969642

Role of students' context in predicting academic performance at a medical school: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Thiele, Tamara; Pope, Daniel; Singleton, A; Stanistreet, D

2016-03-11

This study examines associations between medical students' background characteristics (postcode-based measures of disadvantage, high school attended, sociodemographic characteristics), and academic achievement at a Russell Group University. Retrospective cohort analysis. Applicants accepted at the University of Liverpool medical school between 2004 and 2006, finalising their studies between 2010 and 2011. 571 students (with an English home postcode) registered on the full-time Medicine and Surgery programme, who successfully completed their medical degree. Final average at year 4 of the medical programme (represented as a percentage). Entry grades were positively associated with final attainment (p<0.001). Students from high-performing schools entered university with higher qualifications than students from low-performing schools (p<0.001), though these differences did not persist at university. Comprehensive school students entered university with higher grades than independent school students (p<0.01), and attained higher averages at university, though differences were not significant after controlling for multiple effects. Associations between school type and achievement differed between sexes. Females attained higher averages than males at university. Significant academic differences were observed between ethnic groups at entry level and university. Neither of the postcode-based measures of disadvantage predicted significant differences in attainment at school or university. The findings of this study suggest that educational attainment at school is a good, albeit imperfect, predictor of academic attainment at medical school. Most attainment differences observed between students either decreased or disappeared during university. Unlike previous studies, independent school students did not enter university with the highest grades, but achieved the lowest attainment at university. Such variations depict how patterns may differ between subjects and higher-education institutions. Findings advocate for further evidence to help guide the implementation of changes in admissions processes and widen participation at medical schools fairly. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

More than just fun and games: the longitudinal relationships between strategic video games, self-reported problem solving skills, and academic grades.

PubMed

Adachi, Paul J C; Willoughby, Teena

2013-07-01

Some researchers have proposed that video games possess good learning principles and may promote problem solving skills. Empirical research regarding this relationship, however, is limited. The goal of the presented study was to examine whether strategic video game play (i.e., role playing and strategy games) predicted self-reported problem solving skills among a sample of 1,492 adolescents (50.8 % female), over the four high school years. The results showed that more strategic video game play predicted higher self-reported problem solving skills over time than less strategic video game play. In addition, the results showed support for an indirect association between strategic video game play and academic grades, in that strategic video game play predicted higher self-reported problem solving skills, and, in turn, higher self-reported problem solving skills predicted higher academic grades. The novel findings that strategic video games promote self-reported problem solving skills and indirectly predict academic grades are important considering that millions of adolescents play video games every day.

Reading Instruction for Fourth-Grade Struggling Readers and the Relation to Student Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Shawn C.; Wanzek, Jeanne; Al Otaiba, Stephanie

2017-01-01

The present study examined the amount, type, and quality of Tier 1 and supplemental reading instruction provided to 4th-grade struggling readers and whether specific elements of instruction predicted growth in reading skills. In all, 110 students identified as having reading difficulty who were receiving school-based reading instruction in 22…

The Dynamics of Narrative Writing in Primary Grade Children: Writing Process Factors Predict Story Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Koss Torkildsen, Janne; Morken, Frøydis; Helland, Wenche A.; Helland, Turid

2016-01-01

In this study of third grade school children, we investigated the association between writing process measures recorded with key stroke logging and the final written product. Moreover, we examined the cognitive predictors of writing process and product measures. Analyses of key strokes showed that while most children spontaneously made local…

Deep Learning Questions Can Help Selection of High Ability Candidates for Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mellanby, Jane; Cortina-Borja, Mario; Stein, John

2009-01-01

Selection of students for places at universities mainly depends on GCSE grades and predictions of A-level grades, both of which tend to favour applicants from independent schools. We have therefore developed a new type of test that would measure candidates' "deep learning" approach since this assesses the motivation and creative thinking…

Failing to Succeed the First School: Exploring Phonological Factors and Letter Reading Ability in Grade 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gafoor, Kunnathodi Abdul; Remia, K. R.

2013-01-01

The context of this paper is studies worldwide on influence of phonological factors in language development of children. Such studies reveal the significance of Phonological Awareness in development language skills: including, predictive value of phonological short-term memory for reading skills in Grade 1. This paper throws light on factors in…

Joint Trajectories of Bullying and Peer Victimization across Elementary and Middle School and Associations with Symptoms of Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haltigan, John D.; Vaillancourt, Tracy

2014-01-01

The joint development of trajectories of bullying perpetration and peer victimization from Grade 5 to Grade 8 and concurrent and predictive associations with parent- and child-reported symptoms of psychopathology (anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and somatization) were examined in a large sample (N = 695) of Canadian…

Factors That Affect South African Reading Literacy Achievement: Evidence from prePIRLS 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Staden, Surette; Bosker, Roel

2014-01-01

This study aims to identify factors that predict reading literacy achievement among Grade 4 learners in South Africa by utilising aspects of Carroll's model of school learning. The study draws on the preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (prePIRLS) 2011 data, which places South African Grade 4 learners' results substantially below…

Correlates of Persistence and Achievement: Student Support Services at a New England Research University.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Marla D.

1999-01-01

A study examined the predictability of student persistence and achievement, based on Scholastic Assessment Test scores, high school rank, mother's education, birth order, and study-skills course grade, in a group of students served by a federal Student Support Services program. Some variables (SAT scores, study-skills course grade) were more…

Positive Teacher and Peer Relations Combine to Predict Primary School Students' Academic Skill Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiuru, Noona; Aunola, Kaisa; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Pakarinen, Eija; Poskiparta, Elisa; Ahonen, Timo; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-01-01

This study examined cross-lagged associations between positive teacher and peer relations and academic skill development. Reading and math skills were tested among 625 students in kindergarten and Grade 4. Teacher reports of positive affect toward each student and classmate reports of peer acceptance were gathered in Grades 1-3. The results…

Academic and Nonacademic Characteristics as Predictors of Persistence in an Associate Degree Nursing Program. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donsky, Aaron P.; Judge, Albert J., Jr.

Academic and nonacademic variables that may predict persistence in the nursing program at Lakeland Community College, Ohio, were studied. The academic variables included American College Testing program standard scores, National League for Nursing (NLN) rank scores, high school grade point average, and previous college grade point average. The…

The Measurement and Predictive Ability of Metacognition in Middle School Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sperling, Rayne A.; Richmond, Aaron S.; Ramsay, Crystal M.; Klapp, Michael

2012-01-01

The authors examined relations among components of metacognition from varying theoretical perspectives, explored the psychometric characteristics of known measures of metacognition, and examined the predictive strength of measures of metacognition for both science and overall academic achievement in 97 seventh-grade students. Findings indicated…

Academic performance, popularity, and depression predict adolescent substance use.

PubMed

Diego, Miguel A; Field, Tiffany M; Sanders, Christopher E

2003-01-01

Eighty-nine high school seniors completed a questionnaire on their feelings and activities, including their use of drugs. Adolescents with a low grade point average, high popularity, and high depression were more likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, and smoke marijuana than were their peers. Cigarette and alcohol use predicted marijuana use, which in turn predicted cocaine use.

Third Graders' Performance Predictions: Calibration Deflections and Academic Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ots, Aivar

2013-01-01

This study focuses on third grade pupils' (9 to 10 years old) ability to predict their performance in a given task and on the correspondence between the accuracy and adequacy of the predictions on the one hand, and the academic achievement on the other. The study involved 713 pupils from 29 Estonian schools. The pupils' performance predictions…

Drinking, Socioemotional Functioning, and Academic Progress in Secondary School

PubMed Central

Crosnoe, Robert; Benner, Aprile D.; Schneider, Barbara

2017-01-01

Secondary schools are sites of academic instruction but also contexts of socioemotional development, and the intertwining of these two functions has consequences for adolescents’ future health and education. Drawing on nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 8,271), this study explored the bidirectional associations among indicators of adolescents’ alcohol use and their feelings of social integration at school. Socioemotional problems did not predict increased drinking over time, but drinking predicted declining socioemotional functioning, with negative implications for adolescents’ academic grades by the end of high school. These associations, however, were conditioned by aspects of school context, with drinkers feeling more marginalized in schools characterized by dense networks with low rates of drinking. PMID:22556380

Materials Organization, Planning, and Homework Completion in Middle School Students with ADHD: Impact on Academic Performance.

PubMed

Langberg, Joshua M; Epstein, Jeffery N; Girio, Erin L; Becker, Stephen P; Vaughn, Aaron J; Altaye, Mekibib

2011-06-01

This study evaluated the homework functioning of middle school students with ADHD to determine what aspects are most predictive of school grades and the best source (e.g., parents or teachers) for obtaining this information. Students with ADHD in grades 5-8 ( N = 57) and their parents and teachers completed the Children's Organization Skills Scales (COSS) to measure materials organization, planning, and time-management, and parents completed the Homework Problems Checklist (HPC) to examine homework completion and homework materials management behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that parent-rated homework materials management and teacher-rated memory and materials management were the best predictors of school grades. These findings suggest that organization of materials is a critical component of the homework completion process for students with ADHD and an important target for intervention. Teachers were the best source of information regarding materials organization and planning, whereas parents were a valuable source of information for specific homework materials management problems.

Materials Organization, Planning, and Homework Completion in Middle School Students with ADHD: Impact on Academic Performance

PubMed Central

Langberg, Joshua M.; Epstein, Jeffery N.; Girio, Erin L.; Becker, Stephen P.; Vaughn, Aaron J.; Altaye, Mekibib

2013-01-01

This study evaluated the homework functioning of middle school students with ADHD to determine what aspects are most predictive of school grades and the best source (e.g., parents or teachers) for obtaining this information. Students with ADHD in grades 5–8 (N = 57) and their parents and teachers completed the Children’s Organization Skills Scales (COSS) to measure materials organization, planning, and time-management, and parents completed the Homework Problems Checklist (HPC) to examine homework completion and homework materials management behaviors. Regression analyses revealed that parent-rated homework materials management and teacher-rated memory and materials management were the best predictors of school grades. These findings suggest that organization of materials is a critical component of the homework completion process for students with ADHD and an important target for intervention. Teachers were the best source of information regarding materials organization and planning, whereas parents were a valuable source of information for specific homework materials management problems. PMID:23577045

Testing an idealized dynamic cascade model of the development of serious violence in adolescence.

PubMed

Dodge, Kenneth A; Greenberg, Mark T; Malone, Patrick S

2008-01-01

A dynamic cascade model of development of serious adolescent violence was proposed and tested through prospective inquiry with 754 children (50% male; 43% African American) from 27 schools at 4 geographic sites followed annually from kindergarten through Grade 11 (ages 5-18). Self, parent, teacher, peer, observer, and administrative reports provided data. Partial least squares analyses revealed a cascade of prediction and mediation: An early social context of disadvantage predicts harsh-inconsistent parenting, which predicts social and cognitive deficits, which predicts conduct problem behavior, which predicts elementary school social and academic failure, which predicts parental withdrawal from supervision and monitoring, which predicts deviant peer associations, which ultimately predicts adolescent violence. Findings suggest targets for in-depth inquiry and preventive intervention.

Can Scores on an Interim High School Reading Assessment Accurately Predict Low Performance on College Readiness Exams? REL 2016-124

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koon, Sharon; Petscher, Yaacov

2016-01-01

During the 2013/14 school year two Florida school districts sought to develop an early warning system to identify students at risk of low performance on college readiness measures in grade 11 or 12 (such as the SAT or ACT) in order to support them with remedial coursework prior to high school graduation. The study presented in this report provides…

Social and physical aggression trajectories from childhood through late adolescence: Predictors of psychosocial maladjustment at age 18.

PubMed

Ehrenreich, Samuel E; Beron, Kurt J; Underwood, Marion K

2016-03-01

This research examined whether following social and physical aggression trajectories across Grades 3-12 predicted psychological maladjustment. Teachers rated participants' (n = 287, 138 boys) aggressive behavior at the end of each school year. Following the 12th grade, psychosocial outcomes were measured: rule-breaking behaviors, internalizing symptoms, and narcissistic and borderline personality features. Following the highest social aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking behavior; the medium social aggression trajectory was not a significant predictor of any outcome. Following the highest physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking, internalizing symptoms, and narcissism, whereas the medium physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking and internalizing symptoms. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Social and physical aggression trajectories from childhood through late adolescence: Predictors of psychosocial maladjustment at age 18

PubMed Central

Ehrenreich, Samuel E.; Beron, Kurt J.; Underwood, Marion K.

2016-01-01

This research examined whether following social and physical aggression trajectories across grades 3–12 predicted psychological maladjustment. Teachers rated participants’ (n=287, 138 boys) aggressive behavior at the end of each school year. Following the 12th grade, psychosocial outcomes were measured: rule-breaking behaviors, internalizing symptoms, and narcissistic and borderline personality features. Following the highest social aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking behavior; the medium social aggression trajectory was not a significant predictor of any outcome. Following the highest physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking, internalizing symptoms and narcissism, whereas the medium physical aggression trajectory predicted rule-breaking and internalizing symptoms. PMID:26891018

The Hidden Costs of California's Harsh School Discipline: And the Localized Economic Benefits from Suspending Fewer High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumberger, Russell W.; Losen, Daniel J.

2017-01-01

This California study focuses on the economic impact of school suspensions at the district level. Every 10th grade student in California was tracked for three years to determine the degree to which suspensions predicted lower graduation rates at the state and district level. This estimated impact on graduation was then used to calculate the…

Academic Performance of Students with the Highest and Mediocre School-leaving Grades: Does the Aptitude Test for Medical Studies (TMS) Balance Their Prognoses?

PubMed Central

Kadmon, Guni; Kadmon, Martina

2016-01-01

Background: Admission to undergraduate medical training in Germany occurs by central and local pathways. Central admission includes two distinct groups: Students with top school-leaving grades (best-SLG group) and students with inferior school-leaving grades who are admitted with a delay of up to seven years (delayed admission group). Students with academic difficulties and early dropouts are present in both groups. Local admission at our university involves the German Test for Medical Studies (TMS) and allows the admission by merit of students with a wide range of school-leaving grades. Aims: To examine the justification of a TMS-based strategy to reduce the admission of potentially weak best school-leavers and enhance the admission of potentially able candidates with mediocre school-leaving grades. Method: The prognostic contribution of the school-leaving (SL) GPA and the TMS to academic performance and to continuity in the pre-clinical part of the undergraduate medical program was examined in two study groups: best school leavers (SL grade 1.0, SL-GPA 823-900 points) and mediocre school leavers (SL grades 2.0-2.3, SL-GPA 689-660 points). The outcomes in both groups were compared in relation to their TMS results. The prospective study included four consecutive cohorts. Results: In each study group the TMS predicted the academic performance (β=0.442-0.446) and the continuity of studies (OR=0.890-0.853) better than the SL-GPA (β=0.238-0.047; OR=1.009-0.998). Attrition was most strongly associated with failing to take the TMS (OR=0.230-0.380). Mediocre school leavers with TMS scores ≥125 performed as well as the best school leavers. Mediocre school leavers with TMS scores between 110-124 performed on average less well but within the required standards. Best school leavers with mediocre TMS scores and 30% of the best school leavers who hadn't taken the TMS performed less well than most mediocre school leavers with high TMS scores. Discussion: The TMS appears to differentiate between potentially successful and less successful students in both GPA categories. Mediocre school leavers (SLG 2.0-2.3) with exceptionally high TMS results reach better pre-clinical examination results than best school leavers (SLG 1.0) with mediocre TMS results. Thus, the present data justify the use of the TMS to facilitate the participation of mediocre school leavers in the competition for admission slots. PMID:26958655

Academic Performance of Students with the Highest and Mediocre School-leaving Grades: Does the Aptitude Test for Medical Studies (TMS) Balance Their Prognoses?

PubMed

Kadmon, Guni; Kadmon, Martina

2016-01-01

Admission to undergraduate medical training in Germany occurs by central and local pathways. Central admission includes two distinct groups: Students with top school-leaving grades (best-SLG group) and students with inferior school-leaving grades who are admitted with a delay of up to seven years (delayed admission group). Students with academic difficulties and early dropouts are present in both groups. Local admission at our university involves the German Test for Medical Studies (TMS) and allows the admission by merit of students with a wide range of school-leaving grades. To examine the justification of a TMS-based strategy to reduce the admission of potentially weak best school-leavers and enhance the admission of potentially able candidates with mediocre school-leaving grades. The prognostic contribution of the school-leaving (SL) GPA and the TMS to academic performance and to continuity in the pre-clinical part of the undergraduate medical program was examined in two study groups: best school leavers (SL grade 1.0, SL-GPA 823-900 points) and mediocre school leavers (SL grades 2.0-2.3, SL-GPA 689-660 points). The outcomes in both groups were compared in relation to their TMS results. The prospective study included four consecutive cohorts. In each study group the TMS predicted the academic performance (β=0.442-0.446) and the continuity of studies (OR=0.890-0.853) better than the SL-GPA (β=0.238-0.047; OR=1.009-0.998). Attrition was most strongly associated with failing to take the TMS (OR=0.230-0.380). Mediocre school leavers with TMS scores ≥125 performed as well as the best school leavers. Mediocre school leavers with TMS scores between 110-124 performed on average less well but within the required standards. Best school leavers with mediocre TMS scores and 30% of the best school leavers who hadn't taken the TMS performed less well than most mediocre school leavers with high TMS scores. The TMS appears to differentiate between potentially successful and less successful students in both GPA categories. Mediocre school leavers (SLG 2.0-2.3) with exceptionally high TMS results reach better pre-clinical examination results than best school leavers (SLG 1.0) with mediocre TMS results. Thus, the present data justify the use of the TMS to facilitate the participation of mediocre school leavers in the competition for admission slots.

Predictive factors of premedical student retention and degree completion within a private undergraduate university

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Frances E.

Undergraduate retention and eventual graduation is of paramount importance to universities globally. Approximately 58% of students who began their college career at a four-year institution with the intention of receiving a bachelor's degree actually received that degree in a 6-year timeframe, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annual report The Condition of Education 2009 (Planty, 2009). In certain subgroups of the undergraduate population, this graduation rate is even lower. This dissertation presents research into the academic integration of students in premedical programs subgroup based on Vincent Tinto's Integrationist Model of Student Departure. Pre-entry factors of interest for this study included incoming high school grade point average (GPA), incoming SAT total test scores, while post-matriculation factors included grade in organic chemistry, and the initial calculus course taken. A sample of 519 students from a private coeducational institution in the southeastern United States was examined. A logistic regression was performed to determine the effect of high school GPA, SAT total scores, organic chemistry grades, and calculus-readiness on graduation. A significant regression equation was found. The findings suggest that of the four predictor variables, high school GPA and organic chemistry grade were the only variables that showed significant predictive ability based on a significance level of p < .05. Further research should involve the examination of additional indicators of academic integration as well as information on the social integration of the student. Additionally, institutional leaders should continue to evaluate the premedical curriculum based on potential changes in medical school requirements.

School Choice, School Quality and Postsecondary Attainment.

PubMed

Deming, David J; Hastings, Justine S; Kane, Thomas J; Staiger, Douglas O

2014-03-01

We study the impact of a public school choice lottery in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools on college enrollment and degree completion. We find a significant overall increase in college attainment among lottery winners who attend their first choice school. Using rich administrative data on peers, teachers, course offerings and other inputs, we show that the impacts of choice are strongly predicted by gains on several measures of school quality. Gains in attainment are concentrated among girls. Girls respond to attending a better school with higher grades and increases in college-preparatory course-taking, while boys do not.

Do Honors Students Have More Potential for Excellence in Their Professional Lives?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scager, Karin; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Keesen, Fried; Mainhard, M. Tim; Pilot, Albert; Wubbels, Theo

2012-01-01

Universities in many countries increasingly value talent, and do so by developing special honors programs for their top students. The selection process for these programs often relies on the students' prior achievements in school. Research has shown, however, that school grades do not sufficiently predict academic success. According to Renzulli's…

Early Identification System: Year Two. Research Report 80-15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stennett, R. G.; Earl, L. M.

During the academic year 1978-79, school teams implemented a newly developed early identification system in all kindergarten and grade one classes in London, Ontario schools. After analysis and revision of the system, the internal consistency and concurrent validity of the process and a test of its short-term predictive validity were investigated.…

The Impact of Children's Social Adjustment on Academic Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeRosier, Melissa E.; Lloyd, Stacey W.

2011-01-01

This study tested whether social adjustment added to the prediction of academic outcomes above and beyond prior academic functioning. Researchers collected school records and peer-, teacher-, and self-report measures for 1,255 third-grade children in the fall and spring of the school year. Measures of social adjustment included social acceptance…

Motivation for Reading and Upper Primary School Students' Academic Achievement in Reading in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mucherah, Winnie; Herendeen, Abbey

2013-01-01

This study examined primary school students' reading motivation and performance on the standardized exam. Participants included 901 seventh and eighth grade students from Kenya. There were 468 females and 433 males. Contrary to previous studies, results showed reading challenge and aesthetics, but not efficacy, predicted reading achievement,…

Leisure Boredom and High School Dropout in Cape Town, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wegner, Lisa; Flisher, Alan J.; Chikobvu, Perpetual; Lombard, Carl; King, Gary

2008-01-01

This prospective cohort study investigated whether leisure boredom predicts high school dropout. Leisure boredom is the perception that leisure experiences do not satisfy the need for optimal arousal. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which included the Leisure Boredom Scale. The original cohort of grade 8 students (n=303) was…

Relationship of Elementary and Secondary School Achievement Test Scores to Later Academic Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loyd, Brenda H.; And Others

1980-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between achievement test scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), and high school and college grade point average. Support for the predictive validity of the ITBS and ITED achievement test batteries is provided. (Author/GK)

Using Student Perceptions of Teacher Behavior to Predict Student Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brattesani, Karen; And Others

The ways in which students' perceptions of teacher behavior in the elementary school classroom clarifies the relationships among teacher expectations, student expectations, and student achievement are examined. Subjects in two data sets consisted of 234 grade 4-6 students from 16 classrooms in an urban, ethnically mixed school district, and 101…

Improving Science Vocabulary of High School English Language Learners with Reading Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helman, Amanda L.; Calhoon, Mary Beth; Kern, Lee

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effects of a combined contextual and morphemic analysis strategy to increase prediction and analysis of science vocabulary words by three high school (9th--10th grade) English language learners with reading disabilities. A multiple baseline across participants design was used. Students analyzed science words using the…

Child Characteristics Associated with Outcome for Children with Autism in a School-Based Behavioral Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pellecchia, Melanie; Connell, James E.; Kerns, Connor M.; Xie, Ming; Marcus, Steven C.; Mandell, David S.

2016-01-01

This study examined the extent to which clinical and demographic characteristics predicted outcome for children with autism spectrum disorder. Participants included 152 students with autism spectrum disorder in 53 kindergarten-through-second-grade autism support classrooms in a large urban public school district. Associations between child…

Mathematics Attitudes and Mathematics Outcomes of U.S. and Belarusian Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipnevich, Anastasiya A.; MacCann, Carolyn; Krumm, Stefan; Burrus, Jeremy; Roberts, Richard D.

2011-01-01

Two multivariate studies examined the applicability of the theory of planned behavior in gauging students' attitudes toward mathematics, as well as the predictive power of mathematics attitudes in explaining students' grades in mathematics. Middle-school students from the United States (N = 382) and Belarus (N = 339) participated. Confirmatory…

Predicting First-Grade Reading Performance from Kindergarten Response to Tier 1 Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Otaiba, Stephanie; Folsom, Jessica S.; Schatschneider, Christopher; Wanzek, Jeanne; Greulich, Luana; Meadows, Jane; Li, Zhi; Connor, Carol M.

2011-01-01

Many schools are implementing multitier response-to-intervention (RTI) models to reduce reading difficulties. This study was part of our larger ongoing longitudinal RTI investigation within the Florida Learning Disabilities Center grant and was conducted in 7 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse schools. We observed reading instruction in 20…

School Readiness Factors for Predicting High and Low Achieving Students in First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davion, Edward, Jr.

2011-01-01

When analyzed according to race and ethnicity, poverty level, parental education level, as well as other related factors in schools in America, academic achievement disparities negatively impact educational outcomes for poor children and children of color on a consistent basis. At all educational levels, academic achievement and attainments of…

Predicting Academic Performance at a Predominantly Black Medical School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Davis G.; And Others

1986-01-01

The validity of the Medical College Admission (MCAT), undergraduate grade-point average (GPA), and "competitiveness" of undergraduate college in predicting the performance of students at a predominantly black college of medicine was examined. No differences between men and women were found in the validity of MCAT scores and GPA.…

Predicting Third Grade Reading Success from Kindergarten Phonological Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Stephanie J.

2013-01-01

Although phonological awareness (PA) is an essential preliteracy skill with well-established predictive validity for elementary school reading success, previous research indicates that PA intervention does not demonstrate long term effects on reading. The theory of automaticity was the underlying foundation used to understand the importance of…

Predicting Student Success in College: What Does the Research Say?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merante, Joseph A.

1983-01-01

Reviews various methods for predicting college success: correlation of students' high school grades, achievement test scores, and class rank with characteristics of the institution to be attended; examination of demographic variables such as age, sex, birth order, income, parents' education, religious and ethnic background, and geographic factors;…

Identifying at-risk children at school entry: the usefulness of multibehavioral problem profiles.

PubMed

Flanagan, Kelly S; Bierman, Karen L; Kam, Chi-Ming

2003-09-01

Found that 1st-grade teacher ratings of aggressive, hyperactive-inattentive, and low levels of prosocial behaviors made unique contributions to the prediction of school outcomes (measured 2 years later) for 755 children. Person-oriented analyses compared the predictive utility of 5 screening strategies based on child problem profiles to identify children at risk for school problems. A broad screening strategy, in which children with elevations in any 1 of the 3 behavior problem dimensions were identified as "at-risk," showed lower specificity but superior sensitivity, odds ratios, and overall accuracy in the prediction of school outcomes than the other screening strategies that were more narrowly focused or were based on a total problem score. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the screening and design of preventive interventions.

Extracurricular participation and academic outcomes: testing the over-scheduling hypothesis.

PubMed

Fredricks, Jennifer A

2012-03-01

There is a growing concern that some youth are overscheduled in extracurricular activities, and that this increasing involvement has negative consequences for youth functioning. This article used data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS: 2002), a nationally representative and ethnically diverse longitudinal sample of American high school students, to evaluate this hypothesis (N = 13,130; 50.4% female). On average, 10th graders participated in between 2 and 3 extracurricular activities, for an average of 5 h per week. Only a small percentage of 10th graders reported participating in extracurricular activities at high levels. Moreover, a large percentage of the sample reported no involvement in school-based extracurricular contexts in the after-school hours. Controlling for some demographic factors, prior achievement, and school size, the breadth (i.e., number of extracurricular activities) and the intensity (i.e., time in extracurricular activities) of participation at 10th grade were positively associated with math achievement test scores, grades, and educational expectations at 12th grade. Breadth and intensity of participation at 10th grade also predicted educational status at 2 years post high school. In addition, the non-linear function was significant. At higher breadth and intensity, the academic adjustment of youth declined. Implications of the findings for the over-scheduling hypothesis are discussed.

Dual Pathways from Reactive Aggression to Depressive Symptoms in Children: Further Examination of the Failure Model.

PubMed

Evans, Spencer C; Fite, Paula J

2018-04-13

The failure model posits that peer rejection and poor academic performance are dual pathways in the association between early aggressive behavior and subsequent depressive symptoms. We examined this model using an accelerated longitudinal design while also incorporating proactive and reactive aggression and gender moderation. Children in 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades (n = 912; ages 6-12; 48% female) were rated three times annually by their primary teachers on measures of proactive and reactive aggression, peer rejection, academic performance, and depressive symptoms. Using Bayesian cross-classified estimation to account for nested and planned-missing data, path models were estimated to examine whether early reactive aggression predicted subsequent peer rejection and academic performance, and whether these, in turn, predicted subsequent depressive symptoms. From 1st to 3rd grade, reactive aggression predicted peer rejection (not academic performance), proactive aggression predicted academic performance (not peer rejection), and academic performance and peer rejection both predicted depressive symptoms. From 3rd to 5th grade, however, neither peer rejection nor academic performance predicted subsequent depressive symptoms. Results were not moderated by gender. Overall, these findings provide mixed and limited support for the failure model among school-age children. Early reactive aggression may be a key risk factor for social problems, whereas proactive aggression may be linked to improved academic functioning. The "dual pathways" of peer rejection and academic performance may operate during early but not later elementary school. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Using Growth Rate of Reading Fluency to Predict Performance on Statewide Achievement Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinkle, Rachelle Whittaker

2011-01-01

Federal legislation has prescribed the increased use of statewide achievement tests as the culmination of a student's knowledge and ability at the end of a grade level; however, schools need to be able to predict those who are at-risk of performing poorly on these high-stakes tests. Three studies served to identify a means of predicting statewide…

School-Age Test Proficiency and Special Education After Congenital Heart Disease Surgery in Infancy.

PubMed

Mulkey, Sarah B; Bai, Shasha; Luo, Chunqiao; Cleavenger, Jordyn E; Gibson, Neal; Holland, Greg; Mosley, Bridget S; Kaiser, Jeffrey R; Bhutta, Adnan T

2016-11-01

To evaluate test proficiency and the receipt of special education services in school-age children who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) at age <1 year. Data from Arkansas-born children who underwent surgery for CHD at Arkansas Children's Hospital at age <1 year between 1996 and 2004 were linked to state birth certificates and the Arkansas Department of Education longitudinal database containing achievement test scores in literacy and mathematics for grades 3-4 and special education codes. The primary negative outcome was not achieving grade-level proficiency on achievement tests. Logistic regression accounting for repeated measures was used to evaluate for associations between achieving proficiency and demographic data, maternal education, and clinical factors. A total of 362 of 458 (79%) children who underwent surgery for CHD were matched to the Arkansas Department of Education database, 285 of whom had grade 3 and/or 4 achievement tests scores. Fewer students with CHD achieved proficiency in literacy and mathematics (P < .05) compared with grade-matched state students. Higher 5-minute Apgar score, shorter duration of hospitalization, and higher maternal education predicted proficiency in literacy (P < .05). White race, no cardiopulmonary bypass, and shorter hospitalization predicted proficiency in mathematics (P < .05). Sex, gestational age, age at surgery, CHD diagnosis, and type and number of surgeries did not predict test proficiency. Compared with all public school students, more children with CHD received special education services (26.9% vs 11.6%; P < .001). Children with CHD had poorer academic achievement and were more likely to receive special education services than all state students. Results from this study support the need for neurodevelopmental evaluations as standard practice in children with CHD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct behavior rating as a school-based behavior universal screener: replication across sites.

PubMed

Kilgus, Stephen P; Riley-Tillman, T Chris; Chafouleas, Sandra M; Christ, Theodore J; Welsh, Megan E

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of Direct Behavior Rating Single Item Scale (DBR-SIS) targets of disruptive, engaged, and respectful behavior within school-based universal screening. Participants included 31 first-, 25 fourth-, and 23 seventh-grade teachers and their 1108 students, sampled from 13 schools across three geographic locations (northeast, southeast, and midwest). Each teacher rated approximately 15 of their students across three measures, including DBR-SIS, the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (Kamphaus & Reynolds, 2007), and the Student Risk Screening Scale (Drummond, 1994). Moderate to high bivariate correlations and area under the curve statistics supported concurrent validity and diagnostic accuracy of DBR-SIS. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that although respectful behavior cut scores recommended for screening remained constant across grade levels, cut scores varied for disruptive behavior and academic engaged behavior. Specific cut scores for first grade included 2 or less for disruptive behavior, 7 or greater for academically engaged behavior, and 9 or greater for respectful behavior. In fourth and seventh grades, cut scores changed to 1 or less for disruptive behavior and 8 or greater for academically engaged behavior, and remained the same for respectful behavior. Findings indicated that disruptive behavior was particularly appropriate for use in screening at first grade, whereas academically engaged behavior was most appropriate at both fourth and seventh grades. Each set of cut scores was associated with acceptable sensitivity (.79-.87), specificity (.71-.82), and negative predictive power (.94-.96), but low positive predictive power (.43-.44). DBR-SIS multiple gating procedures, through which students were only considered at risk overall if they exceeded cut scores on 2 or more DBR-SIS targets, were also determined acceptable in first and seventh grades, as the use of both disruptive behavior and academically engaged behavior in defining risk yielded acceptable conditional probability indices. Overall, the current findings are consistent with previous research, yielding further support for the DBR-SIS as a universal screener. Limitations, implications for practice, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental Trajectories of Boys’ Driven Exercise and Fasting During the Middle School Years

PubMed Central

Davis, Heather A.; Guller, Leila; Smith, Gregory T.

2016-01-01

Boys appear to engage in eating disorder behavior, particularly nonpurging compensatory behaviors such as driven exercise and fasting, at higher rates than previously thought. Little is known about the development of these behaviors in adolescent boys. In a sample of 631 non-binge eating and non-purging boys studied once in 5th grade and 6 times over the 3 years of middle school (grades 6 through 8), we found that (a) for some youth, driven exercise and fasting were present from grade 6; (b) different boys progressed along different trajectories of engagement in driven exercise and fasting, with some boys engaging in no driven exercise or fasting (65.8% and 83.5%, respectively), some boys engaging in driven exercise and fasting throughout middle school (25.2% and 16.5%, respectively), and other boys discontinuing engagement in driven exercise (9%); (c) 5th grade depression, eating expectancies, and thinness expectancies predicted subsequent trajectory group membership; and (d) boys engaging in driven exercise and fasting in 8th grade remained distressed. Boys’ engagement in driven exercise and fasting behavior merits the attention of researchers and clinicians. PMID:26707543

Developmental Trajectories of Boys' Driven Exercise and Fasting During the Middle School Years.

PubMed

Davis, Heather A; Guller, Leila; Smith, Gregory T

2016-10-01

Boys appear to engage in eating disorder behavior, particularly nonpurging compensatory behaviors such as driven exercise and fasting, at higher rates than previously thought. Little is known about the development of these behaviors in adolescent boys. In a sample of 631 non-binge eating and non-purging boys studied once in 5th grade and 6 times over the 3 years of middle school (grades 6 through 8), we found that (a) for some youth, driven exercise and fasting were present from grade 6; (b) different boys progressed along different trajectories of engagement in driven exercise and fasting, with some boys engaging in no driven exercise or fasting (65.8 % and 83.5 %, respectively), some boys engaging in driven exercise and fasting throughout middle school (25.2 % and 16.5 %, respectively), and other boys discontinuing engagement in driven exercise (9 %); (c) 5th grade depression, eating expectancies, and thinness expectancies predicted subsequent trajectory group membership; and (d) boys engaging in driven exercise and fasting in 8th grade remained distressed. Boys' engagement in driven exercise and fasting behavior merits the attention of researchers and clinicians.

Substance Use and Psychosocial Predictors of High School Dropout in Cape Town, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flisher, Alan J.; Townsend, Loraine; Chikobvu, Perpetual; Lombard, Carl F.; King, Gary

2010-01-01

The aims of this study were to examine whether use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs predicts dropout among secondary school students in Cape Town, South Africa. A self-report instrument was administered to 1,470 Grade 8 students. The proportion of students that dropped out of school between the onset of the study and 4 years later was 54.9%.…

Students' Achievement Goal Orientations and Their Behavioral and Emotional Engagement: Co-Examining the Role of Perceived School Goal Structures and Parent Goals during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonida, Eleftheria N.; Voulala, Katerina; Kiosseoglou, Grigoris

2009-01-01

The role of perceived school goal structures and parent goals in predicting adolescents' goal orientations and their behavioral and emotional engagement in the classroom was examined in the present study. Surveys were given to a sample of 271 seventh- and ninth-grade students. Path analyses showed that (a) perceived school mastery goal structures…

MCAT Verbal Reasoning score: less predictive of medical school performance for English language learners.

PubMed

Winegarden, Babbi; Glaser, Dale; Schwartz, Alan; Kelly, Carolyn

2012-09-01

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores are widely used as part of the decision-making process for selecting candidates for admission to medical school. Applicants who learned English as a second language may be at a disadvantage when taking tests in their non-native language. Preliminary research found significant differences between English language learners (ELLs), applicants who learned English after the age of 11 years, and non-ELL examinees on the Verbal Reasoning (VR) sub-test of the MCAT. The purpose of this study was to determine if relationships between VR sub-test scores and measures of medical school performance differed between ELL and non-ELL students. Scores on the MCAT VR sub-test and student performance outcomes (grades, examination scores, and markers of distinction and difficulty) were extracted from University of California San Diego School of Medicine admissions files and the Association of American Medical Colleges database for 924 students who matriculated in 1998-2005 (graduation years 2002-2009). Regression models were fitted to determine whether MCAT VR sub-test scores predicted medical school performance similarly for ELLs and non-ELLs. For several outcomes, including pre-clerkship grades, academic distinction, US Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge scores and two clerkship shelf examinations, ELL status significantly affects the ability of the VR score to predict performance. Higher correlations between VR score and medical school performance emerged for non-ELL students than for ELL students for each of these outcomes. The MCAT VR score should be used with discretion when assessing ELL applicants for admission to medical school. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

The Impact of the Good Behavior Game, a Universal Classroom-Based Preventive Intervention in First and Second Grades, on High-Risk Sexual Behaviors and Drug Abuse and Dependence Disorders into Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Mackenzie, Amelia C. L.; Brown, C. Hendricks; Ompad, Danielle C.; Or, Flora; Ialongo, Nicholas S.; Poduska, Jeanne M.; Windham, Amy

2013-01-01

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a method of teacher classroom behavior management, was tested in first-and second-grade classrooms in 19 Baltimore City Public Schools beginning in the 1985–1986 school year. The intervention was directed at the classroom as a whole to socialize children to the student role and reduce aggressive, disruptive behaviors, confirmed antecedents of a profile of externalizing problem outcomes. This article reports on the GBG impact on the courses and interrelationships among aggressive, disruptive behavior through middle school, risky sexual behaviors, and drug abuse and dependence disorders through ages 19–21. In five poor to lower-middle class, mainly African American urban areas, classrooms within matched schools were assigned randomly to either the GBG intervention or the control condition. Balanced assignment of children to classrooms was made, and teachers were randomly assigned to intervention or control. Analyses involved multilevel growth mixture modeling. By young adulthood, significant GBG impact was found in terms of reduced high-risk sexual behaviors and drug abuse and dependence disorders among males who in first grade and through middle school were more aggressive, disruptive. A replication with the next cohort of first-grade children with the same teachers occurred during the following school year, but with minimal teacher mentoring and monitoring. Findings were not significant but generally in the predicted direction. A universal classroom-based prevention intervention in first- and second-grade classrooms can reduce drug abuse and dependence disorders and risky sexual behaviors. PMID:23070695

The impact of the Good Behavior Game, a universal classroom-based preventive intervention in first and second grades, on high-risk sexual behaviors and drug abuse and dependence disorders into young adulthood.

PubMed

Kellam, Sheppard G; Wang, Wei; Mackenzie, Amelia C L; Brown, C Hendricks; Ompad, Danielle C; Or, Flora; Ialongo, Nicholas S; Poduska, Jeanne M; Windham, Amy

2014-02-01

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a method of teacher classroom behavior management, was tested in first- and second-grade classrooms in 19 Baltimore City Public Schools beginning in the 1985-1986 school year. The intervention was directed at the classroom as a whole to socialize children to the student role and reduce aggressive, disruptive behaviors, confirmed antecedents of a profile of externalizing problem outcomes. This article reports on the GBG impact on the courses and interrelationships among aggressive, disruptive behavior through middle school, risky sexual behaviors, and drug abuse and dependence disorders through ages 19-21. In five poor to lower-middle class, mainly African American urban areas, classrooms within matched schools were assigned randomly to either the GBG intervention or the control condition. Balanced assignment of children to classrooms was made, and teachers were randomly assigned to intervention or control. Analyses involved multilevel growth mixture modeling. By young adulthood, significant GBG impact was found in terms of reduced high-risk sexual behaviors and drug abuse and dependence disorders among males who in first grade and through middle school were more aggressive, disruptive. A replication with the next cohort of first-grade children with the same teachers occurred during the following school year, but with minimal teacher mentoring and monitoring. Findings were not significant but generally in the predicted direction. A universal classroom-based prevention intervention in first- and second-grade classrooms can reduce drug abuse and dependence disorders and risky sexual behaviors.

Ecological and personal predictors of science achievement in an urban center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guidubaldi, John Michael

This study sought to examine selected personal and environmental factors that predict urban students' achievement test scores on the science subject area of the Ohio standardized test. Variables examined were in the general categories of teacher/classroom, student, and parent/home. It assumed that these clusters might add independent variance to a best predictor model, and that discovering relative strength of different predictors might lead to better selection of intervention strategies to improve student performance. This study was conducted in an urban school district and was comprised of teachers and students enrolled in ninth grade science in three of this district's high schools. Consenting teachers (9), students (196), and parents (196) received written surveys with questions designed to examine the predictive power of each variable cluster. Regression analyses were used to determine which factors best correlate with student scores and classroom science grades. Selected factors were then compiled into a best predictive model, predicting success on standardized science tests. Students t tests of gender and racial subgroups confirmed that there were racial differences in OPT scores, and both gender and racial differences in science grades. Additional examinations were therefore conducted for all 12 variables to determine whether gender and race had an impact on the strength of individual variable predictions and on the final best predictor model. Of the 15 original OPT and cluster variable hypotheses, eight showed significant positive relationships that occurred in the expected direction. However, when more broadly based end-of-the-year science class grade was used as a criterion, 13 of the 15 hypotheses showed significant relationships in the expected direction. With both criteria, significant gender and racial differences were observed in the strength of individual predictors and in the composition of best predictor models.

Effects of perceived support from mothers, fathers, and teachers on depressive symptoms during the transition to middle school.

PubMed

Rueger, Sandra Yu; Chen, Pan; Jenkins, Lyndsay N; Choe, Hyung Joon

2014-04-01

The transition to middle school can be a significant stressor for young adolescents, leading to increases in depression for those who are vulnerable. The current study examined how perceived support from mothers, fathers, and teachers independently and interactively predicted developmental patterns of depressive symptoms during adolescents' transition to middle school, and gender differences in these effects of social support. Four timepoints of data were collected from 1,163 participants (48.5 % boys) enrolled in an ethnically diverse suburban middle school in the Midwest between 1.25 and 20.50 months after these participants entered the 7th grade. The results from growth curve modeling indicated that levels of depressive symptoms decreased over time for boys but remained stable for girls during the developmental period examined. There is also evidence that support from mothers, fathers, and teachers independently and inversely predicted levels of depressive symptoms at the beginning of the 7th grade, and support from both mothers and fathers predicted changes in these symptoms. Effects of mothers' support and teachers' support, but not the effect of fathers' support, remained significant in reducing levels of depressive symptoms at 20.50 months from middle school entry. Furthermore, the protective effect of mothers' support was stronger for girls than for boys. Finally, mothers' support interacted with fathers' support and teachers' support to predict levels of depressive symptoms. Specifically, the protective effect of mothers' support was more salient when fathers' support was low, and vice versa. In contrast, support from mothers and teachers had an amplifying, synergistic effect.

The Reciprocal Links between School Engagement, Youth Problem Behaviors, and School Dropout during Adolescence

PubMed Central

Wang, Ming-Te; Fredricks, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Drawing on the self-system model, this study conceptualized school engagement as a multidimensional construct, including behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement, and examined whether changes in the three types of school engagement related to changes in problem behaviors from 7th through 11th grade. In addition, a transactional model of reciprocal relations between school engagement and problem behaviors was tested to predict school dropout. Data were collected on 1,272 youth from an ethnically and economically diverse county (58% African American, 36% European American; 51% females). Results indicated that adolescents who had declines in behavioral and emotional engagement with school tended to engage in increased delinquency and substance use over time. There were bidirectional associations between behavioral and emotional engagement in school and youth problem behaviors over time. Finally, lower behavioral and emotional engagement and greater problem behaviors predicted greater likelihood of dropping out of school. PMID:23895361

Academic and emotional functioning in middle school: the role of implicit theories.

PubMed

Romero, Carissa; Master, Allison; Paunesku, Dave; Dweck, Carol S; Gross, James J

2014-04-01

Adolescents face many academic and emotional challenges in middle school, but notable differences are evident in how well they adapt. What predicts adolescents' academic and emotional outcomes during this period? One important factor might be adolescents' implicit theories about whether intelligence and emotions can change. The current study examines how these theories affect academic and emotional outcomes. One hundred fifteen students completed surveys throughout middle school, and their grades and course selections were obtained from school records. Students who believed that intelligence could be developed earned higher grades and were more likely to move to advanced math courses over time. Students who believed that emotions could be controlled reported fewer depressive symptoms and, if they began middle school with lower well-being, were more likely to feel better over time. These findings illustrate the power of adolescents' implicit theories, suggesting exciting new pathways for intervention.

Racial-ethnic identity in mid-adolescence: content and change as predictors of academic achievement.

PubMed

Altschul, Inna; Oyserman, Daphna; Bybee, Deborah

2006-01-01

Three aspects of racial-ethnic identity (REI)-feeling connected to one's racial-ethnic group (Connectedness), being aware that others may not value the in-group (Awareness of Racism), and feeling that one's in-group is characterized by academic attainment (Embedded Achievement)-were hypothesized to promote academic achievement. Youth randomly selected from 3 low-income, urban schools (n=98 African American, n=41 Latino) reported on their REI 4 times over 2 school years. Hierarchical linear modeling shows a small increase in REI and the predicted REI-grades relationship. Youth high in both REI Connectedness and Embedded Achievement attained better grade point average (GPA) at each point in time; youth high in REI Connectedness and Awareness of Racism at the beginning of 8th grade attained better GPA through 9th grade. Effects are not moderated by race-ethnicity.

Parental involvement in homework: relations with parent and student achievement-related motivational beliefs and achievement.

PubMed

Gonida, Eleftheria N; Cortina, Kai S

2014-09-01

Parental involvement in homework is a home-based type of involvement in children's education. Research and theory suggest that it is beneficial for learning and achievement under certain conditions and for particular groups of individuals. The study examined whether different types of parents' involvement in homework (autonomy support, control, interference, cognitive engagement) (1) are predicted by their mastery and performance goals for their child and their beliefs of the child's academic efficacy, and (2) predict student achievement goal orientations, efficacy beliefs, and achievement. Grade-level differences were also investigated. The sample consisted of 282 elementary school (5th grade) and junior high school students (8th grade) and one of their parents. Surveys were used for data collection. Structural equation modelling was applied for data analysis. (1) Autonomy support during homework was predicted by parent mastery goal, parents' control and interference by their performance goal and perceptions of child efficacy, and cognitive engagement as supplementary to homework by parent perceptions of child efficacy. (2) Parental autonomy support, control, and interference were differentially associated with student mastery and performance goal orientations, whereas parent cognitive engagement was associated with student efficacy beliefs. (3) The structural model was the same for elementary and junior high school students but the latent means for a number of variables were different. Different types of parental involvement in homework were associated with different outcomes with parent autonomy support to be the most beneficial one. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Investigating the utility of a GPA institutional adjustment index.

PubMed

Didier, Thomas; Kreiter, Clarence D; Buri, Russell; Solow, Catherine

2006-05-01

Grading standards vary widely across undergraduate institutions. If, during the medical school admissions process, GPA is considered without reference to the institution attended, it will disadvantage applicants from undergraduate institutions employing rigorous grading standards. A regression-based GPA institutional equating method using historical MCAT and GPA information is described. Classes selected from eight applicant pools demonstrate the impact of the GPA adjustment. The validity of the adjustment is examined by comparing adjusted and unadjusted GPAs' correlation with USMLE and medical college grades. The adjusted GPA demonstrated significantly improved congruence with MCAT estimates of applicant preparedness. The adjustment changed selection decisions for 21% of those admitted. The adjusted GPA enhanced prediction of USMLE and medical school grades only for students from institutions which required large adjustments. Unlike other indices, the adjustment described uses the same metric as GPA and is based only on an institution's history of preparing medical school applicants. The institutional adjustment is consequential in selection, significantly enhances congruence with a standardized measure of academic preparedness and may enhance the validity of the GPA.

Parental Involvement in Middle School Predicting College Attendance for First-Generation Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bui, Khanh; Rush, Ryan A.

2016-01-01

Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study, this report examined the relationship between parental involvement in eighth grade and college attendance by eight years after high school for students whose parents have no college education (i.e., first-generation students; n = 1,358) in comparison to students whose parents have some…

Thinking Styles and Academic Stress Coping among Chinese Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuan, Wei; Zhang, Li-Fang; Fu, Mingchen

2017-01-01

This study investigated the predictive power of thinking styles for academic stress coping. Participants were 563 (280 males, 275 females, 8 gender unspecified) secondary school students in grades 7 through 12 from mainland China. Thinking styles were measured using the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised II which was based on the theory of mental…

Predicting Final GPA of Graduate School Students: Comparing Artificial Neural Networking and Simultaneous Multiple Regression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Joan L.

2006-01-01

Data from graduate student applications at a large Western university were used to determine which factors were the best predictors of success in graduate school, as defined by cumulative graduate grade point average. Two statistical models were employed and compared: artificial neural networking and simultaneous multiple regression. Both models…

School Engagement, Acculturation, and Mental Health among Migrant Adolescents in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoshani, Anat; Nakash, Ora; Zubida, Hani; Harper, Robin A.

2016-01-01

This study aimed to explore the role of school engagement and the mediation effect of acculturation in predicting 1.5 and second-generation migrant adolescents' mental health and risk behaviors. Participants included 448 seventh to tenth grade Israeli students (mean age 14.50, 53% boys): 128 non-Jewish 1.5 generation migrant adolescents (children…

Ability of Stress, Sense of Control, and Self-Theories to Predict Swedish High School Students' Final Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ollfors, Marianne; Andersson, Sven Ingmar

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate self-theories (theories of intelligence, confidence in one's intelligence, internal attribution of failure, academic self-efficacy), specific control, and experiencing of stress by means of a questionnaire for 915 Swedish high school students. Factor analysis yielded 6 stress domains (Workload, Psychosocial…

Predictors of intention to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables among ninth-grade students attending public high schools in eastern North Carolina.

PubMed

Pawlak, Roman; Malinauskas, Brenda

2008-01-01

To identify beliefs about eating 2.5 cups of vegetables and to assess how well these beliefs predict intention to eat them. A survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Two public high schools in 2 counties in eastern North Carolina. 157 ninth-grade students (mean age = 14.71 years [SD = 0.82]). Regression analysis was performed to assess how well the variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior predicted behavioral intention to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables. Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control predicted 77.2% of variance of intention to eat 2.5 cups of vegetables (F [3, 154] = 178.05, P < .001). Attitude was the strongest predictor (beta = 0.434, P < .001), followed by subjective norms (beta = 0.372, P < .001) and perceived behavioral control (beta = 0.159, P < .021). Factors such as impact of parents and peers, availability of vegetables at home and in school, and making sure that vegetables offered to teens are tasty are important in increasing their intention to eat the recommended amount of vegetables. These factors could help education campaigns targeted toward teens be more successful.

On the Factorial Structure of the SAT and Implications for Next-Generation College Readiness Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Edward W.; Shavelson, Richard J.; Kurpius, Amy A.

2014-01-01

The name "SAT" has become synonymous with college admissions testing; it has been dubbed "the gold standard." Numerous studies on its reliability and predictive validity show that the SAT predicts college performance beyond high school grade point average. Surprisingly, studies of the factorial structure of the current version…

Adding to the Education Debt: Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Association between Racial Discrimination and Academic Performance in African Americans.

PubMed

English, Devin; Lambert, Sharon F; Ialongo, Nicholas S

2016-08-01

Although the United States faces a seemingly intractable divide between white and African American academic performance, there remains a dearth of longitudinal research investigating factors that work to maintain this gap. The present study examined whether racial discrimination predicted the academic performance of African American students through its effect on depressive symptoms. Participants were a community sample of African American adolescents (N=495) attending urban public schools from grade 7 to grade 9 (Mage=12.5). Structural equation modeling revealed that experienced racial discrimination predicted increases in depressive symptoms 1year later, which, in turn, predicted decreases in academic performance the following year. These results suggest that racial discrimination continues to play a critical role in the academic performance of African American students and, as such, contributes to the maintenance of the race-based academic achievement gap in the United States. Copyright © 2016 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate GPAs, MCAT scores, and academic performance the first 2 years in podiatric medical school at Des Moines University.

PubMed

Yoho, Robert M; Antonopoulos, Kosta; Vardaxis, Vassilios

2012-01-01

This study was performed to determine the relationship between undergraduate academic performance and total Medical College Admission Test score and academic performance in the podiatric medical program at Des Moines University. The allopathic and osteopathic medical professions have published educational research examining this relationship. To our knowledge, no such educational research has been published for podiatric medical education. The undergraduate cumulative and science grade point averages and total Medical College Admission Test scores of four podiatric medical classes (2007-2010, N = 169) were compared with their academic performance in the first 2 years of podiatric medical school using pairwise Pearson product moment correlations and multiple regression analysis. Significant low to moderate positive correlations were identified between undergraduate cumulative and science grade point averages and student academic performance in years 1 and 2 of podiatric medical school for each of the four classes (except one) and the pooled data. There was no significant correlation between Medical College Admission Test score and academic performance in years 1 and 2 (except one) and the pooled data. These results identify undergraduate cumulative grade point average as the strongest cognitive admissions variable in predicting academic performance in the podiatric medicine program at Des Moines University, followed by undergraduate science grade point average. These results also suggest limitations of the total Medical College Admission Test score in predicting academic performance. Information from this study can be used in the admissions process and to monitor student progress.

Peer Victimization and Social Alienation: Predicting Deviant Peer Affiliation in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rudolph, Karen D.; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Agoston, Anna M.; Sugimura, Niwako; Schwartz, David; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.

2014-01-01

Two prospective studies examined a theoretical model wherein exposure to victimization, resulting from early behavioral risk, heightens children's social alienation and subsequent deviant peer affiliation (DPA). Across Study 1 (298 girls, 287 boys; K-7th grade; 5-12 years) and Study 2 (338 girls, 298 boys; 2nd-6th grade; 8-12 years),…

Multiple Aspects of Self-Regulation Uniquely Predict Mathematics but Not Letter-Word Knowledge in the Early Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Clancy; Ursache, Alexandra; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2015-01-01

The relation of self-regulation measured prior to school entry to developing math and reading ability in prekindergarten through the second grade was examined in a prospective longitudinal sample of 1,292 children and families in predominantly rural and low-income communities in 2 regions of high poverty in the United States. Direct assessments of…

Changes in the Black-White Test score Gap in the Elementary School Grades. CSE Report 715

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koretz, Daniel; Kim, Young-Suk

2007-01-01

In a pair of recent studies, Fryer and Levitt (2004a, 2004b) analyzed the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) to explore the characteristics of the Black-White test score gap in young children. They found that the gap grew markedly between kindergarten and the third grade and that they could predict the gap from…

Twelfth Grade Students' Understanding of Oxidation and Combustion: Using Action Research to Improve Teachers' Practical Knowledge and Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valanides, Nicos; Nicolaidou, Athanasia; Eilks, Ingo

2003-01-01

Nine 12th grade students, attending the science section of the upper secondary school in Cyprus, were individually interviewed about their understanding of the changes associated with the process of oxidation/combustion. Each student was instructed to firstly predict what would happen when heating a piece of copper wire or a piece of magnesium…

Predicting change over time in career planning and career exploration for high school students.

PubMed

Creed, Peter A; Patton, Wendy; Prideaux, Lee-Ann

2007-06-01

This study assessed 166 high school students in Grade 8 and again in Grade 10. Four models were tested: (a) whether the T1 predictor variables (career knowledge, indecision, decision-making self efficacy, self-esteem, demographics) predicted the outcome variable (career planning/exploration) at T1; (b) whether the T1 predictor variables predicted the outcome variable at T2; (c) whether the T1 predictor variables predicted change in the outcome variable from T1-T2; and (d) whether changes in the predictor variables from T1-T2 predicted change in the outcome variable from T1-T2. Strong associations (R(2)=34%) were identified for the T1 analysis (confidence, ability and paid work experience were positively associated with career planning/exploration). T1 variables were less useful predictors of career planning/exploration at T2 (R(2)=9%; having more confidence at T1 was associated with more career planning/exploration at T2) and change in career planning/exploration from T1-T2 (R(2)=11%; less confidence and no work experience were associated with change in career planning/exploration from T1-T2). When testing effect of changes in predictor variables predicting changes in outcome variable (R(2)=22%), three important predictors, indecision, work experience and confidence, were identified. Overall, results indicated important roles for self-efficacy and early work experiences in current and future career planning/exploration of high school students.

The Predictive Utility of a Brief Kindergarten Screening Measure of Child Behavior Problems

PubMed Central

Racz, Sarah Jensen; King, Kevin M.; Wu, Johnny; Witkiewitz, Katie; McMahon, Robert J.

2013-01-01

Objective Kindergarten teacher ratings, such as those from the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation–Revised (TOCA-R), are a promising cost- and time-effective screening method to identify children at risk for later problems. Previous research with the TOCA-R has been mainly limited to outcomes in a single domain measured during elementary school. The goal of the current study was to examine the ability of TOCA-R sum scores to predict outcomes in multiple domains across distinct developmental periods (i.e., late childhood, middle adolescence, late adolescence). Method We used data from the Fast Track Project, a large multisite study with children at risk for conduct problems (n = 752; M age at start of study = 6.55 years; 57.7% male; 49.9% Caucasian, 46.3% African American). Kindergarten TOCA-R sum scores were used as the predictor in regression analyses; outcomes included school difficulties, externalizing diagnoses and symptom counts, and substance use. Results TOCA-R sum scores predicted school outcomes at all time points, diagnosis of ADHD in 9th grade, several externalizing disorder symptom counts, and cigarette use in 12th grade. Conclusions The findings demonstrate the predictive utility of the TOCA-R when examining outcomes within the school setting. Therefore, these results suggest the 10-item TOCA-R may provide a quick and accurate screening of children at risk for later problems. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed. PMID:23544679

School Choice, School Quality and Postsecondary Attainment

PubMed Central

Deming, David J.; Hastings, Justine S.; Kane, Thomas J.; Staiger, Douglas O.

2015-01-01

We study the impact of a public school choice lottery in Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools on college enrollment and degree completion. We find a significant overall increase in college attainment among lottery winners who attend their first choice school. Using rich administrative data on peers, teachers, course offerings and other inputs, we show that the impacts of choice are strongly predicted by gains on several measures of school quality. Gains in attainment are concentrated among girls. Girls respond to attending a better school with higher grades and increases in college-preparatory course-taking, while boys do not. PMID:27244675

The Thurgood Marshall School of Law Empirical Findings: A Report of the 2012 Friday Academy Attendance and Statistical Comparisons of 1L GPA (Predicted and Actual)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kadhi, T.; Rudley, D.; Holley, D.; Krishna, K.; Ogolla, C.; Rene, E.; Green, T.

2010-01-01

The following report of descriptive statistics addresses the attendance of the 2012 class and the average Actual and Predicted 1L Grade Point Averages (GPAs). Correlational and Inferential statistics are also run on the variables of Attendance (Y/N), Attendance Number of Times, Actual GPA, and Predictive GPA (Predictive GPA is defined as the Index…

How preschool executive functioning predicts several aspects of math achievement in Grades 1 and 3: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Viterbori, Paola; Usai, M Carmen; Traverso, Laura; De Franchis, Valentina

2015-12-01

This longitudinal study analyzes whether selected components of executive function (EF) measured during the preschool period predict several indices of math achievement in primary school. Six EF measures were assessed in a sample of 5-year-old children (N = 175). The math achievement of the same children was then tested in Grades 1 and 3 using both a composite math score and three single indices of written calculation, arithmetical facts, and problem solving. Using previous results obtained from the same sample of children, a confirmatory factor analysis examining the latent EF structure in kindergarten indicated that a two-factor model provided the best fit for the data. In this model, inhibition and working memory (WM)-flexibility were separate dimensions. A full structural equation model was then used to test the hypothesis that math achievement (the composite math score and single math scores) in Grades 1 and 3 could be explained by the two EF components comprising the kindergarten model. The results indicate that the WM-flexibility component measured during the preschool period substantially predicts mathematical achievement, especially in Grade 3. The math composite scores were predicted by the WM-flexibility factor at both grade levels. In Grade 3, both problem solving and arithmetical facts were predicted by the WM-flexibility component. The results empirically support interventions that target EF as an important component of early childhood mathematics education. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Important non-parental adults and positive youth development across mid- to late-adolescence: the moderating effect of parenting profiles.

PubMed

Bowers, Edmond P; Johnson, Sara K; Buckingham, Mary H; Gasca, Santiago; Warren, Daniel J A; Lerner, Jacqueline V; Lerner, Richard M

2014-06-01

Both parents and important non-parental adults have influential roles in promoting positive youth development (PYD). Little research, however, has examined the simultaneous effects of both parents and important non-parental adults for PYD. We assessed the relationships among youth-reported parenting profiles and important non-parental adult relationships in predicting the Five Cs of PYD (competence, confidence, connection, character, and caring) in four cross-sectional waves of data from the 4-H Study of PYD (Grade 9: N = 975, 61.1% female; Grade 10: N = 1,855, 63.4% female; Grade 11: N = 983, 67.9% female; Grade 12: N = 703, 69.3% female). The results indicated the existence of latent profiles of youth-reported parenting styles based on maternal warmth, parental school involvement, and parental monitoring that were consistent with previously identified profiles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved) as well as reflecting several novel profiles (highly involved, integrative, school-focused, controlling). Parenting profile membership predicted mean differences in the Five Cs at each wave, and also moderated the relationships between the presence of an important non-parental adult and the Five Cs. In general, authoritative and highly involved parenting predicted higher levels of PYD and a higher likelihood of being connected to an important non-parental adult. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research on adult influences of youth development and for programs that involve adults in attempts to promote PYD.

Enhancing inferential abilities in adolescence: new hope for students in poverty

PubMed Central

Gamino, Jacquelyn F.; Motes, Michael M.; Riddle, Russell; Lyon, G. Reid; Spence, Jeffrey S.; Chapman, Sandra B.

2014-01-01

The ability to extrapolate essential gist through the analysis and synthesis of information, prediction of potential outcomes, abstraction of ideas, and integration of relationships with world knowledge is critical for higher-order learning. The present study investigated the efficacy of cognitive training to elicit improvements in gist reasoning and fact recall ability in 556 public middle school students (grades seven and eight), vs. a sample of 357 middle school students who served as a comparison group, to determine if changes in gist reasoning and fact recall were demonstrated without cognitive training. The results showed that, in general, cognitive training increased gist reasoning and fact recall abilities in students from families in poverty as well as students from families living above poverty. However, the magnitude of gains in gist reasoning varied as a function of gender and grade level. Our primary findings were that seventh and eighth grade girls and eighth grade boys showed significant increases in gist reasoning after training regardless of socioeconomic status (SES). There were no significant increases in gist reasoning or fact recall ability for the 357 middle school students who served as a comparison group. We postulate that cognitive training in middle school is efficacious for improving gist reasoning ability and fact recall in students from all socioeconomic levels. PMID:25505393

Enhancing inferential abilities in adolescence: new hope for students in poverty.

PubMed

Gamino, Jacquelyn F; Motes, Michael M; Riddle, Russell; Lyon, G Reid; Spence, Jeffrey S; Chapman, Sandra B

2014-01-01

The ability to extrapolate essential gist through the analysis and synthesis of information, prediction of potential outcomes, abstraction of ideas, and integration of relationships with world knowledge is critical for higher-order learning. The present study investigated the efficacy of cognitive training to elicit improvements in gist reasoning and fact recall ability in 556 public middle school students (grades seven and eight), vs. a sample of 357 middle school students who served as a comparison group, to determine if changes in gist reasoning and fact recall were demonstrated without cognitive training. The results showed that, in general, cognitive training increased gist reasoning and fact recall abilities in students from families in poverty as well as students from families living above poverty. However, the magnitude of gains in gist reasoning varied as a function of gender and grade level. Our primary findings were that seventh and eighth grade girls and eighth grade boys showed significant increases in gist reasoning after training regardless of socioeconomic status (SES). There were no significant increases in gist reasoning or fact recall ability for the 357 middle school students who served as a comparison group. We postulate that cognitive training in middle school is efficacious for improving gist reasoning ability and fact recall in students from all socioeconomic levels.

What makes siblings different? The development of sibling differences in academic achievement and interests.

PubMed

Jensen, Alexander C; McHale, Susan M

2015-06-01

To illuminate processes that contribute to the development of sibling differences, this study examined cross-lagged links between parents' beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability and differences between siblings' grade point averages (GPAs), and cross-lagged links between differences in siblings' GPAs and sibling differences in academic interests. Data were collected from mothers, fathers, firstborn youth (M age at Time 1 = 15.71, SD = 1.07), and secondborn youth (M age at Time 1 = 13.18, SD = 1.29) from 388 European American families on 3 annual occasions. Findings revealed that, after controlling for siblings' average grades and prior differences in performance, parents' beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability predicted differences in performance such that youth rated by parents as relatively more competent than their sibling earned relatively higher grades the following year. Siblings' relative school performance, however, did not predict parents' beliefs about differences between siblings' competencies. Further, after controlling for average interests and grades, sibling differences in GPA predicted differences in siblings' interests such that youth who had better grades than their siblings reported relatively stronger academic interests the following year. Differences in interest, however, did not predict sibling differences in GPA. Findings are discussed in terms the role of sibling dynamics in family socialization. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

What Makes Siblings Different? The Development of Sibling Differences in Academic Achievement and Interests

PubMed Central

Jensen, Alexander C.; McHale, Susan M.

2015-01-01

To illuminate processes that contribute to the development of sibling differences, this study examined cross lagged links between parents’ beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability and differences between siblings’ grade point averages (GPAs), and cross lagged links between differences in siblings’ GPAs and sibling differences in academic interests. Data were collected from mothers, fathers, firstborn (M age at Time 1 = 15.71, SD = 1.07) and secondborn (M age at Time 1 = 13.18, SD = 1.29) youth from 388 European American Families on three annual occasions. Findings revealed that, after controlling for siblings’ average grades and prior differences in performance, parents’ beliefs about sibling differences in academic ability predicted differences in performance such that youth rated by parents as relatively more competent than their sibling earned relatively higher grades the following year. Siblings’ relative school performance, however, did not predict parents’ beliefs about differences between siblings’ competencies. Further, after controlling for average interests and grades, sibling differences in GPA predicted differences in siblings’ interests such that youth who had better grades than their siblings reported relatively stronger academic interests the following year. Differences in interest, however, did not predict sibling differences in GPA. Findings are discussed in terms the role of sibling dynamics in family socialization. PMID:26053351

The Inclusion of Science Process Skills in Yemeni Secondary School Physics Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aziz, Majed S.; Zain, Ahmad Nurulazam Md

2010-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare and contrast the science process skills (SPS) included in the 10th-12th grade physics textbooks content utilized in Yemeni schools. The study revealed weaknesses and strengths in the textbooks' content. For instance, a number of science process skills (SPS), such as measuring, predicting and hypothesizing, have…

Racial Identity Attitudes, Self-Esteem, and Academic Achievement among African American Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonvillain, Jocelyn Freeman; Honora, Detris

2004-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to explore the extent to which racial identity attitudes and self-esteem could predict academic performance for African American middle school students. A total of 175 African American adolescents in 7th grade attending one of two urban schools participated in the study. The Multi-Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM)…

Robust and Specific Personality Traits as Predictors of Adolescents' Final Grades and GPA at the End of Compulsory Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smrtnik Vitulic, Helena; Zupancic, Maja

2013-01-01

The study investigated the predictive value of robust and specific personality traits in adolescents (M[subscript age]?=?14.7 years), in explaining their academic achievement at the end of basic compulsory schooling. Personality data were obtained through self, maternal, and peer reports using the Inventory of Child/Adolescent Individual…

Predicting Student Misbehavior, Responsibility and Distraction from Schoolwork from Classroom Management Techniques: The Students' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tran, Van Dat

2015-01-01

This study reports students' perceptions of the classroom management techniques utilized in fourteen classrooms at eight junior high schools in one province in Vietnam. It examines data from 498 students in fifteen high schools in one district in Vietnam in grades 10 to 12 to identify how teachers' use of various management techniques, and the…

A Performance-Based Method for Early Identification of Medical Students at Risk of Developing Academic Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croen, Lila G.; And Others

1991-01-01

A study at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NY) found that performance on examinations during the third month of medical school was highly predictive of performance during the first two years of medical school. This predictor was more powerful than Medical College Admission Test scores and/or undergraduate grade point averages in…

Development of Multiple Regression Equations To Predict Fourth Graders' Achievement in Reading and Selected Content Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hafner, Lawrence E.

A study developed a multiple regression prediction equation for each of six selected achievement variables in a popular standardized test of achievement. Subjects, 42 fourth-grade pupils randomly selected across several classes in a large elementary school in a north Florida city, were administered several standardized tests to determine predictor…

Investigating the Written Exam Scores' Prediction Power of TEOG Exam Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kontas, Hakki; Özpolat, Esen Turan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate exam scores' predicting Transition from Primary to Secondary Education (TEOG) exam scores. The research data were obtained from the records of 1035 students studying at the first term of eighth grade in 2015-2016 academic year in e-school system. The research was on relational screening model. Linear…

Does mClass Reading 3D Predict Student Reading Proficiency on High-Stakes Assessments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowles, Amy S.

2015-01-01

This quantitative, correlational study investigated the relationship between the North Carolina End of Grade Assessment of Reading Comprehension (NCEOG) and mClass Reading 3D assessment in a North Carolina elementary school. It especially examined the degree to which mClass Reading 3D measures predict scores on the reading comprehension portion of…

Growth trajectories of early aggression, overactivity, and inattention: Relations to second-grade reading.

PubMed

Gray, Sarah A O; Carter, Alice S; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J; Jones, Stephanie M; Wagmiller, Robert L

2014-09-01

The link between behavior problems and low academic achievement is well established, but few studies have examined longitudinal relations between early externalizing behaviors before school entry and low academic achievement following transition to formal schooling. Early inattention has been particularly overlooked, despite strong associations between inattention and reading difficulties later in development. Trajectories of infant and toddler aggression, overactivity, and inattention, developed from parent reports about 1- to 3-year-old children, were examined as predictors of direct assessments of 2nd-grade reading in an at-risk epidemiological study subsample (N = 359). Reports of inattentive and overactive behaviors at ages 1-3 years and changes in inattention through toddlerhood predicted reading achievement in 2nd grade. A parallel process model suggested that the effects of early inattention on reading appear to be most robust. Findings underscore the contribution of social-emotional development to school readiness and the importance of early identification of children with externalizing problems, as early interventions designed to reduce externalizing problems may improve later reading skills.

Growth Trajectories of Early Aggression, Overactivity, and Inattention: Relations to Second Grade Reading

PubMed Central

Gray, Sarah A. O.; Carter, Alice S.; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.; Jones, Stephanie M.; Wagmiller, Robert L.

2015-01-01

The link between behavior problems and low academic achievement is well established, but few studies have examined longitudinal relations between early externalizing behaviors before school entry and low academic achievement following transition to formal schooling. Early inattention has been particularly overlooked, despite strong associations between inattention and reading difficulties later in development. Trajectories of infant/toddler aggression, overactivity, and inattention, developed from parent reports about 1- to 3-year-old children, were examined as predictors of direct assessments of second grade reading in an at-risk epidemiological study subsample (N = 359). Reports of inattentive and overactive behaviors at age 1-to-3 years and changes in inattention through toddlerhood predicted reading achievement in second grade. A parallel process model suggested that the effects of early inattention on reading appear to be most robust. Findings underscore the contribution of social-emotional development to school readiness and the importance of early identification of children with externalizing problems, as early interventions designed to reduce externalizing problems may improve later reading skills. PMID:25046126

The carry-over effects of school gardens on fruit and vegetable availability at home: A randomized controlled trial with low-income elementary schools.

PubMed

Wells, Nancy M; Meyers, Beth M; Todd, Lauren E; Henderson, Charles R; Barale, Karen; Gaolach, Brad; Ferenz, Gretchen; Aitken, Martha; Tse, Caroline C; Pattison, Karen Ostlie; Hendrix, Laura; Carson, Janet B; Taylor, Cayla; Franz, Nancy K

2018-07-01

This group-randomized controlled trial examines the effects of a school garden intervention on availability of fruits and vegetables (FV) in elementary school children's homes. Within each region, low income U.S. schools in Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Washington State were randomly assigned to intervention group (n = 24) or waitlist control group (n = 22). Children were in grades 2, 4, and 5 at baseline (n = 2768). The garden intervention consisted of both raised-bed garden kits and a series of grade-appropriate lessons. FV availability at home was measured with a modified version of the GEMS FJV Availability Questionnaire. The instrument was administered at baseline (Fall 2011) and throughout the intervention (Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013). Analyses were completed using general linear mixed models. The garden intervention led to an overall increase in availability of low-fat vegetables at home. Among younger children (2nd grade at baseline), the garden intervention led to greater home availability of vegetables, especially, low-fat vegetables. Moreover, for the younger group, garden intervention fidelity (GIF) or robustness predicted home availability of fruit, vegetables, and low-fat vegetables. School gardens have potential to affect FV availability in the home environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Untapped Potential of an Early Childhood Assessment System: A Strategy for Improving Policies and Instruction from Early Childhood through 3rd Grade. White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szekely, Amanda; Wat, Albert

2016-01-01

Children's academic and social development before third grade is highly predictive of later success in school and beyond. Research shows that during those early years, the gains children make in language and literacy, mathematics and social skills, and their growth as learners and thinkers are associated with a range of benefits, from academic…

Unpacking the Placement of American Indian and Alaska Native Students in Special Education Programs and Services in the Early Grades: School Readiness as a Predictive Variable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hibel, Jacob; Faircloth, Susan C.; Farkas, George

2008-01-01

In this article, Jacob Hibel, Susan Faircloth, and George Farkas investigate the persistent finding that American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students are overrepresented in special education. Using data from the kindergarten cohort of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, the authors compare the third-grade special education placement rate…

An Investigation of the Fit of Linear Regression Models to Data from an SAT[R] Validity Study. Research Report 2011-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobrin, Jennifer L.; Sinharay, Sandip; Haberman, Shelby J.; Chajewski, Michael

2011-01-01

This study examined the adequacy of a multiple linear regression model for predicting first-year college grade point average (FYGPA) using SAT[R] scores and high school grade point average (HSGPA). A variety of techniques, both graphical and statistical, were used to examine if it is possible to improve on the linear regression model. The results…

Longitudinal association of suicidal ideation and physical dating violence among high school students.

PubMed

Nahapetyan, Lusine; Orpinas, Pamela; Song, Xiao; Holland, Kristin

2014-04-01

Two salient problems in adolescent development are dating violence and suicidal ideation. Theory and empirical research have supported their association in primarily cross-sectional studies. The purpose of this study is to examine the longitudinal association between physical dating violence and suicidal ideation (thoughts or plans) in a cohort of students evaluated annually from Grades 9 to 12. The sample consisted of 556 random-selected students (50.2 % males; 47.5 % White, 37.8 % Black, 11.2 % Latino) who reported dating at least once during the four assessments. Self-reported frequency of suicidal ideation, dating, and physical dating violence perpetration and victimization were assessed each spring from ninth to twelfth grade. We used generalized estimating equations modeling to predict the effects of sex, race, school grade, and physical dating perpetration and victimization on suicidal ideation. Cumulatively, one-fourth of the sample reported suicidal ideation at least once by the end of Grade 12, and approximately half reported physical dating violence. Female gender (OR = 1.7, p = 0.02), physical dating perpetration (OR = 1.54, p = 0.048), physical dating victimization (OR = 2.03, p < 0.001), and being in grades 9-11 versus 12 in high school (OR = 1.83, p = 0.004) were significant predictors of suicidal ideation. Race was not a significant predictor among adolescents in this sample. This longitudinal study highlights the detrimental emotional effect of physical dating violence perpetration and victimization among high school students. It is important that suicide prevention programs incorporate physical dating violence education and prevention strategies starting early in high school.

The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom.

PubMed

Schwartz, Marlene B; Gilstad-Hayden, Kathryn; Henderson, Kathryn E; Luedicke, Joerg; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Peters, Susan M; McCaslin, Catherine; Ickovics, Jeannette R

2015-10-01

The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the link between perceived authoritative parenting behaviors and sugary drink consumption among children from low-income families who do or do not have televisions (TVs) in their bedrooms. Middle school students (N = 480) completed a baseline survey in sixth grade and a follow-up survey in seventh grade. The students were recruited from 12 schools in a low-income, predominantly black (33%) and Latino (48%), urban school district. The survey assessed the children's perception of their parents' controlling and nurturing behaviors, the presence of a TV in their bedrooms, and their level of sugary drink consumption on the previous school day. Children's report of specific controlling and nurturing parental behaviors were used to create an "authoritative parenting" score. Regression analyses were used to test the main and interactive effects of authoritative parenting behaviors and having a TV in the bedroom with sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, gender, BMI, and sugary drink consumption in sixth grade. A significant interaction emerged: The authoritative parenting score predicted lower levels of sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, but this relationship was moderated by whether or not there was a TV in the child's bedroom. A TV in the child's bedroom may weaken the positive influence of authoritative parenting behaviors on limiting sugary drink consumption among middle school children from low-income families. Stronger initiatives are recommended to educate parents and help them refrain from placing TVs in their children's bedrooms.

The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom

PubMed Central

Gilstad-Hayden, Kathryn; Henderson, Kathryn E.; Luedicke, Joerg; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Peters, Susan M.; McCaslin, Catherine; Ickovics, Jeannette R.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the link between perceived authoritative parenting behaviors and sugary drink consumption among children from low-income families who do or do not have televisions (TVs) in their bedrooms. Methods: Middle school students (N = 480) completed a baseline survey in sixth grade and a follow-up survey in seventh grade. The students were recruited from 12 schools in a low-income, predominantly black (33%) and Latino (48%), urban school district. The survey assessed the children's perception of their parents' controlling and nurturing behaviors, the presence of a TV in their bedrooms, and their level of sugary drink consumption on the previous school day. Children's report of specific controlling and nurturing parental behaviors were used to create an “authoritative parenting” score. Regression analyses were used to test the main and interactive effects of authoritative parenting behaviors and having a TV in the bedroom with sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, gender, BMI, and sugary drink consumption in sixth grade. Results: A significant interaction emerged: The authoritative parenting score predicted lower levels of sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, but this relationship was moderated by whether or not there was a TV in the child's bedroom. Conclusion: A TV in the child's bedroom may weaken the positive influence of authoritative parenting behaviors on limiting sugary drink consumption among middle school children from low-income families. Stronger initiatives are recommended to educate parents and help them refrain from placing TVs in their children's bedrooms. PMID:26317365

The role of vision in academic school performance.

PubMed

Dirani, Mohamed; Zhang, Xiaoe; Goh, Liang Ke; Young, Terri L; Lee, Paul; Saw, Seang Mei

2010-01-01

To determine whether presenting distance visual acuity is related to subsequent academic school performance in Singaporean children between 9 to 10 years of age. Singapore children (n = 1143 children) were examined during their visits at ages 9 to 10 years (grades 3 to 4) as part of the Singapore Cohort Study of the Risk Factors for Myopia (SCORM) longitudinal study. Each child underwent an annual comprehensive eye examination, including the assessment of presenting logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) distance visual acuity (VA). The individual marks of a nation-wide standard examination in grade 4 were used as the outcome measure for academic school performance. Children with any known eye disease, (such as media opacities) were excluded from the analysis. The mean presenting distance VA of the better eye was 0.10 and 0.08 when the children were in grades 3 and 4, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference for mean presenting VA with 9 and 10 year old boys scoring better (0.08 and 0.07) compared to girls (0.12 and 0.09) for the same ages, (p = 0.001 and p = 0.007), respectively. After adjusting for gender, ethnicity, school, reading, intelligence quotient and father's education, no significant relationships were found between average examination marks at the end of grade 4 and presenting VA obtained (better eye and worst eye) in grade 3 (p = 0.38 and p = 0.98) and 4 (p = 0.27 and p = 0.16). In our sample of Singaporean children without ocular disease, distance VA did not play a significant role in predicting academic school performance.

A longitudinal study of childhood obesity, weight status change, and subsequent academic performance in Taiwanese children.

PubMed

Chen, Li-Jung; Fox, Kenneth R; Ku, Po-Wen; Wang, Ching-Hui

2012-09-01

This study examined the association among childhood obesity, weight status change, and subsequent academic performance at 6-year follow-up. First-grade students from one elementary school district in Taichung City, Taiwan were followed for 6 years (N = 409). Academic performance was extracted from the school records at the end of each grade. Weight and height were measured at the beginning of each grade. A weight change variable was created based on each child's weight status difference at grades 1 and 6. A multivariate linear regression model for predicting academic performance at grade 6 was developed with adjustment for individual characteristics and family factors. A latent growth curve (LGC) showed the association between changes in body mass index (BMI) and in academic performance across a 6-year period. BMI in children increased significantly across 6 years. The rate of increase in BMI over 6 years was higher for children with higher baseline BMIs than it was for children with lower baseline BMIs. However, BMI changes were not significantly associated with changes of academic performance. There was no significant relationship between initial obesity or change in weight status and subsequent academic performance. It appears that either being or becoming overweight/obese did not impact academic achievement for these Taiwanese children. © 2012, American School Health Association.

Leadership, self-efficacy, and student achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grayson, Kristin

This study examined the relationships between teacher leadership, science teacher self-efficacy, and fifth-grade science student achievement in diverse schools in a San Antonio, Texas, metropolitan school district. Teachers completed a modified version of the Leadership Behavior Description Question (LBDQ) Form XII by Stogdill (1969), the Science Efficacy and Belief Expectations for Science Teaching (SEBEST) by Ritter, Boone, and Rubba (2001, January). Students' scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) measured fifth-grade science achievement. At the teacher level of analysis multiple regressions showed the following relationships between teachers' science self-efficacy and teacher classroom leadership behaviors and the various teacher and school demographic variables. Predictors of teacher self efficacy beliefs included teacher's level of education, gender, and leadership initiating structure. The only significant predictor of teacher self-efficacy outcome expectancy was gender. Higher teacher self-efficacy beliefs predicted higher leadership initiating structure. At the school level of analysis, higher school levels of percentage of students from low socio-economic backgrounds and higher percentage of limited English proficient students predicted lower school student mean science achievement. These findings suggest a need for continued research to clarify relationships between teacher classroom leadership, science teacher self-efficacy, and student achievement especially at the teacher level of analysis. Findings also indicate the importance of developing instructional methods to address student demographics and their needs so that all students, despite their backgrounds, will achieve in science.

Sluggish cognitive tempo and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattention in the home and school contexts: Parent and teacher invariance and cross-setting validity.

PubMed

Burns, G Leonard; Becker, Stephen P; Servera, Mateu; Bernad, Maria Del Mar; García-Banda, Gloria

2017-02-01

This study examined whether sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) inattention (IN) symptoms demonstrated cross-setting invariance and unique associations with symptom and impairment dimensions across settings (i.e., home SCT and ADHD-IN uniquely predicting school symptom and impairment dimensions, and vice versa). Mothers, fathers, primary teachers, and secondary teachers rated SCT, ADHD-IN, ADHD-hyperactivity/impulsivity (HI), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), anxiety, depression, academic impairment, social impairment, and peer rejection dimensions for 585 Spanish 3rd-grade children (53% boys). Within-setting (i.e., mothers, fathers; primary, secondary teachers) and cross-settings (i.e., home, school) invariance was found for both SCT and ADHD-IN. From home to school, higher levels of home SCT predicted lower levels of school ADHD-HI and higher levels of school academic impairment after controlling for home ADHD-IN, whereas higher levels of home ADHD-IN predicted higher levels of school ADHD-HI, ODD, anxiety, depression, academic impairment, and peer rejection after controlling for home SCT. From school to home, higher levels of school SCT predicted lower levels of home ADHD-HI and ODD and higher levels of home anxiety, depression, academic impairment, and social impairment after controlling for school ADHD-IN, whereas higher levels of school ADHD-IN predicted higher levels of home ADHD-HI, ODD, and academic impairment after controlling for school SCT. Although SCT at home and school was able to uniquely predict symptom and impairment dimensions in the other setting, SCT at school was a better predictor than ADHD-IN at school of psychopathology and impairment at home. Findings provide additional support for SCT's validity relative to ADHD-IN. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Children's school readiness: implications for eliminating future disparities in health and education.

PubMed

Pagani, Linda S; Fitzpatrick, Caroline

2014-02-01

School-entry characteristics predict adult educational attainment, which forecasts dispositions toward disease prevention. Health and education risks can also be transmitted from one generation to the next. As such, school readiness forecasts a set of intertwined biopsychosocial trajectories that can influence the developmental antecedents to health and disease prevalence in society. To predict children's health behaviors and academic adjustment at the end of fourth grade from their kindergarten entry math, vocabulary, and attention skills. We use a subsample of 614 girls and 541 boys from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Development (Canada). Children were individually assessed for cognitive skills and teachers rated their classroom attention skills at 65 months. Outcome measures include health behaviors, psychosocial, and academic outcomes at 122 months. Multiple regression analyses were used. Receptive vocabulary in kindergarten exclusively predicted fourth-grade dietary habits. Unstandardized coefficients predicted decreases in sweet snack intake (β = -.009, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -.011 to -.006) and dairy product intake (β = .009, 95% CI = .005 to .013). Conversely, higher kindergarten math skills predicted increases in activities requiring physical effort (β = .030, 95% CI = .011 to .056). Although vocabulary and attention skills were found important, kindergarten math skills were stronger and more consistent predictors of later academic outcomes. From a population-health perspective, the skills children bring to the kindergarten classroom might reduce a host of lifestyle risks from childhood through adulthood. Early promotion of such skills also offers possibilities for ultimately reducing later disparities in health and education.

Early Adolescent Exposure to Alcohol Advertising and Its Relationship to Underage Drinking

PubMed Central

Collins, Rebecca L.; Ellickson, Phyllis L.; McCaffrey, Daniel; Hambarsoomians, Katrin

2009-01-01

Purpose To determine whether early adolescents who are exposed to alcohol marketing are subsequently more likely to drink. Recent studies suggest that exposure to alcohol ads has a limited influence on drinking in mid-adolescence. Early adolescents may be more vulnerable to alcohol advertising effects. Methods Two in-school surveys of 1,786 South Dakota youth measured exposure to television beer advertisements, alcohol ads in magazines, in-store beer displays and beer concessions, radio-listening time, and ownership of beer promotional items during sixth grade, and drinking intentions and behavior at seventh grade. Multivariate regression equations predicted the two drinking outcomes using the advertising exposure variables and controlling for psychosocial factors and prior drinking. Results After adjusting for covariates, the joint effect of exposure to advertising from all six sources at Grade 6 was strongly predictive of Grade 7 drinking and Grade 7 intentions to drink. Youth in the 75th percentile of alcohol marketing exposure had a predicted probability of drinking that was 50% greater than that of youth in the 25th percentile. Conclusions Although causal effects are uncertain, policy makers should consider limiting a variety of marketing practices that could contribute to drinking in early adolescence. PMID:17531759

Early adolescent exposure to alcohol advertising and its relationship to underage drinking.

PubMed

Collins, Rebecca L; Ellickson, Phyllis L; McCaffrey, Daniel; Hambarsoomians, Katrin

2007-06-01

To determine whether early adolescents who are exposed to alcohol marketing are subsequently more likely to drink. Recent studies suggest that exposure to alcohol ads has a limited influence on drinking in mid-adolescence. Early adolescents may be more vulnerable to alcohol advertising effects. Two in-school surveys of 1786 South Dakota youth measured exposure to television beer advertisements, alcohol ads in magazines, in-store beer displays and beer concessions, radio-listening time, and ownership of beer promotional items during 6th grade, and drinking intentions and behavior at 7th grade. Multivariate regression equations predicted the two drinking outcomes using the advertising exposure variables and controlling for psychosocial factors and prior drinking. After adjusting for covariates, the joint effect of exposure to advertising from all six sources at grade 6 was strongly predictive of grade 7 drinking and grade 7 intentions to drink. Youth in the 75th percentile of alcohol marketing exposure had a predicted probability of drinking that was 50% greater than that of youth in the 25th percentile. Although causal effects are uncertain, policy makers should consider limiting a variety of marketing practices that could contribute to drinking in early adolescence.

Factors associated with regular marijuana use among high school students: a long-term follow-up study.

PubMed

Griffin, Kenneth W; Botvin, Gilbert J; Scheier, Lawrence M; Nichols, Tracy R

2002-01-01

The present study investigated whether several behavioral and psychosocial factors measured during early adolescence predicted regular marijuana use 6 years later in a sample of high school students. As part of a school-based survey. 7th-grade students (N = 1,132) reported levels of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use, and were assessed on several domains of psychosocial functioning potentially relevant in the etiology of marijuana use. When students were followed-up in the 12th-grade, 14% smoked marijuana on a regular basis (once or more per month). Findings indicated that early cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and alcohol intoxication predicted later regular marijuana use. For boys, early marijuana use increased the odds for later regular marijuana use. Cigarette smoking by friends and siblings during early adolescence also increased the likelihood of later monthly marijuana use. The findings suggest that early prevention programs for adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and/or other drug use may have important preventive effects in terms of potentially more serious levels of marijuana involvement later in adolescence and early adulthood.

An exploration of the perceptions, developmental reasoning levels, differences in learning processes, and academic achievement levels of students in introductory college microbiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poole, Barbara Ann Matherly

1997-11-01

This study explored the relationship between the grades students earned in introductory college microbiology and American College Testing scores, sex, race, age, GED or high school diploma, full-time or part-time student status, developmental reasoning levels, memory tactics, and expected achievement. The study also explored student perceptions at the beginning and the end of the microbiology courses for science preparation, expected achievement, relevancy of microbiology, and expectations for the course. Archival records for 121 freshman level and 119 sophomore level microbiology students were accessed to obtain final grades, ACT scores, sex, race, age, GED or high school diploma and full-time or part-time status. The same information was obtained for the 113 freshman level and the 85 sophomore level students who participated in the study. The study groups were given the Group Assessment of Logical Thinking to assess their level of formal reasoning ability, the Inventory of Learning Processes-Revised to assess three memory techniques, an initial perception survey, and an exit perception survey. Academic achievement in microbiology could not be predicted using composites of the predictor variables. There were significant relationships between the GALT scores and the predicted grades with both the freshman and the sophomore final grades. The Self-Efficacy Fact Retention scores and the Literal Memorization scores had significant relationships to the final grades of the freshmen but not the sophomores. There was not a significant relationship between the Deep Semantic scores and the final grades in either group. Students indicated that high school science had given them only a medium to low level of preparation for college microbiology. The sophomores felt that previous college science classes had given them a much better preparation for microbiology than did the freshmen students. Both groups expressed the importance of the laboratory experience to the understanding of science and also the relevancy of microbiology both to their chosen professions and to their own personal lives.

Dialect Variation and Reading: Is Change in Nonmainstream American English Use Related to Reading Achievement in First and Second Grades?

PubMed Central

Terry, Nicole Patton; Connor, Carol McDonald; Petscher, Yaacov; Conlin, Catherine Ross

2015-01-01

Purpose In this study, we examined (a) whether children who spoke Nonmainstream American English (NMAE) frequently in school at the beginning of 1st grade increased their use of Mainstream American English (MAE) through the end of 2nd grade, and whether increasing MAE use was associated with (b) language and reading skills and school context and (c) greater gains in reading skills. Method A longitudinal design was implemented with 49 children who spoke NMAE moderately to strongly. Spoken production of NMAE forms, word reading, and reading comprehension were measured at the beginning, middle, and end of 1st and 2nd grades. Various oral language skills were also measured at the beginning of 1st grade. Results Results indicate that most children increased their MAE production during 1st grade and maintained these levels in 2nd grade. Increasing MAE use was predicted by children’s expressive vocabulary and nonword repetition skills at the beginning of 1st grade. Finally, the more children increased their MAE production, the greater were their reading gains from 1st grade through 2nd grade. Conclusions The findings extend previous reports of a significant association between NMAE use and specific reading skills among young children and have implications for theory, educational practice, and future research. PMID:22199203

Early Childhood Precursors and Adolescent Sequelae of Gradeschool Peer Rejection and Victimization

PubMed Central

Bierman, Karen L.; Kalvin, Carla B.; Heinrichs, Brenda S.

2014-01-01

Objective This study examined the early childhood precursors and adolescent outcomes associated with gradeschool peer rejection and victimization among children oversampled for aggressive-disruptive behaviors. A central goal was to better understand the common and unique developmental correlates associated with these two types of peer adversity. Method 754 participants (46% African American, 50% European American, 4% other; 58% male; average age 5.65 at kindergarten entry) were followed into seventh grade. Six waves of data were included in structural models focused on three developmental periods. Parents and teachers rated aggressive behavior, emotion dysregulation, and internalizing problems in kindergarten and grade 1 (waves 1–2); peer sociometric nominations tracked “least liked” and victimization in grades 2, 3, and 4 (waves 3–5); and youth reported on social problems, depressed mood, school adjustment difficulties, and delinquent activities in early adolescence (grade 7, wave 6). Results Structural models revealed that early aggression and emotion dysregulation (but not internalizing behavior) made unique contributions to gradeschool peer rejection; only emotion dysregulation made unique contributions to gradeschool victimization. Early internalizing problems and gradeschool victimization uniquely predicted adolescent social problems and depressed mood. Early aggression and gradeschool peer rejection uniquely predicted adolescent school adjustment difficulties and delinquent activities. Conclusions Aggression and emotion dysregulation at school entry increased risk for peer rejection and victimization, and these two types of peer adversity had distinct, as well as shared risk and adjustment correlates. Results suggest that the emotional functioning and peer experiences of aggressive-disruptive children deserve further attention in developmental and clinical research. PMID:24527989

The relationship between twelve-month home stimulation and school achievement.

PubMed

van Doorninck, W J; Caldwell, B M; Wright, C; Frankenburg, W K

1981-09-01

Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was designed to reflect parental support of early cognitive and socioemotional development. 12-month HOME scores were correlated with elementary school achievement, 5--9 years later. 50 low-income children were rank ordered by a weighted average of centile estimates of achievement test scores, letter grades, and curriculum levels in reading and math. 24 children were classified as having significant school achievement problems. The HOME total score correlated significantly, r = .37, with school centile scores among the low-income families. The statistically more appropriate contingency table analysis revealed a 68% correct classification rate and a significantly reduced error rate over random or blanket prediction. The results supported the predictive value of the 12-month HOME for school achievement among low-income families. In an additional sample of 21 middle-income families, there was insufficient variability among HOME scores to allow prediction. The HOME total scores were highly correlated, r = .86, among siblings tested at least 10 months apart.

The hidden medical school: a longitudinal study of how social networks form, and how they relate to academic performance.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Potts, Henry W W; Patel, Shalini; McManus, I Chris

2012-01-01

UK medical schools typically have over 300 students per year, making it impossible for students to know all the others well. This longitudinal cohort study measured the formation of medical student social networks and their relationship to grades. In November 2009, 215/317 (68%) Year 2 UCL medical students reported their friendships with others in their year, by questionnaire. Multiple regression assessed the relationship between friendships, exam results and background variables (obtained from student records), with permutation testing to assess statistical significance. Students of the same sex, the same ethnic group, and in the same tutor and small groups (to which they were randomly assigned at the start of medical school) were socially closer. Taking into account absolute difference in Year 1 grades, Year 2 pairs who were socially closer in November 2009 had more similar May 2010 grades. Individual student variables did not predict similarity in 2010 grades after taking friendships into account. The results suggest that medical students chose friends of the same sex and ethnic group as themselves; but random allocation of students to tutor groups also influenced friendships. Most importantly, friendships related to subsequent exam performance, suggesting friendship may influence learning.

Self-regulation, motivation, and math achievement in middle school: variations across grade level and math context.

PubMed

Cleary, Timothy J; Chen, Peggy P

2009-10-01

The current study examined grade level, achievement group, and math-course-type differences in student self-regulation and motivation in a sample of 880 suburban middle-school students. Analysis of variance was utilized to assess group differences in student self-regulation and motivation, and linear regression analysis was used to identify variables that best predicted students' use of regulatory strategies. A key finding was that although seventh graders exhibited a more maladaptive self-regulation and motivation profile than sixth graders, achievement groups in seventh grade (high, moderate, low) were more clearly differentiated across both self-regulation and motivation than achievement groups in sixth grade. The pattern of achievement group differences also varied across math course type, as self-regulation and motivation processes more consistently differentiated achievement groups in advanced classes than regular math courses. Finally, task interest was shown to be the primary motivational predictor of students' use of regulatory strategies during math learning. The study highlights the importance of identifying shifting student motivation and self-regulation during the early middle school years and the potential role that context may have on these processes.

Does the NBME Surgery Shelf exam constitute a "double jeopardy" of USMLE Step 1 performance?

PubMed

Ryan, Michael S; Colbert-Getz, Jorie M; Glenn, Salem N; Browning, Joel D; Anand, Rahul J

2017-02-01

Scores from the NBME Subject Examination in Surgery (Surgery Shelf) positively correlate with United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 (Step 1). Based on this relationship, the authors evaluated the predictive value of Step 1 on the Surgery Shelf. Surgery Shelf standard scores were substituted for Step 1 standard scores for 395 students in 2012-2014 at one medical school. Linear regression was used to determine how well Step 1 scores predicted Surgery Shelf scores. Percent match between original (with Shelf) and modified (with Step 1) clerkship grades were computed. Step 1 scores significantly predicted Surgery Shelf scores, R 2  = 0.42, P < 0.001. For every point increase in Step 1, a Surgery Shelf score increased by 0.30 points. Seventy-seven percent of original grades matched the modified grades. Replacing Surgery Shelf scores with Step 1 scores did not have an effect on the majority of final clerkship grades. This observation raises concern over use of Surgery Shelf scores as a measure of knowledge obtained during the Surgery clerkship. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating Kindergarteners' Number Sense and Self-Regulation Scores in Relation to Their Mathematics and Turkish Scores in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivrendi, Asiye

2016-01-01

Number sense and self-regulation are considered foundational skills for later school learning. This study aimed to investigate the predictive power of kindergarten children's number sense and self-regulation scores on their mathematics and Turkish language examination scores in the 5th and 6th grades. The participants in this study were 5th grade…

Trajectories of Self-Perceived Math Ability, Utility Value and Interest across Middle School as Predictors of High School Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Jennifer Lee; Hyde, Janet Shibley

2017-01-01

Although many studies have documented developmental change in mathematics motivation, little is known about how these trends predict math performance. A sample of 288 participants from the United States reported their perceived math ability, math utility value and math interest in 5th, 7th and 9th grades. Latent growth curve models estimated…

Let's Get Physical! P.E. Struggles to Make the Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaFee, Scott

2008-01-01

Sixty-six percent of American adults are overweight or obese, and a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health says it is only going to get worse. They predict the figure will be 75 percent by 2015. A report last year by the Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership cited that nearly 30 percent of children and teens…

Additional Evidence for the Reliability and Validity of the Student Risk Screening Scale at the High School Level: A Replication and Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Kathleen Lynne; Oakes, Wendy P.; Ennis, Robin Parks; Cox, Meredith Lucille; Schatschneider, Christopher; Lambert, Warren

2013-01-01

This study reports findings from a validation study of the Student Risk Screening Scale for use with 9th- through 12th-grade students (N = 1854) attending a rural fringe school. Results indicated high internal consistency, test-retest stability, and inter-rater reliability. Predictive validity was established across two academic years, with Spring…

The Effect of 3D Computer Modeling and Observation-Based Instruction on the Conceptual Change regarding Basic Concepts of Astronomy in Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucukozer, Huseyin; Korkusuz, M. Emin; Kucukozer, H. Asuman; Yurumezoglu, Kemal

2009-01-01

This study has examined the impact of teaching certain basic concepts of astronomy through a predict-observe-explain strategy, which includes three-dimensional (3D) computer modeling and observations on conceptual changes seen in sixth-grade elementary school children (aged 11-13; number of students: 131). A pre- and postastronomy instruction…

Longitudinal Effects of Student-Perceived Classroom Support on Motivation – A Latent Change Model

PubMed Central

Lazarides, Rebecca; Raufelder, Diana

2017-01-01

This two-wave longitudinal study examined how developmental changes in students’ mastery goal orientation, academic effort, and intrinsic motivation were predicted by student-perceived support of motivational support (support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in secondary classrooms. The study extends previous knowledge that showed that support for motivational support in class is related to students’ intrinsic motivation as it focused on the developmental changes of a set of different motivational variables and the relations of these changes to student-perceived motivational support in class. Thus, differential classroom effects on students’ motivational development were investigated. A sample of 1088 German students was assessed in the beginning of the school year when students were in grade 8 (Mean age = 13.70, SD = 0.53, 54% girls) and again at the end of the next school year when students were in grade 9. Results of latent change models showed a tendency toward decline in mastery goal orientation and a significant decrease in academic effort from grade 8 to 9. Intrinsic motivation did not decrease significantly across time. Student-perceived support of competence in class predicted the level and change in students’ academic effort. The findings emphasized that it is beneficial to create classroom learning environments that enhance students’ perceptions of competence in class when aiming to enhance students’ academic effort in secondary school classrooms. PMID:28382012

Longitudinal Effects of Student-Perceived Classroom Support on Motivation - A Latent Change Model.

PubMed

Lazarides, Rebecca; Raufelder, Diana

2017-01-01

This two-wave longitudinal study examined how developmental changes in students' mastery goal orientation, academic effort, and intrinsic motivation were predicted by student-perceived support of motivational support (support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in secondary classrooms. The study extends previous knowledge that showed that support for motivational support in class is related to students' intrinsic motivation as it focused on the developmental changes of a set of different motivational variables and the relations of these changes to student-perceived motivational support in class. Thus, differential classroom effects on students' motivational development were investigated. A sample of 1088 German students was assessed in the beginning of the school year when students were in grade 8 ( Mean age = 13.70, SD = 0.53, 54% girls) and again at the end of the next school year when students were in grade 9. Results of latent change models showed a tendency toward decline in mastery goal orientation and a significant decrease in academic effort from grade 8 to 9. Intrinsic motivation did not decrease significantly across time. Student-perceived support of competence in class predicted the level and change in students' academic effort. The findings emphasized that it is beneficial to create classroom learning environments that enhance students' perceptions of competence in class when aiming to enhance students' academic effort in secondary school classrooms.

Mothers' and fathers' support for child autonomy and early school achievement.

PubMed

2008-07-01

Data were analyzed from 641 children and their families in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development to test the hypotheses that in the early school years, mothers' and fathers' sensitive support for autonomy in observed parent-child interactions would each make unique predictions to children's reading and math achievement at Grade 3 (controlling for demographic variables), children's reading and math abilities at 54 months, and children's level of effortful control at 54 months and that these associations would be mediated by the level of and changes over time in children's observed self-reliance in the classroom from Grades 1 through 3. The authors found that mothers' and fathers' support for autonomy were significantly and uniquely associated with children's Grade 3 reading and math achievement with the above controls, but only for boys. For boys, the effect of mothers' support for child autonomy was mediated by higher self-reliance at Grade 1 and of fathers' support for child autonomy by greater increases in self-reliance from Grades 1 through 3.

Invented Spelling in Kindergarten as a Predictor of Reading and Spelling in Grade 1: A New Pathway to Literacy, or Just the Same Road, Less Known?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ouellette, Gene; Sénéchal, Monique

2017-01-01

In this study we evaluated whether the sophistication of children's invented spellings in kindergarten was predictive of subsequent reading and spelling in Grade 1, while also considering the influence of well-known precursors. Children in their first year of schooling (mean age = 66 months; N = 171) were assessed on measures of oral vocabulary,…

Differential Prediction of Academic Achievement in Elementary and Junior High School by Sex.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, J. C.

This study examined differences in predicting achievement by sex on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) from the verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal scores on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). The sample (n=10,000) consisted of all students in Grades 2, 5, and 8 who completed both tests in fall 1984. Examinations of means and standard…

Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Raven Progressive Matrices and the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balboni, Giulia; Naglieri, Jack A.; Cubelli, Roberto

2010-01-01

The concurrent and predictive validities of the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) and Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM) were investigated in a large group of Italian third-and fifth-grade students with different sociocultural levels evaluated at the beginning and end of the school year. CPM and NNAT scores were related to math and…

Implicit Theories of Intelligence Predict Achievement across an Adolescent Transition: A Longitudinal Study and an Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwell, Lisa S.; Trzesniewski, Kali H.; Dweck, Carol Sorich

2007-01-01

Two studies explored the role of implicit theories of intelligence in adolescents' mathematics achievement. In Study 1 with 373 7th graders, the belief that intelligence is malleable (incremental theory) predicted an upward trajectory in grades over the two years of junior high school, while a belief that intelligence is fixed (entity theory)…

Expectancy Theory as a Predictor of Grade-Point Averages, Satisfaction, and Participation in the College Environment. ASHE 1983 Annual Meeting Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lincoln, Yvonna S.; And Others

The ability of Vroom's expectancy motivation theory to predict student satisfaction with the college environment, student participation at school, and student academic performance was studied. Specific objectives of the study were as follows: to test the ability of Vroom's valence model to predict student satisfaction, to test the ability of…

Does the thought count? Gratitude understanding in elementary school students.

PubMed

Poelker, Katelyn E; Kuebli, Janet E

2014-01-01

Gratitude, although studied throughout history by scholars from diverse backgrounds, has been largely understudied in psychology until recently. The psychological literature on gratitude is expanding, but it is still particularly limited with children. The authors compared younger (first- and second-grade students; n = 30) and older (fourth- and fifth-grade students; n = 27) children on gratitude-related ratings surrounding gift giving vignettes that included either a desirable (e.g., a birthday cupcake) or an undesirable (e.g., a melted ice cream cone) gift. Empathy was also measured. Hierarchical regressions revealed different patterns of predictors for desirable and undesirable gifts. For desirable gifts, liking significantly predicted gratitude and liking predicted effort. For undesirable gifts, older children and those who perceived the target as liking the gift more predicted higher gratitude ratings. Finally, higher gratitude rating predicted both higher ratings of giver effort (i.e., intention or how hard did the giver try to give a nice gift) and liking of the undesirable gifts. More research on children's understanding of gratitude is needed but these results suggest that school-aged children take into account givers' intentions and thoughts behind gift giving in determining feelings of gratitude. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.

Are Scores From NBME Subject Examinations Valid Measures of Knowledge Acquired During Clinical Clerkships?

PubMed

Ryan, Michael S; Bishop, Steven; Browning, Joel; Anand, Rahul J; Waterhouse, Elizabeth; Rigby, Fidelma; Al-Mateen, Cheryl S; Lee, Clifton; Bradner, Melissa; Colbert-Getz, Jorie M

2017-06-01

The National Board of Medical Examiners' Clinical Science Subject Examinations are a component used by most U.S. medical schools to determine clerkship grades. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of this practice. This was a retrospective cohort study of medical students at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine who completed clerkships in 2012 through 2014. Linear regression was used to determine how well United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores predicted Subject Examination scores in seven clerkships. The authors then substituted each student's Subject Examination standard scores with his or her Step 1 standard score. Clerkship grades based on the Step 1 substitution were compared with actual grades with the Wilcoxon rank test. A total of 2,777 Subject Examination scores from 432 students were included in the analysis. Step 1 scores significantly predicted between 23% and 44% of the variance in Subject Examination scores, P < .001 for all clerkship regression equations. Mean differences between expected and actual Subject Examination scores were small (≤ 0.2 points). There was a match between 73% of Step 1 substituted final clerkship grades and actual final clerkship grades. The results of this study suggest that performance on Step 1 can be used to identify and counsel students at risk for poor performance on the Subject Examinations. In addition, these findings call into the question the validity of using scores from Subject Examinations as a high-stakes assessment of learning in individual clerkships.

Predicting writing development in dual language instructional contexts: exploring cross-linguistic relationships.

PubMed

Savage, Robert; Kozakewich, Meagan; Genesee, Fred; Erdos, Caroline; Haigh, Corinne

2017-01-01

This study examined whether decoding and linguistic comprehension abilities, broadly defined by the Simple View of Reading, in grade 1 each uniquely predicted the grade 6 writing performance of English-speaking children (n = 76) who were educated bilingually in both English their first language and French, a second language. Prediction was made from (1) English to English; (2) French to French; and (3) English to French. Results showed that both decoding and linguistic comprehension scores predicted writing accuracy but rarely predicted persuasive writing. Within the linguistic comprehension cluster of tests, Formulating Sentences was a strong consistent within- and between-language predictor of writing accuracy. In practical terms, the present results indicate that early screening for later writing ability using measures of sentence formulation early in students' schooling, in their L1 or L2, can provide greatest predictive power and allow teachers to differentiate instruction in the primary grades. Theoretically, the present results argue that there are correlations between reading-related abilities and writing abilities not only within the same language but also across languages, adding to the growing body of evidence for facilitative cross-linguistic relationships between bilinguals' developing languages. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predicting change in early adolescent problem behavior in the middle school years: a mesosystemic perspective on parenting and peer experiences.

PubMed

Véronneau, Marie-Hélène; Dishion, Thomas J

2010-11-01

The transition into middle school may be a risky period in early adolescence. In particular, friendships, peer status, and parental monitoring during this developmental period can influence the development of problem behavior. This study examined interrelationships among peer and parenting factors that predict changes in problem behavior over the middle school years. A longitudinal sample (580 boys, 698 girls) was assessed in Grades 6 and 8. Peer acceptance, peer rejection, and their interaction predicted increases in problem behavior. Having high-achieving friends predicted less problem behavior. Parental monitoring predicted less problem behavior in general, but also acted as a buffer for students who were most vulnerable to developing problem behavior on the basis of being well liked by some peers, and also disliked by several others. These findings highlight the importance of studying the family-peer mesosystem when considering risk and resilience in early adolescence, and when considering implications for intervention.

The Impact of Neglect on Initial Adaptation to School

PubMed Central

Manly, Jody Todd; Lynch, Michael; Oshri, Assaf; Herzog, Margaret; Wortel, Sanne N.

2013-01-01

This study examined the impact of child neglect during the first four years of life on adaptation to school during kindergarten and first grade in the context of neighborhood poverty. Processes related to the development of school competencies were examined, including the mediational role of cognitive functioning and ego-resiliency in shaping children’s school outcomes. 170 low-income urban children were followed prospectively for two years (ages four to six). Results indicated that neglected children had significantly lower scores on kindergarten classroom behavior and first grade academic performance than nonneglected children. Children’s cognitive performance at age four, controlling for maternal IQ, mediated the relation between severity of neglect and children’s behavior in kindergarten as well as their academic performance in first grade. Moreover, severity of neglect was related to children’s ego-resiliency at age four. However, additional ecological adversity in the form of neighborhood poverty moderated the link between ego-resiliency and classroom behavior such that at lower levels of poverty, ego-resiliency mediated the relation between severity of neglect and school adaptation. Conversely, when neighborhood poverty was extreme, the effects of ego-resiliency were attenuated and ego-resiliency ceased to predict behavioral performance in kindergarten. The implications of these findings for prevention and intervention are discussed. PMID:23843472

Relations among early adolescents' parent-adolescent attachment, perceived social competence, and friendship quality.

PubMed

Boling, Melissa W; Barry, Carolyn McNamara; Kotchick, Beth A; Lowry, Jen

2011-12-01

To assess whether the relation between attachment and friendship quality may be explained by social competence, 113 students in Grades 7 and 8 from the Baltimore metropolitan area completed self-report questionnaires on the variables of interest. In hierarchical regression analyses, both maternal Affective Quality of Attachment and the interaction of School with paternal Affective Quality of Attachment predicted social competence. Also, the interaction of School with paternal Affective Quality of Attachment predicted negative friendship features, whereas social competence predicted positive friendship features. These findings provide support for a pathway between adolescents' attachment to both parents and adolescents' perceived social competence and, in turn, their friendship quality.

The Role of Vision in Academic School Performance

PubMed Central

Dirani, Mohamed; Zhang, Xiaoe; Goh, Liang Ke; Young, Terri L.; Lee, Paul; Saw, Seang Mei

2014-01-01

Purpose To determine whether presenting distance visual acuity is related to subsequent academic school performance in Singaporean children between 9 to 10 years of age. Methods Singapore children (n = 1143 children) were examined during their visits at ages 9 to 10 years (grades 3 to 4) as part of the Singapore Cohort Study of the Risk Factors for Myopia (SCORM) longitudinal study. Each child underwent an annual comprehensive eye examination, including the assessment of presenting logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR) distance visual acuity (VA). The individual marks of a nation-wide standard examination in grade 4 were used as the outcome measure for academic school performance. Children with any known eye disease, (such as media opacities) were excluded from the analysis. Results The mean presenting distance VA of the better eye was 0.10 and 0.08 when the children were in grades 3 and 4, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference for mean presenting VA with 9 and 10 year old boys scoring better (0.08 and 0.07) compared to girls (0.12 and 0.09) for the same ages, (p = 0.001 and p = 0.007), respectively. After adjusting for gender, ethnicity, school, reading, intelligence quotient and father’s education, no significant relationships were found between average examination marks at the end of grade 4 and presenting VA obtained (better eye and worst eye) in grade 3 (p = 0.38 and p = 0.98) and 4 (p = 0.27 and p = 0.16). Conclusion In our sample of Singaporean children without ocular disease, distance VA did not play a significant role in predicting academic school performance. PMID:20100096

Energy Tracking in Classrooms - A Real Time Experiment with Grade 5 Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, H. M.; Ho, F.

2015-12-01

ISF Academy, a K-G12 school in Hong Kong with over 1500 students and currently spanning 3 buildings, is retrofitting the school with an energy tracking system in three phases. The first phase during the fall of 2015 will include retrofitting eight Grade 5 classrooms. This new program will show the daily energy usage data from these classrooms. The Grade 5 students receive feedback on their energy use in real time as they compete over two months in their homeroom classes to lower their electrical use, and subsequently their carbon footprint. This competition style initiative will teach the 180 Grade 5 students about their energy usage in a fun and informative manner. ISF Academy has over 400 air-conditioners and we have already determined that the air conditioners are the largest single use of energy in the school. The energy tracking system installed and maintained by from Global Design Corporation utilizes uniquely identified current detectors attached to circuit breakers, to monitor electrical use of individual circuits. These detectors will also monitor the energy used for classroom lighting, fans and plugs, as well as the air conditioners. The system has been installed and the Grade 5 classrooms averaged between 40 kWh and 120 kWh of usage in May 2015. This data will be used as the baseline for the competition. Further analysis can also be done with the data, such as calculating the carbon emissions reduction throughout the school year, providing possible class learning activities and also aiding in future energy use and carbon footprint predictions. The data collected will help refine phase 2 and 3 of the installation, expanding the system to more buildings and also giving insight to the rollout of the system to the whole school when the systems are fully in place.

Dynamics of Teacher-Student Relationships: Stability and Change across Elementary School and the Influence on Children’s Academic Success

PubMed Central

Spilt, Jantine L.; Hughes, Jan N.; Wu, Jiun-Yu; Kwok, Oi-Man

2012-01-01

This study modeled teacher-student relationship trajectories throughout elementary school to predict gains in achievement in an ethnic-diverse sample of 657 academically at-risk students. Teacher reports of Warmth and Conflict were collected in grades 1 to 5. Achievement was tested in grade 1 and 6. For Conflict, low-stable (normative), low-increasing, high-declining, and high-stable trajectories were found. For Warmth, high-declining (normative) and low-increasing patterns were found. Children with early behavioral, academic, or social risks were under-represented in the normative trajectory groups. Chronic conflict was most strongly associated with under achievement. Rising Conflict but not declining Conflict coincided with underachievement. The probability of school failure increased as a function of the timing and length of time children were exposed to relational adversity. PMID:22497209

Indicators of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career interest among middle school students in the USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mills, Leila A.

This study examines middle school students' perceptions of a future career in a science, math, engineering, or technology (STEM) career field. Gender, grade, predispositions to STEM contents, and learner dispositions are examined for changing perceptions and development in career-related choice behavior. Student perceptions as measured by validated measurement instruments are analyzed pre and post participation in a STEM intervention energy-monitoring program that was offered in several U.S. middle schools during the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 school years. A multiple linear regression (MLR) model, developed by incorporating predictors identified by an examination of the literature and a hypothesis-generating pilot study for prediction of STEM career interest, is introduced. Theories on the career choice development process from authors such as Ginzberg, Eccles, and Lent are examined as the basis for recognition of career concept development among students. Multiple linear regression statistics, correlation analysis, and analyses of means are used to examine student data from two separate program years. Study research questions focus on predictive ability, RSQ, of MLR models by gender/grade, and significance of model predictors in order to determine the most significant predictors of STEM career interest, and changes in students' perceptions pre and post program participation. Analysis revealed increases in the perceptions of a science career, decreases in perceptions of a STEM career, increase of the significance of science and mathematics to predictive models, and significant increases in students' perceptions of creative tendencies.

Leisure boredom and high school dropout in Cape Town, South Africa.

PubMed

Wegner, Lisa; Flisher, Alan J; Chikobvu, Perpetual; Lombard, Carl; King, Gary

2008-06-01

This prospective cohort study investigated whether leisure boredom predicts high school dropout. Leisure boredom is the perception that leisure experiences do not satisfy the need for optimal arousal. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which included the Leisure Boredom Scale. The original cohort of grade 8 students (n=303) was followed up twice at 2-yearly intervals. Of the 281 students at the second follow-up, 149 (53.0%) students had dropped out of school. The effect of leisure boredom on dropout was investigated using logistic regression taking into account the clustering effect of the schools in the sampling strategy, and adjusting for age, gender and racially classified social group. Leisure boredom was a significant predictor of dropout (OR=1.08; 95% CI: 1.01-1.15) in students 14 years and older, but not so in younger students (OR=1.0; 95% CI: 0.95-1.05). The study has shown that measuring leisure boredom in grade 8 students can help identify students who are more likely to dropout of school. Further research is needed to investigate the longitudinal association between leisure boredom and school dropout.

Controlled Drawing Observation for Assessing a Child's Readiness for School and Predicting Academic Achievement at the End of the First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haidkind, Pille; Kikas, Eve; Henno, Helen; Peets, Terje

2011-01-01

Controlled Drawing Observation (CDO) was developed by Tove Krogh and it has been used in Denmark, Finland and Estonia for assessing a child's readiness for school. CDO is a group test, it gives information about a child's functioning in an educational setting and it serves as a starting point for later individual assessment. The goal of the study…

Interrelationship among School Characteristics, Parental Involvement, and Children's Characteristics in Predicting Children's Victimization by Peers: Comparison between the United States and Three Eastern Asia Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Gang; Kim, Yanghee

2016-01-01

To identify ways that national culture, school characteristics, and individual attributes impact the victimization of students in Grade 8, data from the United States and three East Asian countries (i.e., Japan, S. Korea, and Taiwan) were compared using the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Hierarchical Liner…

Teen Dating Violence, Sexual Harassment, and Bullying Among Middle School Students: Examining Mediation and Moderated Mediation by Gender.

PubMed

Cutbush, Stacey; Williams, Jason; Miller, Shari

2016-11-01

This longitudinal study tested whether sexual harassment perpetration mediates the relationship between bullying perpetration and teen dating violence (TDV) perpetration and tested moderated mediation by assessing whether the developmental pathway varies by gender among middle school-aged youth. Although TDV has been associated with bullying and sexual harassment, the developmental relationship among all three behaviors has rarely been examined, especially by gender. The data were collected from one cohort of seventh grade middle school students (N = 612) from four schools. Students were surveyed every 6 months during seventh and eighth grades for a total of four waves of data collection. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to address the study aims, consisting of three stages: measurement models, mediation, and moderated mediation (otherwise known as Contrast of Mediated Effects). Results indicate no evidence of mediation. However, in the overall model, bullying and sexual harassment both emerged as significant predictors of TDV at a later time point. Among girls, only bullying significantly predicted TDV at a later time point, and, among boys, only sexual harassment significantly predicted TDV at a later time point. Prevention programs that target bullying and sexual harassment perpetration may reduce later perpetration of TDV. Further research is needed to disentangle the temporal relationships between these aggressive behaviors among youth.

What if Reading is Easy but Unimportant? How Students’ Patterns of Affirming and Undermining Motivation for Reading Information Texts Predict Different Reading Outcomes

PubMed Central

Rosenzweig, Emily Q.; Wigfield, Allan

2016-01-01

Many affirming and undermining motivational constructs affect students as they read information texts, but few researchers have explored how these motivations are patterned within students. In this study we used cluster analysis to classify middle school students (n = 1,134) based on their patterns of self-efficacy, perceived difficulty, value, and devalue for reading school information texts. We then compared how the patterns predicted students’ language arts grades, science information text comprehension, and dedication to reading school information texts. We found and validated a four-cluster solution. One cluster included a pattern of high affirming and low undermining motivations, and another included low affirming and high undermining motivations. Students with these patterns earned the highest and lowest scores, respectively, on all outcomes. A third pattern showed high self-efficacy/low difficulty with low value/high devalue, and a fourth showed moderate levels of all four motivational constructs. Students with the high efficacy and devalue pattern showed high information text comprehension but relatively low dedication. Students with the moderate pattern showed high dedication but low initial information text comprehension. Students with these two patterns earned similar grades. We discuss the implications of our findings for motivation theories and for school instruction that involves information text reading. PMID:28496289

What if Reading is Easy but Unimportant? How Students' Patterns of Affirming and Undermining Motivation for Reading Information Texts Predict Different Reading Outcomes.

PubMed

Rosenzweig, Emily Q; Wigfield, Allan

2017-01-01

Many affirming and undermining motivational constructs affect students as they read information texts, but few researchers have explored how these motivations are patterned within students. In this study we used cluster analysis to classify middle school students (n = 1,134) based on their patterns of self-efficacy, perceived difficulty, value, and devalue for reading school information texts. We then compared how the patterns predicted students' language arts grades, science information text comprehension, and dedication to reading school information texts. We found and validated a four-cluster solution. One cluster included a pattern of high affirming and low undermining motivations, and another included low affirming and high undermining motivations. Students with these patterns earned the highest and lowest scores, respectively, on all outcomes. A third pattern showed high self-efficacy/low difficulty with low value/high devalue, and a fourth showed moderate levels of all four motivational constructs. Students with the high efficacy and devalue pattern showed high information text comprehension but relatively low dedication. Students with the moderate pattern showed high dedication but low initial information text comprehension. Students with these two patterns earned similar grades. We discuss the implications of our findings for motivation theories and for school instruction that involves information text reading.

Mapping developmental precursors of cyber-aggression: trajectories of risk predict perpetration and victimization.

PubMed

Modecki, Kathryn L; Barber, Bonnie L; Vernon, Lynette; Vernon, Lynnette

2013-05-01

Technologically mediated contexts are social arenas in which adolescents can be both perpetrators and victims of aggression. Yet, there remains little understanding of the developmental etiology of cyber aggression, itself, as experienced by either perpetrators or victims. The current study examines 3-year latent within-person trajectories of known correlates of cyber-aggression: problem behavior, (low) self-esteem, and depressed mood, in a large and diverse sample of youth (N = 1,364; 54.6% female; 12-14 years old at T1). Findings demonstrate that developmental increases in problem behavior across grades 8-10 predict both cyber-perpetration and victimization in grade 11. Developmental decreases in self-esteem also predicted both grade 11 perpetration and victimization. Finally, early depressed mood predicted both perpetration and victimization later on, regardless of developmental change in depressed mood in the interim. Our results reveal a clear link between risky developmental trajectories across the early high school years and later cyber-aggression and imply that mitigating trajectories of risk early on may lead to decreases in cyber-aggression at a later date.

Cognitive Performance and Cognitive Style.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Journal of Behavioral Development, 1985

1985-01-01

Investigates (1) the relationships between cognitive performance and cognitive styles and predictive possibilities and (2) performance differences by sex, school, grade, and income in 92 Indian adolescents. Assessment measures included Liquid Conservation, Islands, Goat-Lion, Hanoi-Tower, Rabbits (Piagetian); Block Design (WISC-R); Paper Cutting…

The Relationship Between the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and Student Learning Outcomes in Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

PubMed

Searing, Lisabeth Meade; Kooken, Wendy Carter

2016-04-01

Critical thinking is the foundation for nurses' decision making. One school of nursing used the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to document improvement in critical thinking dispositions. A retrospective study of 96 nursing students' records examined the relationships between the CCTDI and learning outcomes. Correlational statistics assessed relationships between CCTDI scores and cumulative grade point averages (GPA) and scores on two Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) examinations. Ordinal regression assessed predictive relationships between CCTDI scores and science course grades and NCLEX-RN success. First-year CCTDI scores did not predict first-year science grades. Senior-year CCTDI scores did not correlate with cumulative GPA or HESI RN Exit Exam scores, but were weakly correlated with HESI Pharmacology Exam scores. CCTDI scores did not predict NCLEX-RN success. This study did not identify meaningful relationships between critical thinking dispositions, as measured by the CCTDI, and important learning outcomes. The results do not support the efficacy of using the CCTDI in nursing education. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Protective effects of middle school comprehensive sex education with family involvement.

PubMed

Grossman, Jennifer M; Tracy, Allison J; Charmaraman, Linda; Ceder, Ineke; Erkut, Sumru

2014-11-01

School-based comprehensive sex education programs can reduce early adolescents' risky sexual behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a 3-year comprehensive sex education program in delaying vaginal sex for middle school students and whether the family component of the intervention contributes to its effectiveness. This longitudinal evaluation followed a cohort of 6th graders (N = 2453) through the end of 8th grade. The design used random assignment of 24 schools into treatment and comparison conditions. The analysis included multiple-group logistic regression to assess differences in delay of sex between intervention and comparison groups. In schools where the program was taught, 16% fewer boys and 15% fewer girls had had sex by the end of 8th grade compared to boys and girls at comparison schools. Completing family activities during the first year of the program predicted delayed sexual debut for boys. Theory-based, developmentally appropriate, comprehensive sex education programs that include parent involvement can be effective in delaying vaginal sex for middle school students. Parent involvement is particularly important for boys, as family activities may encourage parents to talk with their sons earlier and more frequently. © 2014, American School Health Association.

2015-16 Guide to Calculating School and District Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

School grades provide an easily understandable metric to measure the performance of a school. Parents and the general public can use the school grade and its associated components to understand how well each school is serving its students. The school grades calculation was revised substantially for the 2014-15 school year to implement statutory…

Academic Motivation and Approaches to Learning in Predicting College Students' Academic Achievement: Findings from Turkish and US Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çetin, Baris

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine if approaches to learning and academic motivation together predict grade point averages (GPAs) of students who study at Primary School Education and Preschool Education in Turkey and of students who study at Early Childhood Education in the US. The first group of participants included 166 third- and…

The Predictive Influence of Family and Community Demographic Variables on Grade 7 Student Achievement in Language Arts and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, Adam

2016-01-01

This correlational, explanatory, longitudinal study sought to determine the combination of community and family-level demographic variables found in the 2010 U.S. Census data that most accurately predicted a New Jersey school district's percentage of students scoring proficient or above on the 2010, 2011, and 2012 NJ ASK 7 in Language Arts and…

Transition and protective agency of early childhood learning behaviors as portents of later school attendance and adjustment.

PubMed

McDermott, Paul A; Rikoon, Samuel H; Fantuzzo, John W

2016-02-01

This article reports on the study of differential change trajectories for early childhood learning behaviors as they relate to future classroom adjustment and school attendance. A large sample (N=2152) of Head Start children was followed through prekindergarten, kindergarten, and 1st grade. Classroom learning behaviors were assessed twice each year by teachers who observed gradual declines in Competence Motivation and Attentional Persistence as children transitioned through schooling. Cross-classified multilevel growth models revealed distinct transitional pathways for future adjustment versus maladjustment and sporadic versus chronic absenteeism. Generalized multilevel logistic modeling and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that teachers' earliest assessments were substantially predictive of eventual good classroom adjustment and school attendance, with increasing accuracy for prediction of future sociobehavioral adjustment as time progressed. Copyright © 2015 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High School Substance Use as a Predictor of College Attendance, Completion, and Dropout: A National Multi-cohort Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Patrick, Megan E; Schulenberg, John E; O'Malley, Patrick M

2016-05-01

National data from Monitoring the Future were used to examine patterns and predictors of college attendance. Samples of American 12 th -grade students from 1977-2003 were followed for seven years (modal ages 18-25; N =10,020). College attendance and graduation patterns varied considerably over historical time and based on family background. Substance use during high school predicted a greater likelihood of never attending (for cigarettes, illegal drugs), of graduating from a 2-year rather than a 4-year school (for cigarettes), and of dropping out versus graduating from a 4-year school (for cigarettes, marijuana, and other illegal drugs). High school binge drinking predicted lower college dropout, but only in models also controlling for cigarette, marijuana, and other illicit drug use. This study provides a needed overview of adolescent predictors of patterns of college attendance among American young adults over the past three decades.

Football experts versus sports economists: Whose forecasts are better?

PubMed

Frick, Bernd; Wicker, Pamela

2016-08-01

Given the uncertainty of outcome in sport, predicting the outcome of sporting contests is a major topic in sport sciences. This study examines the accuracy of expert predictions in the German Bundesliga and compares their predictions to those of sports economists. Prior to the start of each season, a set of distinguished experts (head coaches and players) express their subjective evaluations of the teams in school grades. While experts may be driven by irrational sentiments and may therefore systematically over- or underestimate specific teams, sports economists use observable characteristics to predict season outcomes. The latter typically use team wage bills given the positive pay-performance relationship as well as other factors (average team age, tenure, appearances on national team, and attendance). Using data from 15 consecutive Bundesliga seasons, the predictive accuracy of expert evaluations and sports economists is analysed. The results of separate estimations show that relative grade and relative wage bill significantly affect relative points, while age, tenure, appearances, and attendance are insignificant. In a joint model, relative grade and relative wage bill are still statistically significant, suggesting that the two types of predictions are complements rather than substitutes. Consequently, football experts and sports economists seem to rely on completely different sources of information when making their predictions.

Preschool Executive Functions, Single-Parent Status, and School Quality Predict Diverging Trajectories of Classroom Inattention in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Sasser, Tyler R.; Beekman, Charles R.; Bierman, Karen L.

2016-01-01

A sample of 356 children recruited from Head Start (58% European American, 25% African American, and 17% Hispanic; 54% girls; Mage ¼ 4.59 years) were followed longitudinally from prekindergarten through fifth grade. Latent profile analyses of teacher-rated inattention from kindergarten through third grade identified four developmental trajectories: stable low (53% of the sample), stable high (11.3%), rising over time (16.4%), and declining over time (19.3%). Children with stable low inattention had the best academic outcomes in fifth grade, and children exhibiting stable high inattention had the worst, with the others in between. Self-regulation difficulties in preschool (poor executive function skills and elevated opposition–aggression) differentiated children with rising versus stable low inattention. Elementary schools characterized by higher achievement differentiated children with declining versus stable high inattention. Boys and children from single-parent families were more likely to remain high or rise in inattention, whereas girls and children from dual-parent families were more likely to remain low or decline in inattention. PMID:25200465

Preschool executive functions, single-parent status, and school quality predict diverging trajectories of classroom inattention in elementary school.

PubMed

Sasser, Tyler R; Beekman, Charles R; Bierman, Karen L

2015-08-01

A sample of 356 children recruited from Head Start (58% European American, 25% African American, and 17% Hispanic; 54% girls; M age = 4.59 years) were followed longitudinally from prekindergarten through fifth grade. Latent profile analyses of teacher-rated inattention from kindergarten through third grade identified four developmental trajectories: stable low (53% of the sample), stable high (11.3%), rising over time (16.4%), and declining over time (19.3%). Children with stable low inattention had the best academic outcomes in fifth grade, and children exhibiting stable high inattention had the worst, with the others in between. Self-regulation difficulties in preschool (poor executive function skills and elevated opposition-aggression) differentiated children with rising versus stable low inattention. Elementary schools characterized by higher achievement differentiated children with declining versus stable high inattention. Boys and children from single-parent families were more likely to remain high or rise in inattention, whereas girls and children from dual-parent families were more likely to remain low or decline in inattention.

Impact of field of study, college and year on calculation of cumulative grade point average.

PubMed

Trail, Carla; Reiter, Harold I; Bridge, Michelle; Stefanowska, Patricia; Schmuck, Marylou; Norman, Geoff

2008-08-01

A consistent finding from many reviews is that undergraduate Grade Point Average (uGPA) is a key predictor of academic success in medical school. Curiously, while uGPA has established predictive validity, little is known about its reliability. For a variety of reasons, medical schools use different weighting schemas to combine years of study. Additional concerns relate to the equivalence of grades obtained from different fields of study and institutions, with little hard data to guide conclusions. At the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine Class of 2007 at McMaster University, every undergraduate grade of 2,138 applicants, along with field of study and post-secondary educational institution, was analyzed. Individual grades were aggregated into an overall uGPA using published algorithms from several medical school, and correlated with a non-weighted sum. Correlations of the different schemas with equal weights ranged from 0.973 to 0.990. The extent of the difference between fields of study was small, accounting for only 1.5% of the variance. However, differences among 16 Ontario universities were larger, and accounted for 9.3% of the variance. The results of this study suggest that all weighting schemas are virtually equivalent, making any formulation reasonable. Differences by field of study are small, but do not show any bias against non-science students. Differences by institution are larger, amounting to a range in average score from 78.7 to 84.6; however it is not clear whether this reflects candidate ability or institutional policy, so attempts to correct for institution may be difficult.

Developmental dynamics between mathematical performance, task motivation, and teachers' goals during the transition to primary school.

PubMed

Aunola, Kaisa; Leskinen, Esko; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2006-03-01

It has been suggested that children's learning motivation and interest in a particular subject play an important role in their school performance, particularly in mathematics. However, few cross-lagged longitudinal studies have been carried out to investigate the prospective relationships between academic achievement and task motivation. Moreover, the role that the classroom context plays in this development is largely unknown. The aim of the study was to investigate the developmental dynamics of maths-related motivation and mathematical performance during children's transition to primary school. The role of teachers' pedagogical goals and classroom characteristics on this development was also investigated. A total of 196 Finnish children were examined four times: (0) in October during their preschool year; (1) in October and (2) April during their first grade of primary school; and (3) in October during their second grade. Children's mathematical performance was tested at each measurement point. Task motivation was examined at measurement points 2, 3, and 4 using the Task-value scale for children. First-grade teachers were interviewed in November about their pedagogical goals and classroom characteristics. The results showed that children's mathematical performance and related task motivation formed a cumulative developmental cycle: a high level of maths performance at the beginning of the first grade increased subsequent task motivation towards mathematics, which further predicted a high level of maths performance at the beginning of the second grade. The level of maths-related task motivation increased in those classrooms where the teachers emphasized motivation or self-concept development as their most important pedagogical goal.

Running away from home: a longitudinal study of adolescent risk factors and young adult outcomes.

PubMed

Tucker, Joan S; Edelen, Maria Orlando; Ellickson, Phyllis L; Klein, David J

2011-05-01

Little is known about the adolescent risk factors and young adult health-related outcomes associated with running away from home. We examined these correlates of running away using longitudinal data from 4,329 youth (48% female, 85% white) who were followed from Grade 9 to age 21. Nearly 14% of the sample reported running away in the past year at Grade 10 and/or Grade 11. Controlling for demographics and general delinquency, running away from home was predicted by lack of parental support, school disengagement, greater depressive affect, and heavier substance use at Grade 9. In turn, runaways had higher drug dependence scores and more depressive symptoms at age 21 than non-runaways, even after taking these antecedent risk factors into account. Runaway status did not predict alcohol dependence risk at age 21. Results highlight the importance of substance use and depression, both as factors propelling adolescents to run away and as important long-term consequences of running away.

Continuity and change in the home literacy environment as predictors of growth in vocabulary and reading.

PubMed

Sénéchal, Monique; LeFevre, Jo-Anne

2014-01-01

One hundred and ten English-speaking children schooled in French were followed from kindergarten to Grade 2 (Mage : T1 = 5;6, T2 = 6;4, T3 = 6;11, T4 = 7;11). The findings provided strong support for the Home Literacy Model (Sénéchal & LeFevre, ) because in this sample the home language was independent of the language of instruction. The informal literacy environment at home predicted growth in English receptive vocabulary from kindergarten to Grade 1, whereas parent reports of the formal literacy environment in kindergarten predicted growth in children's English early literacy between kindergarten and Grade 1 and growth in English word reading during Grade 1. Furthermore, 76% of parents adjusted their formal literacy practices according to the reading performance of their child, in support of the presence of a responsive home literacy curriculum among middle-class parents. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Bidirectionality and gender differences in emotional disturbance associations with obesity among Taiwanese schoolchildren.

PubMed

Chiang, Po-Huang; Huang, Lin-Yuan; Lo, Yuan-Ting; Lee, Meei-Shyuan; Wahlqvist, Mark L

2013-10-01

Childhood obesity is associated with psychological problems, but little is known about its association with emotional disturbance (ED) in the educational setting, especially by gender. In the population representative Elementary School Children's Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan 2001-2002 of children aged 6-13 (n=2283), we have considered whether ED is associated with obesity by gender. Schoolchildren were assessed with the modified scale for assessing emotional disturbance questionnaires. For some subscales, boys and girls had ED associations with obesity which were bidirectional. With normal weight as referent and relevant adjustments, the significant ED subscales predictable by obesity were relationship problems (RP) in boys (odds ratio, OR=1.89 with 95% CI: 1.08-3.30) and inappropriate behavior (IB) in girls (OR=2.88: 95% CI: 1.47-5.61). Conversely, with 'no-specific-ED' as referent, obesity was predictable by fully-adjusted specific-EDs in the same subscales, namely RP in boys (OR=1.88 with 95% CI: 1.13-3.13) and IB in girls (OR=3.03: 95% CI: 1.57-5.85). Child obesity prevalence showed no trend with school grade from 1 to 6, but for aggregate ED and most of its subscales the prevalence increased with grade (P for trend <0.01). Thus, there is some dissociation of obesity and ED as judged by their trend presence with school grade. Where obesity and ED occurred together (for inability-to-learn and unhappiness or depression), there were upward trends with grade (P<0.01). There are probably some selected bidirectional pathogenicities for obesity-ED associations with different expression in boys and girls and during elementary education. This provides some policy direction while mechanisms and causality require elucidation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of changing physics misconceptions held by ninth grade students at varying developmental levels through teacher addition of a prediction phase to the learning cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oglesby, Michael L.

This study examines the efficacy in correcting student misconceptions about science concepts by using the pedagogical method of asking students to make a prediction in science laboratory lessons for students within pre-formal, transitional, or formal stages of cognitive development. The subjects were students (n = 235) enrolled in ninth grade physical science classes (n=15) in one high school of an urban profile school district. The four freshmen physical science teachers who were part of the study routinely taught the concepts in the study as a part of the normal curriculum during the time of the school year in which the research was conducted. Classrooms representing approximately half of the students were presented with a prediction phase at the start of each of ten learning cycle lesson. The other classrooms were not presented with a prediction phase. Students were pre and post tested using a 40 question instrument based on the Force Concept Inventory augmented with questions on the concepts taught during the period of the study. Students were also tested using the Test of Scientific Reasoning to determine their cognitive developmental level. Results showed 182 of the students to be cognitively pre-formal, 50 to be transitional, and only 3 to be cognitively formal. There were significantly higher gains (p < .05) for the formal group over the transitional group and for the transitional group over the Pre-formal group. However, there were not significantly higher gains (p > .05) for the total students having a prediction phase compared to those not having a prediction phase. Neither were there significant gains (p > .05) within the pre-formal group or within the transitional group. There were too few students within the formal group for meaningful results.

2014-15 Guide to Calculating Informational Baseline School and District Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida Department of Education, 2016

2016-01-01

School grades provide an easily understandable metric to measure the performance of a school. Parents and the general public can use the informational baseline school grade and its associated components to understand how well each school is serving its students. The school grades calculation was revised substantially for the 2014-15 school year to…

Childhood drinking and depressive symptom level predict harmful personality change

PubMed Central

Riley, Elizabeth N.; Smith, Gregory T.

2016-01-01

Personality traits in children predict numerous life outcomes. Although traits are generally stable, if there is personality change in youth, it could affect subsequent behavior in important ways. We found that the trait of urgency, the tendency to act impulsively when highly emotional, increases for some youth in early adolescence. This increase can be predicted from the behavior of young children: alcohol consumption and depressive symptom level in elementary school children (5th grade) predicted increases in urgency 18 months later. Urgency, in turn, predicted increases in a wide range of maladaptive behaviors another 30 months later, at the end of the first year of high school. The mechanism by which early drinking behavior and depressive symptoms predict personality is not yet clear and merits future research; notably, the findings are consistent with mechanisms proposed by personality change theory and urgency theory. PMID:28392979

Does alcohol advertising promote adolescent drinking? Results from a longitudinal assessment.

PubMed

Ellickson, Phyllis L; Collins, Rebecca L; Hambarsoomians, Katrin; McCaffrey, Daniel F

2005-02-01

To examine the relationship between exposure to different forms of alcohol advertising and subsequent drinking among US adolescents and assess whether exposure to an alcohol and drug prevention program mitigates any such relationship. Regression models with multiple control variables examined the relationship between exposure to alcohol advertising in grade 8 and grade 9 drinking for two groups of South Dakotan adolescents: (1) seventh-grade non-drinkers (n = 1206) and (2) seventh-grade drinkers (n = 1905). Interactions between the intervention program and the significant advertising predictors were tested. Forty-one middle schools in South Dakota, USA. A total of 3111 seventh-graders followed through grade 9. Advertising variables were constructed for four types of alcohol advertising-television, in-store displays, magazines and concession stands. Other predictors tested included measures tapping social influences, social bonds, problem behavior, alcohol beliefs, television exposure and demographics. For seventh-grade non-drinkers, exposure to in-store beer displays predicted drinking onset by grade 9; for seventh-grade drinkers, exposure to magazines with alcohol advertisements and to beer concession stands at sports or music events predicted frequency of grade 9 drinking. Although exposure to television beer advertising had a significant bivariate relationship with alcohol use for grade 7 non-drinkers, it was not a significant predictor of drinking for either group in multivariate analyses. Participation in the prevention program, ALERT Plus, reduced future drinking for both groups and counteracted the effect of in-store beer displays. Several forms of alcohol advertising predict adolescent drinking; which sources dominate depends on the child's prior experience with alcohol. Alcohol prevention programs and policies should help children counter alcohol advertising from multiple sources and limit exposure to these sources.

Intelligence test at preschool-age predicts reading difficulty among school-aged very low birth weight infants in Japan.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Akihito; Ogino, Tatsuya; Koeda, Tatsuya; Oka, Makio; Yorifuji, Takashi; Takayanagi, Toshimitsu; Sato, Kazuo; Sugino, Noriko; Bonno, Motoki; Nakamura, Makoto; Kageyama, Misao

2018-05-21

To elucidate whether the results of an intelligence test at preschool age are predictive of reading difficulty (RD) at school age among very low birth weight infants (VLBWI). Subjects were 48 Japanese children whose birth weight was <1500 g and who regularly visited a follow-up clinic. All subjects completed the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) during the last grade of kindergarten, and four reading tasks during the second to fourth grade of elementary school. All participants had a full-scale intelligence quotient score of 85 or higher. Subjects with a standard deviation reading time score greater than 2.0 in two or more tasks were considered to have RD. We evaluated the associations between each WISC-III score and RD using logistic regression analyses. Furthermore, we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine a cutoff WISC-III score predictive of RD. In the mutually-adjusted model, the adjusted odds ratio per 1 score increase of freedom from distractibility (FD) was 0.832 (95% confidence interval: 0.720-0.962). In the ROC analysis, an FD score of <95.5 was chosen as the cutoff value for predicting RD (sensitivity, 0.77; specificity, 0.74). The present study indicated that a lower FD score at preschool age, which was associated with deficits in verbal working memory and attention, is a risk factor for RD at school age among Japanese VLBWI. Further investigation is desired to clarify the cognitive deficits underlying RD in Japanese-speaking preterm children, and to establish appropriate interventions for these children. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relations of Parenting Style and Parental Involvement with Ninth-Grade Students' Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulson, Sharon E.

1994-01-01

Compared adolescents' and parents' perceptions of maternal and paternal demandingness, responsiveness, and parental involvement with schooling. Found that adolescents' reports of parenting correlated only moderately with parents' reports. Adolescents', but not parents', reports of parenting predicted students' achievement outcome, with parental…

Research in the Schools, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, James E., Ed.; Kaufman, Alan S., Ed.

2000-01-01

This journal publishes articles that focus on the result of applied educational research, scholarly reviews of research,descriptions of classroom techniques, studies of assessments, and other topics of interest to educational researchers. Issue number 1 of Volume 7 contains these articles: (1) "Predicting First Grade Achievement from…

Early math matters: kindergarten number competence and later mathematics outcomes.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Kaplan, David; Ramineni, Chaitanya; Locuniak, Maria N

2009-05-01

Children's number competencies over 6 time points, from the beginning of kindergarten to the middle of 1st grade, were examined in relation to their mathematics achievement over 5 later time points, from the end of 1st grade to the end of 3rd grade. The relation between early number competence and mathematics achievement was strong and significant throughout the study period. A sequential process growth curve model showed that kindergarten number competence predicted rate of growth in mathematics achievement between 1st and 3rd grades as well as achievement level through 3rd grade. Further, rate of growth in early number competence predicted mathematics performance level in 3rd grade. Although low-income children performed more poorly than their middle-income counterparts in mathematics achievement and progressed at a slower rate, their performance and growth were mediated through relatively weak kindergarten number competence. Similarly, the better performance and faster growth of children who entered kindergarten at an older age were explained by kindergarten number competence. The findings show the importance of early number competence for setting children's learning trajectories in elementary school mathematics. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved

Early Math Matters: Kindergarten Number Competence and Later Mathematics Outcomes

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nancy C.; Kaplan, David; Ramineni, Chaitanya; Locuniak, Maria N.

2009-01-01

Children’s number competencies over 6 time points, from the beginning of kindergarten to the middle of 1st grade, were examined in relation to their mathematics achievement over 5 later time points, from the end of 1st grade to the end of 3rd grade. The relation between early number competence and mathematics achievement was strong and significant throughout the study period. A sequential process growth curve model showed that kindergarten number competence predicted rate of growth in mathematics achievement between 1st and 3rd grades as well as achievement level through 3rd grade. Further, rate of growth in early number competence predicted mathematics performance level in 3rd grade. Although low-income children performed more poorly than their middle-income counterparts in mathematics achievement and progressed at a slower rate, their performance and growth were mediated through relatively weak kindergarten number competence. Similarly, the better performance and faster growth of children who entered kindergarten at an older age were explained by kindergarten number competence. The findings show the importance of early number competence for setting children’s learning trajectories in elementary school mathematics. PMID:19413436

Impact of time allocation practices on academic outcomes for students from a 2-campus pharmacy school.

PubMed

Congdon, Heather Brennan; Morgan, Jill A; Lebovitz, Lisa

2014-12-15

To assess how students from 2 campuses spent their time during P1-P3 (first through third) years, and whether that time allocation impacted their APPE grades and NAPLEX performance. Data from 2 graduating classes were gathered, including baseline student demographics, academic performance, licensing examination scores and pass rates, and an annual internal student survey. For the survey, students were asked how much time they spent each week on class attendance, watching recorded lectures, studying and course-related activities, school-sponsored extracurricular activities, and work. Data was analyzed by campus for the 3 years (P1-P3) and then evaluated separately as individual academic years. There were statistical differences between campuses in attending class, watching recorded lectures, and participating in school activities. However, there was no statistical difference between the 2 campuses in APPE grades, NAPLEX scores, or pass rates. How students from these 2 campuses spent their time during pharmacy school was not predictive of academic success.

Impact of Time Allocation Practices on Academic Outcomes for Students from a 2-Campus Pharmacy School

PubMed Central

Morgan, Jill A.; Lebovitz, Lisa

2014-01-01

Objective: To assess how students from 2 campuses spent their time during P1-P3 (first through third) years, and whether that time allocation impacted their APPE grades and NAPLEX performance. Methods: Data from 2 graduating classes were gathered, including baseline student demographics, academic performance, licensing examination scores and pass rates, and an annual internal student survey. For the survey, students were asked how much time they spent each week on class attendance, watching recorded lectures, studying and course-related activities, school-sponsored extracurricular activities, and work. Data was analyzed by campus for the 3 years (P1-P3) and then evaluated separately as individual academic years. Results: There were statistical differences between campuses in attending class, watching recorded lectures, and participating in school activities. However, there was no statistical difference between the 2 campuses in APPE grades, NAPLEX scores, or pass rates. Conclusion: How students from these 2 campuses spent their time during pharmacy school was not predictive of academic success. PMID:25657366

Predictors of unwanted exposure to online pornography and online sexual solicitation of youth.

PubMed

Chang, Fong-Ching; Chiu, Chiung-Hui; Miao, Nae-Fang; Chen, Ping-Hung; Lee, Ching-Mei; Chiang, Jeng-Tung

2016-06-01

This study examined factors associated with the unwanted exposure to online pornography and unwanted online sexual solicitation victimization and perpetration of youth in Taiwan. A total of 2315 students from 26 high schools were assessed in the 10th grade, with follow-up performed in the 11th grade. Self-administered questionnaires were collected. Multivariate analysis results indicated that higher levels of online game use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, depression, and cyberbullying experiences predicted online sexual solicitation victimization, while higher levels of Internet chat room use, pornography media exposure, Internet risk behaviors, cyberbullying experiences, and offline sexual harassment predicted online sexual solicitation perpetration. © The Author(s) 2014.

Vocabulary knowledge mediates the link between socioeconomic status and word learning in grade school.

PubMed

Maguire, Mandy J; Schneider, Julie M; Middleton, Anna E; Ralph, Yvonne; Lopez, Michael; Ackerman, Robert A; Abel, Alyson D

2018-02-01

The relationship between children's slow vocabulary growth and the family's low socioeconomic status (SES) has been well documented. However, previous studies have often focused on infants or preschoolers and primarily used static measures of vocabulary at multiple time points. To date, there is no research investigating whether SES predicts a child's word learning abilities in grade school and, if so, what mediates this relationship. In this study, 68 children aged 8-15 years performed a written word learning from context task that required using the surrounding text to identify the meaning of an unknown word. Results revealed that vocabulary knowledge significantly mediated the relationship between SES (as measured by maternal education) and word learning. This was true despite the fact that the words in the linguistic context surrounding the target word are typically acquired well before 8 years of age. When controlling for vocabulary, word learning from written context was not predicted by differences in reading comprehension, decoding, or working memory. These findings reveal that differences in vocabulary growth between grade school children from low and higher SES homes are likely related to differences in the process of word learning more than knowledge of surrounding words or reading skills. Specifically, children from lower SES homes are not as effective at using known vocabulary to build a robust semantic representation of incoming text to identify the meaning of an unknown word. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The perceived and built environment surrounding urban schools and physical activity among adolescent girls.

PubMed

Hager, Erin R; Witherspoon, Dawn O; Gormley, Candice; Latta, Laura W; Pepper, M Reese; Black, Maureen M

2013-02-01

Neighborhood perceived/built environment and physical activity (PA) associations have been examined for adolescents around homes, but not surrounding schools. The purpose of this paper is to examine if positive perceptions/built environment in neighborhoods surrounding schools predict PA among low-income, urban adolescent girls. Measures include: minutes in moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA, ankle accelerometry), perceptions of the school environment (questionnaire), built environment (neighborhood audit). Analyses include multi-level models. Two hundred twenty-four sixth and seventh grade girls [mean(sd) age = 12.1(0.7) years] from 12 schools serving low-income, primarily African American communities; mean MVPA 35.4 min (mean days assessed = 5.8). Girls in schools with more positive perceptions of the neighborhood environment surrounding the school were less active (β = 7.2, p = 0.043). Having "places to go within walking distance" (perceptions) and number of food stores near school (built environment) positively relate to MVPA (β = 5.5, p = 0.042 and β = 0.59, p = 0.047). Among neighborhoods surrounding urban schools, positive perceptions do not predict PA; accessibility, via both perceived and built environment, support PA.

Family Instability and Child Maladjustment Trajectories During Elementary School

PubMed Central

Milan, Stephanie; Pinderhughes, Ellen E.

2009-01-01

This study examines the relation between family instability and child maladjustment over a 6-year period in 369 children from four communities. Measures were collected annually from kindergarten through fifth grade. In associative growth curve models, family instability trajectories predicted children's externalizing and internalizing behavior trajectories during this time period. High levels of family instability also incrementally predicted the likelihood of meeting criteria for a DSMIV diagnosis during elementary school, above and beyond prediction from earlier measures of maladjustment. However, the timing of family instability had a different effect on externalizing versus internalizing disorders. In general, stronger relations were found between family instability and externalizing behaviors relative to internalizing behaviors, although children with comorbid disorders experienced the highest levels of family instability. PMID:16557358

Who succeeds at dental school? Factors predicting students' academic performance in a dental school in republic of Korea.

PubMed

Ihm, Jung-Joon; Lee, Gene; Kim, Kack-Kyun; Jang, Ki-Taeg; Jin, Bo-Hyoung

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine what cognitive and non-cognitive factors were responsible for predicting the academic performance of dental students in a dental school in the Republic of Korea. This school is one of those in Korea that now require applicants to have a bachelor's degree. In terms of cognitive factors, students' undergraduate grade point average (GPA) and Dental Education Eligibility Test (DEET) scores were used, while surveys were conducted to evaluate four non-cognitive measures: locus of control, self-esteem, self-directed learning, and interpersonal skills. A total of 353 students matriculating at Seoul National University School of Dentistry in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 consented to the collection of records and completed the surveys. The main finding was that applicants who scored higher on internal locus of control and self-efficacy were more likely to be academically successful dental students. Self-directed learning was significantly associated with students ranked in the top 50 percent in cumulative GPA. However, students' interpersonal skills were negatively related to their academic performance. In particular, students' lack of achievement could be predicted by monitoring their first-year GPA. Therefore, the identification of those factors to predict dental school performance has implications for the dental curriculum and effective pedagogy in dental education.

Mexican-origin Early Adolescents' Ethnic Socialization, Ethnic Identity, and Psychosocial Functioning.

PubMed

Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J; O'Donnell, Megan; Knight, George P; Roosa, Mark W; Berkel, Cady; Nair, Rajni

2014-02-01

The current study examined how parental ethnic socialization informed adolescents' ethnic identity development and, in turn, youths' psychosocial functioning (i.e., mental health, social competence, academic efficacy, externalizing behaviors) among 749 Mexican-origin families. In addition, school ethnic composition was examined as a moderator of these associations. Findings indicated that mothers' and fathers' ethnic socialization were significant longitudinal predictors of adolescents' ethnic identity, although fathers' ethnic socialization interacted significantly with youths' school ethnic composition in 5 th grade to influence ethnic identity in 7 th grade. Furthermore, adolescents' ethnic identity was significantly associated with increased academic self-efficacy and social competence, and decreased depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors. Findings support theoretical predictions regarding the central role parents play in Mexican-origin adolescents' normative developmental processes and adjustment and, importantly, underscore the need to consider variability that is introduced into these processes by features of the social context such as school ethnic composition.

The Role of Mothers' Communication in Promoting Motivation for Math and Science Course-Taking in High School.

PubMed

Hyde, Janet S; Canning, Elizabeth A; Rozek, Christopher S; Clarke, Emily; Hulleman, Chris S; Harackiewicz, Judith M

2017-03-01

In the context of concerns about American youths' failure to take advanced math and science (MS) courses in high school, we examined mothers' communication with their adolescent about taking MS courses. At ninth grade, U.S. mothers (n = 130) were interviewed about their responses to hypothetical questions from their adolescent about the usefulness of algebra, geometry, calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics. Responses were coded for elaboration and making personal connections to the adolescent. The number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses taken in 12th grade was obtained from school records. Mothers' use of personal connections predicted adolescents' MS interest and utility value, as well as actual MS course-taking. Parents can play an important role in motivating their adolescent to take MS courses. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Research on Adolescence © 2016 Society for Research on Adolescence.

First-grade classroom behavior: its short- and long-term consequences for school performance.

PubMed

Alexander, K L; Entwisle, D R; Dauber, S L

1993-06-01

Effects of children's classroom behavior on school performance over a 4-year period are examined for a large, representative panel of beginning first graders. Scales developed from homeroom teachers' ratings of children in the spring of their first, second, and fourth years of school are used to predict spring marks in reading and math and spring scores on verbal and quantitative subtests from the CAT battery. The teachers' ratings cluster in three domains: Interest-Participation (I-P), Cooperation-Compliance (C-C), and Attention Span-Restlessness (A-R). The I-P and A-R ratings, but not C-C ratings, affect test score gains in first grade and marks in all 3 years. Behavior ratings from Year 1 also affect Year 2 and Year 4 performance, with indications that effects are understated over single-year periods. The importance of assessing classroom behavior in a longitudinal framework that allows for lagged and cumulative effects is discussed.

Mexican-origin Early Adolescents’ Ethnic Socialization, Ethnic Identity, and Psychosocial Functioning

PubMed Central

Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; O’Donnell, Megan; Knight, George P.; Roosa, Mark W.; Berkel, Cady; Nair, Rajni

2013-01-01

The current study examined how parental ethnic socialization informed adolescents’ ethnic identity development and, in turn, youths’ psychosocial functioning (i.e., mental health, social competence, academic efficacy, externalizing behaviors) among 749 Mexican-origin families. In addition, school ethnic composition was examined as a moderator of these associations. Findings indicated that mothers’ and fathers’ ethnic socialization were significant longitudinal predictors of adolescents’ ethnic identity, although fathers’ ethnic socialization interacted significantly with youths’ school ethnic composition in 5th grade to influence ethnic identity in 7th grade. Furthermore, adolescents’ ethnic identity was significantly associated with increased academic self-efficacy and social competence, and decreased depressive symptoms and externalizing behaviors. Findings support theoretical predictions regarding the central role parents play in Mexican-origin adolescents’ normative developmental processes and adjustment and, importantly, underscore the need to consider variability that is introduced into these processes by features of the social context such as school ethnic composition. PMID:24465033

Predicting the At Risk Status of College Students: Males and Students with Disabilities. Final Report Presented to PAREA, Spring 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Shirley; Fichten, Catherine; Havel, Alice

2009-01-01

The main aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of why students abandon their studies, or perform less well than expected given their high school grades, and to develop predictive models that can help identify those students most at-risk at the time they enter college. This will allow teachers and those responsible for student…

Does Competition among Schools Encourage Grade Inflation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Patrick

2010-01-01

This paper considers whether high schools in competitive environments use grade inflation to attract and retain families, perhaps in addition to more constructive responses. Two measures of grade inflation are used: the cutoffs used by each school to assign a letter grade to a percent score and high school grade point average after controlling for…

Association of Grade Configuration with School Climate for 7th and 8th Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Marisa; Cornell, Dewey; Shukla, Kathan

2017-01-01

Educational authorities have questioned whether middle schools provide the best school climate for 7th and 8th grade students, and proposed that other grade configurations such as K-8th grade schools may provide a better learning environment. The purpose of this study was to compare 7th and 8th grade students' perceptions of 4 key features of…

Individual differences in early adolescents' beliefs in the legitimacy of parental authority.

PubMed

Kuhn, Emily S; Laird, Robert D

2011-09-01

Adolescents differ in the extent to which they believe that parents have legitimate authority to impose rules restricting adolescents' behavior. The purpose of the current study was to test predictors of individual differences in legitimacy beliefs during the middle school years. Annually, during the summers following Grades 5, 6, and 7, early adolescents (n = 218; 51% female, 47% African American, 73% in 2-parent homes) reported their beliefs regarding the legitimacy of parents' rules that restrict and monitor adolescents' free time activities. Cross-lagged analyses revealed that legitimacy beliefs were bidirectionally associated with independent decision making, psychological control, antisocial peer involvement, and resistance to control. Legitimacy beliefs declined more rapidly during the middle school years for boys than for girls and for adolescents who were older relative to their classmates. More independent decision making in Grades 5 and 6 predicted larger than expected declines in legitimacy beliefs in Grades 6 and 7. In sum, legitimacy beliefs weaken developmentally, and weaker legitimacy beliefs relative to same-grade peers are anteceded by premature autonomous experiences, psychological control, and adolescent attributes.

Textual production of children without learning difficulties.

PubMed

Santos, Maria Aparecida Gonçalves dos; Hage, Simone Rocha de Vasconcellos

2015-01-01

To characterize the writing skills of students, to compare the performance of students in public and private schools, and to identify enhancements in the course of the school year. Three texts (narrative, game rules description, and a note or letter) written by 160 students from public and private schools were analyzed based on a specific protocol. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. To compare the overall performance by the protocol between school grades, the Kruskal-Wallis and Miller tests were used, and to compare results as to schools (private and public), Mann-Whitney test was used. Median values of aesthetic aspects, coherence, clarity, and concision for game rules description among public school students remained one point below the top score. Students from private schools achieved the highest score at medians. When comparing schools, private institutions had students with better performances, with significant difference. As to grades, statistical difference was found between the fourth and sixth grades of public schools and between the fourth and fifth grades of private schools. Most of the private school children showed consolidation of skills assessed in the different grades. However, public school children had this consolidation only at the sixth grade. Students from private schools had better performances compared to those from public schools. There is tendency to evolution from the fourth to sixth grades in public schools. However, the overall performance is similar in all grades in private schools.

Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Motivation, Race, and Gender in Middle School Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Britner, Shari L.; Pajares, Frank

The purpose of this study was to discover whether the science motivation beliefs of middle school students (N = 262) vary as a function of their gender or race/ethnicity and to determine whether science self-efficacy beliefs predict science achievement when motivation variables shown to predict achievement in other academic areas are controlled. Girls reported stronger science self-efficacy and self-efficacy for self-regulation, and they received higher grades in science. Boys had stronger performance-approach goals. White students had stronger self-efficacy and achievement, and African American students reported stronger task goals. Self-efficacy was the only motivation variable to predict the science achievement of girls, boys, and White students. Self-efficacy and self-concept predicted the science achievement of African American students. Results are interpreted from the perspective of Bandura's social cognitive theory.

Medical school applicants from ethnic minority groups: identifying if and when they are disadvantaged.

PubMed Central

McManus, I. C.; Richards, P.; Winder, B. C.; Sproston, K. A.; Styles, V.

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To assess whether people from ethnic minority groups are less likely to be accepted at British medical schools, and to explore the mechanisms of disadvantage. DESIGN--Prospective study of a national cohort of medical school applicants. SETTING--All 28 medical schools in the United Kingdom. SUBJECTS--6901 subjects who had applied through the Universities' Central Council on Admissions in 1990 to study medicine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Offers and acceptance at medical school by ethnic group. RESULTS--Applicants from ethnic minority groups constituted 26.3% of those applying to medical school. They were less likely to be accepted, partly because they were less well qualified and applied later. Nevertheless, taking educational and some other predictors into account, applicants from ethnic minority groups were 1.46 times (95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.74) less likely to be accepted. Having a European surname predicted acceptance better than ethnic origin itself, implying direct discrimination rather than disadvantage secondary to other possible differences between white and non-white applicants. Applicants from ethnic minority groups fared significantly less well in 12 of the 28 British medical schools. Analysis of the selection process suggests that medical schools make fewer offers to such applicants than to others with equivalent estimated A level grades. CONCLUSIONS--People from ethnic minority groups applying to medical school are disadvantaged, principally because ethnic origin is assessed from a candidate's surname; the disadvantage has diminished since 1986. For subjects applying before A level the mechanism is that less credit is given to referees' estimates of A level grades. Selection would be fairer if (a) application forms were anonymous; (b) forms did not include estimates of A level grades; and (c) selection took place after A level results are known. PMID:7888888

Peer Victimization and Social Alienation: Predicting Deviant Peer Affiliation in Middle School

PubMed Central

Rudolph, Karen D.; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Agoston, Anna Monica; Sugimura, Niwako; Schwartz, David; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.

2013-01-01

Two prospective studies examined a theoretical model wherein exposure to victimization, resulting from early behavioral risk, heightens children’s social alienation and subsequent deviant peer affiliation (DPA). Across Study 1 (298 girls, 287 boys; K – 7th grade; 5 – 12 years) and Study 2 (338 girls, 298 boys; 2nd – 6th grade; 7 – 11 years), children, parents, peers, and teachers reported on children’s externalizing behavior and internalizing symptoms, peer victimization, social alienation, and DPA. Path analyses supported the proposed pathway: Peer victimization predicted social alienation, which then predicted DPA. Early externalizing behavior set this path in motion and made an independent contribution to DPA. This research identifies an important pathway through which externalizing behavior and consequent peer victimization launch children onto a risky social trajectory. PMID:23621796

Work Ethic and Academic Performance: Predicting Citizenship and Counterproductive Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meriac, John P.

2012-01-01

In this study, work ethic was examined as a predictor of academic performance, compared with standardized test scores and high school grade point average (GPA). Academic performance was expanded to include student organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and student counterproductive behavior, comprised of cheating and disengagement, in addition…

A Test of Biosocial Models of Adolescent Cigarette and Alcohol Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foshee, Vangie A.; Ennett, Susan T.; Bauman, Karl E.; Granger, Douglas A.; Benefield, Thad; Suchindran, Chirayath; Hussong, Andrea M.; Karriker-Jaffe, Katherine J.; DuRant, Robert H.

2007-01-01

The authors test biosocial models that posit interactions between biological variables (testosterone, estradiol, pubertal status, and pubertal timing) and social context variables (family, peer, school, and neighborhood) in predicting adolescent involvement with cigarettes and alcohol in a sample of 409 adolescents in Grades 6 and 8. Models…

Selective Attention, Anxiety, Depressive Symptomatology and Academic Performance in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez-Castillo, Antonio; Gutierrez-Rojas, Maria Esperanza

2009-01-01

Introduction: In this cross-sectional, descriptive research we studied the relation between three psychological variables (anxiety, depression and attention) in order to analyze their possible association with and predictive power for academic achievement (as expressed in school grades) in a sample of secondary students. Method: For this purpose…

Prospective Relations between Organized Activity Participation and Psychopathology during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohnert, Amy M.; Garber, Judy

2007-01-01

This longitudinal study examined psychopathology as a predictor and outcome of organized activity involvement during high school among 198 adolescents who varied in risk for psychopathology as a function of their mother's depression history. Higher levels of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in eighth grade significantly predicted lower…

Opening the World of Mathematics: The Daily Math Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donoahue, Zoe

2016-01-01

During the author's everyday math discussions with her class, young children talk about mathematical ideas, theories, and concepts within a predictable structure. These discussions include many concepts from--and beyond--the first-grade math curriculum, and their depth and complexity build throughout the school year. Concepts and skills include…

Academic Procrastination and Motivation of Adolescents in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klassen, Robert M.; Kuzucu, Elcin

2009-01-01

This article presents a study of academic procrastination and associated motivation variables in 508 adolescents from a general secondary school in central Turkey. Girls reported higher levels of self-efficacy for self-regulation and predicted higher Turkish grades than boys, but there was no difference in levels of procrastination. Academic…

Minibeasts and Butterflies. First Grade. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defendorf, Jean, Ed.

This publication provides information and activities for teaching about insects and process skills including observing, classifying, collecting and interpreting data, inferring, measuring, and predicting. There are 13 lessons. Lessons 1 through 3 deal with insects, in general, and with moths and butterflies. Lessons 4 through 7 consist of…

School climate and bullying victimization: a latent class growth model analysis.

PubMed

Gage, Nicholas A; Prykanowski, Debra A; Larson, Alvin

2014-09-01

Researchers investigating school-level approaches for bullying prevention are beginning to discuss and target school climate as a construct that (a) may predict prevalence and (b) be an avenue for school-wide intervention efforts (i.e., increasing positive school climate). Although promising, research has not fully examined and established the social-ecological link between school climate factors and bullying/peer aggression. To address this gap, we examined the association between school climate factors and bullying victimization for 4,742 students in Grades 3-12 across 3 school years in a large, very diverse urban school district using latent class growth modeling. Across 3 different models (elementary, secondary, and transition to middle school), a 3-class model was identified, which included students at high-risk for bullying victimization. Results indicated that, for all students, respect for diversity and student differences (e.g., racial diversity) predicted within-class decreases in reports of bullying. High-risk elementary students reported that adult support in school was a significant predictor of within-class reduction of bullying, and high-risk secondary students report peer support as a significant predictor of within-class reduction of bullying. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

After-school time use in Taiwan: effects on educational achievement and well-being.

PubMed

Chen, Su Yen; Lu, Luo

2009-01-01

Western studies have linked adolescents' time spent on homework, structured activities, various kinds of leisure involvement, and part-time employment with their academic achievement and psychological adjustment, but little is known about the after-school pursuits of Chinese students and their associations with adolescents' development. Using a nationally representative sample in Taiwan, this study investigated how time spent on nine after-school activities during the eleventh grade helped predict educational achievement and depression symptoms during the twelfth grade, in addition to previous achievement and depression level and background variables. The findings of this study confirmed and extended the extant literature that time spent on homework, after-class academic-enrichment programs, and private cram schools positively affected adolescents' educational achievement; however, time spent on private cram schools was negatively associated with their psychological well-being. In addition, inconsistent with the findings of many Western studies, this study's results did not support a positive effect of participating in school-based extracurricular activities on educational achievement and psychological well-being. Finally, time spent on working part-time and watching TV was found to be detrimental to achievement, but time spent playing Internet games appeared to be negatively associated with depression symptoms.

Bullying as a Longitudinal Predictor of Adolescent Dating Violence

PubMed Central

Foshee, Vangie A.; Reyes, Heath Luz McNaughton; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M.; Basile, Kathleen C.; Chang, Ling-Yin; Faris, Robert; Ennett, Susan T.

2015-01-01

Purpose One suggested approach to preventing adolescent dating violence is to prevent behavioral precursors to dating violence, such as bullying. However, no longitudinal study has examined bullying as a behavioral precursor to dating violence. In this study, longitudinal data were used to examine (1) whether direct and indirect bullying perpetration in the sixth grade predicted the onset of physical dating violence perpetration by the eighth grade and (2) whether the associations varied by sex and race/ethnicity of the adolescent. Methods Data were collected in school from sixth graders in three primarily rural counties and then again when students were in the eighth grade. Analyses were conducted with 1,154 adolescents who had not perpetrated dating violence at the sixth-grade assessment. The sample was 47% male, 29% black, and 10% of another race/ethnicity than black or white. Results Direct bullying, defined as hitting, slapping, or picking on another kid in the sixth grade, predicted the onset of physical dating violence perpetration by the eighth grade, controlling for indirect bullying and potential confounders. Although indirect bullying, defined as spreading false rumors and excluding students from friendship groups, was associated with the onset of physical dating violence perpetration in bivariate analyses, it did not predict the onset of physical dating violence when controlling for direct bullying. None of the associations examined varied by sex or race/ethnicity of the adolescents. Conclusions Our findings suggest that efforts targeted at preventing direct bullying may also prevent the onset of physical dating violence. PMID:24768162

Failing to progress or progressing to fail? Age-for-grade heterogeneity and grade repetition in primary schools in Karonga district, northern Malawi

PubMed Central

Sunny, Bindu S.; Elze, Markus; Chihana, Menard; Gondwe, Levie; Crampin, Amelia C.; Munkhondya, Masoyaona; Kondowe, Scotch; Glynn, Judith R.

2018-01-01

Timely progression through school is an important measure for school performance, completion and the onset of other life transitions for adolescents. This study examines the risk factors for grade repetition and establishes the extent to which age-for-grade heterogeneity contributes to subsequent grade repetition at early and later stages of school. Using data from a demographic surveillance site in Karonga district, northern Malawi, a cohort of 8174 respondents (ages 5–24 years) in primary school was followed in 2010 and subsequent grade repetition observed in 2011. Grade repetition was more common among those at early (grades 1–3) and later (grades 7–8) stages of school, with little variation by sex. Being under-age or over-age in school has different implications on schooling outcomes, depending on the stage of schooling. After adjusting for other risk factors, boys and girls who were under-age at early stages were at least twice as likely to repeat a grade as those at the official age-for-grade (girls: adjusted OR 2.06 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 2.37 p < 0.01); while those over-age at early stages were about 30% less likely to repeat (girls: adjusted OR 0.65 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 0.72 p < 0.01). Being under/over-age at later grades (4–8) was not associated with subsequent repetition but being over-age was associated with dropout. Other risk factors identified that were associated with repetition included both family-level factors (living away from their mother, having young children in the household, lower paternal education) and school-level factors (higher student-teacher ratio, proportion of female teachers and schools without access to water). Reducing direct and indirect costs of schooling for households; and improving school quality and resources at early stages of school may enable timely progression at early stages for greater retention at later stages. PMID:29391662

Failing to progress or progressing to fail? Age-for-grade heterogeneity and grade repetition in primary schools in Karonga district, northern Malawi.

PubMed

Sunny, Bindu S; Elze, Markus; Chihana, Menard; Gondwe, Levie; Crampin, Amelia C; Munkhondya, Masoyaona; Kondowe, Scotch; Glynn, Judith R

2017-01-01

Timely progression through school is an important measure for school performance, completion and the onset of other life transitions for adolescents. This study examines the risk factors for grade repetition and establishes the extent to which age-for-grade heterogeneity contributes to subsequent grade repetition at early and later stages of school. Using data from a demographic surveillance site in Karonga district, northern Malawi, a cohort of 8174 respondents (ages 5-24 years) in primary school was followed in 2010 and subsequent grade repetition observed in 2011. Grade repetition was more common among those at early (grades 1-3) and later (grades 7-8) stages of school, with little variation by sex. Being under-age or over-age in school has different implications on schooling outcomes, depending on the stage of schooling. After adjusting for other risk factors, boys and girls who were under-age at early stages were at least twice as likely to repeat a grade as those at the official age-for-grade (girls: adjusted OR 2.06 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 2.37 p < 0.01); while those over-age at early stages were about 30% less likely to repeat (girls: adjusted OR 0.65 p < 0.01; boys: adjusted OR 0.72 p < 0.01). Being under/over-age at later grades (4-8) was not associated with subsequent repetition but being over-age was associated with dropout. Other risk factors identified that were associated with repetition included both family-level factors (living away from their mother, having young children in the household, lower paternal education) and school-level factors (higher student-teacher ratio, proportion of female teachers and schools without access to water). Reducing direct and indirect costs of schooling for households; and improving school quality and resources at early stages of school may enable timely progression at early stages for greater retention at later stages.

Too much of a good thing? How breadth of extracurricular participation relates to school-related affect and academic outcomes during adolescence.

PubMed

Knifsend, Casey A; Graham, Sandra

2012-03-01

Although adolescents often participate in multiple extracurricular activities, little research has examined how the breadth of activities in which an adolescent is involved relates to school-related affect and academic performance. Relying on a large, multi-ethnic sample (N = 864; 55.9% female), the current study investigated linear and non-linear relationships of 11th grade activity participation in four activity domains (academic/leadership groups, arts activities, clubs, and sports) to adolescents' sense of belonging at school, academic engagement, and grade point average, contemporarily and in 12th grade. Results of multiple regression models revealed curvilinear relationships for sense of belonging at school in 11th and 12th grade, grade point average in 11th grade, and academic engagement in 12th grade. Adolescents who were moderately involved (i.e., in two domains) reported a greater sense of belonging at school in 11th and 12th grade, a higher grade point average in 11th grade, and greater academic engagement in 12th grade, relative to those who were more or less involved. Furthermore, adolescents' sense of belonging at school in 11th grade mediated the relationship of domain participation in 11th grade to academic engagement in 12th grade. This study suggests that involvement in a moderate number of activity domains promotes positive school-related affect and greater academic performance. School policy implications and recommendations are discussed.

Predictors of change in depressive symptoms from preschool to first grade.

PubMed

Reinfjell, Trude; Kårstad, Silja Berg; Berg-Nielsen, Turid Suzanne; Luby, Joan L; Wichstrøm, Lars

2016-11-01

Children's depressive symptoms in the transition from preschool to school are rarely investigated. We therefore tested whether children's temperament (effortful control and negative affect), social skills, child psychopathology, environmental stressors (life events), parental accuracy of predicting their child's emotion understanding (parental accuracy), parental emotional availability, and parental depression predict changes in depressive symptoms from preschool to first grade. Parents of a community sample of 995 4-year-olds were interviewed using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. The children and parents were reassessed when the children started first grade (n = 795). The results showed that DSM-5 defined depressive symptoms increased. Child temperamental negative affect and parental depression predicted increased, whereas social skills predicted decreased, depressive symptoms. However, such social skills were only protective among children with low and medium effortful control. Further, high parental accuracy proved protective among children with low effortful control and high negative affect. Thus, interventions that treat parental depression may be important for young children. Children with low effortful control and high negative affect may especially benefit from having parents who accurately perceive their emotional understanding. Efforts to enhance social skills may prove particularly important for children with low or medium effortful control.

Predictive Power of the Sources of Primary School Students' Self-Efficacy Beliefs on Their Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Learning and Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Ali

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to reveal the extent to which the sources of 6th- 8th grade students' self-efficacy beliefs predict their self-efficacy beliefs for learning and performance. The study is correlational and was conducted on a total of 1049 students during the fall term of the educational year 2010-2011. The data of the study were…

Reproducibility of the School-Based Nutrition Monitoring Questionnaire among Fourth-Grade Students in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penkilo, Monica; George, Goldy Chacko; Hoelscher, Deanna M.

2008-01-01

Objective: To assess reproducibility of a School-Based Nutrition Monitoring (SBNM) questionnaire for fourth-grade students. Design: Test-retest. Setting: Fourth-grade elementary school classrooms. Participants: Multiethnic fourth-grade students from 2 area school districts (N = 322). Main Outcome Measures: Reproducibility coefficients with time…

How (and How Much) Do Schools Matter? Variation in K-8th Grade Achievement Trajectories in a National Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Kate; Cappella, Elise; Scott, Marc; Seidman, Edward; Kim, Ha Yeon

2015-01-01

The current study extends research on the transition to early adolescence and middle grade schools by examining students' achievement trajectories from school entry through 8th grade in a national sample, and beginning to disassociate the role of school context and school grade configuration in achievement trajectories. Data were drawn from the…

Examining the accuracy of students' self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sticca, Fabio; Goetz, Thomas; Bieg, Madeleine; Hall, Nathan C; Eberle, Franz; Haag, Ludwig

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students' self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research.

Examining the accuracy of students’ self-reported academic grades from a correlational and a discrepancy perspective: Evidence from a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Goetz, Thomas

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reliability of self-reported academic grades across three phases in four subject domains for a sample of 916 high-school students. Self-reported grades were found to be highly positively correlated with actual grades in all academic subjects and across grades 9 to 11 underscoring the reliability of self-reported grades as an achievement indicator. Reliability of self-reported grades was found to differ across subject areas (e.g., mathematics self-reports more reliable than language studies), with a slight yet consistent tendency to over-report achievement levels also observed across grade levels and academic subjects. Overall, the absolute value of over- and underreporting was low and these patterns were not found to differ between mathematics and verbal subjects. In sum, study findings demonstrate the consistent predictive utility of students’ self-reported achievement across grade levels and subject areas with the observed tendency to over-report academic grades and slight differences between domains nonetheless warranting consideration in future education research. PMID:29112979

Lessons learned from 15 years of non-grades-based selection for medical school.

PubMed

Stegers-Jager, Karen M

2018-01-01

Thirty years ago, it was suggested in the Edinburgh Declaration that medical school applicants should be selected not only on academic, but also on non-academic, attributes. The main rationale behind extending medical school selection procedures with the evaluation of (non-academic) personal qualities is that this will lead to the selection of students who will perform better as a doctor than those who are selected on the basis of academic measures only. A second rationale is the expectation that this will lead to a representative health workforce as a result of reduced adverse impact. The aims of this paper are (i) to describe what can be learned about the use of selection criteria other than grades from over 15 years of Dutch experience and (ii) to summarise current knowledge on the issue of adverse impact in relation to non-grades-based selection. A narrative review was undertaken of the (published) evidence that has resulted from non-grades-based school-specific selection procedures in the Netherlands and from recent explorations of the effect of the use of non-grades-based selection criteria on student diversity. The Dutch evidence is grouped into five key themes: the effect of participation in voluntary selection procedures, the assessment of pre-university extracurricular activities, the use of work samples, Dutch experiences with situational judgement tests and the effects of changing circumstances. This is followed by several lessons learned for medical schools that aim to increase their student diversity. Over the last 30 years, important steps towards reliable and valid methods for measuring non-academic abilities have been taken. The current paper describes several lessons that can be learned from the steps taken in the Dutch context. The importance of sharing evidence gathered around the globe and building on this evidence to reach our goal of predicting who will be a good doctor is acknowledged. © 2017 The Authors. Medical Education published by Association for the Study of Medical Education and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Predictors of reading fluency in Italian orthography: evidence from a cross-sectional study of primary school students.

PubMed

Tobia, Valentina; Marzocchi, Gian Marco

2014-01-01

This study investigates the role of linguistic and visuospatial attentional processes in predicting reading fluency in typical Italian readers attending primary school. Tasks were administered to 651 children with reading fluency z scores > -1.5 standard deviation to evaluate their phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), verbal short-term memory, vocabulary, visual search skills, verbal-visual recall, and visual-spatial attention. Hybrid models combining confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis were used to evaluate the data obtained from younger (first and second grade) and older (third-fifth grade) children, respectively. The results showed that phonological awareness and RAN played a significant role among younger children, while also vocabulary, verbal short-term memory, and visuospatial attention were significant factors among older children.

Does school suspension affect subsequent youth nonviolent antisocial behavior? A longitudinal study of students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States

PubMed Central

Hemphill, Sheryl A.; Kotevski, Aneta; Herrenkohl, Todd I.; Smith, Rachel; Toumbourou, John W.; Catalano, Richard F.

2013-01-01

School suspension has been not only associated with negative behaviours but is predictive of future poor outcomes. The current study investigates a) whether school suspension is a unique predictor of youth nonviolent antisocial behaviour (NVAB) relative to other established predictors, and b) whether the predictors of NVAB are similar in Australia and the United States (U.S.). The data analysed here draws on two state-wide representative samples of Grade 7 and 9 students in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, U.S., resurveyed at 12-month follow-up (N = 3,677, 99% retention). School suspension did not uniquely predict NVAB in the final model. The predictors of NVAB, similar across states, included previous student NVAB; current alcohol and tobacco use; poor family management; association with antisocial friends; and low commitment to school. An implication of the findings is that U.S. evidence-based prevention programs targeting the influences investigated here could be trialled in Australia. PMID:24860192

Associations of medical student personality and health/wellness characteristics with their medical school performance across the curriculum.

PubMed

Haight, Scott J; Chibnall, John T; Schindler, Debra L; Slavin, Stuart J

2012-04-01

To assess the relationships of cognitive and noncognitive performance predictors to medical student preclinical and clinical performance indicators across medical school years 1 to 3 and to evaluate the association of psychological health/wellness factors with performance. In 2010, the authors conducted a cross-sectional, correlational, retrospective study of all 175 students at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine who had just completed their third (first clinical) year. Students were asked to complete assessments of personality, stress, anxiety, depression, social support, and community cohesion. Performance measures included total Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score, preclinical academic grades, National Board of Medical Examiners subject exam scores, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score, clinical evaluations, and Humanism in Medicine Honor Society nominations. A total of 152 students (87%) participated. MCAT scores predicted cognitive performance indicators (academic tests), whereas personality variables (conscientiousness, extraversion, empathy) predicted noncognitive indicators (clinical evaluations, humanism nominations). Conscientiousness predicted all clinical skills, extraversion predicted clinical skills reflecting interpersonal behavior, and empathy predicted motivation. Health/wellness variables had limited associations with performance. In multivariate analyses that included control for shelf exam scores, conscientiousness predicted clinical evaluations, and extraversion and empathy predicted humanism nominations. This study identified two sets of skills (cognitive, noncognitive) used during medical school, with minimal overlap across the types of performance (e.g., exam performance versus clinical interpersonal skills) they predict. Medical school admission and evaluation efforts may need to be modified to reflect the importance of personality and other noncognitive factors.

Deconstructing the externalizing spectrum: Growth patterns of overt aggression, covert aggression, oppositional behavior, impulsivity/inattention, and emotion dysregulation between school entry and early adolescence

PubMed Central

Olson, Sheryl L.; Sameroff, Arnold J.; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Sexton, Holly; Davis-Kean, Pamela; Bates, John E.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Dodge, Kenneth A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether five subcomponents of children's externalizing behavior showed distinctive patterns of long-term growth and predictive correlates. We examined growth in teachers' ratings of overt aggression, covert aggression, oppositional defiance, impulsivity/inattention, and emotion dysregulation across three developmental periods spanning kindergarten through Grade 8 (ages 5–13 years). We also determined whether three salient background characteristics, family socioeconomic status, child ethnicity, and child gender, differentially predicted growth in discrete categories of child externalizing symptoms across development. Participants were 543 kindergarten-age children (52% male, 81% European American, 17% African American) whose problem behaviors were rated by teachers each successive year of development through Grade 8. Latent growth curve analyses were performed for each component scale, contrasting with overall externalizing, in a piecewise fashion encompassing three developmental periods: kindergarten–Grade 2, Grades 3–5, and Grades 6–8. We found that most subconstructs of externalizing behavior increased significantly across the early school age period relative to middle childhood and early adolescence. However, overt aggression did not show early positive growth, and emotion dysregulation significantly increased across middle childhood. Advantages of using subscales were most clear in relation to illustrating different growth functions between the discrete developmental periods. Moreover, growth in some discrete subcomponents was differentially associated with variations in family socioeconomic status and ethnicity. Our findings strongly affirmed the necessity of adopting a developmental approach to the analysis of growth in children's externalizing behavior and provided unique data concerning similarities and differences in growth between subconstructs of child and adolescent externalizing behavior. PMID:23880394

Causal modeling of secondary science students' intentions to enroll in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crawley, Frank E.; Black, Carolyn B.

The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of the theory of planned behavior model developed by social psychologists for understanding and predicting the behavioral intentions of secondary science students regarding enrolling in physics. In particular, the study used a three-stage causal model to investigate the links from external variables to behavioral, normative, and control beliefs; from beliefs to attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control; and from attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to behavioral intentions. The causal modeling method was employed to verify the underlying causes of secondary science students' interest in enrolling physics as predicted in the theory of planned behavior. Data were collected from secondary science students (N = 264) residing in a central Texas city who were enrolled in earth science (8th grade), biology (9th grade), physical science (10th grade), or chemistry (11th grade) courses. Cause-and-effect relationships were analyzed using path analysis to test the direct effects of model variables specified in the theory of planned behavior. Results of this study indicated that students' intention to enroll in a high school physics course was determined by their attitude toward enrollment and their degree of perceived behavioral control. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were, in turn, formed as a result of specific beliefs that students held about enrolling in physics. Grade level and career goals were found to be instrumental in shaping students' attitude. Immediate family members were identified as major referents in the social support system for enrolling in physics. Course and extracurricular conflicts and the fear of failure were shown to be the primary beliefs obstructing students' perception of control over physics enrollment. Specific recommendations are offered to researchers and practitioners for strengthening secondary school students' intentions to study physics.

Looking Forward to High School and College: Middle Grade Indicators of Readiness in Chicago Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allensworth, Elaine M.; Gwynne, Julia A.; Moore, Paul; de la Torre, Marisa

2014-01-01

There is a very large population of students who struggle with the transition from the middle grades to high school, raising concerns that high school failures are partially a function of poor middle grade preparation. As a result, middle grade practitioners are grappling with questions about what skills students need to succeed in high school,…

Academic adjustment across middle school: the role of public regard and parenting.

PubMed

McGill, Rebecca Kang; Hughes, Diane; Alicea, Stacey; Way, Niobe

2012-07-01

In the current longitudinal study, we examined associations between Black and Latino youths' perceptions of the public's opinion of their racial/ethnic group (i.e., public regard) and changes in academic adjustment outcomes across middle school. We also tested combinations of racial/ethnic socialization and parent involvement in academic activities as moderators of this association. We used a 2nd-order latent trajectory model to test changes in academic adjustment outcomes in a sample of 345 Black and Latino urban youth across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades (51% female). Results revealed a significant average linear decline in academic adjustment from 6th to 8th grade, as well as significant variation around this decline. We found that parenting moderated the association between public regard and the latent trajectory of academic adjustment. Specifically, for youth who reported high racial/ethnic socialization and low parent academic involvement, lower public regard predicted lower academic adjustment in 6th grade. For youth who reported both low racial/ethnic socialization and low parent academic involvement, lower public regard predicted a steeper decline in academic adjustment over time. Finally, among youth who reported high racial/ethnic socialization and high parent academic involvement, public regard was not associated with either the intercept or the slope of academic adjustment. Thus, the combination of high racial/ethnic socialization and parent academic involvement may protect youths' academic motivation and performance from the negative effects of believing the public has low opinions of one's racial/ethnic group. Implications for protecting Black and Latino youths' academic outcomes from decline during middle school are discussed.

Early Identification of Reading Comprehension Difficulties.

PubMed

Catts, Hugh W; Nielsen, Diane Corcoran; Bridges, Mindy Sittner; Liu, Yi-Syuan

2016-09-01

Most research on early identification of reading disabilities has focused on word reading problems and little attention has been given to reading comprehension difficulties. In this study, we investigated whether measures of language ability and/or response to language intervention in kindergarten uniquely predicted reading comprehension difficulties in third grade. A total of 366 children were administered a battery of screening measures at the beginning of kindergarten and progress monitoring probes across the school year. A subset of children also received a 26-week Tier 2 language intervention. Participants' achievement in word reading was assessed at the end of second grade, and their performance in reading comprehension was measured as the end of third grade. Results showed that measures of language ability in kindergarten significantly added to the prediction of reading comprehension difficulties over and above kindergarten word reading predictors and direct measures of word reading in second grade. Response to language intervention also proved to be a unique predictor of reading comprehension outcomes. Findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for the early identification of reading disabilities. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2014.

How Grading Reform Changed Our School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erickson, Jeffrey A.

2011-01-01

In the early 2000s, Minnetonka High School decided that it needed to develop a more consistent, transparent system of grading. The school focused its grading reform efforts on one principle: Grades should reflect only what a student knows and is able to do. As the school staff analyzed their policies and practices, they discovered many practices…

Does Competition among Schools Encourage Grade Inflation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Patrick

2010-01-01

This paper considers whether high schools in competitive environments use grade inflation to attract and retain families, perhaps in addition to more constructive responses. Two measures of grade inflation are used: the cutoffs used by each school to assign a letter grade to a percent score; and high school GPA after controlling for test scores, a…

Comparison of students from private and public schools on the spelling performance.

PubMed

Silva, Nathane Sanches Marques; Crenitte, Patrícia Abreu Pinheiro

2015-01-01

To compare the spelling ability of schoolchildren from the fourth to sixth grades of the elementary schools in the private and public schools of Bauru, São Paulo, and to verify whether errors are overcome as studies progress and the hierarchy of errors as to how often they occur. A dictation was applied to 384 schoolchildren: 206 from the private schools: 74 were at the fourth grade, 65 at the fifth grade, and 67 at the sixth grade; and 178 from the public schools; 56 at the fourth grade, 63 at the fifth grade, and 59 at the sixth grade of elementary school. Student's t test was used. In comparison of total spelling errors score, difference was found among the fourth and sixth grades of the private and public schools. Spelling errors decreased as education progressed, and those related to language irregularities were more common. Spelling ability and performance of students from the private and public schools are not similar in the fourth and sixth grades, but it is in the fifth grade. Spelling errors are gradually overcome as education progresses; however, this overcome rate was considerable between the fourth and fifth grades in the public schools. Decrease in the types of spelling errors follows a hierarchy of categories: phoneme/grapheme conversion, simple contextual rules, complex contextual rules, and language irregularities. Finally, the most common type of spelling error found was that related to language irregularities.

The Trajectories of Adolescents’ Perceptions of School Climate, Deviant Peer Affiliation, and Behavioral Problems During the Middle School Years

PubMed Central

Wang, Ming-Te; Dishion, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study examined trajectories of change in adolescents’ perceptions of four dimensions of school climate (academic support, behavior management, teacher social support, peer social support) and the effects of such trajectories on adolescent problem behaviors. We also tested whether school climate moderated the associations between deviant peer affiliation and adolescent problem behaviors. The 1,030 participating adolescents from 8 schools were followed from 6th through 8th grades (54% female; 76% European American). Findings indicated that all the dimensions of school climate declined and behavioral problems and deviant peer affiliation increased. Declines in each of the dimensions were associated with increases in behavioral problems. The prediction of problem behavior from peer affiliation was moderated by adolescents’ perceptions of school climate. PMID:22822296

Predicting growth in English and French vocabulary: The facilitating effects of morphological and cognate awareness.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Nadia; Hipfner-Boucher, Kathleen; Chen, Xi

2017-07-01

The present study investigated the contribution of morphological and cognate awareness to the development of English and French vocabulary knowledge among young minority and majority language children who were enrolled in a French immersion program. Participating children (n = 75) were assessed in English and French on measures of morphological awareness, cognate awareness, and vocabulary knowledge from Grades 1 to 3. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to investigate linear trends in English and French vocabulary growth for minority and majority language children and to identify metalinguistic contributions to Grade 1 and Grade 3 English and French vocabulary performance and rate of growth. Results demonstrated a similar pattern of prediction for both groups of children. English and French morphological awareness and French-English cognate awareness significantly predicted concurrent and longitudinal vocabulary development after controlling for nonverbal reasoning, phonological awareness, and word identification. The contributions of morphological awareness to English vocabulary and cognate awareness to French vocabulary strengthened between Grades 1 and 2. These findings highlight the emerging importance of morphological and cognate awareness in children's vocabulary development and suggest that these metalinguistic factors can serve to broaden the vocabulary repertoire of children who enter school with limited language proficiency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

An Exploration of the Use of Socioeconomic Census Data To Predict Achievement and Evaluate the Effects of Concentrated Urban Poverty Among Elementary Schools in a Big City. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Daniel U.; And Others

The major purpose of this study was to determine whether data from the 1970 Census could be used to account for at least 70 percent of the variance in grade-level achievement scores in the elementary schools of a big city, without including variables directly denoting race or ethnicity. This goal was attained when it was found that a regression…

Individual differences and the development of perceived control.

PubMed

Skinner, E A; Zimmer-Gembeck, M J; Connell, J P

1998-01-01

Research on individual differences demonstrates that children's perceived control exerts a strong effect on their academic achievement and that, in turn, children's actual school performance influences their sense of control. At the same time, developmental research shows systematic age-graded changes in the processes that children use to regulate and interpret control experiences. Drawing on both these perspectives, the current study examines (1) age differences in the operation of beliefs-performance cycles and (2) the effects of these cycles on the development of children's perceived control and classroom engagement from the third to the seventh grade. Longitudinal data on about 1,600 children were collected six times (every fall and spring) over 3 consecutive school years, including children's reports of their perceived control and individual interactions with teachers; teachers' reports of each student's engagement in class; and, for a subset of students, grades and achievement tests. Analyses of individual differences and individual growth curves (estimated using hierarchical linear modeling procedures) were consistent, not only with a cyclic model of context, self, action, and outcomes, but also with predictors of individual development over 5 years from grade 3 to grade 7. Children who experienced teachers as warm and contingent were more likely to develop optimal profiles of control; these beliefs supported more active engagement in the classroom, resulting in better academic performance; success in turn predicted the maintenance of optimistic beliefs about the effectiveness of effort. In contrast, children who experienced teachers as unsupportive were more likely to develop beliefs that emphasized external causes; these profiles of control predicted escalating classroom disaffection and lower scholastic achievement; in turn, these poor performances led children to increasingly doubt their own capacities and to believe even more strongly in the power of luck and unknown causes. Systematic age differences in analyses suggested that the aspects of control around which these cycles are organized change with development. The beliefs that regulated engagement shifted from effort to ability and from beliefs about the causes of school performance (strategy beliefs) to beliefs about the self's capacities. The feedback loop from individual performance to subsequent perceived control also became more pronounced and more focused on ability. These relatively linear developmental changes may have contributed to an abrupt decline in children's classroom engagement as they negotiated the transition to middle school and experienced losses in teacher support. Implications are discussed for future study of individual differences and development, especially the role of changing school contexts, mechanisms of influence, and developmentally appropriate interventions to optimize children's perceived control and engagement.

Change in physical education motivation and physical activity behavior during middle school.

PubMed

Cox, Anne E; Smith, Alan L; Williams, Lavon

2008-11-01

To test a mediational model of the relationships among motivation-related variables in middle-school physical education and leisure-time physical activity behavior. Sixth- and seventh-grade physical education students from five middle schools in the midwest United States completed a survey containing measures of study variables on two occasions, 1 year apart. Motivation-related constructs positively predicted leisure-time physical activity behavior. Enjoyment of activities in physical education and physical activity during class mediated the relationship between self-determined motivation in physical education and leisure-time physical activity. Perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness were important antecedent variables in the model, with autonomy and relatedness showing less stability over time and positively predicting self-determined motivation. Students' leisure-time physical activity is linked to motivation-related experiences in physical education. Perceptions of competence, autonomy, and relatedness, self-determined motivation, enjoyment, and physical activity in the physical education setting directly or indirectly predict leisure-time physical activity. The associations suggest that more adaptive motivation corresponds to transfer of behavior across contexts. Also, the findings suggest that the efficacy of school-based physical activity interventions, within and outside of school, is linked to the degree of support for students' self-determined motivation.

Academic self-concept in high school: predictors and effects on adjustment in higher education.

PubMed

Wouters, Sofie; Germeijs, Veerle; Colpin, Hilde; Verschueren, Karine

2011-12-01

Academic self-concept is considered a relevant psychological construct influencing many educational outcomes directly or indirectly. Therefore, the major focus of the current study is on the predictors and effects of academic self-concept in late adolescence. First, we studied the simultaneous effects of individual, class-average and school-average achievement (i.e., assessed by school grades) on academic self-concept in the final year of high school, thereby replicating and extending previous research on the big-fish-little-pond effect model. Second, the predictive value of high school academic self-concept for academic adjustment and success in the first year of higher education was examined. The sample comprised 536 twelfth grade students (44% boys) recruited from 24 schools (67 classes) that were representative with regard to geographical region and educational network in Flanders. Structural equation modeling showed that, when examining the joint contribution of school- and class-average achievement, only class-average achievement was significantly and negatively associated with academic self-concept. Furthermore, a significant effect of academic self-concept in high school on academic adjustment and success in higher education (in addition to any effects of high school academic achievement) was found. These results highlight the importance of considering academic self-concept in educational research and policy. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Peer victimization and social alienation: predicting deviant peer affiliation in middle school.

PubMed

Rudolph, Karen D; Lansford, Jennifer E; Agoston, Anna M; Sugimura, Niwako; Schwartz, David; Dodge, Kenneth A; Pettit, Gregory S; Bates, John E

2014-01-01

Two prospective studies examined a theoretical model wherein exposure to victimization, resulting from early behavioral risk, heightens children's social alienation and subsequent deviant peer affiliation (DPA). Across Study 1 (298 girls, 287 boys; K-7th grade; 5-12 years) and Study 2 (338 girls, 298 boys; 2nd-6th grade; 8-12 years), children, parents, peers, and teachers reported on children's externalizing behavior and internalizing symptoms, peer victimization, social alienation, and DPA. Path analyses supported the proposed pathway: Peer victimization predicted social alienation, which then predicted DPA. Early externalizing behavior set this path in motion and made an independent contribution to DPA. This research identifies an important pathway through which externalizing behavior and consequent peer victimization launch children onto a risky social trajectory. © 2013 The Authors. Child Development © 2013 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Adding to the Education Debt: Depressive Symptoms Mediate the Association between Racial Discrimination and Academic Performance in African Americans

PubMed Central

English, Devin; Lambert, Sharon F.; Ialongo, Nicholas S.

2015-01-01

Although the United States faces a seemingly intractable divide between white and African American academic performance, there remains a dearth of longitudinal research investigating factors that work to maintain this gap. The present study examined whether racial discrimination predicted the academic performance of African American students through its effect on depressive symptoms. Participants were a community sample of African American adolescents (N = 495) attending urban public schools from grade 7 to grade 9 (Mage = 12.5). Structural equation modeling revealed that experienced racial discrimination predicted increases in depressive symptoms 1 year later, which, in turn, predicted decreases in academic performance the following year. These results suggest that racial discrimination continues to play a critical role in the academic performance of African American students and, as such, contributes to the maintenance of the race-based academic achievement gap in the United States. PMID:27425564

Seeing Eye to Eye: Predicting Teacher-Student Agreement on Classroom Social Networks

PubMed Central

Neal, Jennifer Watling; Cappella, Elise; Wagner, Caroline; Atkins, Marc S.

2010-01-01

This study examines the association between classroom characteristics and teacher-student agreement in perceptions of students’ classroom peer networks. Social network, peer nomination, and observational data were collected from a sample of second through fourth grade teachers (N=33) and students (N=669) in 33 classrooms across five high poverty urban schools. Results demonstrate that variation in teacher-student agreement on the structure of students’ peer networks can be explained, in part, by developmental factors and classroom characteristics. Developmental increases in network density partially mediated the positive relationship between grade level and teacher-student agreement. Larger class sizes and higher levels of normative aggressive behavior resulted in lower levels of teacher-student agreement. Teachers’ levels of classroom organization had mixed influences, with behavior management negatively predicting agreement, and productivity positively predicting agreement. These results underscore the importance of the classroom context in shaping teacher and student perceptions of peer networks. PMID:21666768

Positive teacher and peer relations combine to predict primary school students' academic skill development.

PubMed

Kiuru, Noona; Aunola, Kaisa; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Pakarinen, Eija; Poskiparta, Elisa; Ahonen, Timo; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2015-04-01

This study examined cross-lagged associations between positive teacher and peer relations and academic skill development. Reading and math skills were tested among 625 students in kindergarten and Grade 4. Teacher reports of positive affect toward each student and classmate reports of peer acceptance were gathered in Grades 1-3. The results showed, first, that positive teacher affect toward the student and peer acceptance were reciprocally associated: Positive teacher affect predicted higher peer acceptance, and higher peer acceptance predicted a higher level of positive teacher affect. Second, the effect of positive teacher affect on academic skill development was partly mediated via peer acceptance, while the effect of early academic skills on peer acceptance was partly mediated via positive teacher affect. The results suggest that a warm and supportive teacher can increase a student's peer acceptance, which, in turn, is positively associated with learning outcomes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Mistake-Handling Learning as Predictors of Mathematics Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksu, Zeki; Ozkaya, Merve; Gedik, Solmaz Damla; Konyalioglu, Alper Cihan

2016-01-01

This study aims to analyze the relationship between secondary school seventh grade students' perception of mathematical self-efficacy, mistake-handling learning awareness, and mathematical anxiety; and to define the power of mistake-handling learning and self-efficacy in predicting mathematical anxiety. In this study, relational model was used and…

Predictors of Success for Students Entering Graduate School on a Probationary Basis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jacquelyn S.; Nelson, C. Van

This study sought to determine which combination of criteria would accurately predict the success of students in graduate education who began their graduate studies on probationary admission status. Variables examined included grade point average (GPA) after 9 hours of graduate coursework, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) verbal, quantitative,…

Predicting Intentions to Perform Protective Sexual Behaviours among Norwegian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myklestad, Ingri; Rise, Jostein

2008-01-01

This paper examines the socio-cognitive processes underlying intentions to use condoms and contraceptive pills, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour extended with prototypes in a group of young Norwegian adolescents. The data are derived from a questionnaire survey comprising all pupils in Grade Nine at three schools in Oslo (n = 196). Using…

Determinants of Physical Activity in Middle School Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trost, Stewart G.; Saunders, Ruth; Ward, Dianne S.

2002-01-01

Evaluated the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in sixth grade students. Student surveys on physical activity behavior and attitudes and measurement of MVPA indicated that the TRA and TPB accounted for only a small percentage of the variance in MVPA. (SM)

Attending to Structural Programming Features Predicts Differences in Learning and Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witherspoon, Eben B.; Schunn, Christian D.; Higashi, Ross M.; Shoop, Robin

2018-01-01

Educational robotics programs offer an engaging opportunity to potentially teach core computer science concepts and practices in K-12 classrooms. Here, we test the effects of units with different programming content within a virtual robotics context on both learning gains and motivational changes in middle school (6th-8th grade) robotics…

Who Writes History? Developing a Social Imagination with Third Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaleski, Joan; Zinnel, Vera

2013-01-01

Over her 23 years of teaching elementary school, Vera, a third grade teacher (and co-author of this article), had often fallen into the familiar rhythm of the fall social studies curriculum, with its predictable narrative of discovery, bravery, heroism, and thanksgiving. Her journey to becoming a more reflective, thoughtful, and equitable teacher…

Does the Use of Connective Words in Written Assessments Predict High School Students' Reading and Writing Achievement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duggleby, Sandra J.; Tang, Wei; Kuo-Newhouse, Amy

2016-01-01

This study examined the relationship between ninth-grade students' use of connectives (temporal, causal, adversative, and additive) in functional writing and performance on standards-based/criterion-referenced measures of reading and writing. Specifically, structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to examine the relationship between…