Syndromes of social maladaptation among elementary school boys and girls

The cross-sex comparability of child social maladaptation is assessed within populations of elementary school children. The randomly aggregated normative sample for the revised Bristol Social Adjustment Guides (BSAG) was partitioned into subsamples of 1,305 boys and 1,222 girls ranging in age from 5 to 15 years. The children were observed by 900 classroom teachers and rated on the BSAG's six core syndromes and two associated groupings of problem behavior. For each sex, scores on the various behavioral groupings were normalized and submitted to principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation of retained dimensions. A general two-factor model emerged, with one factor resembling a dimension of general overreaction and the other a dimension of general underreaction. Cross-sex equivalence of factor structures was confirmed via Kaiser's analytic factor relations process. The BSAG's core syndromes and nonsyndromic groupings were found to sustain similar functions across the sexes, although differential trends were noted in the prevalence of specific behavioral syndromes.     

Effects of social class and school conditions on educational enrollment and achievement of boys and girls in rural Viet Nam

This study examines the effects of parental SES, school quality, and community factors on children's enrollment and achievement in rural areas in Viet Nam, using logistic regression and ordered logistic regression. Multivariate analysis reveals significant differences in educational enrollment and outcomes by level of household expenditures and parental education, especially mother's education. Mother's status is more important in determining school enrollment than educational outcome. In contrast, father's education increases the probability of learning. Once school quality is taken into account, differentials between the majority Kinh and ethnic minorities are not significant. Girls still do not have equal access to education, since girls doing badly in school drop out, while their male counterparts remain in school. The presence of a school in poor village does not override the effects of family background on educational enrollment. Controlling for school quality actually increases gap in educational enrollment by household expenditures and village income. Although educational costs consume, on average, one quarter of household expenditures per capita, school fees do not determine school enrollment, because many of the poor already receive exemption from or reduction in these fees.     

Sex Education - the issues when working with boys

Sex education is a contentious issue. Recently debates in the UK have tended to concentrate on the need to reduce teenage pregnancy rates and on the 'promotion of homosexuality'. This article examines the issues that need to be addressed if boys are to receive the sex education they require. These issues include the characteristics and gender of the teacher needed; methodologies to which boys will respond; the perception of boys as problems in school; the content of sex education programmes, the need for separate classes and the ongoing concern of boys' literacy standards. Added to these are issues such as homosexuality and pornography, areas which are avoided in many schools. The culture related to boys' attitudes to education in general and sex education in particular are examined. The author calls for a change in approach and attitude by government in order to achieve the desired lowering of teenage pregnancy rates and for the adoption of a more positive attitude to sex education by government, parents and teachers.     

Co-rumination in the friendships of girls and boys

This research addresses a new construct, co-rumination. Co-rumination refers to extensively discussing and revisiting problems, speculating about problems, and focusing on negative feelings. Friendship research indicates that self-disclosure leads to close relationships; however, coping research indicates that dwelling on negative topics leads to emotional difficulties. Co-rumination is a single construct that integrates both perspectives and is proposed to be related both to positive friendship adjustment and problematic emotional adjustment. Third-, fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade participants (N = 608) responded to questionnaires, including a new measure of co-rumination. Co-rumination was related to high-quality, close friendships and aspects of depression and anxiety. Girls reported co-ruminating more than did boys, which helped to account for girls' more positive friendship adjustment and greater internalizing symptoms. Other analyses addressed whether co-rumination and the related constructs of self-disclosure and rumination had different relations with friendship and emotional adjustment.     

Differential social and political influences on girls and boys through education out of doors in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The way the outdoors was used for educational purposes was determined by the need for young men to be made fit for war and service in the British Empire, the need to improve the physical health of children from industrial conurbations and the preoccupation of those in authority with the notion of adolescence as a problem, especially the anticipated fear of juvenile delinquency. In the 1950s and early 1960s, when there was a significant increase in the use of the outdoors in education, much of the provision reflected the earlier emphasis on character training and “manly” virtues. The suggestion is made that this was due, in part at least, to the role played by a number of charismatic and influential figures and to continued sensitivity to social, political and military factors.     

Differential social and political influences on girls and boys through education out of doors in the United Kingdom

The way the outdoors was used for educational purposes was determined by the need for young men to be made fit for war and service in the British Empire, the need to improve the physical health of children from industrial conurbations and the preoccupation of those in authority with the notion of adolescence as a problem, especially the anticipated fear of juvenile delinquency. In the 1950s and early 1960s, when there was a significant increase in the use of the outdoors in education, much of the provision reflected the earlier emphasis on character training and “manly” virtues. The suggestion is made that this was due, in part at least, to the role played by a number of charismatic and influential figures and to continued sensitivity to social, political and military factors.     

Mediated activity in the primary classroom: girls,boys and computers

Seven and 9-year-old children (n=120) worked in same or mixed gender pairs on a language-based computer and non-computer task, and their styles of social interaction were compared. At both ages, mixed gender pairs showed more assertive and less transactive (collaborative) interaction than same gender pairs on both tasks. When collaboration broke down, boys on the computer task and girls on the non-computer task dominated assertive interaction in mixed gender pairs, whereas in same gender pairs both children were equally assertive. The mediational role of the computer and the social dynamics that frame its use are discussed.     

Sexual abuse of English boys and girls: the importance of anal examination

Child sexual abuse is attracting increasing attention in the United Kingdom. In Leeds this is reflected in the work of two pediatricians who receive multiagency, direct referrals for children of all ages. Over two years 1,368 referrals were received for all kinds of abuse and neglect, including 608 for suspected sexual abuse (Hobbs & Wynne, 1987a), of which 337 (243 girls, 94 boys) were confirmed or probable cases. The abuses included genital touching, masturbation, oral, vaginal and anal penetration. Of these abuses, 30% (which were frequently multiple) involved and penetration by finger or penis; and 42% of 337 children exhibited one or more anal findings, rising to 60% of 115 children in the 0-5 years of age group. The diagnosis of abuse was made from results of multidisciplinary assessment including medical examination. Genital findings were present in 3% of boys and 50% of girls. Anal findings included erythema; swelling (tyre); laxity; shortening or eversion; reflex anal dilatation (dilatation); fissures; venous congestion; reversible and permanent skin changes; twitching; funnelling; hematoma and bruising; as well as signs of infection. The pattern of anal signs varied with the age of the child and chronicity of abuse, as judged from the history. Healing and resolution of anal physical findings on follow-up were observed from days to months after initial examination. The general absence of these findings in the group of children judged not to have been sexually abused supports a cause and effect hypothesis, but further research is required. Medical examination of every child where symptoms, signs, or situation raise the possibility of abuse or neglect must include anal inspection, but instrumental or digital examination is not recommended.     

Gendered practices in the education of gifted girls and boys

Gifted girls and gifted boys are more alike than they are different, although researchers remain fascinated with sex differences. Small differences between gifted boys and girls in achievements, interests, careers, and relationships can become exaggerated through gendered educational practices. Kindergarten “red‐shirting'' of boys and the denial of early admission to girls can cause gifted children to be out of step throughout their academic careers. When gifted children are not actively encouraged to participate in talent searches and after‐school and summer programs, whether because of overprotection of girls or the insistence on athletic activities at the expense of academic activities for boys, they lose the opportunity for challenge, friendships, and community. When boys are not supported in their interests in creative careers and girls are not supported in their interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers, they may enter occupations that will not offer them the sense of purpose and meaning they might have otherwise had. It is in the area of gender relations, however, that long‐term consequences of gendered practices are most apparent for gifted individuals because both gifted boys and girls need to plan for balancing family and career. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Technical boys and creative girls: the career aspirations of digitally skilled youths

Digital technology is increasingly central to our lives, particularly among young people. However, there remains a concern from government and businesses of a digital skills gap because many youths, especially girls, tend to be consumers rather than creators of technology. Drawing on 32 semi-structured interviews with digitally skilled teenagers (aged 13–19), this article investigates their digital career aspirations and examines how identities and discourses of gender can interact with the type of digital careers that are of interest to these youths. While it was found that digitally skilled young people still articulate traditional gendered discourses of digital competence, especially around technical abilities, the growing importance of creativity as a career pathway into digital technology is highlighted. Implications of the findings are discussed in relation to the new computing curriculum in England, which prioritises technical computing skills, and the discontinuation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which facilitates a broader usage of software and digital productivity.     

农村留守儿童教育问题与社会工作介入

留守儿童教育管理中存在认识不够、资金投入不足、专业管理人员缺乏、家庭教育缺失等问题.社会工作作为专业的助人服务活动,其功能、方法、介入模式对留守儿童教育问题的解决具有促进作用.     

Constructions of Malawian boys and girls on gender and achievement

Gender differences in achievement have been widely documented and a number of feminists, particularly from the West, have used the concept of identity to explain them. This paper draws on constructions on gender and achievement generated through surveying 59 boys and 103 girls from four secondary schools, as well as interviewing 40 of the girls in order to contribute to our understanding of identity construction in an African context. The data show that the majority of boys and girls support dominant gender norms, but there is some indication of fluidity. Thus, the notion of identity formation is crucial to the analysis and interpretation of the findings, as it highlights the possibility for agency and change, since gender identities are not stable.     

Achievements and attitudinal patterns of boys and girls in science

Data from the 1983–84 Israeli IEA (International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement) science study were used to explore gender-related differences (and their determinants) in the learning of science. The sample was composed of 1,934 ninth-grade students. The study involved several measures of science learning, ten attitudinal measures, and items and errors classification. Differences between boys and girls were observed in some measures of science performance–-particularly in the physical sciences, in items with lower estimates of “opportunity to learn,” and in specific kinds of errors. Gender-related differences were also observed in the predictive model of achievement, using science-specific affective measures. The discussion raises the cognitive and affective readiness of boys and girls for learning science.     

Overcrowded housing: One of a constellation of vulnerabilities for child sexual abuse

BackgroundEffective prevention of child abuse depends on an understanding of factors associated with the abuse. Increased risk of child sexual abuse has been associated with parental substance use and adverse socio-economic factors such as living in poverty and parental unemployment. This study investigated overcrowding as a potential socio-economic risk factor in child sexual abuse taking into account other socio-economic, child and parental factors.MethodThis study used de-identified linked data from health and child protection data collections for the cohort of children born in Western Australia from 1990 to 2009 (n = 524,478). Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted and unadjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for time to first sexual abuse allegation and first substantiated allegation, relative to the level of overcrowding and controlling for other risk factors.ResultsHigher levels of household overcrowding were associated with a 23%–46% increase in the risk of child sexual abuse allegations. Only the highest level of overcrowding was associated with a 40% increased risk of substantiated sexual abuse.ConclusionThe findings suggest that overcrowded living conditions are associated with an increased risk of sexual abuse for some children. This factor needs to be considered alongside other risk factors when assessing and improving child safety.     

Walking through Walls: the sexual harassment of high school girls

For most females, crude language and other forms of sexually harassing behaviour are part of the fabric of our daily lives. To date, however, our focus on sexual harassment has been limited primarily to the experiences of adult women in academic and work place settings. What has not been explored is the prevalence of sexual harassment in schools and the way it interferes with young women's education. Equal opportunity programmes are of limited use if, for example, we urge female students into traditional male courses but we neglect to consider the hostile climate they encounter there. In this study I explored young women's experiences of sexual harassment in the setting lauded as their gateway to opportunity: school. Based on their testimonies I make recommendations for educators who are committed to making high school a more equitable place for female students.     

Exploring discursive barriers to sexual health and social justice in the New Zealand sexuality education curriculum

Sexuality education is a compulsory part of The New Zealand Curriculum for state-funded schools. In 2015, the Ministry of Education has published an updated revision of their official guidelines for schools on the teaching of sexuality education. This paper employs Foucauldian discourse analysis to argue that this policy document, Sexuality Education: A Guide for Principals, Boards of Trustees, and Teachers, reflects and reproduces particular ways of knowing which constrain possibilities for socially just sexuality education. These discourses include the adoption of an intellectual approach to teaching sexuality, the mandate to measure learning objectives, and a narrow emphasis on positive sexuality. Intentions for the curriculum to deliver a holistic, socio-ecological vision of sexual health as well as one which embeds Māori values are undermined by dominant understandings of individual action which shape approaches to both sexuality and pedagogy. Furthermore, the liberal recognition of cultural, ethnic, sexual and gender diversity in the curriculum unintentionally reinscribes an unmarked white, secular, heterosexuality as the norm. This paper reflexively critiques the discursive tensions that inhibit the realisation of sexuality education in schools which meets the needs of diverse students and offers it as a possible site for social justice.