Are Gains in Decision‐Making Autonomy During Early Adolescence Beneficial for Emotional Functioning? The Case of the United States and China

This research examined the role of children’s decision‐making autonomy in their emotional functioning during early adolescence in the United States and China. Four times over the 7th and 8th grades, 825 American and Chinese children (M = 12.73 years) reported on the extent to which they versus their parents make decisions about issues children often deem as under their authority. Children also reported on their emotional functioning. American children made greater gains over time in decision‐making autonomy than did Chinese children. Initial decision‐making autonomy predicted enhanced emotional functioning similarly among American and Chinese children. However, gains over time in decision‐making autonomy predicted enhanced emotional functioning more in the United States (vs. China) where such gains were normative.     

Fairness,the Pursuit of Happiness,and LD/ADHD

The model of moral functioning scaffolded in the 2008 JME Special Issue is here revisited in response to three papers criticising that volume. As guest editor of that Special Issue I have formulated the main body of this response, concerning the dynamic systems approach to moral development, the problem of moral relativism and the role of emotion in moral functioning. Five 2008 Special Issue authors contribute reflections: Darcia Narvaez, Jeremy Frimer and Lawrence Walker, Helen Haste and Ann Higgins‐d’Alessandro. The Dynamic Systems Approach proposed by Kim and Sankey is commended, with some reflections on potential problems. The challenge of Gibbs et al. is answered. And the concerns of Kristjánsson are recognised as pointing toward needed work though failing to appreciate the way the Special Issue authors frame the role of emotion in moral functioning. The outline of the multi‐level model of moral functioning offered in the Special Issue is clarified and reaffirmed in response to these three critiques.     

Adjustment of divorced-family day care children

This study examined differences in social and cognitive functioning of divorced- and intact-family preschool-age children enrolled in day care. Additionally explored were the relationships of environmental factors such as family and community support and substitute child care to child adjustment. Subjects were 38 divorced-family children (M=4.82 years) and 42 intact-family children (M=4.82 years) enrolled in three day care centers in a Midwestern suburban community. Parent and child interviews, ratings by day care personnel, and standardized tests were used to gather data. No significant differences in social functioning of divorced- and intact-family children were found. Differences in cognitive functioning favored divorced-family children. Support from extended family was associated with better social functioning of divorced-family children, whereas support from day care center staff was related to better cognitive performance. Findings have implications for research and direct service to divorced-family preschoolage children.     

The effects of infant day care through the prism of attachment theory: A critical appraisal

This commentary addresses the relevance of attachment theory and research to an understanding of the effects of early day care experience on sociopersonality development. Attachment theory figures prominently in Belsky's review of the day care literature both because of the theory's emphasis on formative early influences on personality functioning, and because of researchers' widespread (although not exclusive) use of the Strange Situation as a procedure for assessing the effects of day care on infant-parent attachment. This commentary offers an examination of the strength of the evidence which indicates that early day care experience may lead to insecure attachments. It is concluded that this evidence is substantially weaker than Belsky suggests. The article then draws upon the extensive research on attachment to explore the interpretation of infant behavior within the Strange Situation, and the significance of such behavior for later development, in light of the current concern about the effects of early day care experience. It is argued that this research suggests caution in concluding either that day care has negative consequences for the child or that it foreshadows long-term sociopersonality functioning. Suggested are areas of much needed future research which must be undertaken before strong conclusions concerning the effects of day care can be made.     

The Role of Mediators in the Development of Longitudinal Mathematics Achievement Associations

Despite research demonstrating a strong association between early and later mathematics achievement, few studies have investigated mediators of this association. Using longitudinal data (n = 1,362), this study tested the extent to which mathematics self‐concepts, school placement, executive functioning, and proficiency in fractions and division account for the association between mathematics achievement in first grade and at age 15. As hypothesized, a strong longitudinal association between first‐grade and adolescent mathematics achievement was present (β = .36) even after controlling for a host of background characteristics, including cognitive skills and reading ability. The mediators accounted for 39% of this association, with mathematics self‐concept, gifted and talented placement, and knowledge of fractions and division serving as significant mediators.     

Systems Modelling and the Development of Coherent Understanding of Cell Biology

This article reports on educational design research concerning a learning and teaching strategy for cell biology in upper‐secondary education introducing systems modelling as a key competence. The strategy consists of four modelling phases in which students subsequently develop models of free‐living cells, a general two‐dimensional model of cells, a three‐dimensional model of plant cells, and finally they are engaged in formal thinking by modelling life phenomena to a hierarchical systems model. The strategy was thought out, elaborated, and tested in classrooms in several research cycles. Throughout the field‐tests, research data were collected by means of classroom observations, interviews, audio‐taped discussions, completed worksheets, written tests, and questionnaires. Reflection on the research findings eventuated in reshaping and formalizing the learning and teaching strategy, which is presented here. The results show that although acquiring systems thinking competence at the metacognitive level needs more effort, our strategy contributed to improving learning outcomes; that is, acquisition of a coherent conceptual understanding of cell biology and acquisition of initial systems thinking competence, with modelling being the key activity.     

Feeling Good,Happy, and Proud: A Meta‐Analysis of Positive Ethnic–Racial Affect and Adjustment

One point of intersection in ethnic and racial identity research is the conceptual attention paid to how positively youth feel about their ethnicity or race, or positive ethnic–racial affect. This article reports results of a series of meta‐analyses based on 46 studies of this dimension and psychosocial, academic, and health risk outcomes among ethnic and racial minority youth. The overall pattern of results suggests that positive ethnic–racial affect exhibited small to medium associations (r range = |.11| to |.37|) with depressive symptoms, positive social functioning, self‐esteem, well‐being, internalizing, externalizing, academic achievement, academic attitudes, and health risk outcomes. Implications for theory and research about the role of positive ethnic–racial affect among youth growing up in an increasingly diverse society are discussed.     

Evaluation of a school‐based transition program designed to facilitate school reentry following a mental health crisis or psychiatric hospitalization

In recent decades, increasing attention has been paid to the number of adolescents experiencing extended absences from school due to mental health crises. Upon returning to school, these students often face difficulties in functioning, risk of relapse, and vulnerability to academic failure and social isolation. This paper presents results of a study examining a school‐based support program model designed to provide short‐term academic, social, and emotional support to help students successfully reacclimatize to school after an extended absence. The paper describes demographic, academic, and clinical characteristics of 189 program participants across eight high schools. Improvements were observed in participants’ day‐to‐day functioning based on the results of pre/postassessments completed by program clinicians. Preliminary data showed positive trends in participants’ school attendance and high school graduation rates. Finally, the paper considers implications for school‐based mental health practice and next steps in related research.     

Shared and distinctive origins and correlates of adult attachment representations: the developmental organization of romantic functioning

To test proposals regarding the hierarchical organization of adult attachment, this study examined developmental origins of generalized and romantic attachment representations and their concurrent associations with romantic functioning. Participants (N = 112) in a 35‐year prospective study completed the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and Current Relationship Interview (CRI). Two‐way analysis of variance tested interactive associations of AAI and CRI security with infant attachment, early parenting quality, preschool ego resiliency, adolescent friendship quality, and adult romantic functioning. Both representations were associated with earlier parenting and core attachment‐related romantic behavior, but romantic representations had distinctive links to ego resiliency and relationship‐specific romantic behaviors. Attachment representations were independent and did not interactively predict romantic functioning, suggesting that they confer somewhat distinctive benefits for romantic functioning.     

A Nested Logit Approach for Investigating Distractors as Causes of Differential Item Functioning

In multiple‐choice items, differential item functioning (DIF) in the correct response may or may not be caused by differentially functioning distractors. Identifying distractors as causes of DIF can provide valuable information for potential item revision or the design of new test items. In this paper, we examine a two‐step approach based on application of a nested logit model for this purpose. The approach separates testing of differential distractor functioning (DDF) from DIF, thus allowing for clearer evaluations of where distractors may be responsible for DIF. The approach is contrasted against competing methods and evaluated in simulation and real data analyses.     

Family functioning and early learning practices in immigrant homes

Poverty‐related developmental‐risk theories dominate accounts of uneven levels of household functioning and effects on children. But immigrant parents may sustain norms and practices—stemming from heritage culture, selective migration, and social support—that buffer economic exigencies. Comparable levels of social‐emotional functioning in homes of foreign‐born Latino mothers were observed relative to native‐born Whites, despite sharp social‐class disparities, but learning activities were much weaker, drawing on a national sample of mothers with children aging from 9 to 48 months (n = 5,300). Asian‐heritage mothers reported weaker social functioning—greater martial conflict and depression—yet stronger learning practices. Mothers’ migration history, ethnicity, and social support helped to explain levels of functioning, after taking into account multiple indicators of class and poverty.     

Developmental Changes in Executive Functioning

Although early studies of executive functioning in children supported Miyake et al.'s (2000) three‐factor model, more recent findings supported a variety of undifferentiated or two‐factor structures. Using a cohort‐sequential design, this study examined whether there were age‐related differences in the structure of executive functioning among 6‐ to 15‐year‐olds (N = 688). Children were tested annually on tasks designed to measure updating and working memory, inhibition, and switch efficiency. There was substantial task‐based variation in developmental patterns on the various tasks. Confirmatory factor analyses and tests for longitudinal factorial invariance showed that data from the 5‐ to 13‐year‐olds conformed to a two‐factor structure. For the 15‐year‐olds, a well‐separated three‐factor structure was found.     

Collaborative Interactions at the Microcomputer Keyboard

Abstract Two studies are reported, both concerned with microcomputer use in the context of collaborative groups. The first study, conducted with eight year‐olds, examines whether the opportunity to practise a problem solving task in pairs produces better subsequent individual performance on the task than does individual practice. Evidence was found for such peer‐facilitation only when children were constrained to collaborate by the imposition of a ‘dual key’ entry requirement. The second study, conducted with 11‐year‐olds, compares the functioning of two types of group over a series of sessions during which the children were introduced to database software. Groups formed on the basis of nominations of preferred working partners were found to demand less teacher intervention and to make fewer minor errors than groups formed on the basis of arbitrary allocation. The possibilities offered by the microcomputer in the classroom for experimentally rigorous but ecologically valid research are discussed.     

Assessing Outcomes: Practical Methods and Evidence

University counseling center clients’ (N = 52) perceptions of precounseling functioning were highly correlated with their actual well‐being scores at intake. The magnitude of change based on perceptions of precounseling functioning to current well‐being was approximately double of what is found from the difference of actual precounseling well‐being to current well‐being scores. Retrospective methods for assessing precounseling functioning are best suited for comparison among clients or counseling processes.     

Social ecology in action,its rationale and scope in education and research

Social ecology is described as a way of knowing and experiencing the personal, social, and ecological dimensions of our day‐to‐day living. It is not an intellectual discipline in the traditional sense as it does not propose a particular body of knowledge. It is however based on the acquisition of skills for lifelong learning, skills which are judged to equip people to live in a satisfying and ethically responsible way in a world that is in a state of constant change. The practice of social ecology is illustrated by describing the formal educational programs that carry that title and a specific research project that is built on its espoused value position.     

Help‐Seeking and Non‐Help‐Seeking Students' Perceptions of Own and Peers' Mental Health Functioning

Help‐seeking (HS) students and non‐help‐seeking (NHS) students were compared on their perceptions of (a) their own level of mental health functioning and (b) the average level of mental health functioning of their (NHS or HS) peers. Results showed that NHS students' perceptions of HS students' self‐ratings were similar to HS students' self‐ratings of functioning but that HS students underestimated the level of functioning of their NHS peers. Implications of the findings for campus outreach and future research are discussed.     

Identification of learning styles online by observing learners' browsing behaviour through a neural network

Identification of individual learning style is important when developing adaptive educational hypermedia systems. Current systems ask learners to complete questionnaires to identify their learning styles, which might not be appropriate in some contexts. The goal of this research is to identify the learner's learning style by simply observing his/her browsing behaviour without asking the learner to answer any questions or filling out any form. It is implemented through a multi‐layer feed forward neural network (MLFF). Browsing behaviour, in this research, includes three factors, the use of embedded support devices (ESDs), the selection of link types, and the navigation between visited/unvisited nodes. The experiment results showed the proposed model performed well in identifying learning styles. Link type is the dominant factor and Time shift may not be a major factor in the identification of learning styles. Because of the fast execution property of neural networks and identification of learning styles online, it is possible to incorporate learning styles into online adaptive educational web‐based systems.     

Examining the Impact of Pedagogy on Student Application of Learning: Acquiring,Sharing, and Using Knowledge for Organizational Decision Making

In this pilot research we examine the impact of two leadership development training programs on the ability of students to acquire knowledge, share knowledge, and apply knowledge for organizational decision making. One program emphasized concepts and case‐based application based on a technical learning paradigm. The other program used a game‐based computer simulation, Virtual Leader, grounded in an experiential or situated learning paradigm. After training, students from both programs engaged in a complex in‐basket exercise to examine the quality of their leadership and managerial abilities. In this exercise, participants from each training intervention worked with their trained cohort to accomplish a day of managerial work. Participants were observed and their individual and collective actions and decisions on behalf of the organization were evaluated. Using qualitative research we compared the organizational decisions associated with each group to determine which pedagogical technique resulted in the most effective application of student learning. While technical learning pedagogy was associated with greater information acquisition, the game‐based computer simulation (an experiential, social‐interaction oriented pedagogy) was associated with better decision quality and more shared cognition. Evidence suggests that students taught with the game‐based computer simulation collectively demonstrated a greater ability to apply what they learned.     

Educational implications following idiopathic encephalopathy and prolonged coma: a longitudinal case study

This paper explores standard considerations of accommodations for paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) survivors as illustrated through an intensive case study. Specifically, we explore methods by which school systems can enhance a middle school student's learning environment after losing 30 points in his intellectual functioning (IQ) following a rare coma recovery. For the purpose of this paper, coma is defined as a period following neurological injury or illness during which an individual does not open his/her eyes and does not have sleep–wake cycles. This case emphasises the use of current behavioural evidence‐based treatments in young ABI patients. Multiple comparisons are especially beneficial in delineating the strength of intervention modalities and specific challenges unique to this population. Current data are of particular interest because measures of both pre‐ and post‐morbid functioning are available, because of earlier school testing for a pre‐existing learning disability. Finally, implications for prognosis and treatment of young ABI patients are discussed.     

Memory and Executive Functioning in 12‐Year‐Old Children With a History of Institutional Rearing

We examined visual recognition memory and executive functioning (spatial working memory [SWM], spatial planning, rule learning, and attention shifting) in 12‐year‐olds (n = 150) who participated in the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care for institutionally reared children. Similar to prior reports at 8 years of age, institutionally reared children showed significant deficits in visual recognition memory and SWM. Deficits in attention shifting and rule learning were also apparent at this time point. These data suggest that early experiences continue to shape the development of memory, learning, and executive functioning processes in preadolescence, which may explain broader cognitive and learning difficulties commonly associated with severe early life neglect.