Maternal interactional behavior with nonorganic failure-to-thrive infants: a case comparison study

Mothers of 47 6-month-old infants with early histories of nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFT) infants and a matched comparison group of physically healthy infants were observed in interactions with their infants in their homes one month following hospitalization. Mothers of NOFT infants were observed to have less adaptive social interactional behavior, less positive affective behavior, and demonstrated more arbitrary termination of feedings. No group differences were found in flexibility or sensitivity of maternal feeding, or in environmental circumstances such as number of persons present, noise level, or level of activity. These salient deficiencies in maternal interactional behavior may continue to disrupt the NOFT child's physical growth and psychological development following initial diagnosis and hospitalization. Additional studies are needed to identify patterns of maternal interactional behavior which influence psychological prognosis and to assess the responsiveness of maternal interactional behavior to intervention.     

Long-term hospitalization of failure-to-thrive infants: Developmental outcome at three years

The present study documented later developmental outcome in a group of 29 failure-to-thrive (FTT) infants who received extended hospitalization in infancy as an intervention for their growth failure. All infants were seen at approximately 3 years of age and were given standardized assessments of intellectual and physical development. A standard interview documented demographic variables, health problems, placements subsequent to hospitalization and additional psychological and medical treatment. Infants were divided into three groups dependent on medical and treatment factors. Means and percentages of occurrence of outcome variables were compared through either one-way ANOVAS or single sample chi-square tests with post hoc analyses. Correlational analyses were used to understand the relationships between outcome and relevant demographic, medical, and treatment variables. In general, the infants manifest persistent intellectual delays at follow-up despite maintenance of weight gains achieved during early hospitalization. More than half the group suffered from chronic health problems. A large percentage of infants had been removed from parental custody at the time of follow-up. Several demographic, medical, and treatment factors bore moderate relationships to developmental outcome. Infants who achieved more optimal growth tended to be full-term at birth, later born and without a question of physical abuse in their social histories. Intellectual functioning was related only to parental and caretaker socioeconomic status. Infants placed in foster care were unlikely to return to their families of origin. The findings suggest the need for further investigation into the determinants and outcome of extended hospitalization as a treatment for FTT.     

Developmental origins of moral masochism: a failure-to-thrive toddler's interactions with mother

The case of a toddler diagnosed as failure to thrive with an unusual history of "accidents" illustrates the circumstances which may account for the infant's intense attachment to a sadistic love object and lead to moral masochism in adulthood. The observed behaviors of the toddler in interaction with mother show the pathological consequences of the infant's openness to influences of the social environment. He becomes attuned to his mother's wishes and performs behaviors which successfully evoke her attention and reciprocity even if these behaviors are contradictory to his survival. The mother's own experiences with unempathic and hostile parents are reflected in her attitudes and behaviors to the child. Suffering and victimization evoke her interest although she lacks the capacity for an empathic response to pain. Berliner's work on the origin of moral masochism, as well as the work of Steele on generational repetition, suggest the processes through which the infant's attachment to a sadistic mother gives rise to masochistic tendencies which may be reenacted throughout life in an effort to reproduce the affective feelings associated with mother's love and affection.     

Classroom behavior of children and adolescents with learning disabilities: a meta-analysis

Meta-analysis was used to review the results of 25 studies that compared the classroom behavior of children and adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) to children without learning disabilities. The data were analyzed from several different methodological perspectives. Results showed that both methodologically strong and weak studies demonstrated significant behavioral deficits of children with learning disabilities compared to their nondisabled peers in each of five overall areas: on-task behavior, off-task behavior, conduct disorders, distractibility, and shy/withdrawn behavior. Both observational and teacher rating data demonstrated these differences. Effect sizes for both groups of studies seemed to cluster around 1 standard deviation, suggesting noticeable and educationally significant impairment in the behavior of children with disabilities. Analysis of grade-level effect sizes suggests some explanation for the large number of referrals often witnessed during the elementary school years. Educational implications of these behavioral differences in terms of implications for mainstreaming are discussed.     

Attachment in institutionalized children: A review and meta-analysis

In this article we review the literature on attachment patterns in institutionalized children and then perform a meta-analysis on data from 10 attachment studies involving 399 children in institutional settings. We computed the overall attachment distribution of secure, insecure, and disorganized rates and explored the effect of a set of moderating variables (i.e., country of institutionalization, attachment assessment procedure, age at entry, and age at assessment). To overcome bias related to the small number of studies, we conducted both classical and Bayesian meta-analysis and obtained comparable results. Distribution of children's attachment patterns was: 18% secure, 28% insecure, and 54% disorganized/cannot classify. Compared to their family-reared peers, children living in an institution were found to be at greater risk for insecure and disorganized attachment, with a similar medium effect size for both distributions (d = 0.77 and d = 0.76, respectively). The following moderating variables were associated with insecure attachment: representational assessment procedures (d = 0.63) and Eastern European countries of origin (d = 1.13). Moderators for disorganized attachment were: Eastern European countries of origin (d = 1.12), age at institution entry before the first birthday (d = 0.93), and age at assessment under three years of age (d = 0.91). Implications for child development and policies are discussed.     

A meta-analysis of meausures of self-esteem for young children: a framework for future measures

The objective of this study was to synthesize information from literature on measures of the self in young children to create an empirical framework for developing future methods for measuring this construct. For this meta-analysis, all available preschool and early elementary school self-esteem studies were reviewed. Reliability was used as the criterion variable and the predictor variables represented different aspects of methodology that are used in testing an instrument: study characteristics, method characteristics, subject characteristics, measure characteristics, and measure design characteristics. Using information from two analyses, the results indicate that the reliability of self-esteem measures for young children can be predicted by the setting of the study, number of items in the scale, the age of the children being studied, the method of data collection (questionnaires or pictures), and the socioeconomic status of the children. Age and number of items were found to be critical features in the development of reliable measures for young children. Future studies need to focus on the issues of age and developmental limitations on the complicated problem of how young children actually think about the self and what methods and techniques can aid in gathering this information more accurately.     

Effects of examiner familiarity on Black, Caucasian, and Hispanic children: a meta-analysis

This article presents a quantitative synthesis of examiner familiarity effects on Caucasian and minority students' test performance. Fourteen controlled studies were coded in terms of methodological quality (high vs. low) and race-ethnicity (Caucasian vs. Black and Hispanic). An analogue to analysis of variance conducted on weighted unbiased effect sizes indicated that examiner familiarity produced a significant effect, with Caucasian and minority examinees' test performance raised by .05 and .72 standard deviations, respectively. Examiner familiarity's differential effect on Caucasian and minority examinees did not interact with the methodological quality of the studies. Nevertheless, limitations of the extant data base require caution in drawing implications for assessment practice.     

Prediction of weight for height following intervention in three-year-old children with early histories of nonorganic failure to thrive

The present study assessed the weight for height outcomes of 59 3-year-old children who had been hospitalized for nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFT) as infants (average age of 5 months) and received time-limited outreach intervention. Although the majority of children attained normal weight for height, nearly one-third demonstrated at least mild wasting. Type of outreach intervention did not affect weight for height at outcome. The predictive efficacy of a variable set which included characteristics of NOFT (age of onset and duration), velocity of weight gain subsequent to diagnosis and environmental characteristics (income and home stimulation) was tested. Shorter duration of NOFT prior to diagnosis and greater initial rate of weight gain following hospitalization predicted weight for height at 36 months. The findings underscore the need for close monitoring of physical growth and nutritional status of NOFT children following hospitalization as well as comprehensive assessment and treatment for children who continue to demonstrate nutritional deficits. Additional studies of factors which affect the prognosis of NOFT children are needed.     

Working memory and mathematics in primary school children: A meta-analysis

Working memory, including central executive functions (inhibition, shifting and updating) are factors thought to play a central role in mathematical skill development. However, results reported with regard to the associations between mathematics and working memory components are inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis is twofold: to investigate the strength of this relation, and to establish whether the variation in the association is caused by tests, sample characteristics and study and other methodological characteristics. Results indicate that all working memory components are associated with mathematical performance, with the highest correlation between mathematics and verbal updating. Variation in the strength of the associations can consistently be explained by the type of mathematics measure used: general tests yield stronger correlations than more specific tests. Furthermore, characteristics of working memory measures, age and sample explain variance in correlations in some analyses. Interpretations of the contribution of moderator variables to various models are discussed.     

Effects of problem-based learning: a meta-analysis

This meta-analysis has two aims: (a) to address the main effects of problem based learning on two categories of outcomes: knowledge and skills; and (b) to address potential moderators of the effect of problem based learning. We selected 43 articles that met the criteria for inclusion: empirical studies on problem based learning in tertiary education conducted in real-life classrooms. The review reveals that there is a robust positive effect from PBL on the skills of students. This is shown by the vote count, as well as by the combined effect size. Also no single study reported negative effects. A tendency to negative results is discerned when considering the effect of PBL on the knowledge of students. The combined effect size is significantly negative. However, this result is strongly influenced by two studies and the vote count does not reach a significant level. It is concluded that the combined effect size for the effect on knowledge is non-robust. As possible moderators of PBL effects, methodological factors, expertise-level of students, retention period and type of assessment method were investigated. This moderator analysis shows that both for knowledge- and skills-related outcomes the expertise-level of the student is associated with the variation in effect sizes. Nevertheless, the results for skills give a consistent positive picture. For knowledge-related outcomes the results suggest that the differences encountered in the first and the second year disappear later on. A last remarkable finding related to the retention period is that students in PBL gained slightly less knowledge, but remember more of the acquired knowledge.     

The role of technology-facilitated peer assessment and supporting strategies: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Technology-facilitated peer assessment is gaining increasing attention. However, evidence for the contribution of technology-facilitated peer assessment to learning achievements has not been investigated. The present meta-analysis integrated findings on the effects of technology-facilitated peer assessment based on two main elements: (1) technology-facilitated peer assessment, (2) the use of extra supporting strategies in technology-facilitated peer assessment. A total of 37 empirical studies published from 1999 to 2018 were selected and analysed. Results indicated that technology-facilitated peer assessment had a significant and medium effect on learning achievements with an overall mean effect size of 0.576. The use of extra supporting strategies in technology-facilitated peer assessment also produced a positive and medium effect on students’ learning achievements with an overall mean effect size of 0.543. Different moderator variables, such as task types, assessment modes, training for assessors, durations, grouping types and assessment methods were related to different effect sizes. The results together with the implications for both practice and research are discussed.     

阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的元分析

国内外有关阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的研究众多,但研究结果不尽相同。本研究以Comprehensive Meta-analysis V2软件为工具对国内外27项此类研究进行了元分析。研究结果如下:1)阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的总效应值为0.816,达到大效应值;2)可能存在多种因素共同作用影响阅读策略培训对学生阅读理解能力影响的效果;3)语言环境和培训的策略类别对研究结果无显著影响,而实验周期和阅读理解能力测试方式对研究结果具有显著影响。     

A meta-analysis of morphological interventions: effects on literacy achievement of children with literacy difficulties

This study synthesizes 79 standardized mean-change differences between control and treatment groups from 17 independent studies, investigating the effect of morphological interventions on literacy outcomes for students with literacy difficulties. Average total sample size ranged from 15 to 261 from a wide range of grade levels. Overall, morphological instruction showed a significant improvement on literacy achievement ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.33). Specifically, its effect was significant on several literacy outcomes such as phonological awareness ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.49), morphological awareness ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.40), vocabulary ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.40), reading comprehension ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.24), and spelling ([`(d)] \overline d  = 0.20). Morphological instruction was particularly effective for children with reading, learning, or speech and language disabilities, English language learners, and struggling readers, suggesting the possibility that morphological instruction can remediate phonological processing challenges. Other moderators were also explored to explain differences in morphological intervention effects. These findings suggest students with literacy difficulties would benefit from morphological instruction.     

The impact of Covid-19 on student achievement: Evidence from a recent meta-analysis

This work attempts to synthetize existing research about the impact of Covid-19 school closure on student achievement. It extends previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses by (a) using a more balanced sample in terms of country composition, (b) considering new moderators (type of data and research design), and (c) including studies on tertiary education students in addition to primary and secondary education students. Our meta-analysis findings show that the pandemic had, on average, a detrimental effect on learning. The magnitude of this learning deficit (about 0.19 standard deviations of student achievement) appears to be roughly comparable to that suffered by students who have experienced a significant disruption in their schooling due to a major natural disaster (e.g., Hurricane Katrina). Students are also found to have lost more ground in math/science than in other subjects. Additionally, one year or more after the first lockdown, students seem to have been unable to catch up on unfinished learning from the pandemic. This result suggests that more efforts should be made to ensure students recover their missed learning in order to avoid negative long-term consequences for them and society.     

The effects of robot-assisted language learning: A meta-analysis

Given the importance of learner–interlocutor interactions, social robots have received considerable attention in the field of language learning, as this technology can physically accompany learners, is equipped with common social behaviors, and can effectively communicate with learners for language acquisition. In line with the continuous efforts to examine the effects of using social robots in language learning, this study is a meta-analysis aiming to integrate the findings of previous experimental studies on robot-assisted language learning (RALL), focusing on language learning achievement. To this end, we selected 12 independent samples (N = 522) from the initial pool of 16 empirical studies—including 23 independent samples (N = 1147)—and computed effect sizes along with their standard errors. The results indicated that RALL had a medium-sized average effect (d = 0.59, SE = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.41–0.76) compared to non-RALL conditions, such as traditional learning conditions without technology (e.g., teacher-only) or other technology-mediated conditions (e.g., virtual agents and tablet PCs). We further identified several moderator variables (i.e., age group, target language, language domain, robots’ role, interaction type, type of non-RALL condition), and provided an in-depth discussion on how these variables were related to the effectiveness of using robots for language learning.     

Paternal absence and sex-role development: a meta-analysis

A meta-analysis was based on every available study that has compared father-present and father-absent children on a measure of sex typing. 67 studies produced 222 estimates of effect size. Owing to the inappropriateness of conventional statistics, Hedges's approach to meta-analysis was employed. Results show that published studies produced larger estimates of effect size than dissertations and conference papers. Effect-size estimates based on clinical and incarcerated samples were significantly different from those based on more typical samples. Generalizable differences between father-present and father-absent females were conspicuously absent. Preschool father-absent boys were shown to make less stereotypical choices of toys and activities when compared to father-present age-mates. When compared to father-present boys, older father-absent boys were more stereotypical in their overt behavior, particularly in terms of aggression. Discussion focused on interpretation of the results within a multidimensional conception of sex role.