The Influence of Sex,Education and Age on Test Scores on the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test

This study describes the effects of sex, education and age on the total test score on the Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test (SweSA T), a test used in the selection process to colleges and universities in Sweden since 1977. Its use has so far been limited to one of four quota groups consisting of applicants 25 years or older and with more than four years of work experience. Statistical methods used in this study are regression models with dummy variables and estimated with a corner‐point parameterization. The results indicate rather genuine differences in every variable studied. Test takers with a higher education obtain a higher mean score than those with a lower education and older test takers obtain a higher mean score on the subtests vocabulary (WORD) and general information (GI) than younger persons. The mean test score for men is higher than the corresponding score for women, even if differences in education and age are controlled for. Finally some statistical problems related to the analysis of data of this type are discussed.     

Exploring Relational and Individualistic Counseling Preferences of Culturally Diverse College Students

This exploratory study examined the influence of gender and ethnicity on college student preferences for individualistic vs. relational‐focused counseling approaches. Overall, the results did not demonstrate significant differences across gender and ethnicity. However, there was a small tendency for women and African American participants to rate the counselor conducting the relational‐focused counseling approach more positively than did men and White participants, respectively.     

The achievement gap between science classrooms and historic inequalities

In the past politics deprived many African children (in particular) in South Africa the opportunity of achieving quality education. This was most especially true in subjects such as mathematics and science. In this research the science teacher-level data from Third International Mathematics and Science Study 1999 (TIMSS’99) were analysed with a view to evaluating the politicized gap between what are viewed as well-functioning and provisioned classrooms (predominantly housing White teachers and White or mixed classes in urban areas) and not well-functioning and poorly provisioned classrooms (largely African teachers and African pupils in peri-urban and rural areas). The data are explored in this article to ascertain and gain insight into similarities and differences in classroom conditions, teacher actions and the relationship between these and pupils’ achievement in science in South African classrooms. Significant differences in achievement were found between classrooms headed by teachers with different racial profiles, where the pupils’ average class science score taught by White teachers was about 300 points more (on a scale with an international mean score of 500 points) than children taught in classrooms by African teachers. Furthermore, the average class science score in rural areas was about 130 points below classes in urban areas. These blatant inequalities contribute to what is believed to be an increasing gap in achievement in science. Whilst these results are not altogether unexpected, there were some interesting results in terms of possible explanatory factors for the gaps in achievement which have ramifications for policymakers.     

Correlates of Work-Life Balance for Faculty Across Racial/Ethnic Groups

Very few studies have examined issues of work-life balance among faculty of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Utilizing data from Harvard University’s Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education project, this study examined predictors of work-life balance for 2953 faculty members from 69 institutions. The final sample consisted of 1059 (36%) Asian American faculty, 512 (17%) African American faculty, 359 (12%) Latina/o faculty, and 1023 (35%) White/Caucasian faculty. There were 1184 (40%) women faculty and 1769 (60%) men faculty. The predictors of worklife balance included faculty characteristics, departmental/institutional characteristics and support, and faculty satisfaction with work. While African American women faculty reported less work-life balance than African American men, the reverse was true for Latina/o faculty. In addition, White faculty who were single with no children were significantly less likely to report having work-life balance than their married counterparts with children. Faculty rank was a significant positive predictor of work-life balance for all faculty. Notably, the findings highlight the importance of department and institutional support for making personal/family obligations and an academic career compatible. Institutional support for making personal/family obligations and an academic career compatible was consistently the strongest positive predictor of perceived work-life balance for all faculty. In addition, satisfaction with time spent on research had positive associations with work-life balance for all faculty, highlighting how faculty from all racial/ethnic backgrounds value being able to spend enough time on their own research.     

The Effect of Multidimensionality on IRT True-Score Equating for Subgroups of Examinees

The purpose of this study was to assess the dimensionality of two forms of a large-scale standardized test separately for 3 ethnic groups of examinees and to investigate whether differences in their latent trait composites have any impact on unidimensional item response theory true-score equating functions. Specifically, separate equating functions for African American and Hispanic examinees were compared to those of a Caucasian group as well as the total test taker population. On both forms, a 2-dimensional model adequately accounted for the item responses of Caucasian and African American examinees, whereas a more complex model was required for the Hispanic subgroup. The differences between equating functions for the 3 ethnic groups and the total test taker population were small and tended to be located at the low end of the score scale.     

What Difference Does a Major Make? The Influence of College Major Field on Persistence by African American and White Students

The results from this study indicate similarities and differences in the factors related to the persistence of White and African American students in their freshman and sophomore years in college. Using random samples of data from students enrolled in public institutions of higher education in a Midwestern state, OLS regression analyses indicated that African American sophomores in the high-demand major fields (e.g., Business, Health, and Engineering/Computer Science) were more likely to persist than were those in other major fields, but there were no statistically significant differences in persistence for African American freshmen in other fields. While major fields were not statistically significant for White sophomores, White freshmen in social sciences or undecided about their majors were less likely to persist. The effects of financial aid packages on persistence varied across race.     

Making a Neighbourhood the Sesame Street Way: developing a methodology to evaluate children's understanding of race

Since its inception, Sesame Street has modelled racial harmony; however, as a result of the rising racial unrest in the United States in 1989, we launched a four-year race relations curriculum initiative designed to be more explicit about physical and cultural differences, and to encourage friendship between people of different races and cultures. To assess children's basic knowledge and attitudes about diverse children living and playing together a variety of methods were developed, including a game 'Make a Neighborhood', to assess how living in a segregated environment influences preschoolers' understanding of race relations. The game allowed us to observe how preschoolers sort drawings of children who differ by race, clothing and hairstyle into places in the neighbourhood. Results indicated that Chinese American, African American, Puerto Rican and Crow Indian preschoolers integrated homes, schools, playgrounds, churches and stores when given drawings of children from their own groups and White children. White preschoolers integrated Chinese American and White, Puerto Rican and White and Crow Indian and White children in every structure. However, White preschoolers were significantly more likely to segregate African American and White children in the homes, schools, playgrounds, churches and stores. Based on these results, segments were produced which show White children visiting an African American friend's home.     

Within‐High‐School Versus Across‐High‐School Scaling of Admissions Assessments: Implications for Validity and Diversity Effects

Previous research has established that SAT scores and high school grade point average (HSGPA) differ in their predictive power and in the size of mean differences across racial/ethnic groups. However, the SAT is scaled nationally across all test takers while HSGPA is scaled locally within a school. In this study, the researchers propose that this difference in how SAT scores and HSGPA are scaled partially explains differences in validity and subgroup differences. Using a large data set consisting of 170,390 students each of whom matriculated at one of 114 separate colleges, the researchers find that awarding SAT scores by ranking SAT within a high school generally results in substantial reduction in the size of subgroup mean differences for this predictor. However, validity for predicting first‐year GPA is also reduced by a small amount. Conversely, placing HSGPA onto a nationally normed metric through the use of multiple regression procedures results in a moderate increase in the size of subgroup mean differences, while also producing a small increase in validity. Taken together, these findings suggest that differences in predictor scaling can partially explain differences in the size of subgroup mean differences between HSGPA and SAT scores and have implications for predictive power.     

Childhood adversity and adult depression among the incarcerated: Differential exposure and vulnerability by race/ethnicity and gender

The relationship between childhood adversity and adult depression is well-established but less is known about the association between childhood adversity and adult depression among the incarcerated. In this paper, we examine differential exposure and vulnerability to childhood adversity by race/ethnicity and gender on adult depression among the incarcerated in the United States. We address three research questions: does exposure to childhood adverse experiences vary by race/ethnicity and gender? Is there an association between these childhood adverse events and depression and does the strength of the association vary by the specific adverse experiences? And does vulnerability to childhood adversity vary by gender and race/ethnicity? Using the 2004 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities (SI-SFCF), we measure four key childhood adverse events – parental/caretaker substance abuse, physical assault, having been placed in foster care, and sexual assault. We use ordinary least squares regression and a series of interaction effect analyses to examine differential exposure and vulnerability to the four childhood adverse experiences by race/ethnicity and gender. Incarcerated women are more likely to report parental substance abuse, but all inmates/prisoners are similarly vulnerable to this experience. For the other three adverse experiences measured, we find that there are important racial/ethnic and gender differences in both exposure and vulnerability. African American men and women are more vulnerable to the effects of physical and sexual victimization than White and Hispanic men and women. Women are much more likely to be exposed to sexual victimization, but men who report this experience are significantly more depressed. Hispanic women and White men and women are more likely to report foster care, but all inmates/prisoners who report foster care experiences are significantly more depressed than other inmates/prisoners, with the exception of white men. The findings indicate that there are significant differences in exposure and vulnerability to childhood adversity by race/ethnicity and gender. We conclude that in order to effectively design and implement programs to decrease the probability that childhood adversity is a risk factor for adult depression interventions must be targeted toward specific, vulnerable groups according to race/ethnicity and gender.     

Quality of Effort and Career Preparation Differences Between African American and White Community College Students

This study examined data from a random sample of 500 White students and 500 African American students who have taken the Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire to determine which factors in the environment impact their career preparation. The results showed that interaction with faculty had the strongest impact on career preparation for all students. Counseling services were significant for African American students. The African American students indicated they put more effort into student-faculty interactions and peer interactions than White students, and they reported greater gains in career preparation.     

Commentary: Riding the Juggernaut

Critical race scholarship focuses on people of color, women, and the intersection of race and gender. Conversely, sport scholarship has refl ected the dominant White male culture. Sport culture ignores the experience of women and people of color, and most specifi cally ignores women who are people of color. This paper provides an overview of the existing sport literature and presents an introduction to the theory and literature on African American women in sport with particular attention to representation and silencing, socialization, and stereotyping. Sport scholars are encouraged to realize that all the women are not White and all the Blacks are not men (Hull, Scott, &; Smith, 1982), and that those individuals can have different experiences becoming involved and staying involved in sport.     

An Empirical Investigation of Impact Moderation in Test Construction

This investigation constructed four different kinds of test sections using three methods of test assembly that incorporate the goals of simultaneous moderation of three kinds of impact-gender impact, African-American impact, and Hispanic- American impact. The test sections were administered undetectably to random samples from the appropriate population. The results were evaluated by comparison of the characteristics of moderated sections with those of parallel operational sections. Almost all methods of test assembly produced either moderation of impact in the appropriate direction or no change in impact. Taking impact into account in test assembly tended to lower reliability slightly, raise concurrent validity slightly, and maintain the construct measured by the parallel operational section. It also reduced the relative efficiency for test takers in the middle score range while increasing efficiency for those with more extreme scores.     

Being Tested With Inequity A theoretical analysis of legitimate English in IETLS and TOEFL

With the ever increasing popularity of international standardized English proficiency tests,the test takers’ craze for them has nev er been greater.However,the issue of the inequity which comes from the legitimate knowledge which decides a test-taker’s score hasn’t been fully exposed.The theoretical study of this issue in this paper helps explore the legitimate knowledge tested in international English proficiency tests.By examining the legitimate knowledge in the sample tests of IELTS and TOEFL,the study reveals the underlying bias which constitutes a decent score for the test takers.In the end,the study proposes a more balanced assessment model for discussion.     

Effects of Calculator Use on Scores on a Test of Mathematical Reasoning

A sample of college-bound juniors from 275 high schools took a test consisting of 70 math questions from the SAT. A random half of the sample was allowed to use calculators on the test. Both genders and three ethnic groups (White, African American, and Asian American) benefitted about equally from being allowed to use calculators; Latinos benefitted slightly more than the other groups. Students who routinely used calculators on classroom mathematics tests were relatively advantaged on the calculator test. Test speededness was about the same whether or not students used calculators. Calculator effects on individual items ranged from positive through neutral to negative and could either increase or decrease the validity of an item as a measure of mathematical reasoning skills. Calculator effects could be either present or absent in both difficult and easy items     

二项式模型在标准参照性语言测验长度研究中的应用

随着国内外教育测量理念的转变,传统的常模参照测验所提供的相对性评价信息已无法满足考试用户和考生的需求,标准参照测验(CriterionReferenced Test,CRT)的社会价值越来越受到重视。在对被试掌握程度进行分类决策的CRT测验中,如何确定恰当的测验长度和合格分数是影响测验分类误差的重要因素。本文在对CRT测验研究的现状、原理和用途进行考察的基础上,专门介绍了二项式概率模型在CRT测验长度决策研究中的理论和过程,并以误差控制为原则,对二项式模型在综合性标准参照语言测验长度和合格分数决策中的应用过程进行了研究。     

Toward a Democratic Ethnotheory of Parenting for Families and Policymakers: A Developmental Systems Perspective

Objective. This study examines ethnic group differences in the relation between parents' use of physical discipline and children's externalizing behavior problems in younger children and assesses both same-source and distinct-source data. Design. One hundred and twelve mothers of African American (N = 63) and European American (N = 49) children were interviewed regarding their parenting strategies and their child's behavior. Preschool teacher ratings of child behavior were obtained. Results. Regression analyses revealed significant main effects for gender and discipline on externalizing behavior problems. All 2-way interactions with ethnicity were significant, but only when predicting teacher-rated behavior problems. Post-hoc analyses showed that for African American men, there was a significant negative correlation between mother-reported physical discipline and teacher-rated externalizing behavior problems. Similar correlations for African American women and the European American gender groups were not significant. Conclusions. These findings show ethnic differences in the relation between physical discipline and externalizing behavior problems for young children when distinct-source information is obtained. The study extends the literature by showing this effect is particularly strong for boys.     

Mental Health Help-Seeking Experience and Attitudes in Asian American,Multiracial American,and White American Emerging Adults

In this cross-sectional survey, we examined the direct and indirect mental health help-seeking experiences and relevant psychological factors in Asian American, multiracial American, and White American emerging adults aged 18–25 years old. The study sample consisted of 384 Asian American (249 women, 135 men), 244 multiracial American (172 women, 72 men), and 245 White American (190 women, 55 men) emerging adults, who were recruited from a four-year public university in the state of Hawai?i of the United States (U.S.). Results revealed that Asian American and multiracial American emerging adults were less likely to: (a) have previous experience of seeking professional psychological services: (b) have been prescribed, or are currently taking, a psychotropic medication; (c) know someone close to them who had sought psychological services; or (d) know someone close to them who was diagnosed with a psychological disorder, compared to their White American peers. We also discuss implications of the present findings, limitations of the study, and future directions in this line of research.

     

A focus group study of African American students’ experiences with classroom discussions about race at a predominantly White university

Past research has drawn attention to the unique challenges for students of color attending predominantly white colleges and universities, yet few have focused on the classroom as a micro-context in which race-related discussions often occur. Using a focus group methodology, 22 African American undergraduate students from a variety of academic programs shared their past experiences with classroom discussions about race. Thematic analyses revealed that African American students’ cognitive and emotional responses to race-focused discussions in the classroom were uniquely shaped by the broader context of attending a predominantly White university situated in a Midwestern region of the United States. Students’ responses gave insights into the strategies that minority students use to navigate race-focused discussions in class and the impact that those strategies have on their class participation. The implications of our results for students and faculty, particularly those situated on predominantly White campuses, are discussed.     

Random-Groups Equating with Samples of 50 to 400 Test Takers

Five methods for equating in a random groups design were investigated in a series of resampling studies with samples of 400, 200, 100, and 50 test takers. Six operational test forms, each taken by 9,000 or more test takers, were used as item pools to construct pairs of forms to be equated. The criterion equating was the direct equipercentile equating in the group of all test takers. Equating accuracy was indicated by the root-mean-squared deviation, over 1,000 replications, of the sample equatings from the criterion equating. The methods investigated were equipercentile equating of smoothed distributions, linear equating, mean equating, symmetric circle-arc equating, and simplified circle-arc equating. The circle-arc methods produced the most accurate results for all sample sizes investigated, particularly in the upper half of the score distribution. The difference in equating accuracy between the two circle-arc methods was negligible.