Parental Age and Offspring Childhood Mental Health: A Multi-Cohort,Population-Based Investigation

To examine the contributions of maternal and paternal age on offspring externalizing and internalizing problems, this study analyzed problem behaviors at age 10–12 years from four Dutch population-based cohorts (N = 32,892) by a multiple informant design. Bayesian evidence synthesis was used to combine results across cohorts with 50% of the data analyzed for discovery and 50% for confirmation. There was evidence of a robust negative linear relation between parental age and externalizing problems as reported by parents. In teacher-reports, this relation was largely explained by parental socio-economic status. Parental age had limited to no association with internalizing problems. Thus, in this large population-based study, either a beneficial or no effect of advanced parenthood on child problem behavior was observed.     

Academic resilience and its psychological and educational correlates: A construct validity approach

This study examines educational and psychological correlates of academic resilience using within‐network and between‐network validity approaches. Based on a sample of 402 Australian high‐school students, a newly developed unidimensional academic resilience construct found within‐network validity by way of sound item and factor properties. In terms of between‐network validity, correlation, path analysis, and cluster analysis showed that five factors predict academic resilience: self‐efficacy, control, planning, low anxiety, and persistence. Hence, a 5‐C model of academic resilience is proposed: confidence (self‐efficacy), coordination (planning), control, composure (low anxiety), and commitment (persistence). Path analysis also showed that academic resilience subsequently predicts three educational and psychological “outcomes”: enjoyment of school, class participation, and general self‐esteem. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 267–281, 2006.     

Print Media

Bernard M. Fry and Herbert S. White's Publishers and Libraries: A Study of Scholarly and Research Journals (Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books/D.C. Heath, 1976—price not given, but about $15.00)

Karl I.R. Arndt and May E. Olsen's The German Language Press of the Americas, Volume I: History and Bibliography 1732-1968, United States of America (Munich: Verlag Dokumentation [New York: Unipub] , 1976—DM 148, or $52.00)

The Reader's Advisor: A Layman's Guide to Literature, 12th Edition (New York: R.R. Bowker, 1977—three volumes for $69.95 per set, or $25.00 per volume if purchased separately)

Donald McQuade and Robert Atwan (eds.) Popular Writing in America: The Interaction of Style and Audience, Shorter, Alternate Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977—$5.00, paper)     

Evaluating Interventions with Multimethod Data: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

In many intervention and evaluation studies, outcome variables are assessed using a multimethod approach comparing multiple groups over time. In this article, we show how evaluation data obtained from a complex multitrait–multimethod–multioccasion–multigroup design can be analyzed with structural equation models. In particular, we show how the structural equation modeling approach can be used to (a) handle ordinal items as indicators, (b) test measurement invariance, and (c) test the means of the latent variables to examine treatment effects. We present an application to data from an evaluation study of an early childhood prevention program. A total of 659 children in intervention and control groups were rated by their parents and teachers on prosocial behavior and relational aggression before and after the program implementation. No mean change in relational aggression was found in either group, whereas an increase in prosocial behavior was found in both groups. Advantages and limitations of the proposed approach are highlighted.     

The equal correlation baseline model: Comment and constructive alternatives

Rigdon (this issue) proposes a new “null” (or baseline) model (M₌) for computing incremental fit indices in which all measured variables are equally correlated as compared to the traditional null model (M₀) in which all measured variables are uncorrelated. Whereas it is clear that the use of M₌ results in different values than M₀, there is little evidence to suggest that M₌ is more useful than M₀ and some evidence suggesting that it might be less useful. General concerns with M₌ include (a) the problem of negatively oriented variables, (b) an apparently illusory sense of greater discrimination, (c) standards for an “acceptable” model, (d) the use of M₌ to control method or halo effects, and (e) potential usefulness of M₌ as a basis of statistical inference. Whereas the disadvantages of this new null model apparently outweigh potential advantages, a constructive compromise would retain M₀ as the traditional null model but place more emphasis on the comparative fit of alternative models within a nested (or partially nested) sequence that could include M₌.     

Magnes,the Champion of Justice

Introduction

In years past, Jewish supplementary education has been the basis of religious growth for thousands of youngsters. Congregational and communal schools throughout the country have touched the lives of many Jewish youth.     

Some remarks and proposals concerning the planning and performance of technology assessment studies

It is the authors' intention to clarify some basic problems of technology assessment studies and some apparent misunderstandings about the role and possibilities of technology assessment. The discussion centers around questions such as the following: Can technology assessment studies be objective in the scientific sense? What are the risks that may result from a lack of active participation of affected groups in the assessment process? Do technology assessment studies really produce evaluations of the future impacts of a technology according to future value systems? Are the frameworks or schemes for the technology assessment process that are proposed by a number of analysts really helpful for the conception of adequate pragmatic strategies in concrete cases? Should the European countries imitate the US example of setting up an Office of Technology Assessment in the legislature?The authors believe that technology assessment analyses should be organized as transparent, participatory, and argumentative processes and that procedures should be developed and applied that are suitable to fulfil this task.