Visions about future: a new scale assessing optimism,pessimism, and hope in adolescents

This article reports the development and psychometric properties of visions about future (VAF), an instrument assessing hope, optimism, and pessimism. Three different studies involving Italian adolescents were conducted. With the first study 22 items were developed and the factor structure was verified. The second study, involving a second sample of adolescents, confirmed the instrument’s multidimensional structure and evaluated the convergent validity of VAF with self-report measures of hope, optimism, and pessimism. Moreover, it showed that VAF correlated with life satisfaction and career adaptability. The third study involved a third sample of adolescents and verified the measurement invariance across gender.     

Toward an understanding of academic and nonacademic tasks procrastinated by students: The use of daily logs

For five consecutive days, at either the beginning or the end of a term, college students (30 women, 7 men) listed daily academic and nonacademic tasks they intended to complete and whether they actually completed them. Students reported nonacademic tasks (e.g., household chores, making telephone calls, exercising, and playing sports) as completed most often regardless of the time within the term. Results from 2 (early vs. later sessions) by 2 (completed vs. not completed tasks) by 2 (academic vs. nonacademic tasks) ANOVAs found that procrastinated tasks early in the term were more effortful and anxiety provoking than any other task during the term. Procrastinated academic tasks (e.g., homework, reading assignments, studying) in the early part of a term were rated as unpleasurable, while students reported later in the term that pleasantness of the task did not affect whether it was procrastinated or completed. These results imply that academic and nonacademic tasks should be challenging, yet fun, to heighten the likelihood that they are completed by students. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Körperbild und Körperzufriedenheit im Leistungssport

The controversy surrounding the role of competitive sports in the development of eating disorders has increased in recent decades. There are inconsistent findings in the literature concerning the relationship between eating disorders and competitive sports, especially aesthetic sports. The aim of this study was therefore to assess eating disorder-related psychopathology in a sample of competitive figure skaters (FS) representative for competitive aesthetic sports. Special attention is paid to the investigation of body image and body satisfaction. Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and a healthy control group (CG) served as comparison groups. None of the FS met the complete diagnostic criteria for an eating disorder. Furthermore no significant differences were observed between the FS and the CG regarding body image and body satisfaction. However, a significant difference was detected compared to the AN patients. Our results underline the necessity for a differentiated analysis and careful diagnostics of sport-specific aspects when considering eating disorder-related psychopathology in competitive sports.     

Comparisons of the peabody picture vocabulary test and the McCarthy Sclaes of Children's Abilities with a sample of autistic children

The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities were administered to eight autistic children. A correlated t-test and Pearson product correlations were calculated between the scores of the two tests in a within-subjects desgin. The Peabody correlated significantly with the McCarthy General Cognitive Index, Verbal Scale, perceptual Scale, and Memory Scale. A significant difference between the means of the two tests was found, with the Peabody yielding lower scores. The importance of multiskilled testing for the cognitive assessment of autistic children was discussed.     

Achievement and school behavior among children with epilepsy

The school-related behavior of 15 epileptic children (7 boys and 8 girls) whose average age was approximately 10 years was compared with that of matched groups of diabetic and healthy children. Data were derived from the Piers-Harris Children's Self-concept Scale, the Multidimensional Measure of Children's Perception of Control, and the Rochester Adaptive Behavior Inventory. The epileptic children were found to be more likely to attribute the success or failure of their school performance to unknown sources of control, and to hold less positive feelings about school and about their own self-worth within the school setting than were their diabetic or healthy peers. The implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations for remediation are offered.     

A school-based intervention program as a context for promoting socioemotional development in children

The present study investigated the role of a school-based intervention program, called the Integrated School Day, in the socioemotional development of Finnish children during their first years of school. The 3-year program involved the restructuring of the school day by adding in extracurricular activities, which were organized on school premises, included a multitude of activities according to children’s wishes, and were available to every child. The longitudinal findings, based on the hierarchical linear modeling, showed that the 9- to 10-year-old children who had participated in the program (N = 276) had lower levels of internalizing problem behaviors, both social anxiety and depressive symptoms, than the non-intervention comparison group (N = 239). The difference was statistically significant in both genders. The results also showed that the higher number of years of participation (but not the number of different activities or the regularity of participation) was related to lower internalizing problem behaviors, particularly to lower social anxiety, at the end of the program.     

Correlation between self-reported recovery and central sensitization in whiplash patients

BackgroundCentral sensitization has been associated with chronic pain in whiplash patients.MethodsConsecutive whiplash patients were assessed at 3 months post-whiplash injury with the brachial plexus provocation test (BPPT) as a sign of central sensitization. Self-reported recovery was assessed by the response to the question ‘Do you feel you have recovered fully from your accident injuries?’ResultsSixty-nine subjects (32 males, 37 females, age 37.5 ± 13.0 years (mean ± SD), range 18–71) were included. Of these, 34 reported a lack of recovery, and 35 reported recovery at 3 months post-injury. The mean BPPT elbow extension (from 180°) was 41.5 ± 23.0°, and the mean VAS score for the BPPT was 2.2 ± 1.2 (out of 10). Those who reported recovery had a mean BPPT elbow extension angle of 25.1 ± 15.8 while those who did not report recovery had a mean BPPT angle of 58.4 ± 15.9 (P < 0.05). The visual analogue scale (VAS) score for recovered subjects was 1.8 ± 1.1 and 2.7 ± 1.1 (P < 0.05) for non-recovered. There was a moderate correlation between self-reported recovery and BPPT elbow extension angle (?0.44) and a lower correlation between self-reported recovery and VAS score (?0.30).ConclusionSelf-reported recovery correlates well with a lower likelihood of signs of central sensitization.     

Auto-Ethnography: Creating an Original Performance With High School English Language Learners

Arts-based teaching techniques using physicality help English Language Learners to develop self-awareness. A strong familial and social identity empowers self-expression.     

Best practices and emerging trends in assessment of trauma in students with autism spectrum disorder

Children and adolescents with autism have a higher likelihood of being exposed to bullying, abuse, and sexual assault which, through repeated exposure, has been demonstrated to impede academic, social, and physical functioning among this population. However, the complexity of unpacking the characteristics of autism and trauma can pose a challenge for school psychologists in using the most appropriate clinical method of intervention. This paper summarizes the co-occurrence of autism and trauma in an effort to better inform practitioners and recommends the need for valid and reliable assessments that measure adverse experiences for children with autism. A practitioner assessment guide of childhood trauma and autism spectrum disorder is also provided to facilitate a comprehensive assessment process. We conclude that there is a pressing need for more research examining the relationship between autism and trauma by better understanding the relationship of these constructs, and for the development of more effective assessments to provide more evidence-based interventions.     

Reducing statistics anxiety and academic procrastination among Israeli students: A pilot program

Many college students consider statistical courses as frightening and demanding, yielding high anxiety and low competence, and correlating with maladaptive academic behaviors and low achievement. With undergraduate students, the present pre-post study compared a supportive online teaching program utilizing mandatory statistical exercises (n = 37) with a no intervention, optional exercise statistics class (n = 32). We evaluated whether our statistics teaching intervention decreased test anxiety and academic procrastination and increased academic self-efficacy and academic achievements. Results indicated a decrease in academic procrastination and test anxiety at course end for intervention group and an increase in test anxiety for control group. At the end of the course intervention group reported higher academic self-efficacy and achievements. Teaching statistics using mandatory supportive activities might contribute to more positive psychological outcomes (eg, higher academic self-efficacy and lower academic procrastination) and higher academic achievements.