Attitudes to reading at ages nine and eleven

A survey was conducted with the aim of identifying attitudes towards reading amongst upper primary pupils, and establishing whether these attitudes had changed over the five‐year period from 1998 to 2003. A sample of 5076 pupils in Years 4 and 6 completed questionnaires. Attitudes were generally positive, but declined somewhat between the younger and older of these age groups. A sub‐sample of 2364 of these pupils were in the same schools where the same questionnaire had been completed in 1998. Enjoyment of reading had significantly fallen over the five years, whilst confidence as readers had significantly increased over the same period. The changes may be related to the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, but other explanations are also possible.     

Inhibition in Toddlerhood and the Dynamics of the Child''s Interaction with an Unfamiliar Peer at Age Five

Measures of inhibition to social and nonsocial unfamiliar events, obtained in toddlerhood, were studied as predictors of social behaviors during an interaction with an unfamiliar peer in 100 5-year-old children. Social inhibition predicted a highly shy and inhibited behavioral pattern with peer and less frequent expression of affect during fantasy play; nonsocial inhibition predicted decreased involvement in group play. Analysis of the changing dynamics of the ongoing peer interaction revealed that the role of child inhibition as a predictor of social behavior may be mostly evident during the initial encounter with the peer. Children who as toddlers were particularly socially inhibited, during the initial phase of peer interaction showed a significantly stronger pattern of shy and inhibited behavior and proximity to mother. In contrast to existing evidence that maternal depression may be a risk factor for the child's long-term peer relationships, no differences in social behavior were found between children of normal and affectively ill mothers during a brief encounter with unfamiliar peers.     

Understanding institutional image

An organization's image is not a clear, concise concept but rather a set of an individual's perceptions about the institution. An educational institution has a multifaceted image that includes academic, social, political, and perhaps stylistic dimensions. We discuss the use of the semantic differential research tool to investigate one institution's image. Specifically, we explore the following questions: (1) What are the differences between the institution's desired image and current image? (2) Do various constituencies view the institution differently? If so, how do alumni perceptions differ from those of current students? Does the institution's internal image differ from its external image?Presented at the Thirty-Second Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, Atlanta, GA, May 10–13, 1992.     

Parent Reports of Behavioral and Emotional Problems among Children in Kenya, Thailand, and the United States

The behavioral and emotional problems children develop may differ from one cultural context to another. We explored this possibility, comparing 11–15-year-old Embu children in Kenya, Thai children, African-American children, and Caucasian-American children. Standardized parent reports on 118 problems revealed 62 significant ( p < .01) culture effects. Caucasian-Americans were rated particularly high on undercontrolled problems (e.g., arguing, disobedient at home, cruel to others). Embu children were rated particularly high on overcontrolled problems (e.g., fears, feels guilty, somatic concerns), largely because of the numerous somatic problems reported. The findings may relate to the strict emphasis on compliance and obedience among the Embu, as opposed to the greater independence permitted in the United States. But alternative interpretations are discussed as well, including the effects of parent sensitivities and Third World living conditions.     

Persisting problems of adults with learning disabilities: self-reported comparisons from their school-age and adult years

The issue of persistence of learning disabilities into the adult years was investigated. The study examined the self-reported comparisons of problems resulting from learning disabilities during school-age years (retrospectively) and in adult years. The responses of 133 adults categorized as highly successful and moderately successful in employment showed that both groups deteriorated markedly in the areas of functioning typically included in diagnostic and remediation efforts. This established a case for persistence and highlights an important issue for those who are directly or indirectly concerned about adults with learning disabilities.     

Assessing attachment security with the Attachment Q Sort: meta-analytic evidence for the validity of the observer AQS

The reliability and validity of the Attachment Q Sort (AQS; Waters & Deane, 1985) was tested in a series of meta-analyses on 139 studies with 13,835 children. The observer AQS security score showed convergent validity with Strange Situation procedure (SSP) security (r = .31) and excellent predictive validity with sensitivity measures (r = .39). Its association with temperament was weaker (r = .16), which supports the discriminant validity of the observer AQS. Studies on the stability of the observer AQS are still relatively scarce but they have yielded promising results (mean r = .28; k = 4, n = 162). It is concluded that the observer AQS, but not the self-reported AQS, is a valid measure of attachment.     

Instructional strategies for long-term success

Through a qualitative research study we developed a model of employment success based on the experiences of successful adults with learning disabilities. This model may be particularly useful to students with learning disabilities in helping them experience success both in school and beyond. We suggest that the components of the model—internal decisions comprising desire, goal orientation, and reframing, and external manifestations or behaviors of persistence, goodness of fit, learned creativity, and favorable social ecologies—can be systematically taught and then used. By focusing on what has worked for adults with learning disabilities, we propose that the model taps into inherent strengths that can compensate for significant limitations associated with learning disabilities. The model does not guarantee success, but it does equip students with learning disabilities with a readiness to capitalize on opportunities that they might otherwise miss.     

Responses to the Negative Emotions of Others by Autistic, Mentally Retarded, and Normal Children

Attention, facial affect, and behavioral responses to adults showing distress, fear, and discomfort were compared for autistic, mentally retarded, and normal children. The normal and mentally retarded children were very attentive to adults in all 3 situations. In contrast, many of the autistic children appeared to ignore or not notice the adults showing these negative affects. As a group, the autistic children looked at the adults less and were much more engaged in toy play than the other children during periods when an adult pretended to be hurt. The autistic children were also less attentive to adults showing fear, although their behavior was not different from the normal children. Few of the children in any group showed much facial affect in response to these situations. The results are discussed in terms of the importance of affect in the social learning experiences of the young child.