The relations of parental warmth and positive expressiveness to children's empathy-related responding and social functioning: a longitudinal study

This study examined the concurrent and cross-time relations of parental observed warmth and positive expressivity to children's situational facial and self-reported empathic responding, social competence, and externalizing problems in a sample of 180 elementary school children. Data was collected when the children were in second to fifth grades (age: M = 112.8 months), and again 2 years later. Cross-sectional and longitudinal structural equation models supported the hypothesis that parents' (mostly mothers') positive expressivity mediated the relation between parental warmth and children's empathy, and children's empathy mediated the relation between parental positive expressivity and children's social functioning. These relations persisted after controlling for prior levels of parenting and child characteristics. Moreover, concurrent and cross-time consistencies were found on measures of parenting, children's situational empathic responding, and social functioning.     

The relations of regulation and emotionality to children's externalizing and internalizing problem behavior

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of different types of negative emotion and regulation and control to 55- to 97-month-olds' internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Parents and teachers provided information on children's (N = 214) adjustment, dispositional regulation and control, and emotion, and children's regulation was observed during several behavioral tasks. Internalizing was defined in two ways: as social withdrawal (to avoid overlap of items with measures of emotionality) or, more broadly, as anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic complaints. In general, children with externalizing problems, compared with children with internalizing problems and nondisordered children, were more prone to anger, impulsivity, and low regulation. Children with internalizing symptoms were prone to sadness, low attentional regulation, and low impulsivity. Relations between internalizing problems and emotionality were more frequent when the entire internalizing scale was used. Findings suggest that emotion and regulation are associated with adjustment in systematic ways and that there is an important difference between effortful control and less voluntary modes of control.     

What the Marketplace Has Brought Us: Item-by-Item Teaching With Little Instructional Insight

School districts across the country have adopted interim and benchmark assessments in response to NCLB pressures to raise student achievement, despite the lack of a research base. Thus, it is especially important that well-conceived, empirical studies of the effects of such programs be carried out. Various theoretical frames can help understand how teams of teachers might begin to use data to reflect upon and adjust their instructional practices. At issue is whether an idealized data-based decision-making theory of action will play out in practice. Or, will teaching-the-test practices instead be exacerbated? What we learn from the empirical studies reviewed here is that positive examples, where assessment results were coherently linked to curriculum and instruction, were facilitated by highly committed principals and teacher leaders. But, these examples were rare. More frequently, interim assessments results appeared to be used, item by item, to reteach steps in problems that were missed without attending to underlying concepts or gaining diagnostic insights.     

Logical propositions and debate resolutions

The argument that “it is unethical to argue both sides of a debate resolution”; is unsound insofar as the argument assumes that factual and logical considerations are relevant to resolutions and that convictions are relevant to argument.     

On-chip collection of particles and cells by AC electroosmotic pumping and dielectrophoresis using asymmetric microelectrodes

The recent development of microfluidic "lab on a chip" devices requiring sample sizes <100 μL has given rise to the need to concentrate dilute samples and trap analytes, especially for surface-based detection techniques. We demonstrate a particle collection device capable of concentrating micron-sized particles in a predetermined area by combining AC electroosmosis (ACEO) and dielectrophoresis (DEP). The planar asymmetric electrode pattern uses ACEO pumping to induce equal, quadrilateral flow directed towards a stagnant region in the center of the device. A number of system parameters affecting particle collection efficiency were investigated including electrode and gap width, chamber height, applied potential and frequency, and number of repeating electrode pairs and electrode geometry. The robustness of the on-chip collection design was evaluated against varying electrolyte concentrations, particle types, and particle sizes. These devices are amenable to integration with a variety of detection techniques such as optical evanescent waveguide sensing.     

Inflated Test Score Gains: Is the Problem Old Norms or Teaching the Test?

What explanations have been provided for spurious test score gains? Are states and districts narrowing the curriculum and teaching the test? What effect does teaching the test have on the norms themselves? What alternatives must be sought to protect the integrity of instruction and the validity of scores?     

National survey of career development functions of practicing school psychologists

Three hundred sixty-four (364) practicing school psychologists were surveyed about involvement in career development functions. Responses were analyzed using multiple regressions and correlated t-tests. Findings reveal school psychologists to be interested in career development functions, with particular interest in career counseling; they are minimally involved in career assessment, counseling, and consultation. Ninety percent of respondents felt unprepared to participate in vocationally related job responsibilities. School psychology should prepare its members for involvement in career development. Means of accomplishing greater participation were discussed.