Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Questionnaire and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI): Implications for parent child relationships

Although Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are linked to increased health problems and risk behaviors in adulthood, there are no studies on the association between ACEs and adults’ states of mind regarding their early childhood attachments, loss, and trauma experiences. To validate the ACEs questions, we analyzed the association between ACEs and emotional support indicators and Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) classifications in terms of unresolved mourning regarding past loss or trauma and discordant states of mind in cannot classify (U/CC) interviews. Seventy-five urban women (41 clinical and 34 community) completed a questionnaire on ACEs, which included 10 categories of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, in addition to emotional support. Internal psychological processes or states of mind concerning attachment were assessed using the AAI. ACE responses were internally consistent (Cronbach's α = .88). In the clinical sample, 84% reported ≥ 4 ACEs compared to 27% among the community sample. AAIs judged U/CC occurred in 76% of the clinical sample compared to 9% in the community sample. When ACEs were ≥ 4, 65% of AAIs were classified U/CC. Absence of emotional support in the ACEs questionnaire was associated with 72% of AAIs being classified U/CC. As the number of ACEs and the lack of emotional support increases so too does the probability of AAIs being classified as U/CC. Findings provide rationale for including ACEs questions in pediatric screening protocols to identify and offer treatment reducing the intergenerational transmission of risk associated with problematic parenting.     

Pedagogical distance: explaining misalignment in student-driven online learning activities using Activity Theory

This paper provides an Activity Theory analysis of two online student-driven interactive learning activities to interrogate assumptions that such groups can effectively learn in the absence of the teacher. Such an analysis conceptualises learning tasks as constructed objects that drive pedagogical activity. The analysis shows a disconnect between the codified curriculum plan and its actual enactment, and a misalignment of interpretations of the object by different participants in the activity. We name this ‘pedagogical distance’. We argue that a teaching presence is important to guide both student and tutor interpretations of the learning task, and offer suggestions for decreasing pedagogical distance.     

Pre-service teachers teaching about and across cultures using digital environments: the case of eTutor

Increasingly, school teachers are expected to be able to teach about and across cultures, as well as teach in digitally enriched classrooms. Teacher educators are expected to prepare their teaching students for such challenges. One university designed the eTutor online environment to enhance and support the development of pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) intercultural capability, as well as enhance their capability to use digital technologies in their own teaching practices. Over 450 PSTs and school students from eight schools across four countries interacted with each other online for a 14-week period. Participants posted blogs, comments, wall posts and shared images and videos centred on cultural exchange. Despite the challenges of access to technology and conflicting calendars, eTutor was seen by participating schools as a potentially useful way to engage their students in intercultural learning. The experience of interacting with children from multiple cultures in an online environment contributed positively to a shift, for the majority of PSTs, from an ethnocentric to a more ethnorelative worldview. However, PSTs found establishing relationships with students in the online environment challenging.     

International trends in health science librarianship part 20: Russia

This is the last in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. The focus of the present issue is Russia. The next feature column will initiate a new series entitled New Directions in Health Science Librarianship. The first contribution will be from Australia. JM     

Global publication trends in the Health Information and Libraries Journal, 2014–2015

In an age when health science librarians are encouraged to engage in research, it is worth considering how international the published literature is. This article analyses the authorship of articles in Health Information & Libraries Journal over a 1‐year period, to determine the country of the authors who were published. JM     

Epistemic lenses and virtues,beyond evidence‐based medicine

This editorial is based on the keynote by Dr Mark Murphy, Department of General Practice, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, at the Health Libraries Group conference, Keele University on 13–15 June 2018. https://bit.ly/2rubsIR#HLG2018     

Get Ready,Get In,Get Through: Factors that Influence Latino College Student Success

“Get ready, get in, and get through.” Latino adolescents and young adults are enrolling in the nation’s colleges and universities at record numbers. However, completion rates of Latinos range from 8% to 25%. We examined individual rather than organizational factors shown to influence Latino student post-secondary levels of success. Influences include academic experience; demographic, personal, and family characteristics; and cultural factors. Four colleges that have specifically addressed success were selected to show how programs link individual factors with success. Implications for the findings are discussed.     

Implementation of Ethical Higher Education Marketing

Tertiary Education and Management - With consumerism changing students to customers and teachers to service providers, ever more vulnerable and naïve students enrol and, instead of...     

The effects of upper‐secondary education and training systems on skills inequality. A quasi‐cohort analysis using PISA 2000 and the OECD survey of adult skills

Research tells us much about the effects of primary and lower‐secondary schooling on skills inequality, but we know less about the impact of the next stage of education. This article uses a differences‐in‐differences analysis of data on literacy and numeracy skills in PISA 2000 and SAS 2011/12 to assess the contribution of upper‐secondary education and training to inequalities in skills opportunities and outcomes. It finds that greater parity of esteem between academic and vocational tracks, as found in German‐speaking and Scandinavian countries, has some positive effects in mitigating skills inequality. However, the most important factors seem to be high completion rates from long‐cycle upper‐secondary education and training and mandatory provision of Maths and the national language in the curriculum.