Correlates of vocational practice among school psychologists

This study surveyed 362 school psychologists to: (a) identify the percentages of school psychologists who have had some involvement in the practices of vocational assessment, vocational counseling, consultation with vocational education teachers, and vocational program or curriculum development, and (b) identify factors that are associated with such vocational involvement. Results indicated that 30–40% of those school psychologists surveyed reported some involvement in vocational assessment, vocational counseling, and consultation with vocational education teachers, while only 12% indicated involvement with vocational program or curriculum development. Sex, experience, salary, perceived control over role functioning, and involvement in practices other than traditional assessment were found to be associated with increased involvement in vocational activities. Results also indicated that school psychologists who were certified guidance counselors, and who were members of the American Association of Counseling and Development, were more likely to be involved in vocational practices than were school psychologists who were not so certified or affiliated. Results are discussed in terms of their implication for involving greater numbers of school psychologists in vocational practices.     

Factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised,Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test,and Peabody Individual Achievement Test in a psychiatric sample

This study analyzed the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R), the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), and the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) in a psychiatric sample that ranged in age from 6 to 16 years (mean age = 11.1 years; SD = 3.0). The resultant factor structure of this sample was compared with patterns reported on normal and learning-disabled children. The subjects were 329 children under inpatient and outpatient care who had been referred for emotional disturbances. The results were similar to previous factor analytic studies of the WISC-R and PIAT, showing four factors: Verbal Comprehension, Verbal Achievement, Perceptual Organization, and Number Facility. The implications for the interpretation of these tests in a psychiatric sample and the appropriateness of a maximum likelihood technique in analysis of psychometric data are discussed.     

Children's heart rate reactivity responses to three school tasks

The effects of three routine classroom tasks upon heart rate reactivity were investigated with a sample of 30 typical fifth-grade children. Instructions for a mental arithmetic task, the mental arithmetic task itself, and silent reading were administered under standardized conditions, with a reward being offered for performance on the mental arithmetic task to enhance competition. Heart rate was individually monitored each second during these tasks, and data were collected on mental arithmetic performance and reading ability. Results indicated that some children showed large increases in their heart rates during the three tasks, and that these children should be considered as at-risk in terms of their cardiac health.     

Effects of achievement standards,choice, sex,and educational level on mathematical performance

The study assessed the effects of achievement standards, and choice of such standards, on mathematics performance in conditions where no tangible rewards were presented for reaching such standards. Elementary, junior high, and high school students performed a multiplication task in conditions where they chose standards, had standards imposed by an experimenter, or had no standards. Results demonstrated that high school students worked more multiplication problems when they chose standards than when identical standards were imposed by an experimenter or when no standards were present. Moreover, male students who chose standards worked more problems than did male students who had no standards; this effect was not found for female students.     

The Bottom Line for Education and Training

Because business and industry training has become a major economic investment for the companies that support it, training managers are increasingly called upon to demonstrate that their interventions are not only effective but also cost-effective. This article describes a cost-effective methodology. It points out how cost-effectiveness differs from cost-benefit analysis. The technique combines meta-analytic and simple accounting procedures to yield an index of relative cost-effectiveness of training interventions. Using examples from the schools and corporate training, the authors demonstrate how the analysis can be applied to a large variety of training situations.     

From Spirit-Murdering to Spirit-Healing: Addressing Anti-Black Aggressions and the Inhumane Discipline of Black Children

School is a hyperviolent space for Black students and in particular for Black girls. Black girls continue to be adultified, criminalized, and spirit-murdered by educators who enact racially discriminatory school disciplinary policies. Using literature from racial microaggressions and antiblackness, we introduce a model that we refer to as “antiblack aggressions” to examine the disciplinary experiences of two Black girls who were at the center of a violent assault by a White male School Resource Officer at Spring Valley High School. We provide an analysis of South Carolina's Disturbing Schools Law, and we discuss how an antiblack aggressions model can challenge traditional notions of peace, law, and justice for Black girls in school.     

Maximizing recovery time between knock-out races improves sprint cross-country skiing performance

Background:In a sprint cross-country(XC)ski competition,the difference in recovery times separating the first and the second semi-final(SF)heats from the final(F)may affect performance.The aim of the current study was to compare the effects of longer vs.shorter recovery periods prescribed between the 3 knock-out races of a simulated sprint XC ski competition involving a prologue(P),quarter-final(QF),SF,and F.Methods:Eleven well-trained XC ski athletes completed 2 simulated sprint XC ski competitions on a treadmill involving 4×883-m roller-ski bouts at a 4°incline using the gear 3 ski-skating sub-technique.The first 3 bouts were completed at a fixed speed(PFIX,QFFIX,and SFFIX)corresponding to~96%of each individual’s previously determined maximal effort.The final bout was performed as a self-paced sprint time trial(FSTT).Test conditions differed by the time durations prescribed between the QFFIX,SFFIX,and FSTT,which simulated real-world XC ski competition conditions using maximum(MAX-REC)or minimum(MIN-REC)recovery periods.Results:The FSTT was completed 5.4±5.5 s faster(p=0.009)during MAX-REC(179.2±18.1 s)compared to MIN-REC(184.6±20.0 s),and this was linked to a significantly higher power output(p=0.010)and total metabolic rate(p=0.009).The pre FSTT blood lactate(BLa)concentration was significantly lower during MAX-REC compared to MIN-REC(2.5±0.8 mmol/L vs.3.6±1.6 mmol/L,respectively;p=0.027),and the pre-to-post FSTT increase in BLa was greater(8.8±2.1 mmol/L vs.7.1±2.3 mmol/L,respectively;p=0.024).No other differences for MAX-REC vs.MIN-REC reached significance(p>0.05).Conclusion:Performance in a group of well-trained XC skiers is negatively affected when recovery times between sprint heats are minimized which,in competition conditions,would occur when selecting the last QF heat.This result is combined with a higher pre-race BLa concentration and a reduced rise in BLa concentration under shorter recovery conditions.These findings may help inform decision making when XC skiers are faced with selecting a QF heat within a sprint competition.