The dyadic nature of bullying and victimization: testing a dual-perspective theory

For this study, information on Who Bullies Who was collected from 54 school classes with 918 children (M age = 11) and 13,606 dyadic relations. Bullying and victimization were viewed separately from the point of view of the bully and the victim. The two perspectives were highly complementary. The probability of a bully-victim relationship was higher if the bully was more dominant than the victim, and if the victim was more vulnerable than the bully and more rejected by the class. In a bully-victim dyad, boys were more often the bullies. There was no finding of sex effect for victimization. Liking reduced and disliking increased the probability of a bully-victim relationship.     

Infant joint attention, temperament, and social competence in preschool children

Infant joint attention has been observed to be related to social-emotional outcomes in at-risk children. To address whether this relation is also evident in typically developing children, 52 children were tested at 12, 15, 24, and 30 months to examine associations between infant joint attention and social outcomes. Twelve-month initiating and responding to joint attention were related to 30-month social competence and externalizing behavior, even when accounting for 15-month temperament ratings, 24-month cognition and language, and demographic variables. These results suggest that, in addition to associations with language and cognition, infant joint attention reflects robust aspects of development that are related to individual differences in the emergence of social and behavioral competence in childhood.     

I like to do it, I'm able, and I know I am: longitudinal couplings between domain-specific achievement, self-concept, and interest

The longitudinal development of the intraindividual coupling between academic achievement, interest, and self-concept of ability (SCA) was analyzed in a sample of approximately 1,000 children between grades 1 and 12 (ages 6-17). Across all calculated indexes, the average level of coupling was positive. Individuals generally felt competent and interested in domains where they achieve well, and were interested in domains where they perceive their personal strengths. The degree of coupling was the highest between interest and SCA and the lowest between interest and achievement. For all indexes, evidence for an increase in coupling across time was found. Female gender was related to a lower level of coupling. There was evidence for a positive effect of conscientiousness on the amount of coupling.     

The development of temporal metamemory

In two studies of knowledge about the properties and processes of memory for the times of past events, 178 children from 5 through 13 years of age and 40 adults answered questions about how they would remember times on different scales, how temporal memory is affected by retention interval, and the usefulness of different methods. The adults showed quite accurate knowledge about the main properties of memory for time and the processes that underlie it. Different properties and processes were first understood at ages ranging from 8 years to 12 years or later. Knowledge of the roles of reconstruction and impressions of temporal distances appear well after children use them to remember the times of events.     

Why are hyperactivity and academic achievement related?

Although a negative association between hyperactivity and academic achievement is well documented, little is known about the genetic and/or environmental mechanisms responsible for the association. The present study explored links between parent and teacher ratings of hyperactive behavior problems and teacher-assessed achievement in a sample of 1,876 twin pairs (mean age 7.04 years). The results did not differ across rater, nor were there significant differences between males or females or for twins in the same or different classrooms. Hyperactivity was significantly correlated with achievement. Multivariate model-fitting analyses revealed significant genetic and nonshared environmental covariance between the two phenotypes. In addition, bivariate heritabilities were substantial, indicating that the phenotypic correlations between hyperactivity and achievement were largely mediated by genetic influences.     

The role of gender constancy in early gender development

Kohlberg's (1966) hypothesis that the attainment of gender constancy motivates children to attend to gender norms was reevaluated by examining these links in relation to age. Ninety-four 3- to 7-year-old children were interviewed to assess whether and how constancy mediates age-related changes in gender-related beliefs. As expected, results indicated a general pattern of an increase in stereotype knowledge, the importance and positive evaluation of one's own gender category, and rigidity of beliefs between the ages of 3 and 5. Moreover, the stability phase, rather than full constancy, mediated some of these relations. After age 5, rigidity generally decreased with age, with relations primarily mediated by consistency.     

“Writing Will Keep You Free”: Allusions to and Recreations of the Fairy Tale Heroine in <Emphasis Type="Italic">The House on Mango Street</Emphasis>

This article explores how Sandra Cisneros alludes to and recasts popular fairy tales in The House on Mango Street to reveal their troubled legacy in the lives of many women in the novel. Drawing upon Latina feminist theory and Cisneros’s autobiographical writing, this article posits that the main character Esperanza’s alternative “happily ever after” comes through locating the vocation of writing as the fulcrum for self-definition and social change. It is suggested that feminist literary criticism can be enhanced through analysis of heroines from diverse cultural backgrounds and theoretical frameworks attuned to racial and ethnic diversity.

Becoming a student teacher: core features of the experience

This paper reports early findings of a longitudinal research project on the experiences of beginning teachers in England. In the first phase of the study (2003–2004), data were generated via: (1) in‐depth, face to face interviews with 85 student teachers throughout England; and (2) self‐completion questionnaires, returned by 4,790 student teachers across a range of initial teacher preparation (ITP) routes. Through these methods the study set out to explore student teachers' accounts of their motivations for entering ITP, their preconceptions and expectations of teaching and ITP, and their early experiences as student teachers. A number of general themes were found to cut across all of these areas, and are presented here as core features of the experience of becoming a student teacher. These relate to the concept of teacher identity, the role of relationships, the notion of relevance, and the central presence of emotion.

Cette étude décrit les conclusions préliminaires d'une recherche continue sur les expériences de ceux qui sont en train de devenir professeurs d'école en Angleterre. En première phase de l'étude (2003–2004), les données ont été recueillies par: 1) des entretiens approfondis en tête‐à‐tête avec 85 professeurs stagiaires dans toute l'Angleterre; et 2) des questionnaires, remplis eux‐mêmes par 4,790 professeurs stagiaires sur un échantillon de préparations initiales de professeur (PIP). Avec ces méthodes l'étude avait pour but d'explorer les explications des professeurs stagiaires concernant leur motivation pour entrer dans la PIP, leurs idées reçues et leurs attentes de l'enseignement et de la PIP, ainsi que leurs expériences initiales de professeur stagiaire. On a trouvé un nombre de thèmes généraux à travers tous ces domaines, et ceux‐ci sont présentés ici comme caractéristiques fondamentales de l'expérience vécue de professeur stagiaire débutant. Ils sont relatifs aux concepts suivants : l'identité du professeur, le rôle des relations, la notion de pertinence et la présence capitale de l'émotion.

Este documento es un informe sobre los primeros resultados de un proyecto de investigación longitudinal sobre las experiencias de profesores principiantes en la Inglaterra. En la primera fase del estudio (2003–2004), los datos fueron obtenidos a partir de dos fuentes: minuciosas entrevistas cara a cara con 85 profesores en prácticas por toda Inglaterra y cuestionarios personales que fueron devueltos por 4,790 profesores en prácticas procedentes de distintas ramas de la ITP (preparación para profesores principiantes). A través de estos métodos, el estudio fue lanzado con el propósito de sondear las razones que motivaron a los profesores en prácticas a entrar en la ITP, sus preconcepciones y expectativas en cuanto a la ITP y a dar clase y sus primeras experiencias como profesores en prácticas. Estas áreas presentaron una serie de temas generales comunes que son presentados aquí como características centrales de la experiencia de convertirse en profesor en prácticas. Estas están relacionadas con el concepto de identidad del profesor, la importancia de las relaciones, la noción de relevancia, y el papel central de las emociones.

Dieses Referat berichtet über die ersten Ergebnisse eines langfristigen Forschungsprojektes, basierend auf Erfahrungen von Lehrern in England, die in den Beruf einsteigen. In der ersten Phase der Studie (2003–2004) wurden Daten gesammelt mittels: 1) ausführlicher, persönlicher Gespräche mit 85 auszubildenden Lehrern aus ganz England; und 2) selbstauszufüllender Fragebögen, die von 4,790 auszubildenden Lehrern aus verschiedenen Ausbildungsrichtungen zurückgesendet wurden. Die Studie hatte das Ziel, die Berichte der auszubildenden Lehrer zu untersuchen hinsichtlich ihrer Motivation, eine Ausbildung anzufangen, ihrer Erwartungen vom Unterrichten und von der Ausbildung, sowie ihrer ersten Erfahrungen als auszubildende Lehrer. Eine Anzahl von allgemeinen Themen wurden in allen diesen Bereichen festgestellt und sind hier als Kernmerkmale des Ausbildungsverfahrens dargestellt. Diese beziehen sich auf das Konzept der Lehreridentität, auf die Rolle von Beziehungen, auf die Idee der Relevanz, sowie auf die zentrale Präsenz von Emotionen.     

Care or scare: the safety of youth in congregate care in New York City

OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study examined stakeholders' perceptions of the safety of youth ages 12 and older living in congregate care facilities within the New York City foster care system. The study explored the youth's physical safety, the safety of their personal belongings, the physical conditions of congregate care settings, and the relationship between staff quality and youth safety. METHOD: The study involved interviews with family court judges, representatives of private child welfare agencies, attorneys who represent children in foster care, social workers, representatives of advocacy and other relevant organizations in New York City, and former foster youth who had been placed in congregate care settings. RESULTS: Safety in congregate care environments was an issue of significant concern. Threats to the youth's safety were found to emanate from peer-on-peer violence, stealing of personal belongings, inappropriate staff conduct, and the poor physical conditions of facilities. Youth's sense of safety was strongly linked to staff quality, including staff ability to relate effectively to youth and to maintain control of congregate care environments. CONCLUSIONS: Existing regulations in New York State appear to have had little effect in ensuring the safety of youth in many group and residential care facilities. Steps to improve safety outcomes for youth in these settings are proposed.     

Bullying, violence, and risk behavior in South African school students

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of bullying behavior in adolescents from Cape Town and Durban, South Africa, and the association of these behaviors with levels of violence and risk behavior. METHOD: Five thousand and seventy-four adolescent schoolchildren in grade 8 (mean age 14.2 years) and grade 11 (mean age 17.4 years) at 72 Government schools in Cape Town and Durban, South Africa completed self-report questionnaires on participation in bullying, violent, anti-social and risk behaviors. RESULTS: Over a third (36.3%) of students were involved in bullying behavior, 8.2% as bullies, 19.3% as victims and 8.7% as bully-victims (those that are both bullied and bully others). Male students were most at risk of both perpetration and victimization, with younger boys more vulnerable to victimization. Violent and anti-social behaviors were increased in bullies, victims and bully-victims compared to controls not involved in any bullying behavior (p<.01 in all cases). Risk taking behavior was elevated for bullies and bully-victims, but for victims was largely comparable to controls. Victims were less likely to smoke than controls (odds ratio .83, p<.05). Bully-victims showed largely comparable violent, anti-social and risk taking behavior profiles to bullies. Bully-victims showed comparable suicidal ideation and smoking profiles to victims. CONCLUSIONS: Results were in keeping with Western findings. Involvement in bullying is a common problem for young South Africans. Bullying behavior can act as an indicator of violent, anti-social and risk-taking behaviors.