Memory modality differences in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder with and without learning disabilities

This study assesses information processing and memory functioning in 50 children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) with and without learning disabilities (LD). Mode of presentation (visual vs. auditory), type of memory processing (immediate, short-term, and long-term), and order of recall (ordered vs. unordered) were assessed using the Learning Efficiency Test-II (LET-II). Both groups demonstrated difficulty with auditory ordered recall and lost substantial information from immediate memory to short-term and long-term memory stores. The ADHD/LD group also demonstrated more difficulty with ordered recall than the ADHD only group. While there were no differences between the two groups in regard to immediate recall, the ADHD/LD group demonstrated more problems transferring information into short-term and long-term memory stores than the ADHD only group. Verbal interference effects significantly decreased retention for both visual and auditory processing. Results indicate that ADHD alone presents significant problems in information processing, but the comorbid effects of a learning disability further intensify the negative impact of ADHD. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A study of gender differences among school psychologists

Full and intern members of ten state school psychology associations were surveyed regarding demographics, salaries, experience, yearly evaluations completed, contractual arrangements, and professional credentials and affiliations (N = 1,527). Results indicate higher proportions of women are increasingly entering the field. With years of experience considered, there were significant gender differences in yearly (p < .05), daily (p < .01), and hourly (p < .05) salary. There were no gender differences in the number of days worked yearly, number of hours worked daily, number of yearly evaluations completed, or the number of assigned schools. Gender differences were noted in professional credentials and professional affiliations. Implications of the emerging gender trend for service delivery are discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reports of child sexual abuse in the schools

Few studies have examined the problem of child sexual abuse (CSA) as it relates to the role of the school psychologist. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of CSA reports to school psychologists, to examine the perceived quality of service to child victims, and to survey the usage of CSA prevention and screening programs as adjunct services in managing this problem. Of the 171 respondents, 498 child sexual abuse cases were reported. Respondents with prior CSA training rated their performance significantly higher than those without training in handling these cases. Those respondents reporting use of CSA prevention and screening programs generally rated their effectiveness as average or above. The results of this study suggested a need for training of school psychologists in the assessment of child sexual abuse. The results also implicated the use of prevention and screening programs as part of a service delivery program to all students in the public schools.     

THE ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF ACADEMIC EXCUSE-MAKING: Examining Individual Differences in Procrastination

Students from two colleges (n = 546) differing in admission selectivity completed measures of academic procrastination and excuses. Procrastination was higher among students at the selective college than students at the nonselective college. Academic procrastination was motivated by task aversiveness for students at the selective college and by fear of task failure and fear of social disapproval for students at the nonselective college. At the nonselective college only, procrastinators compared to nonprocrastinators reported more often using both legitimate and fraudulent excuses in college and during the current semester. Participants reported that excuses were self-generated for the purpose of gaining more assignment time and that most instructors did not require proof for excuses. The characteristics of courses and instructors likely to promote excuse-making by both procrastinators and nonprocrastinators also were examined. These results reflect the need by administrators and personnel to consider individual and situational differences when implementing student-centered intervention programs.     

Course materials presentation using video-based technologies: An evaluative study of college student performance and attitudes

A study was conducted in which one group of students was taught for 4 weeks using computer-generated lecture-relevant visual materials (i.e., still color video-displayed graphics) and then for 4 weeks using traditional lecture-relevant visual materials (i.e., blackboard and overhead transparency drawings). During the same time period, a comparable group of students was taught the same material by the same instructor for 4 weeks using traditional lecture-relevant visual materials and then for 4 weeks using computer-generated lecture-relevant visual materials. Students' learning of the course material (i.e., operationalized in terms of examination scores) and their attitudes about the course and instructor were assessed after the first 4-week period (Time 1) and the second 4-week period (Time 2). The pattern of exam score results suggested that student learning was negatively affected from Time 1 to Time 2 for those first having, and then not having, the computer-generated visuals and was positively affected from Time 1 to Time 2 for those first not having, and then having, the computer-generated visuals. Statistical tests performed on the data, however, did not reach acceptable levels of significance. Student attitudes did not parallel the performance data. Implications of the results are discussed.     

Use of an independent group contingency management system in a regular classroom setting

This paper examines the usefulness of an independent group contingency system for decreasing inappropriate behaviors. Twenty-five fourth-grade students enrolled in a regular class setting participated in this intervention, which involved a public posting system using positive reinforcement for desired behaviors. The program involved identification of target behaviors, collection of baseline data, program implementation, and follow-up. Targeted behaviors showed marked decreases across the 8-week treatment period and remained at this level through the end of the school year. Positive and negative factors influencing the effectiveness of the independent group contingency approach are reviewed. A second aspect of this paper is to discuss teacher-related variables that can influence the success of a management program developed by a psychological consultant.     

Evaluating school psychological reports,part I: A procedure for systematic feedback

This paper provides a rationale for obtaining systematic evaluative feedback concerning the perceived usefulness of school psychological reports and their impact on the development of individual educational plans for referred students. Research data and authoritative opinion are used to support the need for school psychologists to obtain feedback about their reports on a case-by-case basis, rather than to obtain global perceptions of the meaningfulness and usefulness of reports in general. A working copy of a brief evaluation form that can be attached to the report and forwarded to the referral agent is included for the benefit of interested readers.     

Repeat Testing Effects on Credentialing Exams: Are Repeaters Misinformed or Uninformed?

To mitigate security concerns and unfair score gains, credentialing programs routinely administer new test material to examinees retesting after an initial failing attempt. Counterintuitively, a small but growing body of recent research suggests that repeating the identical form does not create an unfair advantage. This study builds upon and extends this research by investigating changes in responses to specific items encountered on both the first and repeat attempts. Results indicate that scores gains for repeat examinees who were assigned an identical form were not different from repeat examinees who received a different, but parallel, form. Analyses of responses to individual items answered incorrectly on the initial attempt found that examinees 68% of the time selected the same incorrect option on their second attempt, suggesting repeaters are misinformed rather than uninformed. Implications for feedback, remediation, and retesting policies are discussed.     

Validating self-paced sentence-by-sentence reading: story comprehension,recall, and narrative transportation

Previous studies on discourse have employed a self-paced sentence-by-sentence paradigm to present text and record reading times. However, presenting discourse this way does not mirror real-world reading conditions; for example, this paradigm prevents regressions to earlier portions of the text. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the ecological validity of self-paced sentence-by-sentence presentations by comparing it to normal page reading with respect to comprehension, recall, and narrative transportation, across two time points (immediate and delayed). Bayesian analyses found greater evidence in favor of the null hypothesis for transportation, indicating that little difference likely exists between sentence-by-sentence presentations and normal reading for this outcome. Weak evidence supporting the alternative hypothesis was found for immediate comprehension and recall, with participants who read the story as isolated sentences scoring marginally higher. Altogether, these results validate the self-paced sentence-by-sentence paradigm for measuring reading times, uncovering few differences in outcomes relative to natural reading.