Measuring basic needs satisfaction: Evaluating previous research and conducting new psychometric evaluations of the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale

Self-Determination Theory specifies the existence of three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The current set of studies (a) provides a narrative review of past research on the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, (b) examines its dimensionality which has been assumed but not empirically studied, and (c) gathers external validity evidence. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the existence of a one- and a three-factor solution; neither model fit the data. After patterns of misfit were examined across three independent samples, a reduced, 16-item three-factor model with a negative-worded method effect was championed. External validity evidence, collected by examining the differential relationships between the three needs and measures of well-being and worry, supported the distinctiveness of the three needs. Although the results are promising, future research is needed to examine the generalizability of the psychometric properties of the modified scale.     

Same constructs,different results: Examining the consistency of two behavior‐rating scales with referred preschoolers

Broad‐band or multidimensional behavior‐rating scales are common tools for evaluating children. Two popular behavior‐rating scales, the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Second Edition (BASC‐2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2000), have undergone downward extensions so that the preschool versions are available for children as young as 18 months. Limited research, however, has been conducted on the preschool versions of the BASC‐2 and CBCL. This study examined the consistency of results from the two preschool versions when completed by parents of clinically referred preschoolers. Comparisons of similarly named scales found significant correlations. Mean scores for several of the constructs were significantly different, however, and often resulted in inconsistent classification decisions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The concept smacks of magic: Fighting familiarity today

Good educational ethnography whether done by sociologists or anthropologists, makes the familiar strange. The history of that proposition is outlined, and five strategies available to all ethnographers focused on teaching and learning, whether sociologists or anthropologists of education or not, are outlined. The vital importance of the working hypothesis is emphasised. Key concepts from Lave and Wenger are criticised and compared to the long history of calls to make the familiar strange.     

A destination development by building a brand image and sport event tourism: a case of Sport City USA

Abstract

While visitors look for a complete ‘experience’ and select travel destinations on the basis of the total set of destination attributes, individual suppliers that operate independently usually market offer in fragmented pieces. A destination brand with strong equity leads to greater commitment in the form of loyalty and willingness to revisit the destination. As one of the key components for destination characteristics, the sports industry has rapidly developed in recent years. Two cities were discussed as the known for sport city case and Frisco, Texas was examined for the current study. The results of this study show that the economic impact is significant for a destination. Some critical factors (e.g. sustainability) should be discussed in future study.     

Loaded dice: games playing and the gendered barriers of the academy

This paper explores the perceptions and experiences of women academics in the UK, participating in a small-scale qualitative study exploring career progression and encountered institutional obstacles. The accounts are considered in terms of both disadvantageous institutional strategies and interpersonal ones governing day-to-day working relationships. The findings contribute to a growing body of international research on gender constructions in the academy, where both inhibiting and exclusionary barriers are examined in focus group discussions (FGDs) in terms of gendered constructions that are perceived to impact upon the career opportunities of women academics. Analysis of data encouraged the employment of a ludic construction in this critical exploration of games playing and ‘gamesmanship’ (a masculinised term); these being themes raised in the FGDs as representing blocks and challenges to women’s academic careers.     

A Small‐Scale Randomized Efficacy Trial of the Identity Project: Promoting Adolescents’ Ethnic–Racial Identity Exploration and Resolution

Adolescents’ ethnic–racial identity (ERI) formation represents an important developmental process that is associated with adjustment. The Identity Project intervention, grounded in developmental theory, was designed to engage adolescents in the ERI processes of exploration and resolution. The current small‐scale efficacy trial involved an ethnic–racially diverse sample of adolescents (N = 215; M_age = 15.02, SD = .68) from eight classrooms that were randomly assigned by classroom to the intervention or attention control group. Differences between conditions in ERI exploration at Time 2 were consistent with desired intervention effects; furthermore, higher levels of ERI exploration at Time 2 predicted increases in ERI resolution at Time 3 only for youth in the treatment condition. Findings provide preliminary evidence of program efficacy.     

Classroom Climate,Cardiac Vagal Tone,and Inhibitory Control: Links to Focused Attention in First Graders

The present study aimed to investigate the role of classroom climate and self‐regulation in terms of cardiac vagal tone and inhibitory control in primary school students' focused attention. A combination of direct and indirect measures was used to assess classroom climate, sustained and selective attention, and inattention behaviors among 62 first graders. We also registered students' cardiac vagal tone at rest and their levels of inhibitory control in a reaction time task. A single underlying factor combining sustained and selective attention as well as (the lack of) inattention behaviors accounted for students' focused attention. A regression analysis revealed that classroom climate, cardiac vagal tone, and inhibitory control interacted to explain first graders' focused attention. In classrooms with a negative climate, high levels of inhibitory control attenuated the negative effect of low cardiac vagal tone on students' ability to remain focused during classroom activities. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

Poly(vinyl alcohol)-heparin biosynthetic microspheres produced by microfluidics and ultraviolet photopolymerisation

Biosynthetic microspheres have the potential to address some of the limitations in cell microencapsulation; however, the generation of biosynthetic hydrogel microspheres has not been investigated or applied to cell encapsulation. Droplet microfluidics has the potential to produce more uniform microspheres under conditions compatible with cell encapsulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand the effect of process parameters on biosynthetic microsphere formation, size, and morphology with a co-flow microfluidic method. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), a synthetic hydrogel and heparin, a glycosaminoglycan were chosen as the hydrogels for this study. A capillary-based microfluidic droplet generation device was used, and by varying the flow rates of both the polymer and oil phases, the viscosity of the continuous oil phase, and the interfacial surface tension, monodisperse spheres were produced from ∼200 to 800 μm. The size and morphology were unaffected by the addition of heparin. The modulus of spheres was 397 and 335 kPa for PVA and PVA/heparin, respectively, and this was not different from the bulk gel modulus (312 and 365 for PVA and PVA/heparin, respectively). Mammalian cells encapsulated in the spheres had over 90% viability after 24 h in both PVA and PVA/heparin microspheres. After 28 days, viability was still over 90% for PVA-heparin spheres and was significantly higher than in PVA only spheres. The use of biosynthetic hydrogels with microfluidic and UV polymerisation methods offers an improved approach to long-term cell encapsulation.