Influence of family structure and school variables on behavior disorders of children

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of family structure and school variables on behavior disorders of children. The sample consisted of 1,162 white elementary school children. General information was obtained from school records, and ratings on behavior disorders were obtained from teachers. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analyses of variance. Results indicated that grade in school, sex, social class, ordinal position in the family, and teacher were important variables in the determination of behavior disorders. Whether or not the children were living with both of their natural parents, number of children in the family, if the children were in special education classes, and whether the children were older than usual for their grade in school were less important or were unimportant. The results, especially those that were not expected, were discussed.     

Checklist agreement among observers of children

This study compared parents,' teachers,' and counselors' Behavior Problem Checklist ratings of 57 elementary and middle school children in counseling. Although a larger sample might have produced more significant results, analysis of variance revealed only one difference among the raters. School counselors perceived more personality problems in the children than the teachers did. Otherwise, parents, teachers, and counselors did not differ in their perceptions. Correlations were low to moderate, with mother-father agreements being higher than those of parent-teacher, and teacher-counselor observations.     

Intergroup contact and the projection of positivity

Three studies investigated whether intergroup contact reduces prejudice, in part, via the extension of positive attributes that define the self to the outgroup. Study 1 found that positive intergroup contact predicted self-outgroup overlap, and this overlap mediated the contact–attitude relationship. This mediational path was specific to outgroup, but not ingroup, attitudes. In Study 2 we found that it was the attribution of specifically positive, as opposed to negative, traits that mediated the contact–attitude relationship in a model that also included intergroup anxiety. In Study 3 an elaborated model was supported, in which perceived self-other similarity mediated the effects of positive contact on the attribution of positive self-traits. We discuss the findings in the context of recent advances in Intergroup Contact Theory.     

The manager's role in developing subordinates: Interaction patterns at work

Jeanne Lindholm, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the School of Business at the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185. Address reprint requests to the author.     

Understanding change in higher education: an archetypal approach

During the past three decades, higher education institutions have been changing, moving away from the traditional bureaucratic archetype towards a more managerialist one. Empirical research already demonstrated that organisations tend to be in a hybrid area of archetypal change. Considering the specific case of a government-imposed reform in Portugal, and using a case study approach of six public universities, this study aims to explore archetypal hybridism through the lens of two main dimensions: systems and structures and interpretive scheme. The theoretical background lies on academic literature on organisational change in higher education and specifically on archetype theory. The findings drawn from document analysis and interviews outline the main characteristics of the hybrid archetype that we chose to name efficient-collegiality.     

“Orientation” in Spanish universities

In the present period of change, the Spanish systems of secondary and higher education, too, are confronted with new challenges. People have realized that factors within and outside universities demand the development of effective helping services for students, particularly on the level of orientation. Two different models are described, one that relies on tutors, mainly; the other one employs orientation professionals. The article also describes the skills and the training experiences that are necessary for professionals in orientation services.Facultat de Psicologia i Pedagogia, Universitat Roman Llull     

Facilitating teachers as action researchers and reflective practitioners: new issues and proposals

ABSTRACT

In this article I reflect on my experiences facilitating teachers as researchers and reflective practitioners and the importance of enhancing the dynamic and complementary relationship between theory, research, practice and reflection at every step of action research. Given the complexity of teachers’ participation in action research, I drew on a reflexive research-based account within a second-order process of action research to support a group of teacher-researchers to rethink their understanding of participatory education and transform their own practices. This research-based account describes the challenges faced, the decisions made, and the actions taken, all shaped by ongoing dialogues with teachers’ beliefs and practices, with the goals of action research, and with the processes of gradual transformations observed in both the teachers’ thinking and practice and in my own as a facilitator. The present study adds to the discussion of the interrelationships between theory, research, practice and reflection by providing an example of their enactment at every step of action research in order to support participatory education.