Child and adolescent multidimensional self‐concept: A five‐instrument factor analysis

The factor structure of five self‐concept scales from a hierarchical, multidimensional theoretical model was investigated. The Coopersmith Self‐Esteem Inventory, Multidimensional Self Concept Scale, Piers‐Harris Self‐Concept Scale, Self‐Esteem Index, and the Tennessee Self‐Concept Scale were administered to 221 students in Grades 5 through 8 in a counter‐balanced administration format. The five scales each yielded strong general factors and six dominant factors that coincide with the proposed theoretical model, which reflects social, affect, competence, academic, family, and physical self‐concepts. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Impact and dynamics of portfolio assessment and traditional assessment in a college physics course

Popular belief in alternative assessment procedures suggests that the use of student portfolios can help learners successfully organize and integrate newly acquired scientific knowledge. This two-group comparison study documents the use of student created portfolios in an algebra-based, college-level, introductory physics course. Sixteen students were assessed primarily using a portfolio-style assessment procedure. Nineteen students were assessed primarily using traditional, objective examinations. Both groups were given the same cumulative, multiple-choice final examination. All students completed a pre- and post-self-report survey of achievement in physics. There were no significant differences in learner achievement between the two groups on the final examination or on the self-report of achievement given before and after instruction. Analysis of two focus group discussions did, however, suggest that students assessed by portfolios feel less anxious about learning physics, devote considerable time to reading and studying outside of class, internalize and personalize the content material, and enjoy the learning experience. The results of this study suggest that portfolio-style assessment procedures support student achievement at least at the same level as traditional assessment procedures and appear to have additional benefits. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 34: 255–271, 1997.     

Ratings of severity of life events by ninth-grade students

Special education, basic, and honors students rated the severity of stress for each of the life events on the Source of Stress Inventory (Chandler, 1981). There was a significant positive relationship between the Chandler rankings and the rankings made by the 60 ninth-grade students. Special education students reported they had experienced more of the events than had honors students, and the special education students reported more intense stress for the experienced events. Life experiences considered more stressful by students when compared to the stress values assigned by the Chandler rankings (teachers and mental health workers) include poor grades in school, loss of job by parent, mother beginning to work, birth of brother or sister, increased arguments with brothers and sisters vision problem requiring glasses.     

Factor structure of the K-ABC for referred school children

Previous factor analyses of the K-ABC for school-age children have offered varying degrees of support for the test, depending on which subtests have been analyzed. Further, most previous analyses have involved only children from the standardization sample. Here, K-ABC scores for 585 school-age children referred for psychological evaluation were factor analyzed. Results of the analysis of K-ABC MP tests were quite consistent with those of previous analyses and with the structure of the test itself. The factor structure of the MP and Achievement tests together was also consistent with previous analyses and, like those analyses, was somewhat less consistent with the theoretical structure of the K-ABC; the factors found could be interpreted from several perspectives. As in analyses of the standardization data, the Achievement tests appear to be better measures of general intelligence for referred children than do the MP scales. Thus, while it appears that the K-ABC factor structure is quite consistent for both normal and exceptional children, the meaning and names of factors found are open to interpretation.     

Correlation network analysis shows divergent effects of a long-term,high-fat diet and exercise on early stage osteoarthritis phenotypes in mice

Background:Obesity increases knee osteoarthritis(OA) risk through metabolic,inflammatory,and biomechanical factors,but how these systemic and local mediators interact to drive OA pathology is not well understood.We tested the effect of voluntary running exercise after chronic diet-induced obesity on knee OA-related cartilage and bone pathology in mice.We then used a correlation-based network analysis to identify systemic and local factors associated with early-stage knee OA phenotypes among the different diet and exercise groups.Methods:Male C57 BL/6 J mice were fed a defined control(10% kcal fat) or high fat(HF)(60% kcal fat) diet from 6 to 37 weeks of age.At 25 weeks,one-half of the mice from each diet group were housed in cages with running wheels for the remainder of the study.Histology,micro computed tomography,and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate changes in joint tissue structure and OA pathology.These local variables were then compared to systemic metabolic(body mass,body fat,and glucose tolerance),inflammatory(serum adipokines and inflammatory mediators),and functional(mechanical tactile sensitivity and grip strength) outcomes using a correlation-based network analysis.Diet and exercise effects were evaluated by two-way analysis of variance.Results:An HF diet increased the infrapatellar fat pad size and posterior joint osteophytes,and wheel running primarily altered the subchondral cortical and trabecular bone.Neither HF diet nor exercise altered average knee cartilage OA scores compared to control groups.However,the coefficient of variation was≥25% for many outcomes,and some mice in both diet groups developed moderate OA(>33% maximum score).This supported using correlation-based network analyses to identify systemic and local factors associated with early-stage knee OA phenotypes.In wheel-running cohorts,an HF diet reduced the network size compared to the control diet group despite similar running distances,suggesting that diet-induced obesity dampens the effects of exercise on systemic and local OA-related factors.Each of the 4 diet and activity groups showed mostly unique networks of local and systemic factors correlated with early-stage knee OA.Conclusion:Despite minimal group-level effects of chronic diet-induced obesity and voluntary wheel running on knee OA pathology under the current test durations,diet and exercise substantially altered the relationships among systemic and local variables associated with early-stage knee OA.These results suggest that distinct pre-OA phenotypes may exist prior to the development of disease.     

Factor structure of the McCarthy Scales for Children experiencing problems in school

The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA) were factor analyzed for a group of 6- to 8 1/2-year-old children referred for school-related problems. The sample was composed of 300 rural eastern North Carolina public school children with a mean GCI of 88.1. Evidence was found for factors similar to three of the six MSCA Scales: General Cognitive, Verbal, and Motor. Coefficients of congruence were computed and compared with earlier analyses of the standardization data. The results were interpreted as generally supporting the MSCA's validity with children experiencing problems in school. Implications for interpretation of the MSCA Scales were presented.     

The effect of national culture on partner buyouts in cross-border biotechnology alliances

This study examines how national culture influences the likelihood and rate of buyouts among R&D equity alliances and joint ventures in the biotechnology industry. We hypothesize that the interaction of specific national culture attributes and cultural differences between alliance partners have an impact on: (1) the amount of endogenous uncertainty surrounding the potential integration of the target firm and (2) the marginal rate of learning in hierarchical versus collaborative governance. Applying a competing hazard model to a sample of 173 joint ventures and minority equity collaborations in the biotechnology industry, we found that investing firms from high power distance and high uncertainty avoidance countries are more likely to buy out their alliance partners. Furthermore, greater cultural distance between alliance partners increases the likelihood of partner buyout when investing firms are from high power distance countries.