Using an integrated theoretical framework for understanding inter-agency collaboration in the special educational needs field

This paper draws upon qualitative data from a study that examines inter-professional and inter-agency collaboration between education and social work authorities in assessing the special educational needs of pre-school children. It is argued that only by combining aspects of the three main models of inter-agency collaboration, namely the social exchange, power/resource dependency and political economy perspectives, is it possible to understand the complexity of inter-organizational relations and the reasons why collaboration into special educational needs continues to be limited in extent and poor in quality. It is shown how the motivation of inter-agency collaboration between education and social work authorities is simultaneously internal and voluntary (social exchange model) and external and involuntary, in terms of being imposed by a third party (political economy model). It is demonstrated how these two welfare agencies are engaging in some exchange and some power/resource dependency interactions. It is argued that it is difficult to assess the extent of interdependence (unilateral interdependence and reciprocal interdependence) in exchange relationships and, thus, whether there is symmetry and/or equality in these interactions. The internal and external factors that influence such interactions are briefly outlined in the final section.     

Empirical benchmarks for changes in social and emotional skills over time

This study provides empirical benchmarks that quantify typical changes in students’ reports of social and emotional skills in a large, diverse sample. Data come from six cohorts of students (N = 361,815; 6% Asian, 8% Black, 68% White, 75% Latinx, 50% Female) who responded to the CORE survey from 2015 to 2018 and help quantify typical gains/declines in growth mindset, self-efficacy, self-management, and social awareness. Results show fluctuations in skills between 4th and 12th grade (changes ranging from −.33 to .23 standard deviations). Growth mindset increases in fourth grade, declines in fifth to seventh grade, then mostly increases. Self-efficacy, self-management, and social awareness decline in sixth to eighth grade. Self-management and social awareness, but not self-efficacy, show increases in 10th to 12th grade.     

Assessment for self-blame and trauma symptoms during the medical evaluation of suspected sexual abuse

The purpose of this study was to describe behavioural and emotional symptoms and to examine the effect of abuse-related factors, family responses to disclosure, and child self-blame on these symptoms in children presenting for medical evaluations after disclosure of sexual abuse. A retrospective review was conducted of 501 children ages 8–17. Trauma symptoms were determined by two sets of qualitative measures. Abstracted data included gender, ethnicity, and age; severity of abuse and abuser relationship to child; child responses regarding difficulty with sleep, school, appetite/weight, sadness, or self-harm, parent belief in abuse disclosure, and abuse-specific self-blame; responses to the Trauma Symptom Checklist in Children-Alternate; and the parent's degree of belief in the child's sexual abuse disclosure. Overall, 83% of the children had at least one trauma symptom; 60% had difficulty sleeping and one-third had thoughts of self-harm. Child age and abuse severity were associated with 3 of 12 trauma symptoms, and abuse-specific self-blame was associated with 10 trauma symptoms, after controlling for other variables. The children of parents who did not completely believe the initial disclosure of abuse were twice as likely to endorse self-blame as children of parents who completely believed the initial disclosure. Screening for behavioural and emotional problems during the medical assessment of suspected sexual abuse should include assessment of self-blame and family responses to the child's disclosures. In addition, parents should be informed of the importance of believing their child during the initial disclosure of abuse and of the impact this has on the child's emotional response to the abuse.     

If gifted/learning disabled students have wisdom,they have all things!

The Hartnett, Nelson, and Rinn 2004 study indicates that diagnostic confusion between ADD/ADHD and giftedness exists, and that research on medication practices is warranted. Mika disagrees, saying that there is no empirical evidence of misdiagnosis of gifted children as having ADD/ADHD. We disagree with Mika's logic, and describe evidence that suggests that such misdiagnosis does occur, with possible concurrent risks.     

The Slavic Humanities Index: A New Electronic Tool for Scholarly Research in the Field of Central,Eastern, and Southeastern European Studies

In this article, the author discusses the creation of an electronic index of scholarly Slavic periodicals in the humanities, which will launch in early 2012. The aim of this project is to create a standard electronic reference tool in the field of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern European Studies, which will help professors, students, and researchers. The index contains important scholarly journals from Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. Indexing begins with 1994 issues and is ongoing. In the future, significant retrospective journals will be indexed in order to improve the tool's research capabilities. The index contains not only articles, but also all book reviews and information on conferences, workshops, organizations, and foundations. The index currently contains citations of over 125,000 articles from more than 143 Slavic journals in the humanities. The use of the Library of Congress transliteration scheme and subject headings will assist users to perform effective searches.     

Treating Suicidality in College Counseling Centers: A Response to Polychronis

This is a commentary on the article by Paul D. Polychronis, “Changes Across Three Editions of The Suicidal Patient: Clinical and Legal Standards of Care: Relevance to Counseling Centers,” published in this issue of the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy.     

Intra-abdominal pressures during activity in women using an intra-vaginal pressure transducer

Abstract

Strenuous physical activity has been linked to pelvic floor disorders in women. Using a novel wireless intra-vaginal pressure transducer, intra-abdominal pressure was measured during diverse activities in a laboratory. Fifty-seven women performed a prescribed protocol using the intra-vaginal pressure transducer. We calculated maximal, area under the curve and first moment of the area intra-abdominal pressure for each activity. Planned comparisons of pressure were made between levels of walking and cycling and between activities with reported high pressure in the literature. Findings indicate variability in intra-abdominal pressure amongst individuals doing the same activity, especially in activities that required regulation of effort. There were statistically significant differences in maximal pressure between levels of walking, cycling and high pressure activities. Results for area under the curve and first moment of the area were not always consistent with maximal pressure. Coughing had the highest maximal pressure, but had lower area under the curve and first moment of the area compared to most activities. Our data reflect novel findings of maximal, area under the curve and first moment of the area measures of intra-abdominal pressure, which may have clinical relevance for how physical activity relates to pelvic floor dysfunction.     

Socio-spatial representations of the world among Lebanese and Salvadorians

Conclusion The mental maps help us to understand that the knowledge of the conceptualizers is structured, having been filtered, selected and signposted for intentionality. This knowledge is in fact twofold: one facet is spontaneous, loaded with affects, but often fuzzy; the other is academic, formalized and precise. As stressed by Gumuchian (1989), these maps constitute a significant means of expression that allows a more spontaneous and direct formulation than writing. These supports help us to see just how vast, complex, discontinuous, closed and heterogeneous the world is. The desire to live together with the ‘Other’ and ‘Elsewhere’ appears to be limited to a country, a region or a continent. These are compact, contiguous, closed territories that may either expand or shrink. Each expansion signifies apenness, conviviality and cultural proximity, whereas shrinking expresses conflict. The world thus perceived and represented is a juxtaposition of experienced spaces of the possible, in other words of living together in resemblance. What is identical takes the place of what is different, hence the territorial grid that often favours what is close by and familiar, but excludes what is distant, unfamiliar and synonymous with distrust and avoidance. Original language: French Abdelkrim Mouzoune (Morocco) Biographical details concerning the author can be found on page 209. Nadia Mouzoune (Switzerland) Holds a degree in philosophy from the University of Geneva. Author of a number of short stories and currently researching political philosophy.