Regulatory Contributors to Children's Kindergarten Achievement

The present study sought to examine whether preschool children's emotion regulation, problem behaviors, and kindergarten behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were predictors of kindergarten achievement scores. The children (N = 122, 47% male and 63% European American) who were participating in an ongoing longitudinal study, were seen at both a preschool and kindergarten assessment. The present study examined the relation between parent report, teacher report, and laboratory measures of regulation and children's achievement test scores. Children's emotion regulation and behavioral self-regulation in the classroom were related to all measures of achievement. The relation between preschool emotion regulation and kindergarten achievement was mediated by behavioral self-regulation in the kindergarten classroom. In addition, all measures of regulation were correlated, suggesting that some children who have difficulty regulating their behavior in one setting (such as home) may also have difficulty with regulation in other settings (such as school).     

The Use of Health Related Quality of Life Measurement in Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy Practice: An Exploratory Study

Background: The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) recommends health related quality of life (HRQL) measurement with all cardiovascular and pulmonary patients. The current pattern of use of HRQL measurement among cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapists is unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pattern of use of HRQL measurement among cardiovascular and pulmonary physical therapists. Design: The study used a semi-structured interview format within the context of 3 focus groups. Methods: Eleven physical therapists participated in this study and all were members of the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Participants participated in a conference call and were provided a question tree to guide discussion. Results: Several primary themes emerged, including decreased knowledge, barriers, and poor indicators of patient status. In addition, several subthemes developed including lack of familiarity, lack of use, administrative and cost limitations, inappropriateness of tool for patient population, correlation between function and quality of life, and suggestions for future outcome measures. Conclusions: A lack of familiarity and use of HRQL measurement and barriers to their use were established. In addition, ideas for future research on HRQL measurements with specific patient populations in physical therapy practice were defined.Key Words: health related quality of life, outcomes measurement     

Teaching conversation skills to behaviorally disordered children

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of an instructional package designed to teach conversation skills to behaviorally disordered children. A multiple baseline design with a reversal was employed to assess the effectiveness of this package. Six children were taught in two groups of three. The teachers were taught to use the package prior to implementation to insure standardization across both groups. Data were collected in a contrived setting with a peer trained as a conversant. Observation also took place in the school cafeteria to assess generalization of the training to a naturalistic setting. Social validation data were collected from teachers and children to evaluate their impressions of the instructional package. Results indicated that the instructional package was effective in increasing conversational skills above baseline levels in all children and in both settings.     

Examining elementary preservice teachers’ perspectives concerning curriculum themes for video case integration

Video cases are becoming more and more prevalent throughout the United States to assist in the development and growth of preservice teachers’ instruction. This research investigates the perspectives of preservice teachers and their naïve understandings of the kinds of learning and assistance video cases can provide in their methodology courses. Personal Construct Theory was used to uncover participants’ perceptions of their needs in terms of curriculum content of video cases. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed six distinct clusters which serve as themes for discussing the early needs of preservice teachers and how video cases might be configured to address these perceived needs. Results reveal that preservice teachers’ beliefs, though naïve, do reflect the research on the actual needs of teachers in their first years of induction and support. Perhaps if preservice teachers’ predilections are examined, this data can help guide the future implementation of video cases in their university courses.     

Constructive Features of Video Cases to be used in Teacher Education

After interacting with a Best Practices video case whole class and individually, preservice teachers were asked to reflect on what features they deemed helpful. In addition, they were asked to reflect on what additional features they would find desirable. The constant comparative method was used to analyze the data (Glaser, 1965). Three features were considered constructive: (1) modeling of teaching techniques (2) supplemental materials to support the video case and (3) observing classroom management. Concerning additional features, they wanted (1) an analysis of the lesson (2) improvements in technology and editing and (3) extended video case selections. The expressed features can guide the creation and use of video cases in preservice teachers’ education by providing direction for integration and development.     

Differences in anticipatory anxiety and adaptation rate as a function of affect management strategy

This study applies Eysenck's (1967) and Buck's (1984) psychophysiological theories of anxiety development to explain individual differences in anticipatory anxiety and rate of adaptation during public speaking. Sensitivity to anxiety creating stimuli predispose individuals to either an internalizing or externalizing affect management strategy. Because social conditioning and neurological processes combine to create anxiety, internalizing individuals are more responsive to punishment and are more likely to appraise an anxiety‐provoking situation as threatening than are externalizers. However, their overall conditionability permits internalizers to adapt to speaking situations more rapidly than their externalizing counterparts who are less susceptible to negative reinforcement. The findings are reviewed in light of various phobia reducing treatment strategies, such as flooding, systematic desensitization, and cognitive appraisal therapy.