The role of gender constancy in early gender development

Kohlberg's (1966) hypothesis that the attainment of gender constancy motivates children to attend to gender norms was reevaluated by examining these links in relation to age. Ninety-four 3- to 7-year-old children were interviewed to assess whether and how constancy mediates age-related changes in gender-related beliefs. As expected, results indicated a general pattern of an increase in stereotype knowledge, the importance and positive evaluation of one's own gender category, and rigidity of beliefs between the ages of 3 and 5. Moreover, the stability phase, rather than full constancy, mediated some of these relations. After age 5, rigidity generally decreased with age, with relations primarily mediated by consistency.     

Re-referral to child protective services: the influence of child, family, and case characteristics on risk status

INTRODUCTION: This study examines child, family, and case characteristics that impact rates of re-referral to Child Protective Services (CPS) using data on all closed CPS investigations for the state of Rhode Island between 2001 and 2004. METHOD: A longitudinal dataset of all referrals to CPS was created using state submissions to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). After excluding children whose initial CPS investigation resulted in removal from the home, a Cox proportional hazards model was tested to examine factors impacting the likelihood of re-referral. RESULTS: Consistent with other research in this area, the initial 6-month period following case disposition is the period of greatest risk of re-referral. Approximately 13% of cases experienced a recurrent allegation during the first 6-month period; an additional 14% experienced a re-referral over the following 12-month period; 7% during the next 12-month period. Family poverty was the strongest predictor of re-referral, though a number of child and case characteristics were significantly related to recurrence. Cases that were substantiated at index were significantly less likely to result in a new allegation, though substantiated cases of physical abuse or those receiving post-investigation services were at higher risk. CONCLUSIONS: Children from families facing multiple stressors (e.g., low SES, parental substance abuse child disability) are at highest risk of re-referral to CPS and may benefit from the development of preventive services targeted immediately following case closings within CPS.     

Impact of a statewide home visiting program to prevent child abuse

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of a voluntary, paraprofessional home visiting program in preventing child maltreatment and reducing the multiple, malleable psychosocial risks for maltreatment for which families had been targeted. METHODS: This collaborative, experimental study focused on 6 Healthy Families Alaska (HFAK) programs; 325 families were enrolled in 2000-2001, randomized to intervention and control groups, and interviewed to measure baseline attributes. Follow-up data were collected when children were 2 years old (85% follow-up rate). Outcomes included maltreatment reports, measures of potential maltreatment and parental risks, for example, poor mental health, substance use, and partner violence. HFAK records were reviewed to measure home visiting services. Home visitors were surveyed to measure perceived effectiveness and training adequacy. RESULTS: Parental risks were common at baseline, and one-sixth of families had a substantiated child protective services report in the child's first 2 years of life. There was no overall program effect on maltreatment reports, and most measures of potential maltreatment. Home visited mothers reported using mild forms of physical discipline less often than control mothers. The groups were similar in their use of more severe forms of physical discipline. There was no program impact on parental risks. There was no impact on outcomes for families with a 'high dose' of home visiting. Home visitors often failed to address parental risks and seldom linked families with community resources. Contradictions in the model compromised effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: The program did not prevent child maltreatment, nor reduce the parental risks that had made families eligible for service. Research is needed to develop and test strategies to improve the effectiveness of home visiting.     

Prevalence of child sexual abuse reported by a cross-sectional sample of New Zealand women

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to describe the prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) among women in New Zealand, document ethnic specific rates, and outline the frequency of abuse experienced and the most commonly identified perpetrators. Associations between CSA and later adverse consequences were also explored. METHODS: Retrospective report from a random sample of 2,855 women aged 18-64 years old in two regions in New Zealand. Face-to-face interviews with one randomly selected woman from each household were conducted. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rates for CSA were 23.5% for women from the urban region and 28.2% from the rural region. In both urban and rural regions, Māori women more frequently reported experiences of CSA than women from European and other ethnic groups (urban: 30.5% vs. 17.0% and rural: 35.1% vs. 20.7%). The median age of onset of the abuse was 9 years, and the median estimated age of the abuser was 30 years. Half of those who experienced CSA reported that it occurred once or twice, 27% "a few times," and 23% "multiple times." Sole perpetrators were involved in 83% of cases. The majority of cases were perpetrated by a family member, most frequently male. Compared with non-victims, victims of CSA were twice as likely to experience later intimate partner violence and violence by others. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports on a large, population-based sample in an ethnically diverse population in New Zealand, providing the first ethnic-specific rates of CSA available. Findings suggest important priorities for prevention and intervention activities.     

Screening of phonological awareness in the early elementary grades: an IRT approach

The purpose of the present study was to explore the possibilities for the assessment of growth in phonological awareness of children in kindergarten and first grade. Phonological awareness was measured using four sets of items involving rhyming, phoneme identification, phoneme blending, and phoneme segmentation. The results of an exploratory factor analysis and analyses conducted within the framework of item response theory showed one latent ability to underlie the different sets of items, which nevertheless differed in difficulty. Analyses in terms of the children’s ability further showed the phonological awareness measures to be sensitive to growth. The amount of information supplied by the different sets of items depended on the children’s level of ability. The conclusion that it is possible to accurately monitor the development of children’s phonological awareness in the early elementary grades appears to be justified, and this possibility opens up new perspectives for the early screening for reading problems and dyslexia.     

《美国国家档案馆战略规划(2022-2026)》的分析与启示

本文对《美国国家档案馆战略规划(2022-2026)》进行全面分析,总结其特点及对我国的借鉴意义;采用内容分析法和比较分析法,以NARA官方网站所获得的公开信息和报告等作为数据来源,对《美国国家档案馆战略规划(2022-2026)》进行立体式、系统性分析。研究发现该规划呈现出的新特点有:在战略层面,强化公平正义和包容多样的理念;在目标层面,基于现实痛点的合理目标与策略设置;在保障层面,应用先进技术推动规划的落地。研究启示我国档案事业在战略层应与时俱进地做出调整,在目标层强化问题导向和建设策略,在保障层大力推进档案治理体系建设。     

数学教育 科学是纲(上)

中国数学教育水平究竟如何?怎样论其长短?这是难以回答的问题。中国作为拥有世界五分之一人口的大国,现象极其丰富,不能一言以蔽之。若论重视,中国可算得上人人、家家、地地都重视,这构成了数学教育向好发展的基本动力,就算是学校教得不理想,还有家长和社会可发挥     

电工电子实验教学示范中心建设与实践

介绍了浙江师范大学电工电子实验教学示范中心建设基本情况,围绕建设目标进行了实验教学体系、实验教学环境、实验教学队伍、管理机制和信息化平台等多方面建设.实践表明,通过实验教学中心建设,大大提升了实验教学质量,对大学生工程实践能力和创新能力培养起到了重要作用,取得了显著成效.     

“水杯看字实验”的思考

苏科版八年级物理(上册)教材第2页的《引言》中有这样一个活动:透过盛水的玻璃杯看书本上的字,你发现了什么?2009年江苏省中考物理统考考试卷中选择题第12题就是考查同学们的观察能力:如图1所示,小刚将盛满水的圆柱形     

塔里木盆地吐蕃佛教文化研究

文章依靠汉、藏文文献史料,全面系统地阐明了我国古代北方民族之一——藏族在早期经营辽阔西域之塔里木盆地的历史。其中高度评价了部分古藏文文书对塔里木盆地佛教的详细论述,进一步肯定了其学术价值和现实意义。同时还认为对于早期具有浓厚神话色彩的传说,我们不能将其当作信史,但只要抛弃其中虚构的成分,历史的真实面貌就能显现出来。