Concurrent and predictive validity of the WISC-R,McCarthy Scales,Woodcock-Johnson,and academic achievement

Twenty-six normal first-grade children (M = 7.0 years) were administered the WISC-R, the McCarthy Scales, and the Woodcock-Johnson Scales of Cognitive Ability. Two years later, their levels of academic achievement were determined by way of the WRAT and global teacher ratings of classroom performance. Pearson intercorrelations among the summary indices of the three intellectual measures were significant and uniformly high (rang. 77-.95). Correlations between first-grade ability scores and third-grade achievement measures also were significant (range .64-.90), suggesting strong predictive validity for each of the cognitive instruments. Though not significantly so, the correlations between the Woodcock-Johnson and achievement tended to be the highest. The results indicate that all three intellectual measures are appropriate for predicting later academic achievement in young school-aged children.     

Kindergarten Children's Executive Functions Predict Their Second-Grade Academic Achievement and Behavior

Whether and to what extent kindergarten children's executive functions (EF) constitute promising targets of early intervention is currently unclear. This study examined whether kindergarten children's EF predicted their second-grade academic achievement and behavior. This was done using (a) a longitudinal and nationally representative sample (N = 8,920, M_age = 97.6 months), (b) multiple measures of EF, academic achievement, and behavior, and (c) extensive statistical control including for domain-specific and domain-general lagged dependent variables. All three measures of EF—working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control—positively and significantly predicted reading, mathematics, and science achievement. In addition, inhibitory control negatively predicted both externalizing and internalizing problem behaviors. Children's EF constitute promising targets of experimentally evaluated interventions for increasing academic and behavioral functioning.     

Acute responses of soccer match play on hip strength and flexibility measures: potential measure of injury risk

Abstract

Regular measurements of groin risk factors may offer a preventive measure against injury. Therefore, the aim of this study was to (1) determine minimal detectable change (MDC) and reliability of hip flexibility and strength measures and to (2) identify the effect soccer match play load has on these measures. Reliability was determined for bent knee fall out test, hip abduction and adduction (hand-held dynamometry (HHD)) in 20 trained youth male soccer players. Reliability was evaluated with the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC_[2,1]), 95% confidence intervals (CI). Hip strength and flexibility measures were taken before and after an international friendly match. Intra-rater reliability ICC ranges were bent knee fall out (0.75–0.90), abduction (0.83–0.90) and adduction (0.72–0.96). Inter-rater ICCs (95% CI) were bent knee fall out test [0.75 (0.39–0.90) right, 0.71 (0.27–0.89) left hip]; abduction [0.80 (0.50–0.92) right, 0.81 (0.53–0.92) left hip] and adduction [0.72 (0.31–0.89) right, 0.70 (0.26–0.88) left hip]. MDCs were as low as 20.7% of the mean for hip flexibility and 12.5% for strength. In conclusion, HHD and the bent knee fall out test are reliable tools to measure changes in hip strength and flexibility. Finally, a threshold may exist in which match play load negatively impacts hip flexibility.     

A case study of the diversity culture of an American university athletic department: perceptions of senior level administrators

The topic of diversity has received considerable attention from scholars who study sport within the context of higher education in the USA. But despite this interest in the topic, an in-depth focus on how college and university athletic departments effectively manage diversity is missing from the literature. Therefore, we conducted an intrinsic case study of an American university athletic department in efforts to highlight its unique diversity culture (i.e. how it creates and sustains a culture of diversity and inclusion) and the potential impact this culture could have on its various educational stakeholders, and how they interact in this organizational or workplace setting. Findings from our qualitative case study with senior level administrators uncovered two major interrelated themes. First, this institution of higher education has a history and culture of valuing diversity, and this in turn has positively impacted the athletic department's commitment to diversity. Second, the integration of the athletic department into the broader university culture, particularly because of its organizational structure, has enabled this department to better embrace diversity and avoid some of the educational challenges many of its peers face. Research and practical implications are discussed in this study.     

Glenohumeral joint rotation range of motion in competitive swimmers

Much research has examined shoulder range of motion adaptations in overhead-unilateral athletes. Based on the void examining overhead-bilateral athletes, especially competitive swimmers, we examined shoulder external rotation, isolated internal rotation, composite internal rotation, and total arc of motion range of motion of competitive swimmers. The range of motion of registered competitive swimmers (n = 144, age = 12-61 years) was compared by limb (dominant, non-dominant), sex, and age group (youth, high school, college, masters). Significantly (P < 0.05) greater dominant external rotation was observed for both men and women high school and college swimmers, youth women swimmers, and men masters swimmers compared with the non-dominant limb. The isolated internal rotation (glenohumeral rotation), composite internal rotation (glenohumeral rotation plus scapulothoracic protraction), and total arc of motion (external rotation plus composite internal rotation) of the non-dominant limb was significantly greater than that of the dominant limb by sex and age group. Youth and high school swimmers demonstrated significantly greater composite internal rotation than college and masters swimmers. Youth swimmers displayed significantly greater total arc of motion than all other age groups. These data will aid in the interpretation of shoulder range of motion values in competitive swimmers during preseason screenings, injury evaluations and post-rehabilitation programmes, with the results suggesting that differences exist in bilateral external rotation, isolated internal rotation, composite internal rotation, and total arc of motion range of motion.     

Meta-ethnography of autoethnographies: a worked example of the method using educational studies

ABSTRACT

Despite questions about autoethnography in the ethnography and education research family, autoethnography is published in selective peer-reviewed journals in education and in the social and health sciences. Even critics of autoethnographic studies note their ‘rising acceptance in the past 15 years’ [Delamont, S. 2009. “The Only Honest Thing: Autoethnography, Reflexivity and Small Crises in Fieldwork.” Ethnography and Education 4 (1): 51–63]. However, there has been less effort towards qualitative meta-synthesis to learn what other insights might be gained from collections of studies. With the advent of meta-autoethnography [Ellis, C. 2009. Revision: Autoethnographic Reflections of Life and Work. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast Press], each author can find a way to synthesise her/his own autoethnographic works, however, synthesising autoethnographies of different authors has received no attention. This article examines a critical, systematic approach to the meta-ethnography of autoethnographies and offers a worked example of the method using educational studies.     

Voices of donors: Case reports of body donation in Hong Kong

Body donation is important for medical education and academic research. However, it is relatively rare in Hong Kong when compared with many Western countries. Comprehensive research has been performed on the motivation for body donation in Western countries; however, there is still insufficient research on body donation in Hong Kong to provide information on how to increase the body‐donation rate. To understand the factors involved in the decision to donate one's body, the authors interviewed a registered donor and the daughter of another donor in Hong Kong. The authors interpreted the information collected in light of the available published reports, which mostly focus on body donation in Western countries. Despite the consistency of some demographic factors and motivations between the participants in our study and those investigated in the published reports from Western countries, there are differences in education level and socioeconomic status between the donors in our study and those from Western studies. The authors also suggest that Confucianism and Buddhism in Chinese culture may motivate potential body donors in Hong Kong. Other important factors that influence the body‐donation decision may include family members' body donation, registration as organ donors, and good doctor–patient relationships. Although case report studies have their limitations, this study allows us to explore the complexity of events and establish the interconnectivity of factors involved in body donation, which could not be achieved in previous survey‐based studies. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.     

The relationship between treatment integrity and acceptability of reading interventions for children with Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

This study examined the relationship between treatment integrity and acceptability for reading interventions across two consultation models, intensive data‐based academic intervention (IDAI) and traditional data‐based academic intervention (TDAI). Participants included 83 first‐ through fourth‐grade students who met research criteria for Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and evidenced academic difficulties and their general and/or special education teachers. Reading interventions were developed through individualized, data‐driven consultation (IDAI) or generic, menu‐based consultative services (TDAI). Results suggested a moderate, positive relationship between treatment integrity and acceptability for both consultation groups, although the relationship was statistically significant for the IDAI group only. Furthermore, although there was a significant difference between consultation groups on treatment integrity, differences between groups on treatment acceptability were not statistically significant. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.