Suicide Ideation and Attempts among Inhalant Users: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions

Few studies have examined associations of inhalant use and inhalant use disorders (IUDs) to suicide ideation and attempts. We investigated these relationships in the largest comorbidity survey conducted in the United States. Suicidal ideation was significantly more prevalent among inhalant users than nonusers and severity of inhalant use problems was positively related to suicidal ideation. Among persons with IUDs, 67.4% had thought about committing suicide and 20.2% had attempted suicide. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that respondents with IUDs reported significantly higher levels of suicide ideation than inhalant nonusers. Inhalant use is associated with significantly increased risk for suicide ideation, especially among women and persons with DSM‐IV IUDs.     

Student Agency in Literacy: Validation of the Student Agency Profile (StAP)

Abstract

There have been recent calls to support student agency in the field of literacy. Agency, which we define in the context of schooling, is a multidimensional construct where individuals exert influence and create opportunities in the learning context through intentions, decisions, and actions. We propose highlighting agency as an interconnected construct, which includes self-perception as readers and writers, intentionality, choice-making, persistence, and interactiveness. Elementary students (n?=?1,726) completed surveys of their agency along with standardized literacy assessments. Statistical analyses largely aligned with the hypothesized dimensions of agency. Relationships to student literacy achievement were stronger in grades 3^rd–5^th than in 1^st–2^nd grades. Discussion highlights how elementary students have a voice in their agency as it pertains to literacy. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.     

Student Agency in Literacy: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Scholars contend that agency is at the heart of cultivating equitable learning spaces for all learners. While it is intuitive that literacy educators support agency during instruction, there is diverse terminology surrounding the concept of agency in the field. As a result, aligning the construct to instructional practices and developing a conceptual understanding of agency in practice has been challenging. Our research team completed a systematic literature review of agency during literacy instruction. In this article, we describe findings of this review of empirical research on agency in literacy spanning from 1975–2017. Findings highlight the complexities associated with defining agency as well as the need for diverse methodological approaches to examining agency in literacy contexts.     

Response to Intervention for Middle School Students With Reading Difficulties: Effects of a Primary and Secondary Intervention

This study examined the effectiveness of a yearlong, researcher-provided, Tier 2 (secondary) intervention with a group of sixth-graders. The intervention emphasized word recognition, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, Participants scored below a proficiency level on their slate accountability test and were compared to a similar group of struggling readers receiving school-provided instruction. All students received the benefits of content area teachers who participated in researcher-provided professional development designed to integrate vocabulary and comprehension practices throughout the school day (Tier 1). Students who participated in the Tier 2 intervention showed gains on measures of decoding, fluency, and comprehension, but differences relative to students in the comparison group were small (median d = +0.16). Students who received the re searcher-provided intervention scored significantly higher than students who received comparison intervention on measures of word attack, spelling, the state accountability measure, passage comprehension, and phonemic decoding efficiency, although most often in particular subgroups.