A comparison of performance feedback procedures on teachers' treatment implementation integrity and students' inappropriate behavior in special education classrooms

This study examined the extent to which treatment integrity of 4 special education teachers was affected by goal setting, performance feedback regarding student or teacher performance, and a meeting cancellation contingency. Teachers were trained to implement function-based treatment packages to address student problem behavior. In one condition, teachers set a goal for student behavior and received daily written feedback about student performance. In a second condition, teachers received daily written feedback about student performance as well as their own accuracy in implementing the intervention and would be able to avoid meeting with a consultant to practice missed steps by implementing the intervention with 100% integrity. This latter package increased treatment integrity the most above baseline levels. Higher levels of treatment integrity were significantly correlated with lower levels of student problem behavior for 3 of the 4 teacher-student dyads. Three of the 4 teachers also rated both feedback procedures as highly acceptable. Implications for increasing and maintaining treatment integrity by teachers via a consultation model are discussed.     

Validity of General Mental Ability for the Prediction of Job Performance and Training Success in Germany: A meta‐analysis1

A meta‐analysis into the operational validity of general mental ability (GMA) measures in Germany is presented. The meta‐analysis addresses the question whether findings of US and European meta‐analyses are generalizable to Germany given the differences in the education systems of these countries. The high level of differentiation in the German educational system is expected to enhance the homogeneity of applicant pools resulting in a low level of variability in predictor scores which reduces the observed GMA–performance relationships. Our analysis is based on 54 independent German articles and unpublished reports. Results indicated an operational validity of ρ=.467 for training success (k=90; N=11,969) and ρ=.534 for job performance (k=9; N=746). Moderator analyses showed that job complexity and the year of publication are relevant moderator variables, with lower job complexity levels and older studies being associated with higher operational validities. Findings suggest that overall German operational validities are comparable with findings in the United States or other European countries. However, for training success operational GMA validities are slightly lower in Germany compared with US or European meta‐analyses.     

Confidence in unwarranted knowledge

Epistemic minimalism affirms that mere true belief is sufficient for propositional knowledge. I construct a taxonomy of some specific forms of minimalism and locate within that taxonomy the distinct positions of various advocates of minimalism, including Alvin Goldman, Jaakko Hintikka, Crispin Sartwell, Wolfgang Lenzen, Franz von Kutschera, and others. I weigh generic minimalism against William Lycan’s objection that minimalism is incompatible with plausible principles about relations between knowledge, belief, and confidence. I argue that Lycan’s objection fails for equivocation but that some specific forms of minimalism are better able than others to articulate that defense.     

Effectiveness of Psychodynamic Treatment in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder

There is some evidence that the efficacy of four types of psychotherapeutic psychotherapy (mentalized-based treatment, transference-focused psychotherapy, psychoanalytic psychotherapy, and cognitive-analytic therapy), is superior to treatment-as-usual. More controlled and randomized studies are needed in order a) to confirm the results of the relatively few investigations that were available, b) to examine the therapeutic relevance and usefulness of correlates and predictors of improvement and remission in borderline patients, and c) to examine possible fruitful combinations with other types of treatment.     

Comparison of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior and suicide attempts in patients admitted to a psychiatric crisis unit

The aim of the current study was to examine differences in personality, coping skills, and select psychopathology symptoms in psychiatric patients with and without non-suicidal self-injury and/or suicide attempts. We collected data in a sample of 128 psychiatric patients by means of self-report questionnaires measuring self-harm, psychological symptoms, personality and coping skills. Results support a continuum of self-harm such that patients with both non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts exhibit significantly greater levels of psychopathology and lower levels of adaptive personality traits and coping skills. The findings point to the clinical importance of making a distinction between non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts, and offers additional variables to consider outside of intent when appraising suicide risk.     

Applicant Reactions in Selection: Comprehensive meta‐analysis into reaction generalization versus situational specificity

This paper reports a comprehensive quantitative summary into applicant reactions to popular methods of employee selection. A detailed search of published and unpublished studies resulted in a final sample (k) of 38 independent samples covering 10 popular candidate assessment methods. Applicant reactions primary studies included samples from 17 countries internationally. Counter to previous suggestions for the situational specificity of applicant reactions, findings showed considerable similarity supporting the reaction generalizability hypothesis. Reaction favorability was structurally similar across countries and revealed a three‐tier clustering of overall favorability perceptions –most preferred (work samples, interviews), favorably evaluated (resumes, cognitive tests, references, biodata, personality inventories), and least preferred (honesty tests, personal contacts, graphology). Some differences in applicant reactions to dimension‐specific perceptions were found, however. Further analyses revealed strong positive correlations between favorability ratings and their validity and international usage. Implications for future research and ramifications for practice are considered in conclusion.     

Reasons for Being Selective When Choosing Personnel Selection Procedures

The scientist–practitioner gap in personnel selection is large. Thus, it is important to gain a better understanding of the reasons that make organizations use or not use certain selection procedures. Based on institutional theory, we predicted that six variables should determine the use of selection procedures: the procedures' diffusion in the field, legal problems associated with the procedures, applicant reactions to the procedures, their usefulness for organizational self‐promotion, their predictive validity, and the costs involved. To test these predictions, 506 HR professionals from the German‐speaking part of Switzerland filled out an online survey on the selection procedures used in their organizations. Respondents also evaluated five procedures (semi‐structured interviews, ability tests, personality tests, assessment centers, and graphology) on the six predictor variables. Multilevel logistic regression was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that the highest odd ratios belonged to the factors applicant reactions, costs, and diffusion. Lower (but significant) odds ratios belonged to the factors predictive validity, organizational self‐promotion, and perceived legality.     

当代中学生与其父母价值观的异同

本研究以一个完整家庭(包括父亲、母亲、子女)为单位,基于施瓦茨的价值观理论,对上海及其周边中小城市、农村的107个14-17周岁的在校中学生家庭进行了价值观调查。在考察子女与其父母价值观差异的同时,运用多元回归分析探索当代中学生与父母价值观的相似性。结果表明,父母双方与子女价值观存在较大差异,其中母亲与子女的价值观差异更大;但子女与父母在集体主义价值观维度上表现出显著的相似性。     

Exploring the motivation jungle: predicting performance on a novel task by investigating constructs from different motivation perspectives in tandem

Different theoretical viewpoints on motivation make it hard to decide which model has the best potential to provide valid predictions on classroom performance. This study was designed to explore motivation constructs derived from different motivation perspectives that predict performance on a novel task best. Motivation constructs from self-determination theory, self-regulation theory, and achievement goal theory were investigated in tandem. Performance was measured by systematicity (i.e. how systematically students worked on a problem-solving task) and test score (i.e. score on a multiple-choice test). Hierarchical regression analyses on data from 259 secondary school students showed a quadratic relation between a performance avoidance orientation and both performance outcomes, indicating that extreme high and low performance avoidance resulted in the lowest performance. Furthermore, two three-way interaction effects were found. Intrinsic motivation seemed to play a key role in test score and systematicity performance, provided that effort regulation and metacognitive skills were both high. Results indicate that intrinsic motivation in itself is not enough to attain a good performance. Instead, a moderate score on performance avoidance, together with the ability to remain motivated and effectively regulate and control task behavior, is needed to attain a good performance. High time management skills also contributed to higher test score and systematicity performance and a low performance approach orientation contributed to higher systematicity performance. We concluded that self-regulatory skills should be trained in order to have intrinsically motivated students perform well on novel tasks in the classroom.