The latent structure of occupations

Triads of occupations were given to 1300 high-school pupils of both sexes in order to find the affinities of the occupations and the values they used to arrive at the affinities. The values used to perceive occupations come from the subject; nevertheless they could be categorized into a scheme of 20 different values, with the residue category containing less than 1% of the answers. In accordance with previous research in this field, an almost universal structure of occupations was found. The following variables had no influence on the choice of occupational affinities: age, trend of study, SES, father's occupation, mother's occupation, vocational maturity, and preferred occupation. Only the pupils of one school were significantly different in affiliating the occupations in the triads. Furthermore, girls perceive the world of occupations more uniformly than boys.Underlying this universal structure of occupations there exists a latent structure, specific to each individual, which explains why the world of occupations is seen in the way it is. This latent structure of occupations is influenced by the individual's specific background.     

Social skill assessment and training for children: an evaluative review

Techniques employed in the behavioral assessment and treatment of socially deficient children are reviewed. General definitions and components of assertion and social skill in children are presented. While considerable data attest to the potential efficiency of behavioral approaches with this population, several methodological problems prevent any definitive conclusions from being drawn at this time. Some of these include: (1) lack of an accurate classification system of socially isolated children, (2) need for an empirical determination of skill components, and (3) the paucity of data concerning generalization and maintenance of treatment effects. The utility of incorporating developmental and social psychological methods into behavioral programs also is discussed. Suggestions for future directions of research are offered.     

Group interpersonal skills training in a natural setting: an experimental study.

This study assessed effectiveness of group interpersonal skills training conducted in a natural setting with nonanalogue clients. Subjects (Ss) in a behavioral-training condition received 4 hr of instruction consisting of modeling, behavioral rehearsal, coaching, feedback and reinforcement. Training focused on positive and negative social responses and on initiating interactions, as well as reacting to interactions initiated by others. Subjects in a discussion-control condition engaged in focused discussion of interpersonal concerns but received no experiential practice. Within a pre-test-post-test control group design, subjective and objective measures were used to assess training effects. When compared to Ss involved in group discussion. Ss participating in group behavioral training revealed greater pre- to post-test changes on selfreported probability of engaging in selected interpersonal responses and on objective measures of eye contact, speech duration, positive affective responses, use of no-statements, compliance, refusals and requests for new behavior. Support for generalization of training is presented and methodological issues are discussed.     

The cognitive and neurological basis of developmental dyslexia: a theoretical framework and review.

It is argued that developmental dyslexics have difficulty in accessing the meaning of written words via phonological recoding, although they can successfully access meaning by a direct visual route. This difficulty with phonological recording is explained in terms of a short-term memory deficit. It is suggested that developmental dyslexia is a genetically-based dysfunction of the inferior parietal lobule and evidence is reviewed that this region is important in both reading and short-term memory. Implications for remedial instruction are discussed.     

The nature of the reading deficit in developmental dyslexia: a reply to Ellis

Ellis (1979) credits me with the view that “developmental dyslexia might be regarded as a genetic form of deep dyslexia” and then proceeds to argue that my grounds for this view are ill-founded. He offers an alternative proposal, that developmental dyslexia may be likened to (acquired) surface dyslexia. In this paper I will attempt to answer Ellis' (1979) criticisms and provide a critique of his alternative proposal.     

Academic achievement among formerly homeless adolescents and their continuously housed peers

This study examined the school experiences and academic achievement of 46 adolescents in families who experienced homelessness and 87 permanently housed adolescents whose families received public assistance. Measures taken after the homeless students were rehoused showed that both groups valued school highly and were similar in cognitive abilities assessed with the similarities subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R). Formerly homeless students had more school mobility, more grade retention, and worse school experiences by mother report and lower plans for post-secondary education by self-report. Both groups scored poorly on standardized tests of academic achievement. Homelessness was associated with further declines in achievement during the period of maximal residential disruption, but did not have effects 5 years later.     

Longitudinal effects of preschool behavioral styles on early adolescent school performance

Early behavioral problems and temperament as well as student-teacher relationships each have been shown to be important predictors of school performance. This longitudinal study investigated the relations between children's preschool behaviors and their early adolescent student-teacher relationships and academic achievement. It was hypothesized that preschool behaviors would predict school performance in early adolescents. Results showed that children who were more prone to anxiety as preschoolers tended to have the highest grades as young adolescents. Additionally, children with poor student-teacher relationships, as characterized by dependent and conflictual relationships, had lower grades in school. Thus, in considering the importance of a “child×environment” model for school performance, it appears that it is both the child variable of anxiety and the perhaps environmental variable of student-teacher relationships that are related to school performance.     

Families and Schools Together: an experimental analysis of a parent-mediated multi-family group program for American Indian children

The goals of this randomized intervention study were to: (a) increase academic performance among American Indian children ages 4-9 years and (b) reduce classroom problem behaviors. To achieve these goals, the multi-family group program called Families and Schools Together (FAST) was adapted with three American Indian Nations in Wisconsin. Over 3 years, seven multi-family group cycles of FAST were implemented, each lasting 8 weeks. In collaboration with the College of Menominee Nation, this parent intervention approach was adapted to express tribal values while maintaining its core components. Fifty pairs of universally recruited American Indian students at three schools who were assessed, matched on five variables, and then randomly assigned to either the FAST or non-FAST control condition. Pretest, posttest, and 9- to 12-month follow-up data were collected by American Indian staff and university students on multiple indicators of academic and behavioral performance. Of the 50 families that attended FAST meetings at least once, 40 graduated (80%) from the 7 FAST cycles. On the immediate posttest, statistically significant differences in improvement, favoring FAST participants were found on the Aggressive Behavior scale of the teacher-rated Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and on the parent-rated Withdrawn scale of the same instrument. On the 1-year follow-up assessment, parent CBCL ratings indicated that FAST students had maintained their less withdrawn status and teacher ratings on the Social Skills Rating Scale (SSRS) revealed that FAST participants had exhibited relatively greater improvement in their academic competence. Parent surveys of the graduated students generally showed satisfaction with the program. Implications of the present results and future research directions are discussed.