How Preschoolers' Social–Emotional Learning Predicts Their Early School Success: Developing Theory‐Promoting,Competency‐Based Assessments

Starting on positive trajectories at school entry is important for children's later academic success. Using partial least squares, we sought to specify interrelations among all theory‐based components of social–emotional learning (SEL), and their ability to predict later classroom adjustment and academic readiness in a modelling context. Consequently, self‐regulation, emotion knowledge, social problem solving, and social–emotional behaviour were assessed via direct assessment and observation for 101 preschoolers; teachers provided information on classroom adjustment through kindergarten and academic readiness in kindergarten. Our final outer (measurement) model showed robust latent variables for SEL components. Regarding the inner (structural) model, latent variables showed expected predictive relations among SEL components, and with later classroom adjustment and academic readiness: preschoolers' executive control predicted aspects of their social cognition (i.e., emotion knowledge and social problem solving) and emotionally negative/aggressive behaviour, and emotion knowledge predicted their emotionally regulated/prosocial behaviour. Further, most SEL components directly and/or indirectly predicted teachers' evaluations of later classroom adjustment and kindergarten academic readiness. Our findings extend our understanding of SEL during preschool, suggesting that early assessment and monitoring is possible using these instruments, and potentially aiding the development of programmes to maximize children's SEL in the service of early school success. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dissemination of Therapist-Assisted Internet Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Development and Open Pilot Study of a Workshop

There is considerable research suggesting that therapist-assisted Internet cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is efficacious in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Given this research, there is a growing interest in training students in therapist-assisted ICBT in order to assist with the dissemination of this emerging modality into routine clinical practice. In this study, we developed, delivered, and evaluated a therapist-assisted ICBT workshop for clinical psychology graduate students (n = 20). The workshop provided both research evidence and practical information related to the delivery of therapist-assisted ICBT. The workshop also incorporated an experiential component with students working on and discussing responses to client e-mails. Before and after the workshop, we measured knowledge of therapist-assisted ICBT research and professional practice issues, as well as attitudes towards and confidence in delivering therapist-assisted ICBT. Statistically significant changes were observed in all areas. Eighty-five per cent of students are now offering therapist-assisted ICBT under supervision. We conclude by discussing future research directions related to disseminating therapist-assisted ICBT.     

阻碍效应范式中主题知识对类别学习的影响

三个实验采用阻碍效应研究范式探讨主题知识对类别学习的影响。实验1探讨定义特征维度为机械特征时,主题知识对类别学习的影响;实验2和实验3,通过考察定义特征维度为知识特征时,类别学习中阻碍效应的大小,继续探讨主题知识对类别学习的影响。实验结果发现：（1）当定义特征维度为机械特征时,主题知识的存在没有促进类别学习。这可能因为定义特征维度为机械特征,主题知识难以发现所致;（2）当定义特征维度为知识特征时,类别学习中的阻碍效应消失,证明主题知识的存在促进了类别学习。研究结果再次支持了类别学习不仅仅受到减少归类错误驱动的观点。     

汉语儿童语素意识与词汇知识的双向关系:一项追踪研究

以399名小学一、三、五年级学生为被试,进行为期一年的追踪研究,通过分层回归,系统考察了汉语儿童同音、同形和复合三类语素意识与词汇知识的双向关系。结果发现:(1)儿童语素意识和词汇知识随时间均有显著增长;(2)控制词汇知识的自回归效应后,一年级儿童的同音和复合语素意识对其二年级的词汇知识、三年级儿童的复合语素意识对其四年级的词汇知识、五年级儿童的同形和复合语素意识对其六年级的词汇知识有显著的预测作用;(3)分别控制三类语素意识的自回归效应后,一年级和五年级儿童的词汇知识可以显著预测其二年级和六年级的三类语素意识,三年级儿童的词汇知识对其四年级的同形和复合语素意识有显著预测作用。结果表明汉语儿童语素意识与词汇知识存在双向关系,且不同类型的语素意识与词汇知识的关系随年级的升高呈现规律性的变化。     

表面相似性与共享标签知识对智障儿童数量表征的影响

采用给数取物任务和数量比较任务,考察表面相似性与共享标签知识对96名7～16岁智障儿童数量表征的影响。研究结果表明：（1）智障儿童数量表征能力随着年龄增长而提高,11～13岁和14～16岁智障儿童完成数量比较任务的正确率显著高于7～10岁;（2）智障儿童在高表面相似物体下完成数量比较任务的正确率显著高于低表面相似物体下的正确率;（3）擅长使用数字标签的智障儿童,在数量比较任务的表现显著优于不擅长组。     

Early orthographic influences on phonemic awareness tasks: Evidence from a preschool training study

Experienced readers show influences of orthographic knowledge on tasks ostensibly tapping phonemic awareness. Here we draw on data from an experimental training study to demonstrate that even preschoolers show influences of their emerging orthographic abilities in such tasks. A total of 40 children were taught some letter-sound correspondences but not others. A selective effect of this training was found on their phonemic awareness task performance for the trained items. These findings point to the multidetermined nature of performance on tasks normally considered as measuring phonemic awareness and have implications for theories of the role of phonemic awareness in reading acquisition.     

Evidence against an occasion setting account of avoidance learning

Earlier studies on human avoidance learning showed that an avoidance response reduces the expectancy that a warning stimulus (WS) will be followed by an unconditioned stimulus (US). This modulation can transfer to WSs with which the avoidance response did not occur in the past. Recent studies suggest that transfer of modulation is selective in that it is stronger for WSs that previously went together with other avoidance responses than for WSs that never went together with an avoidance response. This finding has been interpreted as providing unique support for an occasion setting account of avoidance learning. We put forward alternative explanations of selective transfer of modulation in terms of the rate with which a WS was reinforced in the absence an avoidance response. In support of the alternative explanations, we found that transfer of modulation depended not on whether a WS previously went together with another avoidance response but on the rate with which the WS was reinforced in the past. We conclude that selective transfer of modulation in avoidance learning does not provide (unique) support for the occasion setting account. Our findings are in line with a revised expectancy model of avoidance learning.     

Modeling the Impact of Control on the Attractiveness of Risk in a Prospect Theory Framework

Many decisions involve a degree of personal control over event outcomes, which is exerted through one's knowledge or skill. In three experiments we investigated differences in decision making between prospects based on a) the outcome of random events and b) the outcome of events characterized by control. In Experiment 1, participants estimated certainty equivalents (CEs) for bets based on either random events or the correctness of their answers to U.S. state population questions across the probability spectrum. In Experiment 2, participants estimated CEs for bets based on random events, answers to U.S. state population questions, or answers to questions about 2007 NCAA football game results. Experiment 3 extended the same procedure as Experiment 1 using a within-subjects design. We modeled data from all experiments in a prospect theory framework to establish psychological mechanisms underlying decision behavior. Participants weighted the probabilities associated with bets characterized by control so as to reflect greater risk attractiveness relative to bets based on random events, as evidenced by more elevated weighting functions under conditions of control. This research elucidates possible cognitive mechanisms behind increased risk taking for decisions characterized by control, and implications for various literatures are discussed.