Child Psychology Commons^™

Factors Influencing Choices For Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Previously Unscreened African And Caucasian Americans: Findings From A Triangulation Mixed Methods Investigation, Mack T. Ruffin Iv, John W. Creswell, Masahito Jimbo, Michael D. Fetters

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

We investigated factors that influence choice of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test and assessed the most- and leastpreferred options among fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and double contrast barium enema among adults with varied race, gender, and geographic region demographics. Mixed methods data collection consisted of 10 focus group interviews and a survey of the 93 focus group participants. Participants were ≥50 years of age and reported not having been screened for colorectal cancer in the last ten years. Analyses examined differences by race, gender, and geographic location. Participants had modest knowledge about CRC and there were …

Intervention Implementation Integrity Within Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: Strategies For Working With Families, Michelle S. Swanger-Gagne, Andrew Garbacz, Susan M. Sheridan

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Mental health services in school systems can take many forms. Behavioral consultation is one efficacious and commonly used form of indirect service delivery. Indirect service delivery models are unique in that an intermediate person, the consultee, provides treatment directly to a client. The effectiveness of the intervention depends in large part on the degree to which the consultee implements the intervention as designed. Families of children at-risk for school failure may experience challenges implementing an intervention developed through a consultation model. Some researchers have noted that the implementation of treatment plans is influenced by “events in the real world” including …

Integrating Developmental And Free-Choice Learning Frameworks To Investigate Conceptual Change In Visitor Understanding, E Margaret Evans, Amy Spiegel, Wendy Gram, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Complex ideas like evolution—which run counter to common, but mistaken, intuitive knowledge like the 9-year-old’s quoted above—are challenging, both for exhibit developers and for the evaluation and research teams who assess the impact of exhibitions. It is always difficult to document measurable changes in deep conceptual understanding following a single visit to an exhibition (Allen, 2008, p. 58); Is this even possible with complex topics, such as evolution? In this article, we summarize a series of studies that may offer some help to exhibit developers and evaluators, as well as others who design and assess informal learning experiences. The studies …

An Exploratory Evaluation Of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation To Promote Collaboration Among Family, School, And Pediatric Systems: A Role For Pediatric School Psychologists, Susan M. Sheridan Dr., Emily D. Warnes, Kathryn E. Woods, Carrie A. Blevins, Katie L. Magee, Cynthia Ellis

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Pediatric school psychology is a relatively new subspecialty in the field; however, few specific, prescribed roles have been articulated, and fewer have yielded preliminary efficacy data. In this exploratory study, the acceptability and potential efficacy of conjoint behavioral consultation (CBC) as a model for linking families, schools, and pediatric settings to address concerns for children with medical issues were evaluated. Twenty-nine children, their parents, teachers, and consultants were involved in conjoint consultation, a model of cross-system collaboration to address shared concerns of medically referred children. In this structured indirect service delivery model, parents, teachers, and school psychology pediatric consultants worked …

Exploring Mothers’ And Fathers’ Relationships With Sons Versus Daughters: Links To Adolescent Adjustment In Mexican Immigrant Families, Kimberly A. Updegraff, Melissa Y. Delgado, Lorey A. Wheeler

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Drawing on ecological and gender socialization perspectives, this study examined mothers’ and fathers’ relationships with young adolescents, exploring differences between mothers and fathers, for sons versus daughters, and as a function of parents’ division of paid labor. Mexican immigrant families (N = 162) participated in home interviews and seven nightly phone calls. Findings revealed that mothers reported higher levels of acceptance toward adolescents and greater knowledge of adolescents’ daily activities than did fathers, and mothers spent more time with daughters than with sons. Linkages between parent-adolescent relationship qualities and youth adjustment were moderated by adolescent gender and parents’ division …

Procedural Justice In Resolving Family Disputes: Implications For Childhood Bullying, Michael R. Brubacher, Mark R. Fondacaro, Eve M. Brank, Veda E. Brown, Scott A. Miller

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

High levels of family conflict and poor family conflict resolution strategies are often associated with externalizing behaviors in children, including the behavior of bullying. Through family interactions, parents have the opportunity to convey a variety of messages to the child. Some of these messages are sent through the child’s appraisal of procedural justice, which refers to the judgments of fairness directed at the process by which a conflict is resolved. The current study investigated the relationship between appraisals of procedural justice in family conflict resolution and bullying among middle-school students. A sample of 1,910 sixth through eighth graders completed a …

Book Review: A Half-Century Of Thinking About Prejudice, David Moshman

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Fifty years after Gordon Allport’s classic The Nature of Prejudice (1954), what do we know about the nature of prejudice? Quite a bit, actually, much of which Allport already knew, but some of which represents genuine progress in scientific understanding. That’s the message of On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years after Allport, in which forty-four authors, guided by three editors, successfully manage what Allport did alone a half-century ago: to present in one volume the state of the art in the psychological study of prejudice. The volume has been carefully conceived and structured to provide comprehensive and systematic …

Museum Visitors’ Understanding Of Evolution, Amy N. Spiegel, E. Margaret Evans, Wendy Gram, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

In spite of overwhelming scientific evidence supporting evolution, a large percentage of the Ameri-can public does not understand or accept the fundamental principles of evolutionary theory. Museums have an important role in educating children and adults about evolution. This paper reviews recent museum visitor studies, which suggest that while visitors are interested in learning about and less likely to reject evolution than the general public, they tend to have a limited understanding of evolutionary concepts. A new conceptual framework, based on developmental research, indicates that visitors reason about evolution differently depending on the type of organism they are considering, applying …

Wonderwise 4-H: Following In The Footsteps Of Women Scientists, Amy N. Spiegel, S. Kay Rockwell, Deanna Acklie, Saundra Wever Frerichs, Kathleen French, Judy Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Wonderwise 4-H: Women in Science Learning Kits, recently included in the National 4-H Curriculum Collection and widely tested by 4-H leaders, have positively affected youths’ perspectives on science, scientists, and scientific work. Adult leaders who used the multimedia, inquiry-based Wonderwise 4-H kits completed a Web survey describing the impact of the kits on youth. It indicated that the kits increased youth’s interest and understanding of science, broadened their view of scientists, and opened their eyes to the possibility of science in their own futures. More information about Wonderwise 4-H and downloadable activities are available at wonderwise.unl.edu.

Wonderwise 4-H: Following In The Footsteps Of Women Scientists, A. N. Spiegel, S. K. Rockwell, D. S. Acklie, K. French, J. Diamond

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Wonderwise 4-H: Women in Science introduces youth to contemporary female scientists in their labs, out in the field, and with their families through nine interactive multimedia kits. Youth learn about the scientist’s occupation and participate in hands-on science activities similar to the actual work of a female scientist role model. Using role models was effective in improving youths’ attitudes about science through engaging activities and realistic videos. A web survey of 150 adult youth leaders showed Wonderwise 4-H brings “real science” into youths’ lives by (a) engaging them in actual scientific activities, (b) increasing their understanding of what science is, …

Virus And The Whale: Exploring Evolution In A Museum Collaboration, Judy Diamond, Amy Spiegel, Debra Meier, Sarah Disbrow

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

A major new collaboration of museums in the U.S. will teach the public about current research in evolutionary biology. This project, entitled Explore Evolution, combines the strength of interactive exhibits, Web activities and outreach programs for youth to feature seven influential research projects on organisms ranging in size from the smallest, HIV to the largest, a whale. Launched in 2003 and funded by the Informal Science Education Program of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Explore Evolution is one of the most comprehensive informal education projects in the U.S. to focus on teaching about evolution research.

Conjoint Behavioral Consultation: Involving Parents And Teachers In The Treatment Of A Child With Selective Mutism, Valerie J. Gortmaker, Emily D. Warnes, Susan M. Sheridan

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This paper provides a case example of the effects of a behavioral intervention implemented i.n the context. of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation (CBC; Sheridan, Kratochwill & Bergan, 1996) for a five-year-old child with selective mutism. Programming common stimuli was combined with positive reinforcement and ·then implemented by a parent and teacher to improve a child's verbal interactions. Overall, the number of words spoken by the child client per day increased from 0 during baseline to a treatment mean of 7.7 words per day. An effect size of 1.60 was yielded, with 100% non-overlapping data between baseline and treatment phases. Additionally, treatment …

Caregiving Through A Relationship Lens In Reggio Emilia And A Lab School In Canada, Carolyn P. Edwards, Alex Dougherty

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

In recent years developmental scientists have described the tasks of relationship-building that contribute to early development: security and attachment, self-recognition and validation, mutuality and companionship, passionate experience, identification and group belonging, and giving care to others. Relationship-building begins within the family, then, in extending it outside the family, early education can play a key role. This selection contains two parts. The first piece describes the kinds of benefits these widening relationships can provide for very young children and outlines some specific steps that educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy, have taken to ensure the best, most "amiable" environments. The second piece, …

Designing A Mixed Methods Study In Primary Care, John W. Crewell, Michael D. Fetters, Nataliya V. Ivankova

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND Mixed methods or multimethod research holds potential for rigorous, methodologically sound investigations in primary care. The objective of this study was to use criteria from the literature to evaluate 5 mixed methods studies in primary care and to advance 3 models useful for designing such investigations.

METHODS We first identified criteria from the social and behavioral sciences to analyze mixed methods studies in primary care research. We then used the criteria to evaluate 5 mixed methods investigations published in primary care research journals.

RESULTS Of the 5 studies analyzed, 3 included a rationale for mixing based on the need …

Using Transcendental Phenomenology To Explore The “Ripple Effect” In A Leadership Mentoring Program, Tammy Moerer-Urdahl, John W. Creswell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Several approaches exist for organizing and analyzing data in a phenomenological qualitative study. Transcendental phenomenology, based on principles identified by Husserl (1931) and translated into a qualitative method by Moustakas (1994), holds promise as a viable procedure for phenomenological research. However, to best understand the approach to transcendental phenomenology, the procedures need to be illustrated by a qualitative study that employs this approach. This article first discusses the procedures for organizing and analyzing data according to Moustakas (1994). Then it illustrates each step in the data analysis procedure of transcendental phenomenology using a study of reinvestment or the “ripple effect” …

Interparental Conflict And Child And Adolescent Aggression: An Examination Of Overt And Relational Aggression, Stacey T. Mizokawa

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The relationship between interparentaI conflict and overt aggression has been a consistent finding for males, but not for females. As a result. females have been thought to be less affected by parental disputes. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether parental conflict could predict aggression in males and females if aggression is operationalized to include both the overt type that is common among males and the relational type that is more common in females. Participants were 102 fifth- (37 males; 65 females). 137 eighth- (54 males; 83 females). and 110 eleventh-graders (37 males; 73 females) and their parents. …

Using Responsive Evaluation To Evaluate A Professional Conference, Amy N. Spiegel, Roger H. Bruning, Lisa Giddings

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

In a statewide conference on alternative methods for assessing students’ learning, we incorporated responsive evaluation methods into the structure of the conference. The application of these interactive evaluation techniques serves as a pilot study that illustrates the possible utility of these tech-niques in evaluating conferences. This paper provides a brief review of the literature surrounding responsive evaluation, a description of the responsive evaluation methods applied to this conference, and a discussion of the results and implications of this pilot study.

Using Teacher Reflective Practice To Evaluate Professional Development In Mathematics And Science, Vicki L. Wise, Amy N. Spiegel, Roger H. Bruning

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Systemic reform has been a key element of the mathematics and science educational agenda for the past decade. Systemic reform proponents advocate emphasizing mathemat-ics and science from kindergarten through l2th grade; adopting new math and science ed-ucation standards; providing ongoing professional development for teachers (Frechtling, Sharp, Carey, & Vaden-Kiernan, 1995); and aligning policy, practice, and assessment pro-cedures. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has supported the development of sys-temic reform by funding statewide, urban, and rural systemic initiatives to improve K–12 mathematics and science education throughout the United States (Fitzsimmons & Kerpel-man, 1994).

Future Directions In Education And Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities: A Delphi Investigation, Joanne W. Putman, Amy N. Spiegel, Robert H. Bruininks

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This article reports on a survey of 37 educators regarding future directions in the education of students with disabilities. The survey used the Delphi technique. For the decade of the 1990s and after the year 2000, respondents’ predictions included the following: The movement toward increasing inclusion will occur; the belief will prevail that people with disabilities have a right to participate in inclusive environments; students with mild disabilities will be educated in general classrooms; teachers will increase their use of instructional approaches such as cooperative learning and instructional technology; and researchers will focus on matching instructional needs with learner characteristics.

The Identification Of Individuals With Disabilities In National Databases: Creating A Failure To Communicate, Kevin S. Mcgrew, Bob Algozzine, James E. Ysseldyke, Martha L. Thurlow, Amy N. Spiegel

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to analyze similarities and differences in how students with disabilities are identified in national databases. National data collection programs in the United States Departments of Education, Commerce, Labor, Justice, and Health and Human Services, as well as databases from the National Science Foundation, the American Council of Education, and the College Board, were examined. Nineteen national data collection programs were selected as being potentially useful in the extraction of policy-relevant information on the educational status and performance of students with disabilities. Among these 19 programs there was significant variability in the disability categories used. …

Community Adjustment Of Young Adults With Mental Retardation: Overcoming Barriers To Inclusion, Richard F. Ittenbach, Brian H. Abery, Sheryl A. Larson, Amy N. Spiegel, Robert W. Prouty

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Movement of persons with mental retardation out of institutions and into community settings is occurring at an ever-increasing pace (Amado, Lakin, & Menke, 1990). State and federal laws have legitimized the basic rights of persons with mental retardation to live, work, and participate in typical community settings. Yet, physical integration is not synonymous with full community inclusion. Numerous barriers remain that serve as obstacles to successful assimilation into community life. For instance, successful social integration depends on attitudinal changes of persons without mental retardation—families, friends, service-delivery professionals, and the general public—toward persons with mental retardation. The way young adults with …

Community Adjustment Of Young Adults With Mental Retardation: A Developmental Perspective, Richard F. Ittenbach, Sheryl A. Larson, Amy N. Spiegel, Brian H. Abery, Robert W. Prouty

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The community adjustment of young adults with mental retardation remains a crucial issue for all human service providers. No longer does adjustment imply simply the physical integration of persons with disabilities into community settings. Rather, it refers to the adjustment and integration of the whole person into community life. Whether one describes community adjustment as a process, an outcome, a philosophy, or a multidimensional concept (Bachrach, 1981), community adjustment has become synonymous with the term quality-of-life, a quality that depends in large part on one’s happiness and success in socially sanctioned, age-appropriate tasks.

An Investigation Of The Exclusion Of Students With Disabilities In National Data Collection Programs, Kevin S. Mcgrew, Martha L. Thurlow, Amy N. Spiegel

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This investigation examined the extent to which students with disabilities are involved in a select sample of national data collection programs that are playing a pivotal role in the measurement-driven educational reform movement. Nine data collection programs that are receiving significant attention in current educational reform initiatives were reviewed. The results suggest that approxi-mately 40% to 50% of school-age students with disabilities are excluded from some of the most prom-inent national educational data collection programs. In contrast, students with disabilities are included to a greater degree in noneducational data collection programs that do not require partici-pation in direct assessment activities. …

Behavioral Parent-Teacher Consultation: Conceptual And Research Considerations, Susan M. Sheridan, Thomas R. Kratochwill

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

The importance of involving parents in their children’s education has been documented consistently. Likewise, school psychology as a profession traditionally has recognized the importance of working actively and collaboratively with parents. Little conceptual or empirical work has been reported, however, that links home and school individuals systematically in collaborative problem-solving consultation. Behavioral consultation provides a useful framework for working within and between family and school systems to involve parents and teachers together in cooperative problem-solving, with a focus on the interacting systems in a child’s life. The potential advantages of having both parents and teachers serve as consultees are that …

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of Early Childhood Ability Measures Within A Model Of Personal Competence, Richard F. Ittenbach, Amy N. Spiegel, Kevin S. Mcgrew, Robert H. Bruininks

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The present study tested Greenspan’s model of personal competence with data obtained from the Early Screening Profiles, a nationally standardized preschool screening battery designed to measure the general functioning level of children 2–7 years of age. Of the five models tested (three a priori and two a posteriori), three models produced results indicative of a good fit. These findings support the use of Greenspan’s model of personal competence as a framework for understanding the nature of developing abilities in young children as well as for the improvement of classification and diag-nosis of children with special needs.

The Early Motor Profile: Correlation With The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test Of Motor Efficiency1, Amy N. Spiegel, Kathleen M. Steffens, John E. Ryders, Robert H. Bruininks

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

A correlational study of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and the Early Motor Pro-file with 109 kindergarten children showed a significant relation between these two measures of mo-tor abilities. These results support use of the latter profile as a measure of motor development in preschool age children.

Sex Differences In The Recognition Of Infant Facial Expressions Of Emotion: The Primary Caretaker Hypothesis, Raymond B. Hames, Wayne A. Babchuk

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Although much research has been devoted to studying sex differences In functioning (e.g., Maccoby and Jacklin 1974), most efforts have been directed toward documenting or elucidating the proximate causes of sex differences. Few attempts have been made, however, to explain the ultimate causes of these differences or the selective pressures that have led to the development or psychological differences between males and females [for exception see Symons (1979) and Daly and Wilson (1983)]. Toward this end of blending psychology with evolutionary theory we develop what we call the " primary caretaker hypothesis," which predicts that the sex that through evolutionary …