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Descriptors:
Intelligence; Behavior Problems; Genetics; Etiology; Environmental Influences; Preschool Children; Longitudinal Studies; Twins; Attendance; Cognitive Ability; Socioeconomic Status; Minority Groups; Enrollment; Child Care Centers; Economically Disadvantaged; Preschool Education

Abstract:
Background: Preschool involves an array of new social experiences that may impact the development of early externalizing behavior problems over the transition to grade school. Methods: Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of over 600 pairs of US twins, we tested whether the genetic and environmental influences on externalizing problems differed between children who did versus did not attend preschool. Results: At age 4, the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing did not differ by preschool attendance. In contrast, by age 5 years (kindergarten age), the genetic and environmental etiology of externalizing significantly differed by preschool attendance. Among children who did not attend preschool, externalizing at age 5 was predominantly due to environmental influences (52% shared environment, 34% non-shared environment) rather than genetic differences (13%), whereas among children who had attended preschool, externalizing at age 5 was primarily due to genes (67%), and shared environmental influences were negligible (0%). These interactions represented the differential longitudinal persistence of genes and environments that contributed to externalizing at age 4. Sensitivity analyses ruled out confounding due to early mental ability, socioeconomic status, minority status, child age, and prior history of childcare. Conclusions: These results indicate that preschool enrollment is associated with increased genetic and decreased shared environmental influences on the development of early externalizing behavior problems. (Contains 1 table, 3 figures, and 2 footnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Self Efficacy; Social Sciences; Males; Effect Size; Gender Differences; Meta Analysis; Language Arts; Mathematics Skills; Age Differences; Research Needs; Longitudinal Studies; Incidence; Computer Literacy

Abstract:
A meta-analysis of 187 studies containing 247 independent studies (N = 68,429) on gender differences in academic self-efficacy identified an overall effect size of 0.08, with a small difference favoring males. Moderator analysis demonstrated that content domain was a significant moderator in explaining effect size variation. Females displayed higher language arts self-efficacy than males. Meanwhile, males exhibited higher mathematics, computer, and social sciences self-efficacy than females. Gender differences in academic self-efficacy also varied with age. The largest effect size occurred for respondents aged over 23 years old. For mathematics self-efficacy, the significant gender differences emerged in late adolescence. Future research should longitudinally examine gender differences in academic self-efficacy to determine the prevalence of gender differences during different life stages. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; High School Students; Grade 10; Grade 12; Recreational Activities; Reading Tests; Mathematics Tests; Reading Achievement; Computer Use; Video Games; Statistical Analysis; Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Abstract:
Historically, the relationship between student academic achievement and use of computers for fun and video gaming has been described from a multitude of perspectives, from positive, to negative, to neutral. However, recent research has indicated that computer use and video gaming may be positively associated with achievement, yet these studies have focused on small intact and qualitative samples. The purpose of the present study is to examine the association between academic achievement in high school and student use of computers for fun and video gaming using the large nationally representative ELS:2002 sample of students in grade 10 in 2002 and an independent effects two-level hierarchical linear model. Our results indicate that both student use of computers for fun and moderate levels of video gaming were positive and significant on cross-sectional reading and mathematics achievement assessments in high school, controlling for multiple covariates of achievement, but were not related to growth in mathematics from grade 10 to grade 12. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Student Attitudes; Peer Relationship; Grade 5; Learner Engagement; Role; Socialization; Correlation; Outcomes of Education; Peer Influence; Longitudinal Studies; Surveys; Elementary School Students; Institutional Characteristics; Individual Characteristics; Family Characteristics

Abstract:
During adolescence, peer groups present an important venue for socializing school-related behaviors such as academic achievement and school engagement. While a significant body of research emphasizes the link between a youth's immediate peer group and academic outcomes, the current manuscript expands on this idea, proposing that, in addition to smaller peer groups, within each school exists a school-wide peer culture that is comprised of two components (a relational and a behavioral component), each of which is related to individual academic outcomes. The relational component describes the aggregate of students' perceptions of the quality of peer relationships within each school. The behavioral component is an aggregate representation of students' actual behaviors in regard to academic tasks. We used data from the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development, which surveyed 1,718 5th grade students (45.9% male, 51.4% White, 17.8% Hispanic, 7.6% African American) in 30 schools, to explore the idea that, during adolescence, the relational and behavioral components of a school's peer culture are related to students' academic achievement and school engagement. Results suggested that above and beyond a variety of individual, familial, peer, and school characteristics that have previously been associated with academic outcomes, aspects of behavioral peer culture are associated with individual achievement while components of both relational and behavioral peer culture are related to school engagement. Implications for future research are discussed. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Eating Disorders; Eating Habits; Adolescents; Pathology; Depression (Psychology); Foreign Countries; Human Body; Self Concept; Longitudinal Studies; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Athletics; Individual Differences; Adolescent Development

Abstract:
Eating disorders, and related issues (e.g., body dissatisfaction, weight control behaviors), represent pressing and prevalent health problems that affect American adolescents with alarming frequency and potentially chronic consequences. However, more longitudinal research is needed to elucidate the developmental processes that increase or maintain risk for, and that protect against, eating- and weight-related problems among adolescents. Accordingly, the current study used longitudinal data from 1,050 male and female (68.0%) adolescents (Grades 9-11)--the majority of whom were European Americans (72.2%)--who participated in the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development to (a) describe trajectories of adolescents' eating pathology and body dissatisfaction, (b) identify individual and contextual correlates of these pathways, (c) examine whether trajectories of eating pathology and body dissatisfaction related to adolescents' depressive symptoms, and (d) elucidate whether sports participation moderated associations between specific trajectories of eating pathology and body dissatisfaction and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Results suggest that the diverse pathways of eating pathology and body dissatisfaction that exist across middle adolescence, in combination with adolescents' sports participation, have important implications for the positive and problematic development of our youth. In addition, the findings underscore the need to evaluate the interindividual differences that exist in regard to how sports participation may relate positively and negatively to developmental outcomes. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
School Location; Adolescents; School Size; High School Students; Futures (of Society); Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Socioeconomic Status; Behavior Problems; Educational Environment; Psychological Patterns; Context Effect; Academic Achievement

Abstract:
The association between future orientation and problem behaviors has received extensive empirical attention; however, previous work has not considered school contextual influences on this link. Using a sample of N = 9,163 9th to 12th graders (51.0% females) from N = 85 high schools of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the present study examined the independent and interactive effects of adolescent future orientation and school contexts (school size, school location, school SES, school future orientation climate) on problem behaviors. Results provided evidence that adolescent future orientation was associated independently and negatively with problem behaviors. In addition, adolescents from large-size schools reported higher levels of problem behaviors than their age mates from small-size schools, controlling for individual-level covariates. Furthermore, an interaction effect between adolescent future orientation and school future orientation climate was found, suggesting influences of school future orientation climate on the link between adolescent future orientation and problem behaviors as well as variations in effects of school future orientation climate across different levels of adolescent future orientation. Specifically, the negative association between adolescent future orientation and problem behaviors was stronger at schools with a more positive climate of future orientation, whereas school future orientation climate had a significant and unexpectedly positive relationship with problem behaviors for adolescents with low levels of future orientation. Findings implicate the importance of comparing how the future orientation-problem behaviors link varies across different ecological contexts and the need to understand influences of school climate on problem behaviors in light of differences in psychological processes among adolescents. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Failure; Adolescents; Foreign Countries; High School Students; Student School Relationship; Academic Achievement; Role; Prevention; Longitudinal Studies; Correlation; Attachment Behavior; Statistical Analysis; Learner Engagement

Abstract:
School engagement, or the extent to which students are involved in, attached and committed to the academic and social activities in school, plays a prominent role in preventing academic failure, promoting competence, and influencing a wide range of adolescent outcomes. Although the multidimensional nature of school engagement is well-recognized, how the three purported parts of the construct work together is largely unknown. By using data from the longitudinal, 4-H study of Positive Youth Development, involving a sample of 1,029 adolescents (67.7% female; mean age at Grade 9 = 14.92 years; 74.4% of participants were European American, 5.2% were Latino/a, 7.3% were African American), the current study examined the interrelationships of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive aspects of school engagement over three years in adolescence (Grades 9-11). We used autoregressive lagged effects models to assess the relationships among the three engagement constructs. Results indicated that behavioral and emotional engagement were related bidirectionally (each variable was a basis and an outcome of the other). In addition, behavioral engagement influenced cognitive engagement (but the reverse of this relation was not found). Implications for future research are discussed. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Females; Caring; Sexual Identity; Physical Sciences; Career Choice; Elementary School Students; Femininity; Science Careers; Parent Aspiration; Longitudinal Studies; Surveys; Interviews; Feminism; Occupational Aspiration; Social Differences; STEM Education; Student Attitudes; Parent Attitudes; Classification; Foreign Countries

Abstract:
Internationally, there is widespread concern about the need to increase participation in the sciences (particularly the physical sciences), especially among girls/women. This paper draws on data from a five-year, longitudinal study of 10-14-year-old children's science aspirations and career choice to explore the reasons why, even from a young age, many girls may see science aspirations as "not for me". We discuss data from phase one--a survey of over 9000 primary school children (aged 10/11) and interviews with 92 children and 78 parents, focusing in particular on those girls who did not hold science aspirations. Using a feminist poststructuralist analytic lens, we argue that science aspirations are largely "unthinkable" for these girls because they do not fit with either their constructions of desirable/intelligible femininity nor with their sense of themselves as learners/students. We argue that an underpinning construction of science careers as "clever"/"brainy", "not nurturing" and "geeky" sits in opposition to the girls' self-identifications as "normal", "girly", "caring" and "active". Moreover, we suggest that this lack of fit is exacerbated by social inequalities, which render science aspirations potentially less thinkable for working-class girls in particular. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential implications for increasing women's greater participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). (Contains 2 tables and 6 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Outcome Measures; Intervention; Well Being; Bullying; Foreign Countries; Counseling Effectiveness; Outcomes of Treatment; Program Evaluation; Longitudinal Studies; Scores; Peer Relationship; Comparative Analysis; Emotional Response

Abstract:
Bullying remains a significant issue in the lives of many children and young people at school and can have serious negative implications for emotional health and well-being in the short and longer term. This paper reports on an impact evaluation of the effectiveness of a school counselling intervention in promoting positive change in the peer relationships of pupils who have been bullied. Longitudinal data were collected from 202 pupils (mean age = 12.5, standard deviation = 2.3) using the self-rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). In total, 27.2% of referrals (55 pupils) to the intervention related to being bullied. Latent growth curve modelling confirmed that pupils who had been bullied scored significantly higher initial status scores (1.40, p less than 0.01) on the Peer problems subscale of the SDQ and experienced a significantly more rapid rate of decrease on this subscale (-0.25, p less than 0.01) with each successive session of school counselling compared with those pupils who had accessed the intervention for another reason. Results indicate that school counselling is an effective intervention in supporting pupils who have been bullied and should be a key component of an effective whole school approach aimed at addressing bullying. The implications for research and practice development are considered. (Contains 2 tables, 3 figures and 2 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Minority Group Children; Preschool Education; Bilingual Education; Semitic Languages; Foreign Countries; Control Groups; Speech Communication; Bilingualism; Monolingualism; Schemata (Cognition); Role of Education; Russian; Longitudinal Studies; Native Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Linguistic Input; Preschool Children

Abstract:
The development of script schema, as a source of narrative knowledge, is an essential stage in this knowledge construction. This study focused on the role of bilingual versus monolingual preschool education in the development of script schema knowledge in Russian (L1) and Hebrew (L2) among Russian/Hebrew-speaking children in Israel. The preschool bilingual education was based on the "first language first approach" with L2 immersion around age three. The study design was longitudinal and comparative. The children's script schema knowledge was measured at three time points during one academic year. Thirty-two Russian/Hebrew-speaking bilinguals (around age three) were selected from bilingual (Russian/Hebrew) and monolingual (Hebrew) preschools. In addition, 19 Hebrew-speaking monolinguals acted as the control group. The results demonstrated that relatively late immersion in L2 and continuous development of L1 within a bilingual educational context does not impede the acquisition of script schema knowledge in L2. At the same time, in the case of the monolingual preschools, the lack of input in children's L1 within the educational curriculum seems to hinder their script schema development in this language. Finally, the research provides evidence of linguistic interdependence near to onset of script schema acquisition. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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