Thesis advisor: Ellen Winner / Cognitive control, the ability to limit attention to goal-relevant information, subserves higher-order cognitive functions such as reasoning, attention, planning and organization. Counterintuitively, deficits in these functions have proven advantageous in certain contexts: low cognitive control means less filtering of attention, and such unfiltered attention leads to novel solutions in insight problem solving contexts. Insight is the clear and often sudden discernment of a solution to a problem by means that are not obvious, and it plays an indispensable role in creative thinking. This study examined whether insight problem solving is a compensatory advantage for children of low socioeconomic status because of their known deficits in cognitive control. One hundred and forty-eight children ages 4 to 11 years old, each completed two insight problem solving tasks (the Box Problem and the Pencil Problem) and a cognitive control task (the Flanker/Reverse Flanker). In addition, their parents completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, which was used as a measure of their socioeconomic status and child rearing values of obedience versus independence. No association was found between children’s socioeconomic status and their ability to use insight to solve a problem. Results did show that older children exhibited less cognitive flexibility than did to younger children, and that diminished cognitive flexibility correlated with older children’s ability to solve the Box Problem; however, this effect did not hold when age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, and parental report of obedience versus independence, were accounted for. Ultimately, age was the only significant predictor of children’s insight problem solving ability, such that older children were significantly more likely to solve the Box Problem and to arrive at a solution more quickly for the Pencil Problem compared to younger children. Findings from this study are explained using evidence from research on children’s tool innovation showing that young children are poor at inventing tools, and that older children’s ability to use objects for atypical functions may be the result of their greater exposure to and experience with tools. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Psychology.

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The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare the achievement of rural students on the 8th grade mathematics Virginia Standards of Learning assessments to urban students in Virginia. The variables of school size and socioeconomic status, as expressed by percentage of free or reduced lunch populations was also considered. The population consisted of 294 middle schools in Virginia. Data were gathered from the 2003-2004 school year. Several t-tests for independent samples and analysis of variance were used to identify the relationship between variables. The study showed no significant differences in 8th grade mathematics SOL scores between rural and urban schools. When suburban schools were included in the study, higher math scores were seen in suburban schools. The study showed a significant difference in 8th grade mathematics SOL scores in schools with student populations larger than 750 students when compared to schools with student populations less than 750. Schools with a percentage of free or reduced price lunch students higher than the state average (33%) showed significantly lower 8th grade mathematics SOL scores than schools with a percentage of free or reduced price lunch students less than 33%, regardless of school location. The results of this study indicate that Virginia educators should consider the need for policies and procedures which reflect the unique characteristics and challenges that face rural schools. School improvement practices in Virginia's public school systems will continue to focus on higher standards and greater accountability. As schools move toward meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, rural schools will continue to face challenges of funding, geographic isolation, and a lack of qualified teachers. The results of this study also indicate similarities in rural and urban schools in Virginia, in terms of student achievement and socioeconomic status. School leaders need to focus on meeting the needs of students, whether those students are in rural, urban, or suburban schools.

This study explored whether the relationship between temperament and emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) is moderated by socioeconomic status (SES) in a sample of 73 children ages 5 through 15 years. Caregivers completed the Rothbart temperament surveys and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Indicators of SES included total household income and occupational status, while indicators of EBDs included the Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, and Total Problems scales of the CBCL. Temperament variables included Fear, Frustration, Sadness, and Shyness. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed 4 regressions significant for moderation. A conclusion gleaned from these results is that the relationship between particular temperament dimensions and Externalizing Problems and Total Problems is stronger in low-SES children than high-SES children but only when taking into account occupational status.

The hope of educators is that children will obtain a strong educational foundation that will lead to life-long learning and a bright future. However, several factors may play a role in hindering a successful outcome. Addressing the at-risk indicators of excessive absences, discipline referrals, socioeconomic status, disability status, early grade retention, and family composition gives insight into struggles students face. Looking at 6 research questions, an independent sample t test was used to determine the difference in students who had excessive absences and discipline referrals in relation to school success. A chi-square analysis was used to identify the relationship between socioeconomic status, disability status, family composition, early grade retention, and school success. Results of the study suggested that there was a significant negative relationship between school success and poor attendance and with discipline referrals. Socioeconomic status was not significant when looking at school success. The study showed that students eligible for free and reduced price meals program had nearly the same chance for school success as students who were not eligible for free and reduced price meals program. Disability status and grade retention were not significant factors in school success. Students who lived in a nontraditional family were not at risk for school failure.

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of socioeconomic status on academic achievement as measured by the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Achievement Test and the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Writing Assessment. The population consisted of 8th grade students enrolled in 4 elementary schools in a rural school system in Tennessee. Data were analyzed for the population of the 2006-2007 academic school year. A 2-way analysis of variance model was used to compare the means among the schools, the means between economically disadvantaged students and those who were not economically disadvantaged, and whether there was a significant school by socioeconomic status interaction. The independent variables were the schools ( School A, B, C, D) and the socioeconomic status of the students (those who qualified for free or reduced price meals and those who did not qualify for free or reduced price meals). The 5 dependent variables in the study were the number of items students answered correctly on the math, language arts, science, and social studies portions of the test and the holistic writing test scores. The quantitative findings revealed the F test for the school by socioeconomic status interaction term was not significant in all 5 research questions. The mean score of economically disadvantaged students was lower than noneconomically disadvantaged students in math, language arts, social studies, and science. Results indicated no difference in the mean writing scores between students who were economically disadvantaged and students who were not. When the main effect of school was significant, the Bonferroni post hoc multiple pairwise comparisons test was used to determine which pair of school means was different. The main effect of school was significant in math, social studies, science, and writing. There were no significant differences in the mean number of language arts items answered correctly among the schools.

The purpose of this study was to determine if socioeconomic status for the ethnic groups of white, black, Hispanic, and Asian is a significant indicator of mathematical performance and student participation in higher level courses. The SOL test scores of all high school mathematics students in Virginia for the 2005-2006 school year, their ethnic group membership, and their economically disadvantaged classification were as used to determine if such an association exists. Data provided by the Virginia Department of Education consisted of 113,786 Algebra I scores, 95,898 Geometry scores, and 68,944 Algebra II scores. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a Two-way ANOVA were used to determine the variables that were highly significant indicators of mathematical performance and enrollment (p<.001).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare student achievement, as assessed by the ABC (Accountability, Basics, Local Control) end of grade tests, of students in different sized schools and of different socioeconomic backgrounds. The population consisted of 379 middle schools in North Carolina. Data were gathered from the 2006-2007 school year. Several t-tests for independent samples, analyses of variance, and chi square analyses were used to identify relationships between variables. The measures of growth used were the change ratio, which is used to determine high growth status and mean growth, which is used to determine expected growth or no recognition status. No recognition is the designation given to those schools that do not meet expected growth. The study showed no significant relationship between school size and academic growth status. Similarly, there was no significant difference in the observed proportions and the hypothesized proportions of different sized schools in terms of academic growth status. There was a significant relationship between socioeconomic status and academic growth status; high socioeconomic status schools had higher change ratios and higher mean growth than did low socioeconomic status schools. The study showed a significant difference in the observed and hypothesized proportions of the growth levels; high socioeconomic status schools had more schools designated high growth than no recognition and low socioeconomic status schools had more schools designated no recognition than high growth. The results of this study indicated that as educators in North Carolina continue to focus on achievement levels of all students, particular attention should be paid to those schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced price meals. To narrow the academic gap between students in high and low socioeconomic status schools, attention should be given to the particular needs and traits of children from high poverty backgrounds. Educational practices that recognize and remove the barriers associated with those needs should be implemented. Regardless of socioeconomic status, educational methods in all schools should reflect current research of best practices for increasing all students' achievement.

Objectives: To assess the use of the “Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals” standards in practice and academic work settings by public health nurses (PHNs), and to determine differences between practitioners and faculty. Design: Nonexperimental, descriptive study using a cross‐sectional survey. Sample: Three public health nursing (PHN) organizations sent invitations to all members. A total of 334 (18.7%) from an estimated 1,786 members completed the survey. Measurements: The investigators developed a 17‐item web‐based survey with open‐ and closed‐ended responses, using Rogers' diffusion of innovations as a theoretical framework. Results: Respondents are equally familiar with the competencies for public health professionals disseminated by the Council on Linkages and for PHNs by the Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations (Quad Council). Two thirds of PHNs are aware of the competencies after only 2 years, primarily from professional PHN organizations. Faculty are adopting and using the competencies at a significantly faster rate than practitioners. Conclusions: Faculty and practitioners who use the competencies value them, and rarely discontinued their use after adoption. Efforts to promote diffusion among faculty and especially practitioners need to continue. Professional organizations can actively provide and share examples of useable formats and best practices associated with the competencies.

The cost and duration of cardiovascular care was studied for 4,804 episodes of hospitalization in patients between 45 and 64 years of age. Men were more likely than women to be treated in urban medical centers for shorter, more expensive hospital care; women were more likely to be treated in rural hospitals for longer, less expensive care. Cost of treatment per day was not dependent on the type of insurance, but Medicaid claims (which represent low income patients) were associated with greater lengths of stay.