This qualitative case study addressed a suburban school district's placement of academically at-risk English language arts (ELA) 9th graders as the district transitions from the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) to use of the unfamiliar and controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC). Based on the theoretical frameworks of the zone of proximal development, cognitive apprenticeship, and Bandura's model of self-efficacy, the purpose was to understand the characteristics of struggling (labeled 'academic') ELA students, placement practices and perceptions of these practices, and placement improvements. A purposeful sample was recruited of 7 staff members involved with placement and instruction of academic ELA students in Grades 7-10 for individual interviews. Using thematic data analysis, 4 themes emerged pertaining to the characteristics of academic students, placement practices, the efficacy of assessments used for placement, and improvements. Additionally, content analysis of data on academic students' standardized test scores and grades, collected from district reports, and research on reading assessments were conducted. Findings indicated consensus on the students' characteristics, but no standard procedure for placing academic ELA freshmen. A multiple measure placement matrix was created and incorporated in a white paper for the district's stakeholders, including administrators, teachers, guidance counselors, and child study team members. The implications for positive social change include a better understanding of academic students, their placement, and the benefits of communication, uniform policy, and the use of multiple measures to improve future placement practices.

Estudo descritivo, correlacional, cujos objetivos foram realizar a adaptação transcultural para México dos instrumentos Teenagee Inventory of Social Skills (TISS) e o Cuestionario de Evaluación de Dificultades Interpersonales en la Adolescencia (CEDIA) e identificar as características pessoais, familiares e sociais (competência social e dificuldades interpessoais) que podem influenciar o consumo de drogas em adolescentes escolares de Monterrey, N. L. México. Seguiram-se as etapas metodológicas para a adaptação transcultural: 1) Tradução, 2) Retrotradução, 3) Revisão por um comitê de especialistas 4) Aplicação de uma prova piloto e analise das propriedades psicométricas de validação e confiabilidade dos instrumentos TISS e CEDIA, numa amostra de 1.221 estudantes de ensino fundamental. Os resultados encontrados mostraram que o instrumento TISS é uma ferramenta confiável na avaliação da competência social, obtendo-se valores de consistência interna aceitáveis ao aplicar-se em adolescentes escolares mexicanos. As Inter-correlações entre as subescalas de conduta pró-social e anti-social demonstraram ser negativas e estatisticamente significativas, o que confirma a existência de domínios de condutas diferentes, além de verificar a existência de dois fatores através da análise fatorial aplicada ao instrumento TISS. Em relação ao Questionário CEDIA, encontraram-se adequadas propriedades psicométricas, elevada confiabilidade e valores aceitáveis do coeficiente Alpha de Cronbach para a escala total e cada uma das subescalas de dificuldades interpessoais (assertividade, relações heterossexuais, falar em público, relações familiares e relações com amigos), indicaram-se coeficientes de correlação positivos e significativos entre as subescalas; e se afirmou a natureza multidimensional do questionário CEDIA. Por outro lado, apresentaram-se diferenças significativas da conduta pró-social e antisocial segundo sexo, idade e escolaridade. Além de encontrar diferenças das dificuldades interpessoais segundo sexo e idade nos adolescentes. Em relação ao consumo de drogas legais alguma vez em sua vida, mais do 40,0% consumiu bebidas alcoólicas, 36,2% consumiu tabaco. Sobre às drogas ilegais, assinalou-se que 2,4% usaram inalantes, 2,0% experimentaram maconha e 0,8% consumiram cocaína alguma vez em sua vida. Não se encontraram diferenças de consumo de drogas por sexo. No entanto encontraram-se diferenças de consumo de tabaco nos adolescentes escolares por idade, escolaridade e ocupação e ou viver ou não com o pai. Identificou-se que mais do 80,0% apresentava muito baixa dependência de consumo de tabaco através do questionário FAGESTROM. Em relação ao consumo de álcool, os homens mostram mais alta proporção de consumo atual, destacando-se diferenças de consumo por idade e escolaridade. O instrumento AUDIT mostrou que mais do 30,0% apresentava consumo de álcool em risco, 14,8% dos participantes apresentaram sintomas de dependência e 29,7% manifestavam danos relacionados ao consumo de álcool. Em relação ao consumo de drogas ilegais não se apresentaram diferenças nas variáveis do estudo. Observou-se que quanto a maior conduta pró-social menor é o consumo de drogas nos adolescentes. Encontrou-se relação da conduta anti-social com o consumo de álcool e drogas ilícitas. As dificuldades interpessoais não apresentaram relação com o consumo de drogas. As variáveis que têm a probabilidade de predizer o consumo de tabaco, são idade, sexo, conduta anti-social, dificuldades interpessoais para falar em público e relações heterossexuais. Referente ao consumo de álcool, as variáveis que predizem o consumo são idade, sexo, escolaridade, conduta anti-social, dificuldades interpessoais na assertividade, relações heterossexuais, relações familiares e relações com amigos. Mostrou-se que a conduta anti-social é a única variável que tem a probabilidade de predizer o consumo de drogas ilícitas nos adolescentes escolares. / This descriptive, correlational study aimed to carry out the cross-cultural adaptation of the instruments Teenage Inventory of Social Skills (TISS) and the Questionnaire of Interpersonal Difficulties in Adolescence (QIDA), besides identifying the personal, family and social characteristics (social competence and interpersonal difficulties) that can influence drugs consumption among adolescents of school age in Monterrey, N. L. Mexico. The methodological steps were followed for the cross-cultural adaptation: 1) Translation, 2) Retro-translation, 3) Revision for a committee of specialists and finally the application of a pilot proof of the TISS and QIDA instruments, in a sample of 1221 secondary-school students. The results show that the TISS instrument is a reliable tool to assess social competence. Acceptable internal consistency values were obtained when applied to Mexican adolescent students. The intercorrelations between the prosocial and antisocial conduct subscales showed to be negative and statistically significant, which confirms the existence of different conduct domains, besides verifying the existence of two factors through the factorial analysis applied to the TISS instrument. As to the QIDA Questionnaire, adequate psychometric properties were found, as well as high reliability and acceptable values of Cronbach\'s Alpha for the total scale and for each of the interpersonal difficulty subscales (assertiveness, heterosexual relations, talking in public, family relationships and relationships with friends), with positive correlation coefficients between the subscales; and the multidimensional nature of the QIDA questionnaire was affirmed. On the other hand, significant differences in prosocial and antisocial conduct appeared according to gender, age, and education level. Moreover, differences in interpersonal difficulties were found depending on the adolescents\' gender and age. With respect to drugs consumption at some time in their life, more than 40% had consumed alcoholic beverages and 36.2% tobacco. What illegal drugs are concerned, 2.4% had used inhalants, 2.0% had experimented marihuana and 0.8% had consumed cocaine at some time in their life. No differences in drugs consumption were found according to gender. However, differences in tobacco consumption were found among the adolescent students depending on age, education level, occupation and living with the father or not. It was also identified that more than 80.0% presented very low dependence on tobacco consumption through the FAGESTROM questionnaire. As to alcohol consumption, men reported the highest level of current consumption, highlighting consumption differences according to age and education level. The AUDIT instrument showed that more than 30.0% presented hazardous alcohol consumption, 14.8% of participants displayed symptoms of addiction and 29.7% manifested damage related to alcohol consumption. What the consumption of illegal drugs is concerned, no differences were found in the study variables. It was observed that a higher level of prosocial conduct corresponded to a lower level of alcohol consumption among the adolescents. A relation was found between antisocial conduct and the consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs. Interpersonal difficulties did not reveal a relation with drugs consumption. It should be appointed that the variables with probability of predicting tobacco consumption were age, gender, antisocial conduct, interpersonal difficulties to talk in public and heterosexual relations. As to alcohol consumption, predicting variables were age, gender, education level, antisocial conduct, interpersonal difficulties related to assertiveness, heterosexual relations, family relationships and relationships with friends. It was shown that antisocial conduct was the only variable with probability to predict illegal drugs consumption in the adolescent students.

The study sought to establish the causes, manifestation and impact of classroom aggression on students’ physical and mental health and academic performance in Harare urban secondary schools in Zimbabwe. A qualitative research design methodology was used in this study. The participants in the study were 40 students and 15 teachers from 10 urban schools in Harare Metropolitan Province. In-depth interview schedules and focus group discussions were used to collect data. The study used a narrative analysis of interview and focus group texts. The data was analysed using a narrative approach. The findings are presented according to the research questions in narrative form illustrated by quotations. The findings of the study revealed that participants believed that classroom aggressive behaviour was caused by biological, social and economic factors. Biological factors included temperament, hormonal imbalances during the menstrual cycle, secondary changes during puberty such as physical strength and certain medical conditions. Social factors included jealousy between romantic suitors, group dynamics during sports competitions and school transitions, rogue prefects, gangs, peer pressure, sexual abuse, corporal punishment, family factors and religious and cultural beliefs. Aggressive behaviour was manifested in physical, relational, cyber and verbal forms. The study also revealed that aggressive behaviour resulted in negative effects that included students incurring physical injuries, committing suicide, experiencing depressive symptoms, anxiety, performing poorly academically and early school leaving. Recommendations for policy and further research were made. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Psychology of Education)