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Federal and state laws have mandated preschool educational screenings. However, these laws only specify that a screening measure must be incorporated in the school's procedures. The laws do not state what this screening measure should be or how it should be used. For example, Public Law 94-142 established that a school should focus on early identification and intervention of children with special needs, but did not specify how to identify these students. As a result, reliable, valid screening measures are needed. A review of the current literature indicates that there are numerous screening measures available, but there is conflicting evidence regarding how these measures should be used and their predictive validity. The purpose of this current study is to evaluate the ability of a school corporation's local kindergarten screening measure, known as SEEK, to predict school achievement by the end of third grade, and special education placement, Title I support services, and gifted services by the end of fifth grade for both Amish and English speaking students. School achievement was measured by the student's performance on the third grade ISTEP. Archival educational data was collected for 333 children who participated in SEEK in 1997 and 1998, and then later took the third grade ISTEP. Results of the multiple regression analyses revealed that the overall composite score of the SEEK significantly predicted third grade ISTEP scores, special education placement, Title I support services, and gifted support services for both Amish and English students. However, the significance of the different components of SEEK to predict ISTEP scores varied depending on the area of ISTEP measured. In addition, the sensory and the behavior components did not significantly predict variation on ISTEP scores for either.language or math. Overall, these findings help validate the predictive validity of using the overall SEEK score and the usefulness of kindergarten screening. In addition, this study has implications in developing preventative approaches to benefit students who may be likely to experience learning difficulties at school. A discussion of the limitations as well as the usefulness of this study is presented along with directions for future kindergarten screening research. / Department of Educational Psychology

This study was designed to determine the factorial validity of specific components of the Reitan-Indiana Neuropsychological Battery with a learning disabled population. Scores of 42 children, 38 males, 4 females, ages 6.2 to 8.8 years were compiled on specific tests of the Reitan-Indiana. Principal component factoring of the original correlation matrix was followed by principal factoring, using a 4 factor solution; varimax rotation with six iterations produced the desired reduction of the correlation matrix; four factors emerged for the learning disabled population, which accounted for 53% of the variance: verbal intelligence, psychomotor speed, achievement, and memory. The factor structure that emerged was not consistent with the surface factors of the battery as conceptualized by its author suggesting that this battery may lack construct validity when used with a learning disabled population.

The present study investigated deaf children's performance on several modified tests of the original Halstead Reitan Neuropsychological Battery for Older Children (HRNB-C). Specifically, performance of 42 deaf children (mean age = 13.3 years, SD = 0.7 yrs.) and a matched sample of 42 hearing peers was examined on the HRNB-C Category, Tactual Performance, and Trail Making tests.In Study 1, a computerized version of the Category Test was administered. Step-down F tests were used to examine differences in total errors and the unique contribution of response time. In Study 2, the Tactual Performance and Trail Making scores were dependent variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore multivariate intergroup differences.The major finding of this research was that neuropsychological abilities of deaf children who have no additional handicapping conditions or impairments are, in general, similar to matched hearing controls. Few clinically relevant differences were found. No quantitative differences were found on Trail Making Part A or the total number of Category Test errors. Noteworthy, from a qualitative stance, was the role of response time and its unique contribution within the Category Test. Deaf subjects had significantly greater response times to individual items regardless of correctness of answer. Deaf children were also found to take longer on Trails B, although they performed within normals limits. With respect to the Tactual Performance Test (TPT), deaf children did slightly better than their matched hearing peers on TPT total time and location. In addition, Trails B and TPT location scores were the best multivariate composite of discriminators of deaf versus hearing performance. Notwithstanding, overinterpretation of statistical differences found in both studies was cautioned and the similarities of performance between deaf and hearing children emphasized.These findings offered information of deaf children's neuropsychological functioning compared to hearing controls in the clinical setting. Moreover, the results of the present study should be generalizable to other "non-impaired", 12-14 year old deaf children within a residential academic environment. / Department of Educational Psychology

The study investigates .the use of the Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) amongst low-educated adults. Three versions of the BGT are used in this study; the original 'copy' version as well as the 'immediate' and 'delayed'recall versions. This is done so as to expand the ability of the BGT to identify neurological impairment and to differentiate between this and functional impairment. A literature review explores the problems of standardization in the administration, scoring and application of all three versions of the test Suggestions are made to correct the problems identified and a novel system of scoring the recall versions are proposed, which allows for the comparison of results of the three versions of the test and which is based on Lacks's (1984) and Weiss's (1970) systems. Administration procedures were also developed to suit the context of the study. The copy, immediate and delayed versions of the BGT were administered to a group of 184 low-educated adults. Statistical analyses revealed significant education effects for the sample tested with regards to both test scores and performance time. The finding of an education effect for performance time is discussed at length, as some literature regards excessive time as a neurological indicator. An anomaly for the group with no education was found to exist, with the scores of these subjects not Significantly different from those with 4-6 years of education. Possible reasons for this were explored. In addition, the findings of this research revealed a plateau effect with those having less than 6 years of education scoring substantially lower than those with 7 years and more. The scores of adults with 7 and more years of education level out with no significant differences between educational levels. This appears to suggest that education effects rather than the developmental maturity level proposed by Koppitz, are involved. In addition, the scores of low-educated adults on the expanded Bender Gestalt Test were significantly lower than those of children with similar educational levels, in other studies. These findings and possible explanations are discussed. The study concludes by suggesting new research areas and emphasizing the urgent need for separate normative data on the expanded BGT for low-educated adults, and the establishment of appropriate 'cut-off' points.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to provide valid and reliable measures of misconceptions in the area of photosynthesis and respiration among fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students in Thailand. A 17-item, two-tier multiple-choice test was developed and validated using construct-related evidence to determine the appropriateness of inferences from a set of test scores. The test was administered to 4,346 students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades in schools throughout Thailand. The study attempted to identify misconceptions held by Thai elementary students in the area of photosynthesis and respiration, and to examine the effects of grade level and gender on students' understandings of these concepts. A two-way analysis of variance, with grade level and gender as independent variables, was used to analyze test scores. Findings revealed that: (a) The two-tier multiple-choice test was valid and reliable; (b) mean scores among grade levels were significantly different (p=0.001); (c) mean scores between male and female genders were not significantly different (p=0.180); and (d) there was a significant interaction effect between grade level and gender (p=0.005). From these findings, the following was concluded: (a) The two-tier multiple-choice test provided valid and reliable measures of student misconceptions of selected science concepts at the elementary school level in Thailand; (b) most Thai students in grades 4, 5, and 6 held a large number of misconceptions of the selected concepts; (c) a majority of the students answered the content questions correctly, but did not understand the justification for the correct responses; (d) the higher the grade level, the greater the understanding of the concepts; and (e) female and male Thai students in grades 4, 5, and 6 did not differ significantly in their understanding of photosynthesis and respiration. / Graduation date: 1994

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of alternative treatment to Ritalin. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Durban Westville, 2005.

Beck's cognitive diathesis-stress theory has generated much research into the etiology of depression. Central to the theory are depressogenic schemata that interact with stressors, resulting in increases in depressive symptomatology. These schemata are commonly assessed using the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS). Importantly, the DAS was not designed for use in children---it has been validated with adults and contains advanced language. Thus, the Child and Adolescent Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (CADAS) was developed. / Study 1 sought to psychometrically validate the CADAS. 453 children completed the CADAS item pool and measures assessing divergent validity. The CADAS was readministered 3 weeks later. Items were retained based on item-total correlations, internal consistency, and factor analyses. The finalized CADAS is a 22-item self-report measure with a unidimensional factor structure and sound psychometric properties. / Study 2 tested Beck's theory using the CADAS to assess depressogenic schemata as a vulnerability factor for depression. An independent sample of 241 children completed the CADAS and a measure of depression one week before receiving school report cards (Time 1). The morning after receiving reports (Time 2), stress was assessed by obtaining parents' reactions to reports, and with an index of children's subjective acceptable grades compared to actual grades. Five days later (Time 3), depression was reassessed. / As hypothesized, regression analyses collapsing across age revealed that Time 1 CADAS interacted with Time 2 parental stress to predict changes in depression from Times 1 to 3. High-CADAS children showed greater increases in depression relative to low-CADAS children when facing the stress of parental anger and disappointment regarding their grades. Consistent with cognitive-developmental theory, planned supplemental analyses indicated that the CADAS x stress interaction predicted depressive changes only in older, formal-operational children. The relationship between the CADAS x stress interaction and depressive changes was mediated by negative views of the self, but not by views of the world or of the future. / This work yields a measure of depressogenic schemata in school-aged children that further contributes to understanding their etiology of depression. These schemata, together with negative views of oneself, may be important targets for modification in the cognitive therapy of childhood depression.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / Department of Special Education

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is not a new phenomenon. Researchers have studied children with restless, inattentive and impulsive types of behaviours for over one hundred years. Although the primary distress of AD/HD falls mainly on the child’s shoulders, all family members experience the disorder’s negative effects. While the challenges that families have to face are many, families seem to have the ability to “bounce back” (i.e., they have resilience). There has been limited research to date focusing on the resiliency of families living with children diagnosed with AD/HD. Research on the construct of resilience, and more specifically, family resilience has surged in recent times. However, South African research on family resilience is limited. This study aimed to explore and describe the factors that facilitate adjustment and adaptation in families after a child has been clinically diagnosed with AD/HD. The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation, developed by McCubbin and McCubbin (2001) served as a framework to conceptualize the families’ adjustment and adaptation processes. Non-probability purposive sampling was used in order to gain participants for the study. Twenty-two families participated in this study, providing a total of 44 participants. Participants consisted of the caregivers of a family living with a child diagnosed with AD/HD, between the ages of seven and 12. The study was triangular in nature, with an exploratory, descriptive approach. A biographical questionnaire with an open-ended question was used in conjunction with seven other questionnaires to gather data. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the biographical information. Quantitative data were analyzed by means of correlation and regression analysis, and content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data obtained from the biographical questionnaire. The results of the quantitative analysis indicated six significant positive correlations with the FACI8. These variables were relative and friend support, social support, problem solving and behavioural strategies, family hardiness, family problem-solving communication and family time and routines. The results of the qualitative analysis revealed that social support, adherence to a treatment regime, information and knowledge about AD/HD, a supportive family unit, the caregiver’s acceptance of the disorder as well as communication were the most important strength factors identified. The findings of the research could assist parents in managing their children diagnosed with AD/HD more effectively and has helped create further insight into what resiliency areas they could improve upon. Furthermore, this study could be used as a stepping stone for future research on resilience in families living with a pervasive psychological disorder and will contribute to the broader context of family resilience research in the South African context.