No / PURPOSE. To evaluate whether the Amblyopia and Strabismus Questionnaire (A&SQ) is a suitable instrument for the assessment of vision-related quality-of life (VR-QoL) in individuals with strabismus and/or amblyopia. METHODS. The A&SQ was completed by 102 individuals, all of whom had amblyopia, strabismus, or both. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate the usefulness of individual questionnaire items (i.e., questions); the response-scale performance; how well the items targeted VR-QoL; whether individual items showed response bias, depending on factors such as whether strabismus was present; and dimensionality. RESULTS. Items relating to concerns about the appearance of the eyes were applicable only to those with strabismus, and many items showed large ceiling effects. The response scale showed disordered responses and underused response options, which improved after the number of response options was reduced from five to three. This change improved the discriminative ability of the questionnaire (person separation index increased from 1.98 to 2.11). Significant bias was found between strabismic and nonstrabismic respondents. Separate Rasch analyses conducted for subjects with and without strabismus indicated that all A&SQ items seemed appropriate for individuals with strabismus (Rasch infit values between 0.60 and 1.40), but several items fitted the model poorly in amblyopes without strabismus. The AS&Q was not found to be unidimensional. CONCLUSIONS. The findings highlight the limitations of the A&SQ instrument in the assessment of VR-QoL in subjects with strabismus and especially in those with amblyopia alone. The results suggest that separate instruments are needed to quantify VR-QoL in amblyopes with and without strabismus.

No description available.

No description available.

This study was an investigation of the effect of English Learning in the Elementary School (ELES) on both English language skills and affective variables. The participants were 145 public junior high school students in Grades 7 and 8; 72 participants received English language instruction once a week in the local public elementary schools in tokku (special educational district), while the remaining 73 participants had not received any English language instruction in their local public elementary schools. Three research questions were investigated: (a) To what degree do the ELES Experienced students and the Non- Experienced students differ in terms of their English listening, speaking, reading, vocabulary, and grammar skills?; (b) To what degree do the ELES Experienced students and the Non- Experienced students differ on the motivational and attitudinal variables?; (c) To what degree do the affective differences between the Grade 7 and Grade 8 results converge or diverge? The Experienced group outperformed the Non-experienced group to a statistically significant degree on the listening test in Grades 7 and 8, on the speaking test in both Grades 7 and 8, except for the Grade 8 story-telling task. The Experienced group outperformed the Non-experienced group on vocabulary/grammar and reading tests, but the results did not reach statistical significance in part because of a lack of statistical power caused by the modest N-size. Unlike previous research findings, no statistically significant differences were found between the Experienced and Non-experienced students for the four motivational and attitudinal variables of Attitudes Toward Intercultural Communication, Attitudes Toward English Learning, Respect for Self and Others, and Reasons for Studying English. Although the conversion or diversion of English skills could not be obtained because different tests were administered to measure the Grade 7 and Grade 8 participants' English skills, the above affective variables did not converge or diverge from Grade 7 to Grade 8. / CITE/Language Arts

The measurement of reliable and valid indicators of early child development is necessary for assessing phenomena and is useful in the monitoring of ongoing efforts to eradicate inequalities in the social determinants of health. There is an increasing awareness of the contextual, cultural, and developmental influences on constructs used in early child development (ECD) research. Using a measurement perspective, this dissertation examined the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in early child development research. A construct violates the principle of invariance when two persons from different populations who are theoretically identical on the construct being measured have different scores on it. This dissertation consists of three journal-style manuscripts (published or under review) that were used as examples to address the importance of the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in ECD research using data from two unique areas: autism and executive functioning. The three data sets were collected on pre-school children with parents and or teachers as informants and were chosen to represent different levels of data collection – clinical, community, and population. These data sets allowed for the examination of measurement invariance by type of informant, sex, and age of child. The results from the three studies illustrate the importance of assessing measurement invariance in ECD and whether or not the instruments examined can be used to assess sub-group differences with confidence. A lack of measurement invariance found for two of the studies, suggests that observed group differences in latent constructs could be attributed, in part, to measurement bias. More importantly, bias in the measurement of the constructs of severity of social impairment symptoms in autism, and executive functioning across groups could have an impact on services such as patient treatment. These biases could also influence public policy development, particularly when there may be an underlying need for a cross-group approach where belief systems may affect the meaning and structure of constructs. In summary, measurement invariance should be a prerequisite for making any meaningful comparisons across groups. A requirement of establishing measurement invariance should be included in the guidelines for comparative research studies as a necessary first step before an instrument is adopted for use.

Each year thousands of students enrol in introductory statistics courses at universities throughout Australia, bringing with them formal and informal statistical knowledge and reasoning, as well as a wide range of basic numeracy skills, mathematical inclinations and attitudes towards statistics, which have the potential to impact on their ability to develop statistically. This research develops and investigates measures of each of these components for students at the interface of secondary and tertiary education, and investigates the relationships that exist between them, and a range of background variables. The focus of the research is on measuring and analysing levels and abilities in statistical reasoning for a range of students at the tertiary interface, with particular interest also in investigating their basic numeracy skills and how these may or may not link with statistical reasoning allowing for other variables and factors. Information from three cohorts in an introductory data analysis course, whose focus is real data investigations, provides basis for the research. This course is compulsory for all students in degree programs associated with all sciences or mathematics. The research discusses and reports on the development of questionnaires to measure numeracy and statistical reasoning and the students' attitudes and reflections on their prior school experiences with statistics. Students' attitudes are found to be generally positive, particularly with regard to their self-efficacy. They are also in no doubt as to the links that exist between mathematics and statistics. The Numeracy Questionnaire, developed to measure pre-calculus skills relevant to an introductory data analysis course which emphasises real data investigations, demonstrates that many students who have completed a basic algebra and calculus senior school subject struggle with skills which are in the pre-senior curricula. Direct examination of the responses helps to understand where and why difficulties tend to occur. Rasch analysis is used to validate the questionnaire and assist in the description of levels of skill. General linear models demonstrate that a student's numeracy score depends on the result obtained in senior mathematics, whether or not the student is a mathematics student, gender, whether or not higher level mathematics has been studied, self-efficacy and year. The research indicates that either the pre-senior curricula need strengthening or that exposure to mathematics beyond the core senior course is required to establish confidence with basic skills particularly when applied to new contexts and multi- step situations. The Statistical Reasoning Questionnaire (SRQ) is developed for use in the Australian context at the secondary/tertiary interface. As with the Numeracy Questionnaire, detailed examination of the responses provides much insight into the range and features of statistical reasoning at this level. Rasch analyses, both dichotomous and polychotomous, are used to establish the appropriateness of this instrument as a measuring tool at this level. The polychotomous, Rasch partial credit model is also used to define a new approach to scoring a statistical reasoning instrument and enables development and application of a hierarchical model and measures levels of statistical reasoning appropriate at the school/tertiary interface. General linear models indicate that numeracy is a highly significant predictor of statistical reasoning allowing for all other variables including tertiary entrance score and students' backgrounds and self-efficacy. Further investigation demonstrates that this relationship is not limited to more difficult or overtly mathematical items on the SRQ. Performance on the end of semester component of assessment in the course is shown to depend on statistical reasoning at the beginning of semester as measured by the partial credit model, allowing for all other variables. Because of the dominance of the relationship between statistical reasoning (as measured by the SRQ) and numeracy on entry, some further analysis of the end of semester assessment is carried out. This includes noting the higher attrition rates for students with less mathematical backgrounds and lower numeracy.

Postpartum depression is an illness that is frequently unreported and undetected for a variety of reasons and may be potentially devastating for the mother affected as well as her family. Routine screening of postpartum women enables health practitioners to detect symptoms of PPD early and provides an opportunity for early intervention which may improve the outcome and increase the mother’s chances of an earlier recovery. It is therefore important that reliable and convenient screening tools are available to health practitioners who have contact with postpartum women. The primary objective of this research was to make an Afrikaans version of an existing screening scale available – the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), designed specifically to encompass the multifaceted phenomenon of PPD. In accordance with this objective, the validity and reliability of the PDSS and its Afrikaans version was investigated in English- and Afrikaans-speaking South African mothers. A further objective of this study was to compare the performance of the PDSS with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16). Various factors have been reported to be associated with the development of PPD. The final objective of this study was to explore the relationship between known risk factors for PPD and high scores on the PDSS amongst women in South African. A total of 365 South African mothers, between 4 and 16 weeks postpartum participated in this study. English-speaking mothers (n = 187) completed the PDSS, EPDS, QIDS, and a demographic and psychosocial questionnaire, while Afrikaans speaking mothers (n = 178) completed the respective Afrikaans versions of these questionnaires. A multiple translation method – Brislin’s back-translation method and the committee approach – was used to translate the PDSS and the QIDS into Afrikaans. An item response theory (IRT), Rasch analysis, was used to examine dimensionality, item difficulty, differential item functioning, and category functioning of the PDSS and the Afrikaans PDSS. Results reveal excellent person reliability estimates for the Afrikaans PDSS as well as for the PDSS in a South African sample. Both language versions performed reasonably well and the majority of items in the PDSS dimensions and the Afrikaans PDSS dimensions demonstrated fit statistics that supported the underlying constructs of each dimension. Some items were identified as problematic, namely Item 2, Item 25, Item 28, and Item 30. The item person construct maps show reasonably good spread of items. There were, however, persons that scored higher than the items could measure and an overrepresentation of items at the mean level. The Likert response categories proved to be effective for all the Afrikaans PDSS items and almost all the PDSS items. Results indicate that 49.7% of mothers screened positive for major PPD using the PDSS. A further 17.3% of mothers obtained scores indicating the presence of significant symptoms of PPD. Statistically significant correlations were obtained between total scores on the PDSS, the EPDS, and the QIDS-SR16. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified 11 variables that were significantly associated with a high PDSS total score. These were a history of psychiatric illness, postpartum blues, feeling negative or ambivalent about expecting this baby, fearful of childbirth, infant temperament, antenatal depression in recent pregnancy, lack of support from the baby’s father, concern about health related issues regarding the infant, lack of support from friends, difficulty conceiving, and life stress. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Psychology / unrestricted

The issue of quality education is a critical topic of discussion, for South Africa facing the challenge of implementation amidst a plethora of progressive policies. This research project is undertaken in collaboration with the Curriculum, Evaluation, and Management Centre (CEM) at Durham University in the United Kingdom. The Middle Years Information System (MidYIS) project was developed with the aim of providing schools with information on how learners would perform at the end of two national examinations namely Key Stage 3 and General Certificate in Secondary Education, in addition to providing value-added information. The purpose of the research reported here is to describe the procedures undertaken to explore the feasibility of implementing the MidYIS system in the South African context. The research was guided by two main research questions. The first research main research question is how appropriate is the Middle Years Information System (MidYIS) as a monitoring system in the South African context? The word “appropriate” here interrogates the suitability of the MidYIS system for South Africa looking specifically at validity and reliability issues. This non-experimental study used a mixed methods design, rooted in pragmatism, to explore validity and reliability issues of using MidYIS as a possible monitoring system that would provide a balanced view of the school’s contribution to academic gains made by learners. The sample included in the study ranged from National Department of Education officials (two officials from curriculum and assessment), Provincial Department of Education officials (one mathematics specialist, one language specialist and one specialist from the Gauteng Department of Education Office for Standards in Education), specialists in the field of language, mathematics, and psychology as well as 11 schools. In particular content-related validity (including curriculum validity), construct-related validity, and predictive validity were examined while inferences drawn with regard to reliability were done by means of internal consistency reliability. From a curriculum perspective for content-related validity, it was found that there was moderate curriculum validity for language while inferences drawn for mathematics were substantially stronger. For content-related validity from a psychometric perspective, it was found that there was overlap between the domain of developed abilities and the MidYIS assessment. Construct-related validity was explored by means of Rasch analysis and it was found that items in the MidYIS assessment tend to form well-defined constructs. Predictive validity was explored by means of correlation analysis between the MidYIS assessment and school-based results in language and mathematics. The analysis shows that it could be possible to use the MidYIS assessment for prediction purposes. However, additional research would be needed to explore this facet of validity further with a larger sample and using standardised school-based results. The MidYIS assessment was found to be reliable for the sample as a whole as well as for population groups within the sample. The second main research question extends the first research question. If MidYIS is valid, with South African adaptations, and reliable, then what factors on a school, classroom, and learner-level could have an effect on learner performance. Thus, the second main research question is which factors could have an effect on learner performance and therefore inform the design of the monitoring system? In order to explore factors, multilevel analysis was undertaken on the various levels within the school system namely the principals, mathematics and language educators, as well as learners who completed questionnaires. It was found that four learner-level factors (with whom learners live, mother’s level of education, importance of mathematics and importance of English), one educator level factor (challenges to assessment due to lack of in-service training) and two school-level factors (educators make use of monitoring systems and encouraging academic achievement) seem to have an effect on the performance of learners. / Thesis (PhD (Assessment and Quality Assurance in Education and Training))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Curriculum Studies / PhD / Unrestricted

The aim of this thesis is to explore methods for assessing peer victimization and pedagogical leadership in school. The thesis includes four studies. Study I and II are based on web-based questionnaires among 2, 568 students in grades 7, 8 and 9. Study III is based on a questionnaire (n=128) and four focus group interviews (n=21) among students in grades 7 and 9. Study IV is based on a web-based questionnaire including 344 teachers. The results from Study I showed that among students who experienced peer victimization 13% were captured by a bullying measure, 44% by a measure of repeated peer aggression, and 43% by both measures, i.e. the two measures captured partly different pupils. Study II showed that the two measures captured the same proportion of adolescents with psychosomatic problems and showed no significant differences in mean values on the Psychosomatic Problems (PSP) scale. In Study III it was shown that besides the traditional criteria the adolescents definition of bullying also included a criterion based on the health consequences of bullying. That is, a single but hurtful or harmful incident could also be considered bullying irrespective of whether the traditional criteria were fulfilled or not. The Rasch analysis in Study IV indicated two sub dimensions of the Pedagogical and Social Climate (PESOC-PLP) scale; direct pedagogical leadership and indirect pedagogical leadership. Satisfying psychometric properties indicated that the PESOC-PLP scale could be used to measure pedagogical leadership of the principal. This thesis highlights problems with how bullying and school leadership is currently defined and measured. By strengthening the understanding of measurement methods of peer victimization and school leadership the aim is that the results from this thesis will contribute in providing a safe and positive school experience for children and adolescence and that it can be used as a valuable tool to combat peer victimization. / Baksidestext: The negative consequences of peer victimization on children and adolescents such as worsening academic achievement and mental ill health are major public health concerns which have been subjected to extensive research. However, there are long-standing concerns how to define, measure, and estimate prevalence rates of peer victimization and successful school leadership. The aim of this thesis is to study methods for assessing peer victimization and pedagogical leadership in school. The results show that excluding other forms of peer victimization than bullying have serious implications for the identification of victims and may underestimate the full impact of peer victimization on children. Further, the validation of the Pedagogical and Social Climate (PESOC-PLP) scale is a step towards ensuring valid assessments of pedagogical school leadership. By strengthening the understanding of measurement methods of peer victimization and school leadership the aim is that the results from this thesis will contribute in providing a safe and positive school experience for children and adolescence and that it can be used as a valuable tool to combat peer victimization.

The measurement of reliable and valid indicators of early child development is necessary for assessing phenomena and is useful in the monitoring of ongoing efforts to eradicate inequalities in the social determinants of health. There is an increasing awareness of the contextual, cultural, and developmental influences on constructs used in early child development (ECD) research. Using a measurement perspective, this dissertation examined the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in early child development research. A construct violates the principle of invariance when two persons from different populations who are theoretically identical on the construct being measured have different scores on it. This dissertation consists of three journal-style manuscripts (published or under review) that were used as examples to address the importance of the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in ECD research using data from two unique areas: autism and executive functioning. The three data sets were collected on pre-school children with parents and or teachers as informants and were chosen to represent different levels of data collection – clinical, community, and population. These data sets allowed for the examination of measurement invariance by type of informant, sex, and age of child. The results from the three studies illustrate the importance of assessing measurement invariance in ECD and whether or not the instruments examined can be used to assess sub-group differences with confidence. A lack of measurement invariance found for two of the studies, suggests that observed group differences in latent constructs could be attributed, in part, to measurement bias. More importantly, bias in the measurement of the constructs of severity of social impairment symptoms in autism, and executive functioning across groups could have an impact on services such as patient treatment. These biases could also influence public policy development, particularly when there may be an underlying need for a cross-group approach where belief systems may affect the meaning and structure of constructs. In summary, measurement invariance should be a prerequisite for making any meaningful comparisons across groups. A requirement of establishing measurement invariance should be included in the guidelines for comparative research studies as a necessary first step before an instrument is adopted for use.