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Elementary school children who maintained their academic performance levels following separation of their parents were compared to those whose levels declined. Although no single measure could accurately predict children's academic adjustment, those who maintained performance levels spent significantly more time with both parents.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of performance on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 licensing examination to (1) academic performance during the first 2 years of the curriculum, and (2) preadmission grade point averages (GPAs) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores for one osteopathic medical school with the unique mission of providing osteopathic family physicians for West Virginia and rural Appalachia. Simple correlations were calculated for the 63 students at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine who completed all requirements of the first 2 years of the curriculum in May 1998 and were first eligible for board exams in June 1998. These included 26 (41.3%) female students and 5 (7.9%) minority students. Students who had failed a year and/or a course but subsequently successfully completed the first 2 years of the curriculum in May 1998 were included in this study. Every student who qualified to take the June 1998 administration of COMLEX-USA Level 1 did so at that time. For the 55 academic or preadmissions variables of interest, correlation coefficients with COMLEX-USA Level 1 scores and significance levels were calculated using SPSS Base 9.0. The correlation of COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance with GPA for Phase I was 0.64; with GPA for Phase II, 0.67; and total GPA for the first 2 years, 0.70. Grades in most individual courses also correlated significantly with COMLEX-USA Level 1 performance. Given the special focus of this curriculum on the needs of the Appalachian region and use of clinical performance measures or participation measures in calculating academic GPAs, these correlations show a remarkable degree of agreement between these two sets of performance measures. Further research is needed to see if similar relationships exist for osteopathic medical schools with other missions and with other curriculum structures. Preadmissions GPAs and MCATs did not significantly relate to performance on COMLEX-USA Level 1.
BACKGROUND: Increasing prevalence of recreational cannabis use among the young population has stimulated debate on the possible effects of acute and longterm use. AIMS: To highlight recent knowledge of mechanisms of action, effects on psychomotor and cognitive performance, and health risks associated with cannabis consumption. METHOD: A brief review of recent literature on the prevalence of recreational cannabis use, the potency of modern cannabis preparations and the pharmacological actions of cannabis. RESULTS: Cannabinoids derived from herbal cannabis interact with endogenous cannabinoid systems in the body. Actions on specific brain receptors cause dose-related impairments of psychomotor performance with implications for car and train driving, aeroplane piloting and academic performance. Other constituents of cannabis smoke carry respiratory and cardiovascular health risks similar to those of tobacco smoke. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis is not, as widely perceived, a harmless drug but poses risks to the individual and to society.
This paper discusses the synthesis of partial effect sizes derived from multivariate settings. The general statistical properties of the d-effect size are derived, extending Hedges's statement of zero-order properties. These general properties have direct relevance in the synthesis of a set of independent effect sizes arising from empirical studies predicated on a common theoretical model. We discuss possible solutions to the problem of comparing effect sizes arising from models employing differing sets of covariates. We apply the general statistical properties in the synthesis of gender performance differences in first-level economics courses at three New Zealand universities. The model of academic performance is based on Spearman's conception of general academic ability and specific ability in economics.
UNLABELLED: To assess whether school environments can adversely affect academic performance, we review scientific evidence relating indoor pollutants and thermal conditions, in schools or other indoor environments, to human performance or attendance. We critically review evidence for direct associations between these aspects of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and performance or attendance. Secondarily, we summarize, without critique, evidence on indirect connections potentially linking IEQ to performance or attendance. Regarding direct associations, little strongly designed research was available. Persuasive evidence links higher indoor concentrations of NO(2) to reduced school attendance, and suggestive evidence links low ventilation rates to reduced performance. Regarding indirect associations, many studies link indoor dampness and microbiologic pollutants (primarily in homes) to asthma exacerbations and respiratory infections, which in turn have been related to reduced performance and attendance. Also, much evidence links poor IEQ (e.g. low ventilation rate, excess moisture, or formaldehyde) with adverse health effects in children and adults and documents dampness problems and inadequate ventilation as common in schools. Overall, evidence suggests that poor IEQ in schools is common and adversely influences the performance and attendance of students, primarily through health effects from indoor pollutants. Evidence is available to justify (i) immediate actions to assess and improve IEQ in schools and (ii) focused research to guide IEQ improvements in schools. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: There is more justification now for improving IEQ in schools to reduce health risks to students than to reduce performance or attendance risks. However, as IEQ-performance links are likely to operate largely through effects of IEQ on health, IEQ improvements that benefit the health of students are likely to have performance and attendance benefits as well. Immediate actions are warranted in schools to prevent dampness problems, inadequate ventilation, and excess indoor exposures to substances such as NO(2) and formaldehyde. Also, siting of new schools in areas with lower outdoor pollutant levels is preferable.
Personnel assessment has depended on paper and pencil tests. These tests are able to predict academic performance fairly well, but have been criticized for their ineffectiveness in predicting on-job performance. Research on brain function which emphasizes "process" rather than "content" variables, may be able to predict on-job performance better than traditional tests. Relationships have been found between event related brain potentials (ERPs) and performance in fighter aircraft and on a sonar simulator, as well as enlistees promotions and attrition. Research has suggested that ERP records are better able to discriminate and classify performance groups than paper-and-pencil test scores. Biomagnetic data are described from heart and brain. These data suggest increased sensitivity to individual differences, and may offer greater opportunity for improving prediction of on-job performance, than ERP records or paper-and-pencil tests.
The purpose with this research is to formulate standards for performance appraisal of academic staff within a nursing college. A qualitative exploratory and descriptive research strategy was utilized, within the context of Gauteng nursing colleges. The conceptual framework on which the standards are based, was developed by exploring and describing existing job descriptions of academic staff (Chief Professional Nurse) employed in nursing colleges, as well as the expectations of academic staff regarding performance appraisal in the college. These results were exposed to a literature control prior to the writing of final statements and a conceptual framework for the formulation of these standards. The standards are divided into three main dimensions, viz. the organisational climate within the nursing college, the purpose of performance appraisal and finally the process of performance appraisal. It is recommended that these standards be implemented in nursing colleges and exposed to further validity studies.
Patients with sickle cell anemia often express myriad clinical signs and symptoms that affect their life-style and academic performance. Certain psychoeducational and psychosocial factors have been shown to influence the academic achievement of older patients with sickle cell anemia. However, studies evaluating the school readiness skills of younger children have not been published. To determine whether sickle cell anemia delays preschool development in children aged 4 to 6 years, we studied 10 affected children and 10 normal subjects matched for age, sex, and race. School readiness was evaluated by the Pediatric Examination of Educational Readiness (PEER), which assess a child's performance in areas of developmental attainment such as visual input, verbal output, and short-term memory. The presence of associated movements (minor neurologic signs) and other areas of behavior such as selective attention, activity level, adaptive behavior, and processing efficiency are also observed. The children with sickle cell anemia scored significantly lower than their normal counterparts in several parameters of the PEER. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, a standardized psychometric test, showed that these children with sickle cell anemia were within the normal range of intelligence. Magnetic resonance imaging done on three children with sickle cell anemia who scored lowest on the PEER revealed no cerebrovascular infarcts. These preliminary studies demonstrate significant differences in school readiness skills between children with sickle cell anemia and normal subjects.
This prospective research analyzed how different facets of perceived self-efficacy operate in concert within a network of sociocognitive influences in childhood depression. Perceived social and academic inefficacy contributed to concurrent and subsequent depression both directly and through their impact on academic achievement, prosocialness, and problem behaviors. In the shorter run, children were depressed over beliefs in their academic inefficacy rather than over their actual academic performances. In the longer run, the impact of a low sense of academic efficacy on depression was mediated through academic achievement, problem behavior, and prior depression. Perceived social inefficacy had a heavier impact on depression in girls than in boys in the longer term. Depression was also more strongly linked over time for girls than for boys.
This study examined factors associated with young children's feelings about school in kindergarten and first grade, using a new measure, the Feelings about School (FAS). The FAS measures children's perceptions of academic competence, their feelings about the teacher, and their general attitudes toward school. Findings provided support for the reliability and validity of the FAS for kindergartners (N = 225) and first graders (N = 127). Variables presumed to predict children's feelings about school were the classroom structure, academic performance, and relationships with teachers. Feelings about school were expected to predict academic engagement. Correlational analyses indicated that kindergartners' and first graders' feelings about school were associated with their academic skills, as measured by direct assessments and teacher ratings. The evidence for first graders was stronger than for kindergartners. Kindergartners' general attitudes toward school were more negative in highly structured, teacher-directed classroom environments. First graders' perceptions of competence were more negative in classrooms lacking structure and control. First graders', but not kindergartners', perceptions of competence were significantly associated with academic engagement.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the current methods used by English medical schools to identify prospective medical students for admission to the five year degree course. DESIGN: Review study including documentary analysis and interviews with admissions tutors. SETTING: All schools (n = 22) participating in the national expansion of medical schools programme in England. RESULTS: Though there is some commonality across schools with regard to the criteria used to select future students (academic ability coupled with a "well rounded" personality demonstrated by motivation for medicine, extracurricular interests, and experience of team working and leadership skills) the processes used vary substantially. Some schools do not interview; some shortlist for interview only on predicted academic performance while those that shortlist on a wider range of non-academic criteria use various techniques and tools to do so. Some schools use information presented in the candidate's personal statement and referee's report while others ignore this because of concerns over bias. A few schools seek additional information from supplementary questionnaires filled in by the candidates. Once students are shortlisted, interviews vary in terms of length, panel composition, structure, content, and scoring methods. CONCLUSION: The stated criteria for admission to medical school show commonality. Universities differ greatly, however, in how they apply these criteria and in the methods used to select students. Different approaches to admissions should be developed and tested.
The effects of positive consequences on appropriate behavior at the beginning of a classroom experience were examined during an academic program for students with behavioral and academic difficulties. The results showed that the use of reprimands alone was associated with high levels of on-task behaviors during the initial days of the class. The addition of praise produced no change in the rate of on-task behaviors or the level of academic performance. The withdrawal of all consequences caused significant decreases in on-task behavior and academic productivity. The subsequent use of praise alone led to an initial increase followed by a dramatic decline in on-task performance, resulting in no change in the average rate of on-task behavior relative to the use of no consequences. These results are consistent with previous findings indicating the importance of reprimands for maintaining appropriate classroom behavior. Speculations regarding potential roles of praise are briefly discussed.
This study investigated the link between the Type A coronary-prone behavior pattern and attainment of success in an academic setting. First semester college freshman were administered 3 sets of questionnaires during the course of the fall semester that were designed to assess academic activities, outside responsibilities, and importance of academic success. Indices of actual academic performance were obtained from university records. The hypotheses that Type A students (1) would be involved in more activities, (2) place greater importance on academic success, and (3) actually achieve higher performance levels than Type B students, were confirmed. In addition, the results found that compared to Type B, the Type A students perceived more parental pressure, came from higher SES families, and were more clear as to what was expected of them. Implications for further research are discussed.
Neuropsychologists rely on demographic variables to form assumptions about premorbid status, and most use years of education as the main variable. School records are a more objective basis for such estimation, particularly in litigated cases. In the present study, final cumulative grade point average (GPA) was regressed on to Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB), IQ and other neuropsychological test scores in 60 nonmalingering postconcussive litigants and 17 litigants with moderate-severe closed head injury. Results indicated significant correlations between GPA, HRB core tests, commonly used neuropsychological measures, and intelligence. A regression formula indicated litigants with poor grade point average were likely to perform in the impaired range. The present findings suggest the quality of premorbid academic performance also provides an important context in which to view present neuropsychological performance. Marginal premorbid achievement may be a risk factor for late developing postconcussion syndrome and litigation.
This study examined the impact of school-based, teacher-rated parental involvement on four child outcomes: language development, early reading skills, and positive and negative measures of social-emotional development. The 28 children were assessed for outcomes between 9 to 53 months post-graduation from a birth-to-3 early intervention (EI) program for children with hearing loss. Other factors included in the study were child's hearing loss, mother's education level, mother's current communication skills with her child, and maternal use of additional services beyond those offered by the early intervention program or the child's school program. Parental involvement in children's school-based education program is a significant positive predictor to early reading skills but shares considerable variance with maternal communication skill for this outcome. In this study, maternal communication skills and the child's hearing loss were the strongest predictors for language development. Maternal use of additional services was the strongest predictor to poorer social-emotional adjustment. The study's findings indicate that although parental involvement in their deaf child's school-based education program can positively contribute to academic performance, parental communication skill is a more significant predictor for positive language and academic development. Factors associated with parental involvement, maternal communication, and use of additional services are explored and suggestions are offered to enhance parental involvement and communication skills.
In this paper five years of summer program experience with minority and disadvantaged students are examined and an attempt is made to provide an overview of the impact of summer programming on medical school admission and academic performance in the first year of medical training. A well-organized correlated academic curriculum of anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology, coupled with an intensive counseling program, has proved to be the basis of a sound reinforcement program for minority and disadvantaged students who are preparing for medical school.
The academic achievement of boys with fragile X syndrome and the relation between several predictive factors and academic performance are reported. Boys with fragile X syndrome displayed significant deficits in all academic skill areas. Relative strengths were observed in general knowledge, reflecting the ability to integrate experiential information. In contrast, relative weaknesses were observed in prewriting skills and visuospatial-processing abilities. The rate of academic growth slowed over time, and the decrease in rate was more pronounced in measures of core academic skills (e.g., prereading and math skills) than in broad-based tasks. Nonverbal IQ and FMR protein expression were not associated with the level or rate of change; however, autistic behavior and maternal education were related to academic achievement scores.
The effects of two different motivational conditions upon standardized test performance were explored for two student populations. The first study involving 12 trainable retardates showed a significant increase in score on the Metropolitan Readiness Test given under reinforcement conditions when these results were compared with scores taken under standard testing conditions. In a second study, these same results were obtained with a group of 30 normal fourth-graders. An additional study was conducted to determine the effect of different experiences with token reinforcement procedures on test performance. It was found that a group of children with six weeks' exposure to reinforcement for daily academic performance scored higher under both conditions of test administration (standard and reinforcement) than a control group. However, in a single exposure to token reinforcement for correct performance on the Metropolitan Test, both the experimental group and its match control showed a parallel increase in test performance. These findings offer a procedure that yields a more representative assessment of a student's academic achievement than does testing under standard conditions.