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Purposeful heading, in which players may use their heads to advance the ball in play, is a unique part of soccer. Clinical outcome measures used to aid in the diagnosis of a concussion have long been a cornerstone of the contemporary measurements associated with the short- and long-term effects of monitoring repetitive head impacts (RHI) and soccer heading exposure. The effects of RHI in the youth population are still unknown, therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine if heading exposure is predictive of changes in self-reported symptoms, neurocognitive functioning, gait, and balance in female youth soccer players over the course of one soccer season. Small improvements in neurocognitive functioning and gait and slight deficits in balance were observed from pre- to post-season. All changes were not clinically relevant and likely due to a practice effect. The low heading exposure in our cohort of youth soccer players was likely not enough to elicit any changes in clinical measures. In general, our clinical outcomes did not change after a season of soccer play and change scores were not predicted by heading exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When exploring missing data techniques in a realistic scenario, the current literature is limited: most studies only consider consequences with data missing on a single variable. This simulation study compares the relative bias of two commonly used missing data techniques when data are missing on more than one variable. Factors varied include type of missingness (MCAR, MAR), degree of missingness (10%, 25%, and 50%), and where missingness occurs (one predictor, two predictors, or two predictors with overlap). Using a real dataset, cells are systematically deleted to create various scenarios of missingness so that parameter estimates from listwise deletion and multiple imputation may be compared to the "true" estimates from the full dataset. Results suggest the multiple imputation works well, even when the imputation model itself is missing data.

This study examined the construct validity of the Survey of Preservice Teachers' Knowledge of Teaching and Technology through an exploratory factor analysis using responses from 365 preservice teachers enrolled in an educational technology course in the United States. The participants were completing methods courses and field experience concurrent to the educational technology course, allowing them to contextualize the content they learned during the semester. The survey, grounded in the framework of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), is designed to measure seven domains associated with technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. Although the influence of the TPACK framework on teacher education programs continues to grow, research indicates the need for clearer distinctions between the domains. Results from this study revealed that participants did not always make conceptual distinctions between the TPACK domains. Specifically, factors were congruent across only technological knowledge (TK) and content knowledge (CK) and not congruent across pedagogical knowledge (PK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), technological content knowledge (TCK), and TPACK. Additionally, PK and PCK loaded together, indicating the participants did not distinguish PK from PCK. Overall, this study confirms the need to provide more clarity about the TPACK framework and to revisit survey instruments built directly around the framework. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

This study employed observed factor index scores as well as latent ability constructs from the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition" (WISC-IV; Wechsler, 2003) in estimating reading and mathematics achievement on the "Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Second Edition" (WIAT-II; Wechsler, 2002). Participants were the nationally stratified linking sample (N = 498) of the WISC-IV and WIAT-II. Observed scores from the WISC-IV were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Although the factor index scores provided a statistically significant increment over the Full Scale IQ, the size of the improvement was too small to be of clinical utility. Observed WISC-IV subtest scores were also subjected to structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses. Subtest scores from the WISC-IV were fit to a general factor ("g") and four ability constructs corresponding to factor indexes from the WISC-IV (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed). For both reading and mathematics, only "g" (0.55 and 0.77, respectively) and Verbal Comprehension (0.37 and 0.17, respectively) were significant influences. Thus, when using observed scores to predict reading and mathematics achievement, it may only be necessary to consider the Full Scale IQ. In contrast, both "g" and Verbal Comprehension may be required for explanatory research.

In this study, the authors used structural equation modeling to investigate relationships between ability constructs from the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition" (WISC-III; Wechsler, 1991) in explaining reading and mathematics achievement constructs on the "Wechsler Individual Achievement Test" (WIAT; Wechsler, 1992). Participants comprised the nationally stratified Linking sample (N = 1,116) of the WISC-III and WIAT. Relating the latent ability variables to the latent achievement variables showed that psychologists must go beyond "g" in order to meaningfully understand children's trait performance on the WISC-III. Results for reading indicated psychologists must pay attention to the constructs of "g" and Verbal Comprehension, and for mathematics, that they are obliged to consider "g" and Freedom From Distractibility. Results are discussed in terms of their theoretical, applied, and treatment-related implications.

Prevalence rates for bullying victimization among children with disabilities have varied greatly in the research literature. Two reasons for such variability were the focus of this study: (a) rates vary as a function of disability type, and (b) rates vary based on the bullying measure and criteria used to classify students as bullying victims. The sample consisted of 1,027 parents or guardians of children with disabilities and 11,500 parents or guardians of children without disabilities who reported the frequency with which their children experienced bullying in general and 12 specific behaviors associated with verbal, physical, and social-relational bullying. Prevalence rates and odds ratios (ORs) differed considerably based not only on disability type but also on the classification criteria used. For both conceptual and practical reasons, it is recommended that bullying victims be considered those who experience bullying-related behaviors frequently and repetitively as opposed to only sometimes.

The objective was to examine the efficacy of the Get aHEAD Safely in Soccer™ intervention on head impact kinematics and neck strength in female youth soccer players. The control group (CG) consisted of 13 players (age: 11.0 ± 0.4 yrs), while the experimental group (EG) consisted of 14 players (age: 10.6 ± 0.5 yrs). Head impact kinematics included peak linear acceleration (PLA), peak rotational acceleration (PRA), and peak rotational velocity (PRV). Pre- and post-season measures included strength measures of neck/torso flexion (NF/TF) and extension (NE/TE). Data were analysed using a multilevel linear model and ANOVA techniques. No differences in PLA, PRA, or PRV were observed between groups. The EG showed significant improvement in NF strength while the CG showed significant improvement in NE strength. Both groups significantly improved in TF pre- to post-season. The foundational strength components of the Get aHEAD Safely in Soccer program appear to show a benefit in youth soccer players beginning to learn the skill of purposeful heading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this quantitative study, correlational and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) development of 299 preservice teachers in response to the technology preparation they received during their initial teacher licensure program. Survey data were analyzed to determine the extents to which preservice teachers' knowledge increased in response to technology preparation and to determine the contribution of individual knowledge components, including technological knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and technological pedagogical knowledge, to the development of TPACK. Findings revealed that individual knowledge components made statistically significant and unique contributions to preservice teachers' TPACK. Findings from this work help explicate the significant contributions of individual knowledge components to TPACK development and have implications for teacher preparation programs on the use of technology.

Several previous studies have found that Chinese students perceive teacher-student relationships and student-student relationships more favorably than American students. In this study we examined if the same holds true with respect to teachers' perceptions. Also examined were both students' and teachers' perceptions of conduct problems. The sample included 3,253 students and 345 teachers in China and 2,192 students and 540 teachers in the United States. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance revealed the greatest differences in mean scores between countries were in teachers' and students' perceptions of student-student relationships and student conduct problems. American students perceived their schools much less favorably, and particularly so in middle school and high school. Students tended to report less favorable relationships and greater conduct problems than their teachers, especially in the United States compared with China. Cultural differences are discussed that may account for the findings, including differences in the valuing of education, filial piety, social harmony, self and peer regulation of behavior, classroom management, and the socialization of cultural values.

Early number sense is a strong predictor of later success in school mathematics. A disproportionate number of children from low-income families come to first grade with weak number competencies, leaving them at risk for a cycle of failure. The present study examined the effects of an 8-week number sense intervention to develop number competencies of low-income kindergartners ("N" = 121). The intervention purposefully targeted whole number concepts related to counting, comparing, and manipulating sets. Children were randomly assigned to either a number sense intervention or a business as usual contrast group. The intervention was carried out in small-group, 30-min sessions, 3 days per week, for a total of 24 sessions. Controlling for number sense at pretest, the intervention group made meaningful gains relative to the control group at immediate as well delayed posttest on a measure of early numeracy. Intervention children also performed better than controls on a standardized test of mathematics calculation at immediate posttest. (Contains 5 tables, 2 figures, and 1 note.)

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small-group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business-as-usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate posttest, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held 8 weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures. (Contains 6 tables and 2 footnotes.)

The purpose of this study was to identify subgroups of adult basic education (ABE) learners with different profiles of skills in the core reading components of decoding, word recognition, spelling, fluency, and comprehension. The analysis uses factor scores of those 5 reading components from on a prior investigation of the reliability and construct validity of measures of reading component skills (MacArthur, Konold, Glutting, & Alamprese, 2010). In that investigation, confirmatory factor analysis found that a model with those 5 factors fit the data best and fit equally well for native and non-native English speakers. The study included 486 students, 334 born or educated in the United States (native) and 152 not born nor educated in the US (non-native) but who spoke English well enough to participate in English reading classes. The cluster analysis found an 8-cluster solution with good internal cohesion, external isolation, and replicability across subsamples. Of the 8 subgroups, 4 had relatively flat profiles (range of mean scores across factors less than 0.5 SD), 2 had higher comprehension than decoding, and 2 had higher decoding than comprehension. Profiles were consistent with expectations regarding demographic factors. Non-native speakers were overrepresented in subgroups with relatively higher decoding and underrepresented in subgroups with relatively higher comprehension. Adults with self-reported learning disabilities were overrepresented in the lowest performing subgroup. Older adults and men were overrepresented in subgroups with lower performance. The study adds to the limited research on the reading skills of ABE learners and, from the perspective of practice, supports the importance of assessing component skills to plan instruction.

Children's symbolic number sense was examined at the beginning of first grade with a short screen of competencies related to counting, number knowledge, and arithmetic operations. Conventional mathematics achievement was then assessed at the end of both first and third grades. Controlling for age and cognitive abilities (i.e., language, spatial, and memory), number sense made a unique and meaningful contribution to the variance in mathematics achievement at both first and third grades. Furthermore, the strength of the predictions did not weaken over time. Number sense was most strongly related to the ability to solve applied mathematics problems presented in various contexts. The number sense screen taps important intermediate skills that should be considered in the development of early mathematics assessments and interventions. (Contains 6 tables.)

The purposes of this study were to investigate the reliability and construct validity of measures of reading component skills with a sample of adult basic education (ABE) learners, including both native and nonnative English speakers, and to describe the performance of those learners on the measures. Investigation of measures of reading components is needed because available measures were neither developed for nor normed on ABE populations or with nonnative speakers of English. The study included 486 students, 334 born or educated in the United States (native) and 152 not born or educated in the United States (nonnative) but who spoke English well enough to participate in English reading classes. All students had scores on 11 measures covering five constructs: decoding, word recognition, spelling, fluency, and comprehension. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test three models: a two-factor model with print and meaning factors; a three-factor model that separated out a fluency factor; and a five-factor model based on the hypothesized constructs. The five-factor model fit best. In addition, the CFA model fit both native and nonnative populations equally well without modification, showing that the tests measure the same constructs with the same accuracy for both groups. Group comparisons found no difference between the native and nonnative samples on word recognition, but the native sample scored higher on fluency and comprehension and lower on decoding than did the nonnative sample. Students with self-reported learning disabilities scored lower on all reading components. Differences by age and gender were also analyzed. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Using a longitudinal design, children were given a brief number sense screener (NSB) screener (N = 204) over six time points, from the beginning of kindergarten to the middle of first grade. The NSB is based on research showing the importance of number competence (number, number relations, and number operations) for success in mathematics. Children's mathematics achievement on a validated high-stakes state test was measured 3 years later, at the end of third grade. Test-retest reliability estimates were obtained for the NSB. Two criterion groups were then formed on the basis of the third-grade achievement test (children who met and who did not meet mathematics standards). Diagnostic validity analyses for the NSB were completed using repeated measures analyses of variance and receiver operator curve analyses. Results from all analyses revealed that scores on the NSB in kindergarten and first grade predicted mathematics proficiency in third grade. Areas under the receiver operator curve indicated that the NSB has high diagnostic accuracy (areas under the receiver operator curve = 0.78-0.88). Findings suggest that kindergarten and first-grade performance on the NSB is meaningful for predicting which children experience later mathematics difficulties. (Contains 5 tables and 1 figure.)

Decisions made in middle school allocate students to different high school course levels and tracks. Because African American students are disproportionately represented in the lower level tracks of high school curriculum and because track placement affects learning and postsecondary opportunities, it is important to explore determinants of track placement. Some theories emphasize academic determinants of track placement; other theories emphasize student background variables and peer influences; and still others, racial biases among educators. Research findings have been inconsistent concerning how much disproportionate representation in lower level courses is explained by prior academic achievement variables and how much it is explained by race. We examined the effects of race and 8th grade academic achievement variables--grades and standardized tests scores--on odds of placement in different levels of 9th grade English courses in a large high school. Our findings indicated that track placement decisions were strongly determined by prior grades and test scores; race did not have a statistically significant independent effect on track placement. We identify a need for more research on the role of grades as determinants of track placement. (Contains 3 tables.)

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between purposeful heading in soccer and neuropsychological test performance. Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics throughput scores were derived on seven subset variables that measure a variety of neurocognitive abilities. Simple Spearman's rank correlations were calculated between headers per game (HPG) and the criterion variables. Interestingly, math processing speed (Spearman's rho = 0.160) and continuous performance test #2 (rho = 0.124) had small but significant correlations; both showed improvement in performance pre- to postseason. There were no significant correlations between HPG and the other five variables. This study found no detrimental relationship between the number of purposeful headers and the neurocognitive measures in this population. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study employed a correlated trait-correlated method application of confirmatory factor analysis to disentangle trait and method variance from measures of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder obtained at the college level. The two trait factors were "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition" ("DSM-IV") Inattention and "DSM-IV" Hyperactivity-Impulsivity. The two source factors were self-reports and parent-reports. Data were collected for an epidemiological sample (N = 1,079) of college freshmen stratified for race/ethnicity, gender, and ability level according to national targets for the U.S. college population. Results revealed (a) parents' ratings were better measures of internalizing behavioral dimensions and that students' ratings were better measures of externalizing dimensions of behavior, (b) informants have a greater impact on behavior ratings than the behavioral construct that is presumed to be the primary cause of the behavior as measured by the CARE, (c) relationships among the method factors revealed a substantial amount of unique variance among informants, and (d) relationships among trait factors were largely within expectation. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

This article presents results from two interrelated studies. The first study conducted a meta-analysis of the published literature since 1990 to determine the magnitude of achievement problems associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Effect sizes were significantly different between participants with and without ADHD (sample weighted r = 0.32, sample weighted d = 0.71; p = 0.001). Effects were also examined according to the moderators of age, gender, achievement domain (reading, math, spelling), measurement method (standardized tests vs. grades, parent/teacher ratings, etc.), sample type (clinical vs. nonclinical), and system used to identify ADHD ("DSM-III-R" vs. "DSM-IV"). Significant differences emerged from the moderator comparisons. The second study, using averaged effect sizes from the first study as a baseline for comparison, investigated achievement levels for an understudied age group with ADHD, namely, college students. Unlike previous studies at the college level, the sample incorporated both student and parent ratings (N = 380 dyads). The results were comparable to outcomes from the meta-analysis for college students and adults. Analyses demonstrated modest (R = 0.21) but meaningful predictive validity across 1 year to end-of-first-year grades. However, unlike earlier studies with children and adolescents, student ratings were as predictive as parent ratings. Findings are discussed in terms of the impact of moderator variables on ADHD and achievement.

Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were used to investigate the structure of the Student Report Inventory (SRI) and Parent Report Inventory (PRI) of the College Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Response Evaluation. The sample was composed of 1,080 college students and their parents and was stratified by ethnicity, gender, ability level, age, grade, region of residence, and psychoeducational classification status. Results varied according to the information source (self-report vs. parent). EFA uncovered and CFA confirmed 3 distinct and reliable dimensions for student reports: Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity. By contrast, EFA and CFA uncovered a reliable 2-dimension structure for the parent-report data. Factor structures replicated across genders (3 factors for the SRI, and 2 factors for the PRI). Results are discussed in terms of the divergence of structures.

This study investigated the differential validity of the Wide Range Intelligence Test, which is a new, brief measure of ability. Participants (N = 744) ranged in age from 5 through 85 years (M = 26.7 years, SD = 21.4 years) and varied by the demographic variables of gender, race/ethnicity (Anglo, African American, Hispanic), and education level (less than high school degree, high school degree, some postsecondary training, college and beyond). General, Verbal, and Visual IQs from the WRIT were used to predict Reading, Mathematics, and Spelling criteria on the Wide Range Achievement Test-Third Edition. Differences in prediction were evaluated among demographic subgroups via Potthoff's technique. Of the 90 simultaneous tests, 65 revealed no statistically significant between-group differences. The majority of statistically significant differences were found to have little practical influence when measures of effect size were considered. Results are discussed in the context of other ability measures that were previously investigated for differential validity, as well as educational implications for clinicians. (Contains 5 tables.)

Examined discriminative validity of the Parent Rating Scale (PRS) of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 1992, Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services). Two groups were compared: a cohort with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) (n = 49) and children from the BASC-PRS standardization sample (n = 49) matched on the background characteristics of age, race/ethnicity, and gender. A multivariate, two-group discriminant function analysis was used to compare groups across standard scores from the nine clinical scales of the PRS. Results demonstrated that children with RAP could be differentiated (Wilks [lambda] = 0.642, F = 6.45, df (9, 88), p less than 0.001), and demonstrated higher scores on the Somatization, Depression, Anxiety, Attention Problems, and Withdrawal scales. Subsequent jackknifed classification analysis, diagnostic efficiency statistics, and an odds ratio for the classification analysis added to the overall validity of results. The practical utility of the BASC-PRS is further supported in light of expanding roles for school psychologists in the assessment and treatment of children with health problems. (Contains 4 tables.)

Results from the Student Styles Questionnaire for a nationally stratified sample of children 8-17 found reliable relationships between temperament and vocational interests even in the youngest children. Gender, age, and race-ethnicity differences were also found. (Contains 42 references.) (SK)

Context: Lateral ankle sprains commonly occur in an athletic population and can lead to chronic ankle instability. Objective: To compare ankle strength measurements in athletes who have mechanical laxity and report functional instability after a history of unilateral ankle sprains. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: Athletic Training Research Lab. Participants: A total of 165 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes, 97 males and 68 females, with history of unilateral ankle sprains participated. Main Outcome Measures: Functional ankle instability was determined by Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool scores and mechanical ankle instability by the participant having both anterior and inversion/eversion laxity. Peak torque strength measures, concentric and eccentric, in 2 velocities were measured. Results: Of the 165 participants, 24 subjects had both anterior and inversion/eversion laxity and 74 self-reported functional ankle instability on their injured ankle. The mechanical ankle instability group presented with significantly lower plantar flexion concentric strength at 30°/s (139.7 [43.7] N-m) (P =.01) and eversion concentric strength at 120°/s (14.8 [5.3] N-m) (P= .03) than the contralateral, uninjured ankle (166.3 [56.8] N-m, 17.4 [6.2] N-m, respectively). Conclusion: College athletes who present with mechanical laxity on a previously injured ankle exhibit plantar flexion and eversion strength deficits between ankles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests Kaufman's hypothesis that WISC-III Freedom from Distractibility and Processing Speed scores will be lower than those from corresponding factors (i.e., Verbal Comprehension) when children display inappropriate test-taking behaviors. This hypothesis was not supported. Encourages clinicians to rely on behavioral indices other than WISC-III scores when forming judgments about the suitability of children's test-taking behaviors. (Author/JDM)

Identifies the structure and composition of profile types most representative of the 2,200 children comprising the normative sample for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Third Edition. Provides a case example using the method recommended for "everyday" decision making. (Author/MKA)

Evaluates the criterion-related validity of unusual subtest profiles from the Differential Ability Scales. Participants were a large cohort stratified in proportion to United States Census data. Children with unusual profiles were identified and matched to controls. Two groups were compared across a variety of criteria. No group differences were found across the criteria regardless of the method used to identify unusual subtest profiles. (Author/JDM)

Two nested structural models are developed to determine whether test-session behaviors affect the manner in which intelligence is measured or influence the constructs being measured. Results indicate that test-session behaviors play a larger role influencing the mechanisms of measurement than on the constructs of intelligence. (Author/EMK)

Studies youths' motivation for school attendance. Survey results suggest that the motivations for high school dropouts were consistent with those of nondropouts. Comparisons showed both groups to be comparable in terms of the relative influence of socialization, extracurricular activities, and pleasing an authority. (MMU)

Whether the measurement of intelligence by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III (WISC-III) differs for children who exhibit inappropriate test-taking behavior was studied empirically with 247 inappropriate behavior and 515 appropriate behavior children. Results suggest that the factor index and full-scale IQ may have different meanings for these two groups. (SLD)

Investigates the discriminant validity of test-session behaviors by comparing whether the observation of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA) differed from those of unclassified children. Findings suggest that through one-to-one clinical assessments, standardized ratings of children's test behaviors provide useful information about the relative severity of children's inattentive, avoidant, and uncooperative dispositions. (MKA)

Compares various base-rate procedures with statistical-significance testing approach used by psychologists. Nonlinear multivariate method is used to determine whether children with a learning disability or emotional disturbance are more likely to show unusual subtest patterns than are children from the normative sample of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition. (Author/JDM)

Reports on empirical studies that assessed continuing claims for utility of subtest analysis. Hierarchical regression and discriminate models were used to determine maximum potential of ability subtests to explain variation in academic achievement, stylistic classroom learning, and test-session behavior. Ipsative subtest scores provide no information beyond that already available through conventional normative subtests. (Author/JDM)

Examines the Symbol, Search, Coding, Arithmetic, and Digit Span (SCAD) subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (3rd ed.) (WISC-III) by comparing 363 students with learning and emotional disabilities to the WISC-III normative sample. Results indicate that the SCAD profile is neither a valid diagnostic indicator nor an important predictor of academic achievement. (RJM)

This study developed a normative core profile taxonomy of the four scholastic aptitude and corresponding achievement scales of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (Revised). Cluster analysis was used to sort 2,620 students from the standardization sample. Results of internal and external validity analyses provided support for eight core profiles. Results suggest methods of evaluating students for learning disabilities. (Author/DB)

Tests of the validity of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition Arithmetic, Coding, Information, and Digit Span (ACID) profile among 612 students with learning disabilities revealed that the ACID profile does not efficiently separate children with disabilities from those without disabilities. No ACID cutting score significantly exceeds chance discriminatory power. (RJM)