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This self-study of teacher education practices (S-STEP) is a collaborative analytical autoethnography (CAAE) of four colleagues, represented in the text as the Poet and alter ego 'Other', alongside three critical friends. We drew on an arts-based approach, merging three genres: poetry, theatre, and narrative (story-telling). With this teacher self-study CAAE, our purpose was to investigate vulnerable self and professional identity as teachers of pre-service practitioners and research scholars imbued with the philosophy of transformative learning. The conceptual model developed for this process represents the flow among professional identity, teaching practice, and transformative learning. Our self-study narratives suggest an evolution of professional identity in three critical periods: early adolescence, interest; late adolescence, commitment; and adulthood, practice. Our CAAE S-STEP contributes to the literature by providing an innovative example of an arts-based approach employing poetry as a dialogic process for teacher educator self-study, to improve teaching practices. Here, we have expanded poetic inquiry to a poly-voiced Greek play with poetry threading throughout the play as a reflexive dialogue with Other. In addition, this study of teacher education incorporates a trans-disciplinary, multi-vocal dialogic approach to collaborative reflection of teachers of pre-service professionals (teachers, social workers, and health promotion practitioners) that supports both individual and collective perspectives, with significant implications for local, regional, and international collaborations.

This case study examined action research conducted by bilingual education teachers in urban schools as a tool for progressing from novice-to-expert teachers. We described a longitudinal study across four cohorts of first-year bilingual education teachers as action researchers (n = 9). The study investigated the following: (1) how school leaders and colleagues responded to knowledge (innovations) generated through practitioner inquiry; and (2) teacher-researchers' perceptions about the process and outcomes of sharing their research findings with school leaders and colleagues. Findings clustered around two patterns: feelings of teacher self-efficacy and workplace isolation. Principals perceived innovations as human capital, not social capital.

The purpose of our study was twofold: (1) to review the literature on high-stakes accountability testing and English learners (ELs) in the USA, applying qualitative systematic review methodology, and (2) to draw substantive conclusions about the impact of high-stakes accountability testing on ELs, reported in studies published between 2001 and 2016. Thirty-seven studies (n = 37) meeting the eligibility criteria were evaluated using the Methodological Quality Questionnaire. Findings indicate construct irrelevant variance (non-random factors that systematically affect ELs' test performance) challenges the appropriateness of inferences drawn about ELs' content knowledge based on assessment performance. Further, language policy in schools, driven by high-stakes tests, promotes increased instructional time for basic skills tutorials with fewer opportunities for problem solving and other higher-order learning activities. Moreover, theory utilization was rare (n = 8, 22%). Among studies that utilized theory, few explicitly referenced it to discuss study findings.

This study investigated performance variability when graduate students critically appraised original studies from a systematic review. Fourteen doctoral students from different academic programs, with no systematic review experience, received training on the Methodological Quality Questionnaire (MQQ) rating scale. Participants were mostly male (71%) and non-native English speakers (79%). Each rater was randomly assigned one original study to independently assess using the MQQ. Their scores were compared to an expert rater. Statistical analysis comprised the following: percentage of agreement (POA), Kappa coefficient, and Kendall's tau-b correlation. On the completed MQQ rating scale, 43% of the novice raters had a POA of 78% or higher with the expert rater. From this case study, a guide for improving training on methodological quality assessment was developed. Benefits include the following: (a) developing and supporting critical reasoning as well as problem-solving skills and (b) increasing research skills and competencies in the systematic review process.

Understanding the unique health needs of college students and establishing best practices to address them depend, heavily, on the inherent quality and contribution of the research identifying these needs. College health-focused publications currently exemplify less than ideal statistical reporting practices. Specifically, college health practitioners and researchers continue to rely heavily upon null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) as the sole standard for effectiveness, validity, and/or replicability of scientific studies, even though NHST itself was not designed for such purposes. Herein we address the following questions: (a) What is NHST? (b) What are the inherent limitations of NHST? (c) What are recommended alternatives to NHST? and (d) How can editorial policies promote adopting NHST alternatives? Using college health data from the CORE 2011 Alcohol and Drug survey, we provide a heuristic example demonstrating how effect sizes do not suffer from the same limitations as NHST.

Objective: Social network analysis (SNA) is a useful, emerging method for studying health. College students are especially prone to social influence when it comes to health. This review aimed to identify network variables related to college student health and determine how SNA was used in the literature. Participants: A systematic review of relevant literature was conducted in October 2015. Methods: Studies employing egocentric or whole network analysis to study college student health were included. We used Garrard's Matrix Method to extract data from reviewed articles (n = 15). Results: Drinking, smoking, aggression, homesickness, and stress were predicted by network variables in the reviewed literature. Methodological inconsistencies concerning boundary specification, data collection, nomination limits, and statistical analyses were revealed across studies. Conclusions: Results show the consistent relationship between network variables and college health outcomes, justifying further use of SNA to research college health. Suggestions and considerations for future use of SNA are provided.

Although the completion of the Human Genome Project will offer new insight into diseases and help develop efficient, personalized treatment or prevention programs, it will also raise new and non-trivial public health issues. Many of these issues fall under the professional purview of public health workers. As members of the public health workforce, health educators are being called upon to deal with genomic-related public health topics. Thus, we propose five arguments supporting the need for health educators to develop their genomic competencies and integrate public health genomics (PHG) into health promotion. These arguments highlight various dimensions of health educators' professional goals and range from professional responsibilities and competencies to the availability of funding for genomic-related research or interventions and opportunities for future employment. Alongside these arguments, we present key PHG terms to facilitate understanding and to establish a common set of meanings for readers. Moreover, we discuss the current efforts being made by the field of health education to integrate genomics into research and practice, as well as implications and next steps required to optimize this integration. (Contains 2 tables.)

Researchers interested in psychological factors affecting writers in higher-education institutions, or academic writers, are concerned with internal variables affecting writing productivity; however few empirical studies explore these factors with samples of students who are in the process of earning master's or doctoral degrees (i.e., graduate students). In this study, we examined writing anxiety, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence (EI) in a sample of graduate students at a large, research-intensive university in the United States. Using a survey, we collected measures on these variables in addition to demographic information from the participants. We then used the measures to descriptively compare groups of students with similar characteristics and to run three regression models to identify which variables best predicted writing anxiety. Our findings indicate self-efficacy is a statistically significant and large predictor of writing anxiety while EI is not, though descriptive data showed moderate effects between EI and first language (i.e., whether or not a student reported English as a first language). In the presence of self-efficacy, gender remained a significant predictor of writing anxiety, while first language did not. We discuss implications for future research and practice focused on helping graduate student academic writers succeed.

Background: Despite previous research indicating an adolescents' alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use is dependent upon their sex and the sex composition of their social network, few social network studies consider sex differences and network sex composition as a determinant of adolescents' ATOD use behavior. Methods: This systematic literature review examining how social network analytic studies examine adolescent ATOD use behavior is guided by the following research questions: (1) How do studies conceptualize sex and network sex composition? (2) What types of network affiliations are employed to characterize adolescent networks? (3) What is the methodological quality of included studies? After searching several electronic databases (PsycINFO, EBSCO, and Communication Abstract) and applying our inclusion/exclusion criteria, 48 studies were included in the review. Results: Overall, few studies considered sex composition of networks in which adolescents are embedded as a determinant that influences adolescent ATOD use. Although included studies all exhibited high methodological quality, the majority only used friendship networks to characterize adolescent social networks and subsequently failed to capture the influence of other network types, such as romantic networks. Conclusions: School-based prevention programs could be strengthened by (1) selecting and targeting peer leaders based on sex, and (2) leveraging other types of social networks beyond simply friendships.

Objective: To analyze the literature in which researchers have utilized the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) I or the NCHA II. Participants and Methods: The authors selected peer-reviewed articles published between 2004 and July 2013 utilizing a single search term: National College Health Assessment. Articles were assessed for instrument use, limitations, and data analyses. Results: The search resulted in 72 articles for inclusion. Researchers used the instrument to either conduct a primary investigation or utilize reference group data for secondary analysis. Researchers used many data analyses, statistical tests, techniques, and methods. Limitations of the instrument were consistently mentioned by researchers. Conclusions: Results indicate limitations in the NCHA. To ensure college health professionals are gaining the best information possible regarding students on their campuses, specific improvements to the NCHA are recommended.

Background: Because human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates remain low, we evaluated US school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of their role as opinion leaders, and professional practice regarding HPV vaccine, and assessed whether knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of being an opinion leader influenced their professional practice regarding the HPV vaccine. Methods: We used a cross-sectional design by recruiting members from the National Association of School Nurses. All participants (N?=?505) were e-mailed a survey designed for this study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) tested direct and indirect effects. Results: Overall, school nurses had knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, and positive attitudes toward the vaccine. They had less-than-enthusiastic perceptions of their role as opinion leaders regarding the vaccine and implemented few activities related to providing vaccine information. The model revealed a good fit (?[superscript 2]?=?20.238 [df?=?8, p?

Objective: This study sought to employ a mixed-methods approach to (a) qualitatively explore responsible drinking beliefs and behaviors among a sample of college students, and (b) quantitatively assess the prevalence of those behaviors. Participants: Convenience samples, drawn from currently enrolled students attending a large public university in Texas, comprised 13 participants in the qualitative phase and a random sample of 729 students for the quantitative phase. Methods: A partially mixed sequential dominant status design (qual [right arrow] QUAN) was employed. Results: Participants associated 7 distinct themes with drinking responsibly; however, embedded inside these themes were numerous potentially harmful elements. Quantitative findings supported the qualitative themes, also highlighting gender and ethnic differences. Males believed responsible drinking behaviors should occur with significantly less frequency than females, whereas Whites attached less relative necessity to certain responsible drinking behaviors. Conclusion: This study represents an initial attempt to determine specific, evidence-based characteristics of responsible drinking. (Contains 4 tables.)

Authors examined self-efficacy to motivate abstinent behavior (among youth) in a sample of instructors teaching abstinence-only-until-marriage education in Texas (N = 104). Sixty-one percent of the sample had been trained/certified to teach abstinence education. Instructors (mostly female and White) were more confident motivating students to maintain abstinent behavior than motivating change from sexual activity to abstinence (t = 9.354, df = 97). Regression modeling revealed "age" and "beliefs that abstinence education is theory-based" as significant predictors of confidence to motivate both abstinence maintenance and change. Additionally, ethnicity [being non-white ([beta] = -0.234, p = 0.030)] significantly predicted confidence to motivate behavior "change". (Contains 7 tables.)

Authors examined the logic (or the implicit theory) underlying 16 abstinence-only-until-marriage programs in Texas (50% of all programs funded under the federal welfare reform legislation during 2001 and 2002). Defined as a set of propositions regarding the relationship between program activities and their intended outcomes, program staff's implicit theories were summarized and compared to (a) data from studies on adolescent sexual behavior, (b) a theory-based model of youth abstinent behavior, and (c) preliminary findings from the national evaluation of Title V programs. Authors interviewed 62 program directors and instructors and employed selected principles of grounded theory to analyze interview data. Findings indicated that abstinence education staff could clearly articulate the logic guiding program activity choices. Comparisons between interview data and a theory-based model of adolescent sexual behavior revealed striking similarities. Implications of these findings for conceptualizing and evaluating abstinence-only-until-marriage (or similar) programs are examined. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

The authors reviewed the content, methods, and overall quality of 21 curricula used in abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. Only materials designed for use in middle school grades (fifth to eighth) or with middle school-aged audiences (9-13 years of age), which presented the abstinence message in at least 40% of their content, were included. A rating instrument adapted from 2 sets of education guidelines structured the assessment of each curriculum. Four experienced teachers rated each curriculum. Curricula exhibited considerable variability, in overall quality ratings. While on average, materials scored a 3.33 on a 1-to-5 scale (1 = Unacceptable; 5 = Excellent), 12 curricula received summative scores above the average, with 4 scoring 4.0 or higher. Eight curricula, however, received a below-average rating. While abstinence materials vary considerably in terms of overall quality; the values and world views underlying this sample of curricula were clear and consistent: those who develop abstinence education curricula value nonsexual antecedents of sexual behavior such as skills (goal setting, decision making, and assertiveness), deals (fidelity, friendships), and psychological factors such as self-esteem. (J Sch Health. 2005;75(3):90-98)

Background: Compulsive exercise (CE) is a harmful form of exercise that elevates the risk of developing/sustaining clinical eating disorders. College-aged sorority women are especially prone to CE. Due to the pronounced impact social relationships have on college students' behavior, this study aims to examine personal networks and CE among a sample of sorority women through an egocentric network analysis. Methods: A total of 204 women in a sorority from a large, private university in the southeastern United States completed a cross-sectional survey in spring 2015. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted on demographic, attribute, and ego network data. Results: Relationships with siblings, significant others, and roommates were protective against CE in this sample. Conversely, body dissatisfaction and exercise frequency predicted CE. Conclusions: Findings suggest that social relationships can impact CE behaviors in this sample. Along with promoting body satisfaction and healthy exercise, public health efforts should focus on facilitating close interpersonal relationships, especially between sorority women and siblings, significant others, and roommates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined US health educators' likelihood of adopting genomic competencies--specific skills and knowledge in public health genomics--into health promotion and the factors influencing such likelihood. Methods. We developed and tested a model to assess likelihood to adopt genomic competencies. Data from 1607 health educators nationwide were collected through a Web-based survey. The model was tested through structural equation modeling. Results. Although participants in our study were not very likely to adopt genomic competencies into their practice, the data supported the proposed model. Awareness, attitudes, and self-efficacy significantly affected health educators' likelihood to incorporate genomic competencies. The model explained 60.3% of the variance in likelihood to incorporate genomic competencies. Participants' perceived compatibility between public health genomics and their professional and personal roles, their perceptions of genomics as complex, and the communication channels used to learn about public health genomics significantly related to genomic knowledge and attitudes. Conclusions. Because US health educators in our sample do not appear ready for their professional role in genomics, future research and public health workforce training are needed.

Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers By Mark Regnerus. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007, 290 pages. Hardcover, $25.00. Not since the release of Jeffrey [...]