bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Support for and Opposition to Capital Punishment
Authors: NEAPOLITAN JERRY
Published: March 2007

As it has become recognized that the issue of deterrence of capital punishment can never be fully resolved, attention has shifted to the retributive functions of capital punishment. To investigate this issue, this research utilized a sample of college students divided into those who (1) oppose capital punishment, (2) support capital punishment only if it deters murder, and (3) would support it even if it did not deter murder. The results indicate that opponents have greater respect for human life, greater opposition to interpersonal violence, greater respect for the law, and more sympathy for the victims of murder than either type of supporter, and that supporters who require deterrence have greater respect for human life and opposition to interpersonal violence than do other supporters. Thus it is unlikely that capital punishment reinforces or enhances respect for life, opposition to interpersonal violence, respect for the law, or sympathy for the victims of crimes.
A Comparison of Father-Daughter and Stepfather-Stepdaughter Incest
Authors: GROFF M. G. , HUBBLE L. M.
Published: March 2007

Characteristics of father-daughter and stepfather-stepdaughter incest were compared using historical data, demographic information, and MMPI scores from 42 cases of child sexual abuse. The same cases also were used to compare attributes of incest involving younger and older daughters/stepdaughters. There was no systematic difference across types of incest, either in terms of offender attributes or specific characteristics of the incestuous relationships. In general, all offender groups appeared to have a fairly adequate level of overall functioning.
The Importance of Background Variables in Sentencing Behavior
Authors: HENHAM RALPH
Published: March 2007

The research described in this article is concerned with the relationship among magistrates' social background characteristics, their sentencing objectives, and their application of sentencing principles. The study was aimed at increasing our understanding of the extent of the human element in sentencing behavior. The empirical results support the view that no particular precedence should be accorded to social background variables in explaining sentencing behavior but it is the interrelationship of all significant variables that remains of crucial importance.
Correlates of Delinquency Participation and Persistence
Authors: TOLAN PATRICK , THOMAS PETER
Published: March 2007

As part of an ongoing larger interest in developing valid predictive models for guiding delinquency prevention, 84 adolescents were sampled for family systemic style, experience of social stress, and age of delinquency onset. The ability of these variables to explain and predict level, types, and persistence of delinquent behavior was studied. Regression analyses indicate relatively stable predictors (daily hassles and age of onset) across measures of delinquency. However, discriminant analyses indicated more varied predictors depending on the aspect of delinquent involvement of interest. These results support a multivariate approach to prediction and also suggest that finer gradations of risk for involvement are viable.
Good Time
Authors: WEISBURD DAVID , CHAYET ELLEN S.
Published: March 2007

The practice of awarding good time credits in United States prisons was developed early in the nineteenth century both to further public policy and to enhance prison management. Good time was seen as a method for alleviating prison crowding, controlling prison behavior, and rewarding rehabilitation efforts. Though parole policies eventually overshadowed good time as an early release tool, corrections administrators in virtually every state retained some form of credit-based release. Currently, overcrowded prisons, constraints over population control mechanisms, and the increased need to ensure effective prison management have combined to make good time an issue of growing importance in the criminal justice system. In this article the present state of good time policy and research is examined, and an agenda for systematic review of good time policies and practices is outlined. While the use of good time in U.S. prisons is found to be growing, policymakers and prison administrators continue to rely upon untested assumptions when defending good time practices. We propose a research agenda that would examine (a) how good time is understood by prison personnel, (b) the actual operation of good time systems, (c) the utility of good time as a prison management device, (d) its role in rehabilitation, and (e) the special risks that good time releases pose to the community.
Predicting Violence in Newly Admitted Inmates
Authors: COOPER ROBERT P. , WERNER PAUL D.
Published: March 2007

Ten experienced psychologists and 11 case managers within the Federal Bureau of Prisons employed 17 demographic and biographical variables as cues to forecast violence during the first 6 months of incarceration of 33 male inmates at a medium-security federal correctional institution. Low levels of reliability were found among individual judges' forecasts, but high agreement was found for their composite judgments. These professionals' forecasts of inmates' violence showed low accuracy. Lens model analyses suggested that although forecasts and actual violence were both linearly predictable from the independent variables, low accuracy may have resulted because professionals failed to weight these factors optimally. Further analyses suggested that inmates showing violence at follow-up were younger, were more likely to come from nonurban areas, and had a history of more prior arrests and convictions than did inmates who did not show violence in prison. Implications for improving accuracy at predicting short-term violence are discussed.
The Integrated Social Control Model and Ethnicity
Authors: RODRIGUEZ ORLANDO , WEISBURD DAVID
Published: March 2007

Delinquency research has not generally addressed the question raised by ethnographic studies concerning the extent to which the delinquency of specific ethnic groups can be modeled with a general theory. This study uses data from a survey of inner-city Puerto Rican American male adolescents to replicate Elliott, Huizinga, and Ageton's analytical model of delinquency based on an integration of social control, social learning, and strain theories. Taking as a point of departure Elliott and associates' path model results, and using the same measures developed for their National Youth Survey, the study applies the results of previous ethnographic research on the cultural specificity of the Hispanic family and on the relationships between conventional institutions and adolescent peer groups in inner cities to hypothesize a different model of delinquent involvement among Puerto Rican inner-city youths. The results generally verify the posited model, indicating that among Puerto Rican American adolescents, family bonding is a more important influence on delinquency whereas peer bonding is less important than is the case in the national sample of more affluent White youths. However, the most influential factors found in the National Youth Survey are also powerful predictors among Puerto Rican American youth.
The Legal Context of Mentally Disordered Sex Offender (MDSO) Treatment Programs
Authors: SMALL MARK A.
Published: March 2007

The constitutional and empirical viability of “mentally disordered sex offender” statutes is reviewed in light of recent research and litigation. A brief history of legislative activity shows that, after an initial flurry of enacting such statutes, many states began repealing them. In spite of this retrenchment, other states have established new programs either through modifying existing statutes or enacting new ones. The relationship of “mentally disordered sex offender” legislation to treatment is discussed within a range of current state programs. An understanding of the legal context in which treatment programs operate is critical to addressing ultimate questions of treatment efficacy and sex offender recidivism.
The Attitudes of Incest Offenders
Authors: KARL HANSON R. , GIZZARELLI ROCCO , SCOTT HEATHER
Published: March 2007

The attitudes of child molesters often are considered to contribute to their offenses, and the accurate identification of these cognitive distortions can be important to assessment and treatment. Through the administration of a newly created questionnaire, the attitudes of 50 male incest offenders were compared with those of 25 male batterers and 25 men not seeking treatment. Compared to the other groups, the incest offenders showed deviant attitudes in three domains: (a) endorsing attitudes supportive of male sexual privilege (sexual entitlement), (b) perceiving children to be sexually attractive and sexually motivated, and (c) minimizing the harm caused by sexual abuse of children. Implications of the findings for theories of father-daughter incest are discussed.
Detecting the Malingering of Psychosis in Offenders:
Authors: FAUTECK PAUL KARSTEN
Published: March 2007

The feigning of a major mental illness is especially likely to occur in criminal forensic contexts. In particular, malingered psychosis is appealing to defendants and often troublesome for examiners. In spite of major improvement in both clinical interviewing techniques and psychological tests (the examiner's main defenses against deception), there is still no foolproof detection method. The author discusses the strengths and weaknesses in common approaches, the most recent innovations, and recommends an electic approach to forensic examinations, as well as special sensitivity to the problem of false positives.
The Police Lineup
Authors: LEVI A. M. , JUNGMAN NOAM
Published: March 2007

Police lineups are an essential tool of justice but remain dangerous. Six problems still to be dealt with sufficiently are (a) the overbelief in lineup “identifications,” (b) the all-or-none nature of the lineup, (c) similarity of the foils to the suspect, (d) similarity of innocent suspects to the offender, (e) failures to choose the offender, and (f) the small size of the lineup. This article discusses these problems and suggests a radical departure in procedure. The proposed method would have witnesses view more than a hundred foils, have them choose foils by their own judgment of similarity to the offender, and allow multiple choices from the lineup.
Self-Control, Accidents, and Crime
Authors: JUNGER MARIANNE , TREMBLAY RICHARD E.
Published: March 2007

According to self-control theory, crime and accident involvement are positively related. Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990) argued that this relation is spurious and results from the fact that both accidents and crime are the result of a lack of self-control. In particular, they argued that a positive relation is supportive of their theory and cannot be explained by competing theories, such as strain or cultural deviance theory. This study explored two questions: (a) Is there a relation between crime and accidents? (b) Is there support for the spuriousness thesis, that is, can the relation between crime and accident involvement be accounted for by a measure of self-control or by a measure of social control? The answer to both questions was largely affirmative. There was a relatively strong positive relation between crime and accidents, with delinquents more involved than nondelinquents in accidents. The analysis also showed that, although measures of self-control and social control were related to delinquency and to accident involvement, the relation between crime and accidents became weaker when these measures were taken into account, but it did not disappear. Thus, the spuriousness thesis was partially supported.
National Strategies for Technological Innovation
Authors: Rossini Frederick , Bozeman Barry
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of the fragmented, multidisciplinary technological innovation literature for possible national strate gies for innovation. After a review and synthesis of theories and research on innovation, some highly generalized strategies for promoting innovation are outlined for nations at various levels of technological development. In a final section some consideration is given to the "systemic costs" of innovation, particularly the possibility that high rates of innovation may not be sustainable and that innovation dependency may prove to be an "excelsior trap" with dire economic consequences.
Peer Participation in Local Government Employee Appraisal
Authors: Ammons David N.
Published: March 2007

Despite the importance of employee performance appraisal and the generally low regard in which the process is held in local government, there has been little municipal experimentation with peer appraisal—a technique demonstrated elsewhere to be reliable and valid. In this paper previous research on peer rating is reviewed, common reasons for hesitancy in adoption enumerated, and the validity of some of the principal reasons for hesitancy examined in light of the experience of a city which adopted a peer-supplemented system for recognizing outstanding employees. Based upon an analysis of 1,452 appraisals, no evidence was found to support apprehensions that employees deemed outstanding under the peer-supplemented system would be less qualified than their predecessors who were rated by their supervisors. Some evidence to the contrary was found.
Action Theory and Literary Interpretation
Authors: White Jay D.
Published: March 2007

This article relates the logic of literary interpretation to the logic of administrative action theory. It offers criteria for validating interpretations of administrative action. It shows how action theory can be rescued from misplaced claims of subjectivism by locating the meaning of an act with the intention of the actor. It also points out that both the meaning and the significance of an administrative action are related to interpretations and critiques of social situations. Interpretation and critique are then seen as prerequisites for planned social change.
Crisis in the U.S. Administrative State
Authors: Farazmand Ali
Published: March 2007

This article analyzes the U.S. federal administrative state. The complex of institutions of the executive branch of the federal government-in historical and contemporary perspectives, with implications for the future. It argues that the administrative state is in a serious legitimacy crisis, that this crisis can be understood in an historical context and in relations to the concurrent crises facing the socioeconomic and political systems in America. Major sources of the crisis, including the inherently contradictory role of the modern state in society, are analyzed. Also some of the major impacts of the crisis on the society are discussed along with an analysis of the future consequences of the politics-administration interface and the new political administration theory of the 1980s. Finally, an argument is made in defense of the administrative state and an Integrated Model of Public Administration is suggested for solving the problems of administrative state in America.
Administrative Responsibility Revisited
Authors: Jos Philip H.
Published: March 2007

The dominant approaches to administrative responsibility have been preoccupied with defining, mobilizing, and rehabilitating an intelligible and reliable "public, " one that provides an unambiguous source of guidance and an unimpeachable defense against critics of discretionary authority. This emphasis on building moral consensus on public purposes overestimates the ability of political scientists and public administrators to effect fundamental social change. A more realistic and practical approach to administrative responsibility acknowledges that the public is often divided and inattentive and that political institutions are often incapable of articulating unambiguous policy directives. Under these circumstances, the ability of individual administrators to assess conflicting demands and claims on their loyalty ought to be the primary focus of a viable account of administrative responsibility. The ideal of individual moral autonomy best captures the strengths of character required for this kind of responsible administrative decision making.
The Constitution and Administrative Ethics in America
Authors: Richardson William D. , Nigro Lloyd G.
Published: March 2007

This essay explores the contributions of founding thought to current issues regarding administrative ethics. It is argued that the founders understood public administration to be a political enterprise and, therefore, public administrators should not be excluded from their analysis of citizen character. The U.S. Constitution anticipates that self-interest will be the dominant motive of citizens and governors, including public administrators. However, the founders hoped that it would encourage the emergence of virtuous and disinterested public servants. The contemporary literature on administrative ethics reflects these concerns through two different characterizations: the disinterested administrator and the self-interested administrator. Both may legitimately claim support in founding thought. However, while the founders sought to establish conditions under which disinterested or morally elevated administration could emerge, they did not believe that such an "aristocracy" should be allowed to arise at the expense of republican government, democratic values, or the "realistic" image of human nature that underpins the constitution.
The British Civil Service
Authors: Marion David E.
Published: March 2007

The British political and legal tradition has been no less generous in the guidance it has supplied American practitioners and theoreticians since the founding as it was to the founders themselves. Although perhaps the most notable institutions to draw the attention of students of American politics have been the British parliamentary and party systems, more than a little attention has been devoted to English administrative and civil service practices. Unfortunately, the underlying political thought that informed the English civil service reform movement of the 19th century, and that is still largely responsible for the shape of the modern British administrative service, has been lost from sight. Study of the reform movement exposes a body of thought intent on legitimating the requisites of a government equal to the ends of the modern republic, that is, safety and happiness for the people, within the confines of a social and political order that was becoming increasingly democratic The teaching left by the British reformers deserves to be resurrected at this time when modern republics seek to retain competence in government without sacrificing their essential democratic qualities.
Education for the Public Service
Authors: Roeder Phillip W. , Whitaker Gordon
Published: March 2007

What curriculum components are contained in professional master's programs in public affairs and administration? Using information from Self Study Reports submitted by graduate programs in public affairs and administration in the period 1983-1989 as part of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration's (NASPAA) accreditation process, core curriculum components are described and assessed. To explore why NASPAA-accredited programs vary in their curricula, relationships between curriculum emphases and other program characteristics are analyzed. Programs are covering NASPAA curriculum components, but not in any uniform manner. Although programs vary in allocations of time to the various curriculum components, two relatively distinct curriculum emphases can be delineated Programs tend to have primarily an institutional/management orientation or an analytical orientation. These curriculum emphases are related to several program characteristics including institutional location, numbers and types of students, credit hour requirements, and program age.
Public Bureaucracy and Regionalism in South Korea
Authors: Kim Pan Suk
Published: March 2007

This study explores ways for the central Korean government to reinforce its legitimacy through answering the demands by provinces for more equitable representation in the public bureaucracy. Based on the widespread belief of the existence of regionalism or regional bias, the Korean civil service is scrutinized in terms of civil servants' regional background The South Korean public bureaucracy as a whole seems to be representative of the people, but evidence over time shows that the higher civil service and the leadership of the central bureaus are under representative of natives of the southwestern region (Cholla).
Regime Analysis
Authors: Huizenga Frans D.
Published: March 2007

Informal and tacitly known rules have not figured prominently in the study of intergovernmental relations. This article deals with a research strategy that includes such rules: regime analysis. It presents an outline of the basic concepts and method used, as well as two case studies, which demonstrate the usefulness of this type of analysis.
The Administrative Rational Model and Public Organization Theory
Authors: Davis Charles R.
Published: March 2007

One of the most prestigious scholars in the social sciences over the past half century has been Herbert A. Simon. His administrative rational model of organization is frequently identifed as a generic approach applicable to either government or corporate enterprises.In this critical essay, I examine Simon's model i ability to serve asan impetus to the types of reason and politics necessary for more authentic public organizao. T7is articl also elucidates how thefundamental concerns of his model are antithetical to the politicaL moral and rationality criteria requiredfor democratic politics and public action within organizational environments.
Managers, Doctors, and Culture
Authors: Parker Martin , Dent Mike
Published: March 2007

Much contemporary writing on organizational culture overstresses consensus. Using a case study of a UK National Health Service district, it is suggested that there can be distinctframes of meaning within one organization. Managers' ideas about creating a unified culture were reflective of an attempt to move from medical dominance to a managerialist orientation, but this change was the subject of considerable dispute. There was debate about whether management was appropriate to an organization that had traditionally relied on administration and the consequent medical autonomy that this implied. Conflicts over the proper role of doctors, managers, and the health service itself meant that this culture was best conceptualized as divided, not shared. Ideas about unity, as theory or management prescription, neglect the many ways in which formulations of us and them shape organizations.
Assessing the Assumptions
Authors: Worsham Jeff , Eisner Marc Allen , Ringquist Evan J.
Published: March 2007

Principal-agent (agency) theory dominates the bureaucratic politics literature. Yet there has been very little effort devoted to assessing the assumptions of agency theory since the model was imported from economics. This article examines five major assumptions underlying agency theory. The authors suggest that the effort to translate and apply assumptions from economics to the study of bureaucratic politics misses much that is important. They offer modifications to agency theory and a new direction for research.
Who Will Pay for the Social Infrastructure?
Authors: Dobek Mariusz M. , Thurmaier Kurt
Published: March 2007

The transformation of countries in Eastern Europe involves sweeping changes in the scope and roles of national and local governments. The reallocation of economic activities between the public and private sectors and decentralization from national to local governments are complex and difficult processes. This article explores the role of local governments in privatizing the social infrastructure assets of state-owned enterprises, especially housing complexes. Two case studies are used to compare approaches used by local governments to assume responsibility for these facilities. The Polish experience suggests that nations undertaking privatization of social assets should give greater consideration to the role of local governments in the process. The local governments are more flexible in their approach than the central government and can tailor the transformation to local conditions.
Enhancing Public Service Ethics
Authors: Theobald Robin
Published: March 2007

The last decade has seen mounting pressure on public sector organizations to become more "businesslike, " especially to open themselves up to the play of market forces and the real needs of customers. An important component of the business ethos that is being urged on the public sector is an emphasis on organizational culture and "getting the culture right. " This article looks at the relevance of the culture perspective to the problem of ethical conduct in the public sector The concept of organizational culture is examined critically in the light of some recent examples of attempts to effect a culture change in national and local government in the United Kingdom. The article concludes that there is a fundamental incompatibility between the imposition of a market-driven philosophy and the need for the openness and accountability that are indispensable features of all public service organizations.
Profiles of African American College Students’ Educational Utility and Performance: A Cluster Analysis
Authors: Rowley Stephanie J.
Published: March 2007

African American students’ beliefs about the value of getting a good education have long been debated. The present study demonstrates that African American students hold a variety of perspectives about the value of education, and that certain types of beliefs naturally occur in students with certain academic performance records. Cluster analysis was used to identify five clusters of 126 African American college students with differing profiles on Idealistic Educational Utility, Context-Specific Educational Utility (CSEU), and grades. These clusters were then related to Racial Ideology as measured by the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity. Results suggest that there are some high-achieving students with low levels of CSEU who tend to be somewhat nationalistic. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for our understanding of the diversity of African Americans’beliefs about educational utility.
The Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity: A Validation Study in a British Sample
Authors: Walsh James J.
Published: March 2007

Ninety-five Black Britons completed the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity. The pattern of intercorrelations between the dimensions provided supportive evidence of its construct validity. To a lesser extent, evidence of predictive validity was also observed. When compared with findings from the original study using African Americans, two important differences were noted. First, levels of centrality were lower in the current sample suggesting that racial identity is less critical to one’s self-concept among Black Britons than their American counter-parts. Second, centrality and nationalist ideology were negatively associated with the amount of time spent with Whites in the American sample but were unrelated to this criterion in the British sample. Attempts to explain these findings explored both methodological and theoretical considerations.
Relationship of Gender, Self-Esteem, Social Class, and Racial Identity to Depression in Blacks
Authors: Munford Maria B.
Published: March 2007

Previous research has indicated that depression, the most common mental illness, can be related to suchfactors as gender, self-esteem, social class, and racial identity. Subjects in this study were 146 Black university students at North Carolina Central University and 83 Black males andfemales from the general population. The subjects were administered the Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Hollingshead Two-Factor Index of Social Position, and the Racial Identity Attitude Scale. Data analysis was achieved through stepwise multiple regression and independent t-test techniques. Results showed that higher levels of depression were associated with lower levels of self-esteem. Preencounter and encounter attitudes were positively related to levels of depression, and internalization attitudes were negatively associated with levels of depression. No significant gender differences were found in levels of self-esteem and depression, and no significant social class differences were found in levels of depression.
Sexual Attitudes and Experiences With Sexual Coercion: Exploring the Influence of Race and Gender
Authors: Kalof Linda , Wade Bruce H.
Published: March 2007

This work explores the influence of gender and race on sexual attitudes and on experiences with sexual victimization. Using data on undergraduate college students, the effects of gender and race on five factor scales related to rapesupportive attitudes and sexual victimization are examined. Analysis of variance shows that the influence of gender on sexual attitudes and experiences is stronger than the influence of race. But there is evidence of an interaction between race and gender on the acceptance of interpersonal violence and the acceptance of rape myths. Whereas women regardless of race are significantly more likely than men to have experienced sexual coercion, they are much less likely than men to hold attitudes supportive of rape, interpersonal violence, sex role stereotyping, and adversarial relationships.
Patterns of Coping in Racially Stressful Situations
Authors: Plummer Deborah L. , Slane Steve
Published: March 2007

A total of 376 White and 156 Black volunteers responded to the Ways of Coping Questionnaire under standard instructions and under instructions to recall a racially stressful event. Significant situational and racial differences were found. Compared with Whites, Blacks engaged in significantly more problem-focused coping and its four components: accepting responsibility, confrontive coping, planfil problem solving, and seeking social support. Blacks also reported more emotion-focused coping and its four components: distancing, escape avoidance, positive reappraisal, and self-control. For both Whites and Blacks, racially stressful situations elicited more confrontive coping but less problem-focused and emotion-focused coping overall. Several interaction effects were also observed. The implications of the results for models of stress are discussed.
African American Youths and Drugs: A Time to Pursue a Mental Health Approach
Authors: Alexander Rudolph
Published: March 2007

Some statistical information suggests that White youths do not possess and use drugs as much as African American youths. This impression is given by the racial proportion of juveniles who are handled by juvenile courts and incarcerated in juvenile correctional institutions for drug offenses. However, other statistical information reveals that this impression is erroneous. The author reviews these statistics and recommends a mental health approach to decrease the proportion of African American youths incarceratedfor drug offenses.
Racial Discrimination in Minors' Access to Tobacco
Authors: Landrine Hope , Klonoff Elizabeth A. , Alcaraz Roxanna
Published: March 2007

Eight Black and 8 White children attempted to purchase cigarettes in stores in Black versus White neighborhoods in California, where selling cigarettes to children is illegal. Each of the 16 children attempted to purchase cigarettes 36 times, in the same stores, at the same time of day, from I hour to 4 days apart, and in the same manner Results revealed thatBlack children were sold cigarettes significantly more often than White children, that they were sold these cigarettes by non-Black clerks and particularly in all-Black neighborhoods, and that adult customers made no efforts to stop them. These data indicate that racial discrimination on the part of non-Black store clerks and indifference on the part of the Black community both play a role in children's access to tobacco. The needfor Black communities to sustain tobacco control activities to prevent smoking among Black children is highlighted.
The Relation of Self-Perceptions to Achievement among African American Preschoolers
Authors: Justice Elaine M. , Lindsey Larry L. , Morrow Suzanne F.
Published: March 2007

The study examines the relations of self-concept, self-esteem, and racial preference to the academic achievement of African American preschool children. The children were 49 to 63 months of age and enrolled in a Head Start program. Three self-perception measures were obtained for each child, and a measure of academic achievement was obtained yielding 2 scores: a Knowledge Cluster Score and a Skills Cluster Score. Regression analyses indicated that academic self-esteem accounted for a significant amount of the variance in both the Knowledge and Skills Cluster Scores of the children. Racial attitude was also a significant predictor of Knowledge Cluster scores, and self-concept predicted Skills Cluster scores; however, these measures accounted for less variance in achievement than did academic self-esteem. Findings suggest that the development of academic self-esteem is important for the school achievement of minority children.
Goals and Reputations amongst Young Children
Authors: Carroll Annemaree , Houghton Stephen , Baglioni A. J.
Published: March 2007

The aim of the present research was to provide school psychologists with valid instruments with which to assess the goals and reputations of young children. This was achieved by ascertaining whether the factor structures and the second-order factor models of the high school versions of the Importance of Goals (Carroll, et al., 1997) and Reputation Enhancement Scales (Carroll, et al., 1999) could be replicated with a primary school sample. Eight hundred and eighty-six 10 to 12 year old children were administered modified versions of the two scales, which were combined and renamed the Children's Activity Questionnaire. For the two scales, the factor structure proved replicable and reliable with the primary school sample. A comparison between the factor loadings of the primary school and the high school samples using the coefficient of congruence procedure demonstrated similarity indicating that the scales are replicable and able to be used with a younger primary school sample. Structural equation modelling indicated that the second-order factor structure of the Importance of Goals Scale was acceptable but this was not the case for the second-order factor structure of the Reputation Enhancement Scale.
Comparison of the Revised and Original Versions of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development
Authors: Gagnon Sandra G. , Nagle Richard J.
Published: March 2007

Differences between Mental Scale scores on the revised Bayley Scales of Infant Development(BSID-II) and the original test (BSID) were evaluated. Both versions of the measure were administered to 32 subjects, ranging in age from 3 to 28 months, in counterbalanced order. Inter-test correlations indicated that the two versions of the test were significantly correlated (r = .76, p < 0.05). Significant differences between scores on the BSID-II (M = 105.97) and the original BSID (M = 124.38) were observed (t(31) = 8.41, p < 0.05). Children below the age of 12 months displayed slightly larger discrepancies than children above 12 months of age. This discrepancy did, however, appear to increase significantly with the developmental levels of the children, with subjects scoring above one standard deviation on the BSID displaying larger discrepancies than those at or below the normal range. These findings are important for psychologists, early interventionists and other professionals involved in the assessment of infants and toddlers as they interpret scores on the new Bayley Scales. This information is especially pertinent for children whose performance is evaluated longitudinally, since they will likely score lower on the new test than they did on the original Bayley Scales. The lower scores may lead to subsequent increases in the number of children who qualify for early intervention and special education services. Therefore, these findings are also important for those involved in the development and evaluation of intervention programs for young children. The findings are considered in terms of their applicability across cultures.
'It Hurts a Hell of a Lot...'
Authors: Owens Laurence , Slee Phillip , Shute Rosalyn
Published: March 2007

This article reports on a qualitative investigation of the effects of indirect aggression from peers (e.g. spreading false stories, exclusion from the group) on teenage girls. Focus groups, pair and individual interviews were conducted with teenage girls and their key teachers to explore the effects of indirect aggression on girls. The perceived characteristics of typical victims of indirect aggression also emerged from the study. The girls initially respond to indirect aggression with confusion and may deny suffering any ill-effects. However, as is the case with other forms of victimization, girls certainly experience a range of negative psychological effects including anxiety, loss of selfesteem and depression. This pain leads to a desire to escape through leaving the group or the school and even to thoughts of suicide. The girls fear that the harassment from peers may not end and witnesses or bystanders do not intervene for fear of what may happen to them. The pain of indirect aggression may be compounded by irrational self-talk by the girls. Some girls react to indirect aggression by retaliating against their aggressors and often conflict is resolved by girls who employ one-to-one strategies that avoid the power of the group. Some victims of indirect aggression are reported to bring the wrath of peers upon themselves through their actions in provoking others. However, the tendency to blame the victim may be a way of alleviating guilt on behalf of the perpetrators of aggression. Victims of indirect aggression may be particularly vulnerable if they are new or have few friends or lack assertiveness. An understanding of the painful effects of indirect aggression on girls is an important prelude to designing interventions to assist girls in their peer relationships.
Learning Environment, Meaningfulness of Schoolwork and on-Task-Orientation among Norwegian 9th Grade Students
Authors: Thuen Elin , Bru Edvin
Published: March 2007

The main aim of this study was to explore how learning environment dimensions are related to on-task-orientation, and how these relations are mediated by students' perceptions of the meaningfulness of schoolwork. The study was conducted as a survey among a representative sample of 2006 Norwegian 9th graders. Results showed that a majority of the students reported to be on-task-oriented during school lessons, however, between 10 and 20% reported to have problems with their on-task-orientation. At the same time, slightly more than half of the students reported their schoolwork to be useful, whereas one in five students reported their schoolwork to be rather uninteresting.

On-task-orientation was also found to be related to students' perceptions of several learning environment dimensions, primarily to students' perceptions of teacher support (academic and emotional), the possibility for influencing ones' schoolwork and the meaningfulness of schoolwork. Associations of perceptions of teachers' support and student influence with on-task-orientation were partly mediated via perceptions of the meaningfulness of schoolwork. Finally, results indicate that there is likely to be considerable room for improvement, within Norwegian schools at least, in the areas of teachers' emotional support of students, students' influence on schoolwork and the meaningfulness of school subjects.

For practising school psychologists results seem to imply an increased focus on the learning environment, and particularly on the importance of the social emotional dimensions for students' motivation and on-task-orientation. In order to bring about changes in the learning environment, counselling teachers on how to create a supportive learning environment with student influence could be one important way of approaching this field.
Childhood Bereavement
Authors: Ayyash-Abdo Huda
Published: March 2007

Nowadays children are increasingly exposed to death in their environment. The literature indicates that bereaved children make up a vulnerable population; they are at risk of developing psychological and behavioural dysfunctions as well as social difficulties. Just like adults, bereaved children need to relieve their painful thoughts by expressing their feelings and talking about the deceased with their family, friends and/or psychologist. However, children are often overlooked during such a crisis and their needs may be ignored because adult family members are preoccupied with their own grieving. These factors point to the need for intervention; the school psychologist, during this painful period, can be an important source of education, guidance and support for the child and the family. Responding appropriately to children's needs, however, requires an understanding of how they view and react to death. The main purpose of this article is to provide a review of the literature on children's developmental conceptions and reactions to death. In addition, suggestions are made as to provide appropriate intervention strategies that can be used by psychologists, such as individual counselling, play therapy, bibliotherapy, family counselling and group counselling.
Special Education in Thailand
Authors: Ayawongse Ladda , Pungah Pranom
Published: March 2007

In Thailand, the first institution for the disabled was established in 1938, when a school for the Blind was opened in Bangkok by the Foundation for the Blind in Thailand, under the initiative of a blind American lady, Miss Genevieve Caulfield. The government sector followed suit by establishing an experimental unit for the deaf at a municipal school in Bangkok in 1957. The following year, the first school for the deaf in the country was established. The Special Education Division was created in 1952 in the Department of Elementary and Adult Education of the Ministry of Education. The Division has since acted as the coordinating centre of special education for disadvantaged handicapped children.
Assessment of Differences between Learning-Disabled and Normally-Achieving Students
Authors: Rewilak Dmytro , Janzen Henry L.
Published: March 2007

A discriminant function analysis of cognitive and achievement measures was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of differentiating between learning-disabled (LD) and normally-achieving (NA) students. Subjects were 37 LD and 44 NA subjects (mean age 8.8 years). Groups were matched for age, sex, IQ and socio-economic status. Results indicated no sex difference within LD and NA groups. The LD children performed significantly lower on all measures. The total test battery proved highly effective in differentiating between LD and NA children, yielding a hit rate of 90 per cent using Bayesian and Chi-square probability models. The Bender and VADS were most contributory while the self-concept measure (SPAS) proved the least in ability to differentiate between LD and NA groups. The VADS, in isolation, misclassified 40 per cent of the children (25 per cent of LD; 15 per cent of NA), supporting the position that test batteries have more utility and value than single measures.
Job Satisfaction Amongst School Psychologists and School Counsellors in Israel
Authors: Raviv Amiram , Wiesner Ezra , Raviv Alona
Published: March 2007

The assessment of school psychologists' satisfaction with various aspects of their job may enhance the understanding of the problems presently faced by the profession in Israel. The analysis of the results of two surveys conducted in Israel on school psychologists and teacher counsellors, and the comparison between their satisfaction with extrinsic and intrinsic factors in their work, revealed that, in comparison to teacher counsellors, school psychologists were less satisfied with the extrinsic factors, such as salary, status and advancement opportunities. The two groups expressed similar degrees of satisfaction with the intrinsic factors. However, school psychologists expressed a much greater general satisfaction with their profession than teacher counsellors. The implications are discussed.
Problems Perceived by Iranian Adolescents
Authors: Ghazi Ghassem
Published: March 2007

Two separate studies investigated problems perceived by Iranian adolescents attending Tehran Junior High Schools. The first study was launched before the Islamic Revolution of Iran (1977), and the second took place eight years later (in 1985) after the revolution. The instrument used in both studies was the Mooney Problem Check List - Form J, Revised (1950), which was translated into Farsi (Persian) for administration to Iranian students. The aim of this paper is to present similarities and differences among both studies concerning students' problems, before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran. Generally speaking, students' problems show an increase after the revolution. Adolescents' problems have a negative but highly correlated relationship with family socioeconomic status, both before and after the revolution. When compared with girls' problems, boys' problems were higher before the revolution.
Feasibility of the American Special Education Resource Room Model for Japanese Students with Learning and/or Behavior Problems
Authors: Prewitt Patricia Woods , Sakai Taro , Iwaki Fumiko
Published: March 2007

Services for children with physical handicaps and severe mental retardation in Japan are excellent. Services for emotionally disturbed children are non-existent in many parts of the country and, where they do exist, are considered inadequate by Japanese educators. This study, a 2 year co-operative effort by Baylor University and the Midway Independent School District in Waco, Texas and Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka, Japan, examines the feasibility of using the resource room model in Japanese schools to provide the missing services for mild to moderately disturbed children and to make possible early identification and remediation of emotional problems in the schools. Two hundred and fifty-seven teachers, parents, professors of education and education supervisors, and staff members of a center for the handicapped were shown a one-hour videotape depicting staffing patterns, organization, and a typical resource room. Demographic data, answers to objective questions, and answers to open-ended questions were obtained and analyzed. Response indicates that Japanese educators and parents do favor the adoption of the resource room concept with appropriate modifications for the Japanese culture.
Vocational Assessment in the USA
Authors: Anderson William Tucker , Hohenshil Thomas H.
Published: March 2007

Vocational assessment is part of expected practice for school psychologists in the USA. The authors discuss how school psychologists can facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from the elementary school to secondary schools, and employment. Major vocational assessment techniques are reviewed and vocational implications of traditional assessment procedures are presented.
School Psychology in Brazil
Authors: Oakland Thomas , Wechsler Solange
Published: March 2007

This article discusses the infrastructure of school psychology in Brazil and reviews the nature of scholarly literature relevant to school psychology. Basic features of Brazil, its culture and its educational characteristics are briefly described in order to provide a context for understanding the status of school psychology's research infrastructure in Brazil. The review of scholarly literature discusses the ages and other personal characteristics of subjects, common sources of data, typical data analyses, psychological variables examined and other research and publishing characteristics. Relative to the five stages that seemingly characterize the development of psychology in Third World nations, Brazil is within the third stage and is emerging into the fourth in which Brazilian psychologists are conducting and publishing more research relevant to its culture and society.