Annemaree Carroll

Differential patterns of executive function in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder according to gender and subtype

The present investigation examined differential patterns in executive functions of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; no diagnosed comorbid disorders) according to subtype and gender, and identified instrumentation sensitive to executive function in children aged 6 to 12 years with ADHD. Data were obtained from 94 children diagnosed with ADHD (predominantly inattentive, n = 32, ADHD combined, n = 62), and from 28 controls. Participants with ADHD, who were unmedicated at the time of testing, were administered five tests of executive function (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Stroop Color-Word Test, the Matching Familiar Figures Test, the Trail Making Test, and the Tower of London). A two-way multivariate analysis of covariance with age as the covariate and subtype and gender as the independent variables was conducted on all of the tests administered. While children with ADHD predominantly inattentive and those with ADHD combined differed from controls, it was only the latter subtype that differed significantly in perseveration and response inhibition. The absence of diagnosed comorbidity in the children with ADHD at the time of test administration demonstrates that the impairments in executive function are clearly located in ADHD, particularly in the ADHD combined subtype, thus providing support for Barkleys proposed unifying theory of ADHD. (J Child Neurol 1999;14:801-805).

A Review of the Research on Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Works Best?

This meta-analysis examined 74 studies in which there had been an intervention that aimed to improve the behavioral, cognitive, and/or social functioning of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or attention deficit disorder (ADD). Overall, there were larger effects of the various interventions on behavioral than on educational outcomes. These overall effects were larger for medical interventions than for educational, psychosocial, or parent training interventions, but there was little support for flow-over effects, from the reduction in behavior problems to enhanced educational outcomes. The effects on educational outcomes were greater for educational interventions than for other types of intervention.

Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievement in Australian High School Students: The Mediating Effects of Academic Aspirations and Delinquency.

Studies have shown that self-efficacy, aspirational, and other psychosocial influences account for considerable variance in academic achievement through a range of mediational pathways, although no research to date has tested the mediational relationships identified. The present research investigated the structural relations among self-efficacy, academic aspirations, and delinquency, on the academic achievement of 935 students aged 11-18 years from ten schools in two Australian cities. The Childrens Self-Efficacy Scale, Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale (Revised), and Childrens Academic Aspirations Scale were administered to participants prior to academic achievement being assessed using mid-year school grades. Structural equation modeling was employed to test three alternative models for the relationships from academic, social, and self-regulatory efficacy on academic achievement. A partial mediation model showed the best overall fit to the data. Academic and self-regulatory efficacy had an indirect negative effect through delinquency and a direct positive effect on academic achievement. Academic and social self-efficacy had positive and negative relationships, respectively, with academic aspiration and academic achievement; however, the relationship between academic aspiration and academic achievement was not significant in the final model.

Goal Setting among Adolescents: A Comparison of Delinquent, At-Risk and Not-at-Risk Youth.

A series of studies was conducted to compare group differences in the goal orientations of delinquent, at-risk, and not-at-risk adolescents. An Importance of Goals Scale was developed by examining the item responses of 230 high school students and validated by administering the revised scale to 80 delinquent, 90 at-risk, and 90 not-at-risk adolescents. Results identified differences in the importance attributed to different goals by the 3 groups. Delinquent and at-risk adolescents attached significantly more importance to goals associated with developing a social image (e.g., delinquency, freedom-autonomy), whereas not-at-risk adolescents were more concerned with goals associated with an academic image (e.g., educational, interpersonal). Results are discussed in terms of their implications for school achievement, peer relations, and future life paths.

An adaptation of Mak's self-reported delinquency scale for Western Australian adolescents

Abstract A series of studies was conducted to adapt the Australian Self-reported Delinquency Scale (Mak, 1993) for use with adolescents in the State of Western Australia. First, an item construction and analysis study was conducted to determine whether variations in State laws and rules between the Australian Capital Territory (where Maks scale was developed) and Western Australia would require the deletion or addition of items to the present scale. As a result of this study, two items were deleted and six items were added to the scale. Second, the factor structure and content validity of the scale were tested by examining the item responses of 230 high-school students to determine whether the same nine factors obtained by Mak would be yielded. The outcomes of this analysis identified seven factors, which were labelled theft and burglary, motor vehicle offences, drug-related offences, assault, vandalism, public disorder, and school-related offences. Finally, the scale was validated by comparing the item ...

Rates of cyber victimization and bullying among male australian primary and high school students

The prevalence and nature of electronic forms of bullying (cyberbullying) was investigated among 1,530 primary and secondary school aged male students (Years 6 to 12; 9-18 years, chronologically) in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. Findings revealed that victimization via the Internet was the most common form of cyberbullying with 11.5 percent of students reporting at least one experience of it during the school year. A significant main effect was found, with junior secondary school students (Years 8 to 10) the most likely to be victimized in this manner. With regard to the cyberbullying of others, the Internet was again the most commonly employed method, with 8.5 percent of students reporting using it. A main effect was evident between year levels for all four forms of cyberbullying investigated. The transmission of electronic images was the least reported form of cyberbullying experienced (4.8 percent) and the least frequently perpetrated form of cyberbullying (3.7 percent), which is less than the only other study conducted reporting such data. These findings are discussed in the light of the relatively limited cyberbullying research undertaken to date.

Goal-setting and reputation enhancement: Behavioural choices among delinquent, at-risk and not at-risk adolescents

Purpose. The purpose of the present research was to investigate the relationships among goal-setting, reputation enhancement (striving to project a nonconforming, tough image) and delinquent behaviour in adolescents. Methods. Participants were 80 incarcerated delinquent, 90 at-risk and 90 not at-risk adolescent males, ranging in age from 12 to 18 years, who completed four scales: the Adapted Self-Report Delinquency Scale, the Importance of Goals Scale, the Reputation Enhancement Scale, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results. Four second-order factors (self-reported delinquency, self-presentation, conforming reputation, non-conforming reputation) were derived from the 31 first-order factors of the four scales. A series of multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) and univariate F tests were then performed on each of the four sets of dependent variables which revealed that the goals of delinquent and at-risk participants were more congruent with a non-conforming reputation, compared to those of the not at-risk participants who set goals which were more congruent with a conforming reputation. Conclusions. The integration of goal-setting theory and reputation enhancement theory tested in this research provides an alternative analysis of delinquency using a social-psychological approach. Identification of the phenomenon of nonconforming reputation enhancement among delinquent and at-risk adolescents highlights the necessity to provide a differentiated intervention for working with these particular young people.

Validation of the factor structure of the interactions with disabled persons scale

The Interactions with Disabled Persons Scale (IDP; Gething, 1991b) is designed to measure attitudes towards people with a disability. Factor analysis of the 20-item scale has identified six relatively stable and correlated factors tapping different aspects of discomfort during contact with people with disabilities (Gething, 1992, 1994). The present study investigated the factor structure of the IDP scale using 2,850 pre-service teachers from six universities in Australia and South Africa. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the six-factor model fitted the data from both the Australian and South African samples. A two-factor solution reported by MacLean and Gannon (1995) was rejected. Further analysis of subscales formed from these factors showed that scores were weakly related to gender, previous contact with people with disabilities, and length of full-time employment prior to commencing study.

Health-related quality of life in Australian children with asthma: lessons for the cross-cultural use of quality of life instruments

The development of Australian forms of the Childhood Asthma Questionnaires (CAQs) is reported. Focus group methods and psychometric analyses were used to establish the conceptual, semantic and technical equivalence of these forms with the UK versions. Both versions also provide for data collection from non-asthmatic youngsters. The internal consistency was found to be acceptable (Cronbachs α 0.52–0.90) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores were found to vary with asthma severity (p<0.05). Comparison with the UK data revealed that the non-asthmatic scores were higher for Australian than British children (p<0.001) but that the scores for children with asthma did not differ between the two countries. It was only in the Australian sample that the group with asthma reported impaired HRQoL when compared to their healthy peers. These findings were interpreted in the context of cultural expectations of life quality and conclusions are presented regarding the importance of the gap between experience and expectations. The difficulties raised by the developmental and cultural issues inherent in paediatric HRQoL research were discussed.

Dynamics within the Bully/Victim Paradigm: A Qualitative Analysis.

The present research examined whether high school students ethically justify bullying behaviour within a school context. Ten students, purposefully selected because of their specific roles within the bully/victim paradigm, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data analysis using the constant comparative method associated with grounded theory revealed complex social structures that existed within the purposefully selected sample. These structures are dynamic and demand compliance by students. The consequences for dissent are social isolation and exclusion. A students categorisation within the bully/victim paradigm may be determined by their ability to comply with the requirements of the complex constructs in the school social environment.