Christy M. Walcott

A Longitudinal Investigation of Inattention and Preliteracy Development

Objective: The link between significant attention problems and reading difficulties among school-age children is clear, but few have examined the impact of early inattention on preliteracy development. This longitudinal study examines this link. Method: A total of 47 children had repeated measures of teacher-rated attention problems and three key preliteracy skills (phonemic awareness, letter knowledge, and rapid naming) in both preschool and kindergarten. Results: Teacher-reported attention problems in preschool significantly and negatively predicted both phonemic awareness and letter naming scores 1 year later, even after controlling for initial language ability and preschool performance on these tasks. Levels of preschool inattention did not significantly predict rapid automatic naming 1 year later. Likewise, preschool preliteracy scores did not predict attention problems in kindergarten. Conclusion: Early attention problems may interfere with the acquisition of certain preliteracy skills. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are presented. (J. of Att. Dis. 2010; 14(1) 79-85)

Examining the Validity of the Homework Performance Questionnaire: Multi-Informant Assessment in Elementary and Middle School

Methods for measuring homework performance have been limited primarily to parent reports of homework deficits. The Homework Performance Questionnaire (HPQ) was developed to assess the homework functioning of students in Grades 1 to 8 from the perspective of both teachers and parents. The purpose of this study was to examine the factorial validity of teacher and parent versions of this scale, and to evaluate gender and grade-level differences in factor scores. The HPQ was administered in 4 states from varying regions of the United States. The validation sample consisted of students (n = 511) for whom both parent and teacher ratings were obtained (52% female, mean of 9.5 years of age, 79% non-Hispanic, and 78% White). The cross-validation sample included 1,450 parent ratings and 166 teacher ratings with similar demographic characteristics. The results of confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the best-fitting model for teachers was a bifactor solution including a general factor and 2 orthogonal factors, referring to student self-regulation and competence. The best-fitting model for parents was also a bifactor solution, including a general factor and 3 orthogonal factors, referring to student self-regulation, student competence, and teacher support of homework. Gender differences were identified for the general and self-regulation factors of both versions. Overall, the findings provide strong support for the HPQ as a multi-informant, multidimensional measure of homework performance that has utility for the assessment of elementary and middle school students.

Effectiveness of a Computer-Assisted Intervention for Young Children with Attention and Reading Problems

Children who are significantly inattentive and poor early readers require intervention, and traditional tutoring approaches may not be effective with this group. Using a single-subject, multiple-baseline-across-participants design, Study 1 examines whether a computer-assisted reading intervention increases performance for three first-grade children with teacher-rated inattention and early reading problems. Study 2 replicates this intervention using three second-grade students. The independent variable was an evidence-based computer-assisted intervention (Earobics). Dependent variables were oral reading fluency, phoneme segmentation, and attention-to-task. Results provide evidence of reading gains, suggesting moderate size effects. For all, attention-to-task was higher during the computer-assisted intervention than during small-group reading instruction. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. The use of computer-assisted interventions for children who are inattentive and poor early readers may be an effective solution to improve reading performance.

A Comparison of Two Measures of School Psychologists’ Job Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to establish the concurrent and construct validity of the Job Satisfaction Scales (JSS) and a modified version of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) using a sample of practicing school psychologists. Strong internal consistency was determined within each of the job satisfaction instruments. Correlations between the MSQ and JSS provide evidence of concurrent validity based on the significant positive relationships between paired scales. There was no significant difference between the MSQ and JSS standard scores for overall job satisfaction. The strong evidence of construct validity suggests that research using the MSQ and JSS can be compared with confidence, in that similar constructs are being evaluated. There are some differences between the two instruments that might make one instrument more useful than the other for particular research purposes.

Risk and resilience factors for grade retention in youth with sickle cell disease

Youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at higher risk for grade retention than healthy peers. This is salient because research suggests grade retention is ineffective and places youth at additional risk for negative outcomes. The aims of the present study were to identify possible risk factors for grade retention in youth with SCD and to examine positive family functioning as a possible resilience factor.

Knowledge and Awareness of Sickle Cell Trait Among Young African American Adults.

Sickle cell trait (SCT) places individuals at risk of passing an abnormal hemoglobin gene to biological children and is associated with rare but serious complications. The present study sought to examine knowledge of SCT and awareness of personal trait status among 258 young African American adults. Participants were surveyed regarding demographics, medical history, and sources of sickle cell information before completing a trait knowledge questionnaire. Overall, participants possessed significant misinformation about the condition. Women and those who had learned about sickle cell from families displayed higher levels of knowledge. Most participants were uncertain of personal trait status, and many did not wish to be informed of it. Health care providers should be alert that individuals with SCT may be unaware of their condition and potential reproductive and health implications. Screening and reporting procedures should be examined to ensure individuals have access to and control of this vital health information.

Experiences of Pediatric Patients With Sickle Cell Disease in Rural Emergency Departments.

Background: The aims of this study were to describe guardian perceptions of the experiences of a sample of youth with sickle cell disease (SCD) in rural emergency departments (EDs) with a focus on overall patient satisfaction and characteristics of care. Procedure: Guardians of 139 children with SCD (0 to 17 y) seen at a rural pediatric SCD clinic completed a survey concerning their children’s ED experiences in the past 6 months, including information about ED wait times, quality of communications and interactions with the ED health care providers, pain management, perceptions of speed of care, and overall satisfaction. Results: About 41% of guardians reported that their child visited the ED in the past 6 months. Guardians reported moderate satisfaction with ED care. About 25% of those who visited the ED indicated that health care providers did not spend enough time with them and their children did not receive speedy care. Shorter ED wait times and higher ratings of speed of care predicted higher satisfaction. Conclusions: Families of youth with SCD are experiencing longer wait times in rural EDs which contribute to dissatisfaction with care. Efforts are needed to develop strategies to reduce ED wait times and improve speed of care which may improve outcomes following ED care.

Commentary on “Lessons Learned From Leading an Anger Management Group Using the ‘Seeing Red’ Curriculum in an Elementary School”

This is a commentary on the article by E. L. Sportsman, J. S. Carlson, and K. M. Guthrie (2010/this issue) on the application and evaluation of a specific anger management group intervention called “Seeing Red.” The author discusses issues of implementation and use, how practitioners choose and judge evidence-based interventions, and methods for documenting intervention effectiveness. This reflection on the companion article is presented to allow readers to contemplate the potential use and challenges of using the Seeing Red intervention within a school setting.