Eero Laakkonen

Development of and Relationship Between Phonological and Motivational Processes and Naming Speed in Predicting Word Recognition in Grade 1

In this 2-year longitudinal study the developmental relationships among letter knowledge, phonological awareness, rapid naming, and task orientation were examined, and linguistic-motivational pathways of word reading acquisition were traced from kindergarten to Grade 1 by means of structural equation modeling. The participants were 100 Finnish-speaking nonreaders. Results showed that kindergarten (5–6 years) letter knowledge predicted subsequent preschool (6–7 years) phonological awareness and task orientation. RAN was a unique longitudinal and concurrent predictor of word recognition, suggesting that rapid naming provides a reliable prediction of prospective word reading ability at least in a transparent language. Controlling for phonological awareness and rapid naming, task orientation contributed uniquely to the prediction of word reading competence, suggesting that motivational and linguistic factors are both at work as children face the gradually growing demands of learning to read and write in Grade 1.

The role of parenting self-efficacy in childrenś social and academic behavior

A latent variable structural model was constructed to test the relations among mothers’ and fathers’ parenting self-efficacy (PSE), their loneliness, and their child’s peer-evaluated social competence, self-evaluated loneliness, teacher-evaluated motivational orientation, and academic skills. In order to do this, first the Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index (Coleman & Karraker, 2000) was applied to a sample of mothers (n=876) and fathers (n=696) to test the relevance of these parenting task categories to Finnish mothers and fathers. The results of the latent variable structural model indicated a strong relationship between both mothers’ and fathers’ loneliness and their PSE, consisting of Nurturance, Discipline, Recreation, and Participation factors. Moreover, there was a modest relationship between parents’ PSE and their child’s social competence and consequently between social competence and child’s loneliness. The relationship between PSE and child’s academic achievement were mediated via child’s social competence.RésuméDans la présente étude, nous avons construit un modèle structural de variables latentes afin d’étudier les relations entre des variables observées telles que le sentiment d’auto-efficacité des parents (père et mère), leur solitude, ainsi que l’évaluation par pairs de la compétence sociale de l’enfant, l’évaluation de la solitude par les enfants eux-mêmes, et finalement l’évaluation par les enseignants de l’orientation motivationnelle et les habiletés académiques de l’enfant. A cette fin, nous avons d’abord appliqué l’indice de tâc he pour mesurer la perception d’auto-efficacité parentale (the Self-Efficacy for Parenting Tasks Index; Coleman & Karraker, 2000) auprès d’un certain nombre de mères (n=876) et pères (n=696). Sur la base de ces résultats, nous en avons jugé la pertinence pour exploiter ces catégories de tâches parentales chez les mères finlandais. Il ressort des analyses effectuées par l’intermédiaire du modèle structural des variables latentes qu’il y a une corrélation étroite entre la solitude et le sentiment d’auto-efficacité par l’intermédiaire du modèle structural des variables latentes qu’il y a une corrélation étroite entre la solitude et le sentiment d’auto-efficacité parental et ceci aussi bien chez des mères que des pères. Les facteurs qui ont été pris en compte sont: la Nutrition et les Soins de santé, la Discipline, les Loisirs et la Participation. En outre, il y avait une corrélation modèrée entre le sentiment d’auto-efficacité parental et la compétence sociale de leur enfant.

Malpresentations – impact on mode of delivery

Fetal malpresentation, including persistent occipitoposterior position, is a major cause of dystocia resulting in obstetric interventions. We studied malpresentation among 11 957 consecutive singleton deliveries from 1995 to 2004. There were 1 030 deliveries with a malpresentation (8.6%). Cephalic malpresentations occurred in 5.4% of deliveries (persistent occipitoposterior 5.2%, face 0.1%, brow 0.14%), and 3.1% had breech presentation and 0.12% a transverse lie. The odds ratios (OR) for cesarean section were 14.89 (95%CI 11.91–18.63) in breech presentation and 4.57 (95% CI 3.85–5.42) in persistent occipitoposterior presentation. With persistent occipitoposterior position, the OR for instrumental vaginal delivery was 3.84 (95%CI 3.14–4.70). Primiparity was associated with increased malpresentation risks, as 54.6% of those with malpresentations were primiparous compared with 41.7% of those without (OR 1.68, 95%CI 1.48–1.91, p < 0.001). Primiparous women required more cesarean sections (OR 1.92, 95%CI 1.50–2.47) and instrumental deliveries (OR 2.89, 95%CI 1.50–2.47). Malpresentation frequently leads to cesarean section or instrumental delivery, especially among primiparous women.

The developmental trajectory of perceived self-regulation, personal interest, and general achievement throughout high school: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND Our interest in perceived self-regulation of learning arose in the context of educational reform. After decades of stability, the Finnish high school system underwent reform in the 1990s, with a significant emphasis being placed on promoting student self-regulation of learning. AIMS The purposes of the study were (1) to evaluate changes in the mean level of perceived self-regulation throughout high school and (2) to evaluate the nature of the developmental relations between achievement, perceived self-regulation, and personal interest. SAMPLE The participants consisted of 245 systematically sampled high school students from a mid-sized Finnish city. METHODS T tests for paired samples were employed to assess changes in the level of personal interest and perceived self-regulation. Analysis of the developmental relations was carried out within a structural equations modelling framework. RESULTS The main result was that perceived self-regulation at the beginning of high school predicted not only scholastic achievement at the end of high school over and above prior achievement, but also subsequent personal interest. Additionally, following an international trend, the level of perceived self-regulation decreased from the first to third year of study. CONCLUSIONS The study has important theoretical and practical implications. First, the results suggest that perceived self-regulation and personal interest are only partially explained by achievement. Second, it appears that perceived self-regulation drives personal interest, not the other way around. Finally, ways for teachers and schools to sustain perceived self-regulation throughout the high school years are discussed.

Longitudinal Study on the Co‐Occurrence of Peer Problems at Daycare Centre, in Preschool and First Grade of School

This longitudinal research was designed to examine the prevalence and co‐occurrence of peer problems such as rejection, withdrawal, loneliness, bullying, and victimization experienced by children (99 boys, 80 girls) in their everyday lives at daycare, in preschool and first grade of school—each successive spring—at the ages of 5, 6, and 7. Children were evaluated in individual testing sessions each year by peer interviews consisting of separate assessments of all problems. The results supported our hypothesis that children’s peer problems were common, indicating co‐occurrence, variability, and stability as well as changes over the years. There were some children who had a poorer prognosis than the others because their disadvantaged positions within their peer groups seemed to be unchanging between the successive years.

Recurrent persistent occipito‐posterior position in subsequent deliveries

A nine year follow up study of the delivery pattern of 119 women after delivery in the persistent occiput posterior position and their occipito‐anterior controls. The studied parameters were: number of deliveries, number of repeated cases of persistent occiput posterior position and operative deliveries. Deliveries in the occipito‐posterior position were more common in the study group than in the controls (P= 0.031). Except for this, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups. According to the results, recurrence of the persistent occiput posterior position is common. A history of delivery in the persistent occiput posterior position does not seem to have any major impact on future childbearing.

The Role of Beliefs and Motivational Variables in Enhancing Word Problem Solving

ABSTRACT A Word Problem Enrichment programme (WPE) has been found to increase student word problem solving performance when facing non-routine and application problems. However, it is unknown if the WPE has an impact on student beliefs about word problem solving and how the WPE works for students with different motivation in learning mathematics. This study investigated the impact of the WPE on student beliefs about word problem solving by using Latent Profile Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling to analyse relations among the different cognitive, motivation, and belief factors. A total of 170 fourth- and sixth-grade students from elementary schools participated. Results showed that the effects of WPE are various depending on students’ initial motivation level. The impacts of the WPE on student beliefs were found only in students with a low initial motivation level, while its impacts on student problem-solving performance were found only in students with a high initial motivation level.