Evelyn R. Oka

Self-Regulated Learning among Exceptional Children

Self-regulated learning should be an educational objective for handicapped children and unsuccessful students. Self-regulated learning combines cognitive skill and motivational will so that students can select challenging tasks, apply effective learning strategies, and measure their success against personal standards. Self-regulated learning builds confidence in children and enables them to acquire effective problem-solving skills that extend beyond the classroom. A variety of classroom programs that enhance childrens learning strategies, metacognition, and motivation, are described to show how instruction can foster self-regulated learning.

Strategies for Comprehending Text and Coping with Reading Difficulties

Reading is a foundation for literacy and education, yet it presents formidable problems for learning disabled children. Although some of these difficulties may have specific perceptual or phonological roots, we argue that they become pervasive roadblocks to learning and motivation. Thus, children who cannot decode words, identify main ideas, or summarize text well become frustrated. We discuss how, as a result of such frustration, learning disabled children develop counterproductive coping strategies and fail to use effective cognitive strategies. Interventions that teach students (a) how to use strategies selectively and (b) how to set goals, persevere, and make accurate attributions while reading help learning disabled readers significantly. The metacognitive and motivational characteristics of these successful interventions will be considered in terms of “cognitive coaching.” Instruction that incorporates the twin goals of enabling and empowering students is likely to lead to stable improvements in both acquisition and use of adaptive learning strategies.

Multicultural Issues in Evidence-Based Interventions

SUMMARY School psychologists involved in the delivery of psychological and educational interventions face the challenge of identifying interventions that will work within their schools. The evidence-based intervention (EBI) approach has received attention as a promising way to identify effective interventions. The national Task Force on Evidence Based Interventions in School Psychology (sponsored by the American Psychological Association Division 16 and the Society for the Study of School Psychology, and endorsed by the National Association of School Psychologists) has developed coding criteria to review, evaluate, and identify efficacious interventions. This paper expands the work of the Multicultural and Diversity Committee of the EBI Task Force and offers direction for school psychologists in selecting and implementing interventions appropriate for their settings. We explore the meaning of EBIs in the context of a diverse world and discuss the cultural considerations that are necessary to responsibly adopt an EBI perspective. The paper is organized into three sections where we (a) examine EBIs from a multicultural perspective, (b) describe recent advances in infusing a multicultural perspective into EBI work and the Procedural and Coding Manual for Review of EBIs, and (c) offer a set of guidelines for making decisions about implementing an EBI in a new setting.

Parent–Child Conflict, Acculturation Gap, Acculturative Stress, and Behavior Problems in Arab American Adolescents:

The current study examined how acculturation gap, acculturative stress, parent–child conflict, and behavior problems are related in a sample of Arab American adolescents. Seventy-six parent–child dyads completed questionnaires assessing acculturation, parent–child conflict, and behavior problems. Parents and adolescents reported similar levels of acculturation on American mainstream orientation as well as on Arab heritage orientation. Regression analyses showed that the acculturation gap between parents and children in heritage cultural orientation significantly predicted adolescent behavior problems. Mediation analyses revealed that adolescent-reported parent–child conflict partially mediated the relation between acculturative stress and behavior problems. Parent-reported parent–child conflict partially mediated the relation between the acculturation gap and behavior problems. Current findings highlight the importance of examining adolescents’ and parents’ acculturation as well as the underpinnings of parent–child conflict in Arab American families.

Factors Contributing to the Psychosocial Adjustment of Ugandan Preschool Children with HIV/AIDS

This chapter examines the internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems of 119 preschool-age children with HIV/AIDS in Uganda. Variables are examined according to an ecological model of stress and coping consistent with the co-constructivist approach proposed by Li (Psychol Bull 129:171–194, 2003). Specifically, the context in which the child is living (e.g., health variables, demographic variables, home environment, and caregiver variables represented by who is caring for the child, caregiver anxiety and depression, and child outcomes (internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior concerns) are examined. A dynamic relationship between the context and child was discovered. Nearly 45 % of the children within the sample exhibited internalizing behavior concerns. The caregiving environment, as well as caregiver adjustment (anxiety and depression), was predictive of child internalizing behaviors. Furthermore, child characteristics and demographic variables (gender, medication status, and socioeconomic status) contributed to the adjustment of the caregiver. These findings demonstrate the dynamic and reciprocal relationship between young children with HIV/AIDS in Uganda and the context in which they live.

The Culturally Relevant Assessment of Ebonics-Speaking Children

Professional organizations and federal legislation stipulate that assessments of all students must be fair and unbiased. Although these entities provide guidance, there continues to be a gap between guidelines and practice. This article examines the nature of culturally competent practice with Ebonics-speaking youth. Many school psychologists face challenges such as large caseloads, lack of knowledge about Ebonics, and limited access to culturally appropriate assessment materials. The present article fills this gap by providing practitioners with information on the history of Ebonics, implications for the students they assess, and practical ways to address these issues with limited resources.

Examining the Psychosocial Adjustment and School Performance of Ugandan Children with HIV/AIDS

Every day, 1,100 children around the world are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), most as a result of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the virus [United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 2007]. In 2007 alone, an estimated 420,000 children worldwide were newly infected almost exclusively through MTCT (UNICEF 2008).