Norah Frederickson

The contribution of callous-unemotional traits and conduct problems to bullying in early adolescence

BACKGROUND Although a lot is known about the association of conduct problems with bullying, less attention has been paid to co-occurring traits, such as callous-unemotional (CU) traits that might additionally contribute to the risk of engaging in bullying. This study investigated the contribution of CU traits to direct and indirect bullying, alongside the contributions made by conduct problems and gender. METHODS Seven hundred and four 11-13-year-olds completed self-report measures of callous-emotional traits and psychopathology, including conduct problems. Peer-report measures of direct and indirect bullying were collected from classmates. RESULTS Higher levels of CU traits were associated with higher levels of direct bullying, over and above the association between bullying and conduct problems. Conduct problems and CU traits interacted in the prediction of both direct and indirect bullying. In line with previous research, males were more likely to engage in direct and females in indirect bullying. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of viewing CU traits and conduct problems, not only as related phenomena, but also as distinct entities in mediating the underlying susceptibility of children to bully others directly. Furthermore, a combination of these traits appears to be a particularly potent risk factor for both direct and indirect bullying. Implications for intervention are discussed, in particular the concern that lack of empathy and insensitivity to punishment in those with CU traits may also make them particularly resistant to current forms of bullying intervention.

Evidence of a highly specific relationship between rapid automatic naming of digits and text reading speed.

This paper explores the specificity of the relationship between rapid automatic naming and reading fluency. Reading accuracy, rate, and fluency was measured among a sample of 67 children, the majority of whom were very poor readers. Regression analyses revealed that phonological processing tasks predicted reading accuracy and comprehension whereas rapid digit (but not picture) naming predicted reading accuracy and rate. After further controlling reading accuracy, digit naming was still a significant predictor of reading rate. This suggests that rapid alphanumeric naming is a highly specific predictor of reading rate and that rapid digit naming and phonological processing are distinct contributors to different aspects of reading in poor readers.

Relationships among rapid digit naming, phonological processing, motor automaticity, and speech perception in poor, average, and good readers and spellers.

In this article, we explore the relationship between rapid automatized naming (RAN) and other cognitive processes among below-average, average, and above-average readers and spellers. Nonsense word reading, phonological awareness, RAN, automaticity of balance, speech perception, and verbal short-term and working memory were measured. Factor analysis revealed a 3-component structure. The first component included phonological processing tasks, RAN, and motor balance. The second component included verbal short-term and working memory tasks. Speech perception loaded strongly as a third component, associated negatively with RAN. The phonological processing tests correlated most strongly with reading ability and uniquely discriminated average from below- and above-average readers in terms of word reading, reading comprehension, and spelling. On word reading, comprehension, and spelling, RAN discriminated only the below-average group from the average performers. Verbal memory, as assessed by word list recall, additionally discriminated the below-average group from the average group on spelling performance. Motor balance and speech perception did not discriminate average from above- or below-average performers. In regression analyses, phonological processing measures predicted word reading and comprehension, and both phonological processing and RAN predicted spelling.

Explaining individual differences in scholastic behaviour and achievement

BACKGROUND This paper presents results from the first wave of a longitudinal study examining the effects of various psychosocial variables on scholastic achievement and behaviour at school. AIMS The main aim is to investigate the nature and strength of the effects of major individual difference dimensions on important outcome variables at school level, including academic performance, truancy, and antisocial behaviour. SAMPLES Data were collected from a sample of 901 pupils on verbal ability (as a proxy for cognitive ability), personality traits, and a number of behavioural indices, including academic performance at 14 and 16 years, number of authorized and unauthorized absences, and exclusions from school due to antisocial conduct. METHODS During the first stage of the study, seven schools participated in all three phases. Teachers administered a questionnaire battery in class according to a detailed protocol. Additional data were collected from school archives. RESULTS Analysis of the data through multi-group (male and female pupils) structural equation modelling indicated a very strong effect of verbal ability on academic performance. Extraversion and psychoticism were negatively related to academic performance, although their effects were weak and moderated by gender. Verbal ability, extraversion, and psychoticism predicted absenteeism, truancy, and exclusions from school due to disruptive conduct. The latter three were negatively associated with academic performance. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that major individual difference dimensions like verbal ability and personality traits, have a strong influence on important outcome variables at school level, including academic performance, truancy, and antisocial behaviour. Without fully acknowledging the crucial role of individual differences in shaping behaviour and achievement at school, the timely identification of pupils at risk, and the development of effective intervention schemes will be difficult.

Investigating the Evidence Base of Social Stories

Social stories were developed in order to support individuals with autism to better cope with social situations, an area of particular difficulty for this population. Despite its growing popularity, there is limited research evidence on the effectiveness of this approach. A review of research on social stories undertaken between 1994 and 2004 was carried out and the strengths and limitations of these studies discussed. Conclusions are drawn about ways in which future research might further develop the evidence base for the approach and about the confidence with which educational psychologists (EPs) can at present recommend this intervention.

Utilizing the Classroom Peer Group to Address Children's Social Needs: An Evaluation of the Circle of Friends Intervention Approach

The results of a two-phase small-scale evaluation study of the Circle of Friends intervention approach are reported. This approach uses the classroom peer group to improve the social acceptance of a class-mate who has special needs. The study participants were 20 children with emotional and behavioral difficulties, ages 6 to 12 years, and their nondisabled classmates. In Phase 1, a between-group design was adopted, with 10 children randomly selected to receive the intervention. In Phase 2, children in the comparison group in Phase 1 received the intervention, and their scores were analyzed across both phases of the study. The intervention appeared to have positive effects on social acceptance by classmates, but few changes were obtained on other measures of perceptions or behavior. These findings support the specificity of social interventions and indicate the potential value of the Circle of Friends for improving social inclusion of children with disabilities.

Moral reasoning and conduct problems in children with emotional and behavioural difficulties

This study investigates whether performance on the moral/conventional distinction measure predicts level of childhood conduct problems as indexed by the Psychopathy Screening Device [Frick, P. J., Hare, R. D. (1996). The psychopathy screening device. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems.]. One-hundred and two children with emotional and behavioural difficulties were presented with the moral/conventional distinction measure. Performance on the moral/conventional distinction measure did predict extent of behavioural disturbance. The results are interpreted within the Violence Inhibition Mechanism model of normal and atypical moral development.

Multi-Informant Predictors of Social Inclusion for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Attending Mainstream School

This study examined differential profiles of behavioural characteristics predictive of successful inclusion in mainstream education for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparison students. Multiple regression analyses using behavioural ratings from parents, teachers and peers found some evidence for differential profiles predicting peer acceptance and rejection. High levels of peer-rated shyness significantly predicted social rejection in comparison students only. Parent-rated prosocial behaviour also differentially predicted social acceptance; high-levels of prosocial behaviour predicted acceptance in comparison students, but low-levels were predictive for students with ASD. These findings suggest that schools may seek to augment traditional social skills programmes with awareness raising about ASD among mainstream pupils to utilise peers’ apparent willingness to discount characteristics such as ‘shyness’.

Peer-assessed behavioural characteristics and sociometric rejection: Differences between pupils who have moderate learning difficulties and their mainstream peers

BACKGROUND The outcomes of social inclusion and skills training programmes for pupils with special educational needs have been mixed. Programmes are generally based on research with mainstream samples yet it has been suggested that the social skills important for sociometric acceptance may be different for children who have special educational needs. AIMS The study aims to compare peer-assessed behavioural characteristics associated with sociometric status for included children who have moderate learning difficulties and their mainstream classmates. SAMPLE Mainstream classmates (N=867) of all the children ascertained as having Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) and included in mainstream middle schools (8-12 years) in one English county. Subgroups of rejected mainstream (n=38) and pupils with MLD (n=32) were further investigated. METHOD Discriminant function analysis was carried out with peer assessment items as predictors of sociometric status group membership in the mainstream sample and contrasted with previously reported data from pupils with MLD in the same classes. Cluster analysis was used to identify behavioural subtypes within the rejected groups drawn from each sample. For pupils with MLD subtypes were validated using teacher assessments of social behaviour. RESULTS Systematic differences were identified across different analyses between the peer-assessed behavioural characteristics associated with rejected sociometric status for pupils with MLD and for mainstream pupils. CONCLUSIONS The appropriateness of generic social skills training programmes for promoting the social inclusion of pupils with MLD should be questioned and consideration given to rejected pupil subtypes.

Beyond Phonology What Else Is Needed to Describe the Problems of Below-Average Readers and Spellers?

The difficulties experienced by below-average readers in phonological decoding tasks are well documented. Recent research has suggested that additional deficits in perceptual—motor fluency, handedness, and memory may also exist among below-average readers. To evaluate these claims, average and below-average readers and spellers were compared on a range of phonological processing, verbal short-term and working memory, rapid naming, handedness, and perceptual—motor fluency tasks. Average and below-average readers were sampled in a comparable manner and were also comparable on age, gender, nonverbal ability, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Below-average readers and spellers performed lower than average readers and spellers on rhyme detection, pseudoword decoding, and rapid digit (but not picture) naming tasks, but showed no differences in handedness tasks or on a range of other perceptual—motor tasks.