Richard Kazelskis

Undergraduate students' perceptions of child sexual abuse: The impact of victim sex, perpetrator sex, respondent sex, and victim response

Written descriptions of sexual interaction between an adult and. a 15-year-old were utilized to study the impact of victim sex, perpetrator sex, respondent sex, and victim response (i.e., encouraging, passive, resisting) on labeling of child sexual abuse, perception of realistic victim behavior, and effect on the child. Results of responses collected from 180 male and 180 female undergraduate students revealed that participants tended to view the interaction of a male victim with a female perpetrator as less representative of child sexual abuse. Respondents also thought that male victims of this interactional pattern would experience less harm than would victims of other interactional types (e.g., female victim-male perpetrator). Findings are discussed with regard to their generalizability and the need for child sexual abuse education programs.

Concerns of Preservice and Inservice Teachers.

AbstractResponses of 128 preservice and 90 experienced teachers to the Teacher Concerns Questionnaire (TCQ) were analyzed in an attempt to further examine the Fuller-George theory of teacher concerns. In general, the results support earlier findings. However, contrary to the concerns theory, impact concerns were found to be highest for both experienced and preservice teachers, and no differences were found between the self and task concerns of the experienced teachers. Suggestions for future research on the concerns theory are made.

Mathematics Anxiety and Test Anxiety: Separate Constructs?

Abstract The authors used correlational and confirmatory factor analytic techniques to examine the relationship between measures of the constructs of mathematics anxiety and test anxiety. The correlations found between measures of the 2 constructs were nearly as high as those found within measures of the 2 constructs, bringing into question the separateness of the constructs. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis provided some support for a distinction between the constructs; the correlation between the 2 factors, however, was relatively high. Those findings suggest that mathematics anxiety and test anxiety may be separate phenomena; the conceptual uniqueness of mathematics anxiety, however, needs to be further delineated and its measurement improved.

Some Dimensions of Mathematics Anxiety: A Factor Analysis Across Instruments

The factor structure of the items of three commonly used measures of mathematics anxiety was examined using a sample of 323 undergraduates enrolled in a required college algebra course. Six oblique factors were identified: Mathematics Test Anxiety, Numerical Anxiety, Negative Affect Toward Mathematics, Worry, Positive Affect Toward Mathematics, and Mathematics Course Anxiety. In general, the factors tended to be specific to the particular mathematics anxiety scales with few items from one scale combining with items from another scale to define a given factor. Of particular interest was the identification of the dimensions of positive and negative affect toward mathematics. Additionally, the inter correlations among the factors were subjected to structural equation modeling to see if the factors measured a common dimension. The results did not support the existence of a single common dimension of mathematics anxiety as represented by the six factors.

The relationship between intellectual ability and adult performance on the trail making test and the symbol digit modalities test

Subjects between the ages of 18 and 30 were divided in groups based on their Satz-Mogel Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Full Scale IQs: (a) Borderline (70 to 79); (b) Low Average (80 to 89); (c) Average (90 to 109); (d) High Average (110 to 119); (e) Superior (120 to 129). Each subject was administered the Trail Making Test (Forms A and B) and the written version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test. A significant effect for IQ emerged. The low ability subjects were, in the main, significantly different from the higher ability subjects. No gender differences were found.

Impact of Professional Development on the Literacy Environments of Preschool Classrooms

Abstract This longitudinal study examined the effects of a comprehensive professional development program on literacy environments of preschool classroom/teacher units. The Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO) was used to assess effects of treatment. Forty (40) classroom/teacher units, representing 14 preschool centers, participated in the study (treatment group n = 20; control group n = 20). The treatment group of classroom/teacher units received mentoring by early childhood specialists, professional development training, and literacy materials. The control group of classroom/teacher units received literacy materials. Both the treatment and control groups of classroom/teacher units received Read Together, Talk Together kits along with training in use of the kits. The ELLCO measure was administered twice each year in treatment and control classroom/teacher units by qualified teams of assessors, via a subcontract arrangement with a university. Educational researchers served as external evaluators for the study. The data were analyzed using multivariate repeated measures of analyses of variance. Statistically significant (p < .001) effects were found for Group, Time, and the Group by Time interactions. All associated multivariate partial eta-squares exceeded .60, indicating strong effects. Also, follow-up, univariate analyses of variance indicated that all Group, Time, and Group by Time interactions were statistically significant (p < .001), with associated univariate partial eta-squares ranging from .26 to .72. Group means across the six measurements indicated little or no gain in classroom literacy environment means for the control group of classroom/teacher units, but substantial gains were made in the means for the treatment group of classroom/teacher units over the same period of time.

THE ELEMENTARY READING ATTITUDE SURVEY: FACTOR INVARIANCE ACROSS GENDER AND RACE

The Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) is purported to measure attitude toward recreational and academic reading. The present study examined the validity of this two-factor model across gender and race. Since measurement results are often group specific, factor invariance cannot be assumed, but should be tested empirically. No statistically significant difference in the factor structures for male and female respondents was found, indicating factor invariance across gender. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p < .05) in the factor structures of the African American and European American respondents. Follow-up analyses indicated that the sources of the invariance were three of the recreational reading attitude items (p < .05) and the recreational reading attitude factor variance (p < .005), with the variance being greater for African American than for European American students.

Field Independence and the Free-Recall of Nonsense Syllables

40 Ss were classified as either field independent or field dependent and then randomly assigned to one of four free-recall learning situations which were varied in terms of mode of item presentation and item meaningfulness. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out. The hypothesized Field Independence × Meaningfulness and Field Independence × Mode of Presentation interactions were not significant, but significant main effects were found for Field Independence (p < .05), Meaningfulness (p < .01) and Mode of Presentation (p < .05). It was concluded that lists of nonsense syllables high in intra-list similarity form embedding contexts analogous to the contexts presented in the Embedded Figures Test.

The relationship between intellectual function and performance on the Wechsler memory Scale

Abstract Eighty-five subjects between the ages of 18 and 30 years were divided into six groups based on their IQ scores on the Satz–Mogel (1962) Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults-Revised Full Scale. Their performances on the Wechsler Memory Scale (Wechsler, 1945), Revised Wechsler Memory Scale (Russell, 1975), and on recognition and copy tasks were compared. With the exception of the Orientation subtest, significant group differences emerged. Newman-Keuls and trend analyses revealed that subtest performance improved with level of intellectual functioning, although the rate of improvement was not steady. Subtest scores quickly reached their ceilings. In addition, performance on complex subtests was more affected by intellectual ability than performance on subtests that lacked complexity. In addition, IQ–memory quotient (MQ) discrepancy scores were not consistent across IQ groups. The usefulness of MQ and the IQ–MQ discrepancy is questioned.

An investigation of relationships between level of alcohol use impairment and personality characteristics

Abstract This study sought to determine the relationships between levels of alcohol use impairment and personality characteristics. Subjects were 166 persons selected because of known or suspected alcohol use patterns. Subjects were administered the Alcohol Use Inventory and Personality Research Form. Six alcohol use groups were determined by the raw scores of the Alcohol Use Inventory. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to evaluate personality differences among the groups. It appears that at least 2 personality variables distinguish different drinking patterns. The variables of Aggression and Play (a composite variable of Affiliation, Order, and Play) appear to be indicative of alcohol use patterns and may provide a measurement of proclivity to them.