DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONS BETWEEN READING SKILLS AND ATTENTION PROBLEMS AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Since racial, socioeconomic, and gender-based gaps are observed both in reading performance and in ratings of attention problems, it follows that the study of the relationship between these constructs is warranted. However, such an investigation is mostly absent from the current literature. The three studies comprising this dissertation investigate the developmental relations between reading and attention, and whether these relations vary by subgroups of students who are at elevated risk for high ratings of attention problems and lower ratings of reading skills. The first paper systematically reviewed studies on the developmental relationship between inattention and reading. The second paper used a multiple-group path analysis design to test two competing explanations of how attention problems are related to reading skills, and the role moderation role of gender, race, and family poverty status, and their intersections. The third paper used a structural equation framework to empirically test whether growth in attention problems from kindergarten through third grade is associated with growth in reading skills over the same period. Both Paper 2 and 3 used data from the Early Child Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011. Results from Paper 1 indicate that inattention has a consistent and negative impact on reading skills through multiple pathways. Results from Paper 2 indicate that students’ attention problems at kindergarten entry are negatively associated with third-grade reading skills directly and through their impact on first-grade reading skills. Black students, boys, and students from low-income families had higher average ratings of attention problems and lower levels of average reading skills relative to White students, girls, and students from more affluent families. Results from Paper 3 indicate that attention problems and reading skills grow independently from kindergarten through third-grade. Initial levels of attention problems were negatively and significantly related to initial levels of reading skills, and rates of change in reading skills. All three subgroup measures—child race, poverty status, and gender—were statistically significantly related to average levels of attention problems at school entry and the rate of change in reading skills. Only gender statistically significantly moderated the rate of change in attention problems. This research has strengthened the foundation for testing for intersectionality in the study of factors associated with student academic performance. Future studies can employ longitudinal designs and multidimensional measures to this area and others, as evidence of differential relations can be keys to unlocking the processes that perpetuate performance gaps.Doctor of Philosoph

The importance of self-efficacy and educational aspirations for academic achievement in resource-limited countries: Evidence from Ghana

Introduction: Research on the influence of academic self-efficacy and educational aspirations on academic performance is underdeveloped in resource-limited countries. This study replicates and expands on earlier research that investigated a complex network of relationships between academic self-efficacy, educational aspirations, and academic performance. Methods: Data from 4282 adolescents in Ghana and path analysis were used to test the causal pathways, and path invariance analysis was used to assess the moderation role of gender. Instrumental variable techniques were used to validate the path models. Results: Increase in academic self-efficacy indirectly accounts for improvement in academic performance through the mediational role of educational aspirations. The effects of self-efficacy on educational aspirations, and educational aspirations were stronger for boys than for girls. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in resource-limited countries where the financial burden of schooling tends to be a demotivating factor, interventions that target adolescents' academic self-efficacy may be an effective means to boost educational aspirations and academic performance. Interventions should be tailored to meet the needs of all students so that all children can think of school as an important part of their lives and aspire to achieve, now and in the future

Attending to Attention: A Systematic Review of Attention and Reading

Background: Extensive research has conclusively linked inattention to poor reading performance. The process by which this relation occurs remains somewhat undefined, which makes it difficult for practitioners to identify key intervention targets. Objectives: This systematic review will synthesize current peer-reviewed research on the developmental relationship between inattention and reading. The primary aim of this review was to describe how inattention negatively relates to the development of literacy from preschool through middle childhood. A secondary aim of this review was to summarize recent research on the potential differential relationship between attention and literacy among students overrepresented in ratings of inattention, including boys and students of color. Design and Methods: PsycInfo, Education Full Text, ERIC, and ProQuest Education, and Dissertations and Theses were searched, using a broad search string. The initial search resulted in 1,262 potentially relevant studies published since the most recent authorization of the Every Child Succeeds Act (i.e., from December 2015-2019) for review. Out of 1,262 citations found, 70 empirical studies were screened and assessed for eligibility, and 16 met the specific inclusion criteria. A coding sheet was then used to synthesize data from the included studies. Results: Among preschool and elementary school children, inattention, whether measured through observer ratings or performance tasks, has a consistent, negative impact on reading skills as reported both by teachers, standardized instruments, and classroom performance outcomes. Results point to multiple pathways through which inattention may have a negative impact on reading outcomes. Evidence points to a negative and direct effect of inattention on the development of and performance in reading concurrently and over time. Inattention may have an additional, indirect, and negative effect on reading performance through its negative impact on early literacy and cognitive skills, including phonological awareness and processing, vocabulary, and working memory. There is a lack of research on potential differential processes by which attention relates to reading among subgroups of children who are at elevated risk for poor literacy outcomes. Conclusions and Implications: Assessing for and intervening in early attention problems in preschool and kindergarten is essential to promote optimal reading outcomes for all students. There is an urgent need for future research to investigate potential differential processes in the relation between attention and reading performance for children who are at an elevated risk for reading problems. School social workers are especially prepared and located to address the interaction of child and classroom factors within schools that impede student performance in early grades and set up challenges for later success

ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY AMONG JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN GHANA: EVALUATING FACTOR STRUCTURE AND MEASUREMENT INVARIANCE ACROSS GENDER

Self-efficacy is a universal construct, but few validated measures exist for researchers in developing countries to use in assessing youths’ perceptions of their ability to achieve academic success. This study examined the cross-cultural suitability and psychometric properties of an academic self-efficacy scale (ASES) adapted for the Ghanaian context. ASES construct validity was assessed with a sample of 4,289 Ghanaian junior high-school students and exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Invariance testing assessed the scale's measurement equivalence by gender and temporal stability of gender equivalence. The ASES is a valid, reliable one-dimensional scale for assessing young Ghanaians’ perceptions of their academic capabilities, and it works equally well across genders. As adapted, ASES is a valid scale with utility for researchers examining predictors and effects of academic self-efficacy. The ASES has important implications for decisions regarding investment in programs aimed at improving academic self-efficacy of youth, both in sub-Saharan Africa and the increasingly diverse American public schools

Perceived family economic hardship and student engagement among junior high schoolers in Ghana

Research has shown that several factors influence student engagement, but little is known about the predictive role of family economic hardships on student engagement, particularly in the sub-Saharan African context. This study used data from junior high school students in Ghana to examine the association between perceived family economic hardship and students' classroom engagement, and the intervening role of future intentions. The structural equation modeling results indicate that perceived economic hardship is associated with behavioral engagement in school in two ways. The first is the direct positive link from perceived economic hardship to engagement (i.e., the motivational pathway). The second is a more nuanced channel whereby perceived economic difficulties are negatively associated with students' participation in academic work, but only through the inconsistent mediating (suppression) role of students' future intentions (i.e., the demoralizing pathway). The nuanced psychological and behavioral outcomes suggest the need for programs that cultivate educational resilience among young people

The role of parent, classmate, and teacher support in student engagement: Evidence from Ghana

The literature is unequivocal about the importance of improving academic engagement in addressing challenges such as school drop out or increasing student motivation. What is less certain, particularly in the literature from developing countries, is how social support systems (parents, teachers, and classmates) influence students’ emotional and behavioral engagement. Drawing from the ecological perspective, this study analyzes data from Ghana using structural equation modeling to examine mediated and unmediated pathways through which parent, teacher, and classmate support affect students’ emotional and behavioral engagement. Findings suggest classmate support has the strongest association with student engagement, followed by parental support. Teacher support is neither a mediator nor a direct predictor of student engagement. These findings have implications for teacher training and professional development, especially training on how to actively involve parents in motivating their children to be engaged scholars

Focus on Northern Maine piece with commentary by Michael Eisensmith, marketing

Focus on Northern Maine piece with commentary by Michael Eisensmith, marketing and development coordinator for the Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC) in Caribou. Tourism has been identified as an untapped resource in the region that could provide good jobs and diverse employment options. These job opportunities may help Aroostook County retain its young people, many of which are leaving the area at an alarming rate. A feasibility study on the development of several small resorts will be performed over the next several months