Non-response biases in surveys of schoolchildren: the case of the English Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) samples

We analyse response patterns to an important survey of schoolchildren, exploiting rich auxiliary information on respondents' and non-respondents' cognitive ability that is correlated both with response and the learning achievement that the survey aims to measure. The survey is the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which sets response thresholds in an attempt to control the quality of data. We analyse the case of England for 2000, when response rates were deemed sufficiently high by the organizers of the survey to publish the results, and 2003, when response rates were a little lower and deemed of sufficient concern for the results not to be published. We construct weights that account for the pattern of non-response by using two methods: propensity scores and the generalized regression estimator. There is clear evidence of biases, but there is no indication that the slightly higher response rates in 2000 were associated with higher quality data. This underlines the danger of using response rate thresholds as a guide to quality of data

Socioeconomic gradients in children's cognitive skills: are cross-country comparisons robust to who reports family background

The international surveys of pupil achievement—Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS)—have been widely used to compare socio-economic gradients in children’s cognitive abilities across countries. Socio-economic status is typically measured drawing on children’s reports of family or home characteristics rather than information provided by their parents. There is a well-established literature based on other survey sources on the measurement error that may result from child reports. But there has been little work on the implications for the estimation of socioeconomic gradients in test scores in the international surveys, and especially their variation across countries. In this article, we use the PISA and PIRLS data sets to investigate the consistency of parent and child reports of three common socio-economic indicators (father’s occupation, parental education, and the number of books in the family home) across a selection of OECD countries. Our results suggest that children’s reports of their father’s occupation provide a reliable basis on which to base comparisons across countries in socio-economic gradients in reading test scores. The same is not true, however, for children’s reports of the number of books in the home—a measure commonly used—while results for parental education are rather mixed

P2Y12-dependent modulation of ADP-evoked calcium responses in human monocytes

The Gi-coupled, ADP-activated P2Y12 receptor is well-characterised as playing a key role in platelet activation via crosstalk with P2Y1. A crucial aspect of P2Y12-P2Y1 crosstalk in platelets involves ADP-induced intracellular calcium (Ca2+) mobilisation, however there is limited knowledge on the role of P2Y12 in ADP-evoked Ca2+ responses in other blood cells. Here, we investigate the expression of P2Y12 in human monocytes and the contribution of P2Y12 in THP-1 ADP-evoked Ca2+ responses. RT-PCR analysis showed that all ADP-binding P2Y receptors were expressed in THP-1 monocytes at the mRNA level, with P2Y12 expressed in CD14+ primary monocytes. P2Y12 protein was found to be expressed in THP-1 cells, using immunocytochemistry. ADP-evoked Ca2+ responses in fura-2-loaded THP-1 cells were completely abolished by a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor, and by a phospholipase C inhibitor, indicating that these Ca2+ responses are mediated through GPCRs. Ca2+ responses induced by ADP were significantly reduced by the P2Y12 inhibitors ticagrelor and PSB-0739 and by the P2Y6 antagonist MRS2578, but not by P2Y1 or P2Y13 inhibitors. Using P2Y6-overexpressing astrocytomas, ticagrelor was found to be selective for P2Y12 over P2Y6 at the concentrations used here, although PSB-0739 was not. ADP-induced Ca2+ responses were significantly decreased in THP-1 cells with siRNA-mediated P2Y12 knockdown. Pertussis toxin-mediated Gi inhibition caused a significant reduction in ADP-induced Ca2+ responses, as did the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Use of the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ22536 had no effect on sole ADP-evoked Ca2+ responses, but caused significant recovery of Ca2+ responses inhibited by P2Y12 antagonists. The results from this study suggest that Ca2+ responses evoked by ADP in THP-1 cells are dependent on both P2Y12 and P2Y6 activation, with P2Y12 positively modulating Gq-coupled P2Y6-mediated Ca2+ responses via adenylate cyclase inhibition and PI3K activation. Overall, this investigation reveals a new role for P2Y12 in non-platelet Ca2+ responses, and contributes to our understanding of how monocytes function in health and disease

PISA 2015: how big is the ‘mode effect’ and what has been done about it?

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an important cross-national study of 15-year-olds’ academic knowledge and skills. Educationalists and public policymakers eagerly await the tri-annual results, with particular interest in whether their country has moved up or slid down the international rankings, as compared to earlier rounds. In 2015 a major change was implemented in PISA, with the introduction of computer-based assessment. This has the potential to reduce comparability of PISA test scores across countries and over time. We investigate this issue using PISA 2015 field trial data for three countries: Germany, Sweden, and Ireland. We show how, if left unaccounted for, the change to computer-based testing could limit the comparability of PISA test scores. We then describe the methodology the study organisers have used to account for such mode effects. Our key conclusion is that although the adjustment made is unlikely to overcome all the potential challenges of switching to computer-based tests, it represents an improvement over the alternative of making no adjustment at all

Pacing Behavior and Tactical Positioning in 500- and 1000-m Short-Track Speed Skating

Purpose: To explore pacing behavior and tactical positioning during the shorter 500- and 1000-m short-track competitions. Methods: Lap times and intermediate rankings of elite 500- and 1000-m short-track-skating competitors were collected over the 2012–13 season. First, lap times were analyzed using a MANOVA, and for each lap, differences between sex, race type, final ranking, and stage of competition were determined. Second, Kendall tau-b correlations were used to assess relationships between intermediate and final rankings. In addition, intermediate rankings of the winner of each race were examined. Results: Top-placed athletes appeared faster than bottom-placed athletes in every lap in the 500-m, while in the 1000-m no differences were found until the final 4 laps (P < .05). Correlations between intermediate and final rankings were already high at the beginning stages of the 50-m (lap 1: r = .59) but not for the 1000-m (lap 1: r = .21). Conclusions: Although 500- and 1000-m short-track races are both relatively short, fundamental differences in pacing behavior and tactical positioning were found. A fast-start strategy seems to be optimal for 500-m races, while the crucial segment in 1000-m races seems to be from the 6th lap to the finish line (ie, after ± 650 m). These findings provide evidence to suggest that athletes balance between choosing an energetically optimal profile and the tactical and positional benefits that play a role when riding against an opponent, as well as contributing to developing novel insights in exploring athletic behavior when racing against opponents

Teachers in England’s secondary schools: evidence from TALIS 2013

En ligne sur https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/322910/RR302_-_TALIS_report_NC.pdfThe Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), led by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), provides new information on the views and practices of lower secondary teachers and their headteachers and on how these vary across countries. England participated in TALIS for the first time in 2013 the only part of the UK to do so. The survey included over 30 other countries or parts of countries.This national report for England is published simultaneously with the OECD's first international report on TALIS 2013. It complements the OECD's report by (i)providing a more focused comparison of England with other countries and (ii) analysing differences within England across school and teacher characteristics. International comparisons of England made in the national report include contrasts with a group of nine countries or parts of countries with high performing educational systems: Japan, Korea, Singapore, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, Flanders (Belgium), Alberta (Canada) and Australia. The report reveals that teacher views and practices often vary widely among these high performers. Analysis of differences within England is enhanced by using the answers to additional TALIS questions not asked in other countries and by linking the survey data to contextual information for each school such as its Ofsted rating and the percentage of pupils receiving free school meals

Parental Distress, Parenting Practices, and Child Adaptive Outcomes Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Moderate and severe pediatric traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are associated with significant familial distress and child adaptive sequelae. Our aim was to examine the relationship between parental psychological distress, parenting practices (authoritarian, permissive, authoritative), and child adaptive functioning 12–36 months following TBI or orthopedic injury (OI). Injury type was hypothesized to moderate the relationship between parental distress and child adaptive functioning, demonstrating a significantly stronger relationship in the TBI relative to OI group. Authoritarian parenting practices were hypothesized to mediate relationship between parental distress and child adaptive functioning across groups. Groups (TBI n=21, OI n=23) did not differ significantly on age at injury, time since injury, sex, race, or SES. Parents completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, Parenting Practices Questionnaire, and Vineland-II. Moderation and mediation hypotheses were tested using hierarchical multiple regression and a bootstrapping approach, respectively. Results supported moderation and revealed that higher parental psychological distress was associated with lower child adaptive functioning in the TBI group only. Mediation results indicated that higher parental distress was associated with authoritarian parenting practices and lower adaptive functioning across groups. Results suggest that parenting practices are an important area of focus for studies attempting to elucidate the relationship between parent and child functioning following TBI

Measuring the generosity of unemployment benefit systems: evidence from Hungary and elsewhere in Central Europe

The paper considers two aspects of the targeting of unemployment benefit systems: (a) the probability that benefit is received in the population of those unemployed on standard international criteria of search and availability, and (b) the probability in the population of benefit recipients that search is conducted. The focus is on Hungary but stylised facts for a range of Central European countries and two EU comparators are derived in the first part of the paper. The second part of the paper finds that most of the large decline in coverage of the Hungarian unemployed by insurance benefit (received by only a quarter of the searching stock in 1997) cannot be explained by changes in the composition of unemployment observable in labour force survey data (including unemployment duration). The probability of active search (search other than through a state employment office) is found to be very similar for those receiving insurance and assistance benefit

Athlete-Opponent Interdependency Alters Pacing and Information-seeking Behavior

PURPOSE: The influence of interdependency between competitors on pacing decision-making and information-seeking behavior has been explored. This has been done by only altering instructions, and thereby action possibilities, while controlling environment (i.e., competitor behavior) and exercise task. METHODS: Twelve participants performed a 4-km time trial on a Velotron cycle ergometer in a randomized, counterbalanced order alone with no virtual opponent (NO), against a virtual opponent with no restrictions (low athlete-opponent interdependency [OP-IND]), or against a virtual opponent who the participant was permitted to overtake only once during the trial (high athlete-opponent interdependency [OP-DEP]). Information-seeking behavior was evaluated using an SMI eye tracker. Differences in pacing, performance, and information-seeking behavior were examined using repeated-measures ANOVA (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Neither mean power output (NO, 298 ± 35 W; OP-IND, 297 ± 38 W; OP-DEP, 296 ± 37 W) nor finishing time (NO, 377.7 ± 17.4 s; OP-IND, 379.3 ± 19.5 s; OP-DEP, 378.5 ± 17.7 s) differed between experimental conditions. However, power output was lower in the first kilometer of OP-DEP compared with the other experimental conditions (NO, 332 ± 59 W; OP-IND, 325 ± 62 W; OP-DEP, 316 ± 58 W; both P < 0.05), and participants decided to wait longer before they overtook their opponent (OP-IND, 137 ± 130 s; OP-DEP, 255 ± 107 s; P = 0.040). Moreover, total fixation time spent on the avatar of the virtual opponent increased when participants were only allowed to overtake once (OP-IND, 23.3 ± 16.6 s; OP-DEP, 55.8 ± 32.7 s; P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: A higher interdependency between athlete and opponent altered pacing behavior in terms of in-race adaptations based on opponent's behavior, and it induced an increased attentional focus on the virtual opponent. Thus, in the context of exercise regulation, attentional cues are likely to be used in an adaptive way according to their availability and situational relevance, consistent with a decision-making framework based on the interdependence of perception and action

Risk perception influences athletic pacing strategy.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to examine risk taking and risk perception associations with perceived exertion, pacing, and performance in athletes. METHODS: Two experiments were conducted in which risk perception was assessed using the domain-specific risk taking (DOSPERT) scale in 20 novice cyclists (experiment 1) and 32 experienced ultramarathon runners (experiment 2). In experiment 1, participants predicted their pace and then performed a 5-km maximum effort cycling time trial on a calibrated Kingcycle mounted bicycle. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded every kilometer. In experiment 2, each participant predicted their split times before running a 100-km ultramarathon. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded at seven checkpoints. In both experiments, higher and lower risk perception groups were created using median split of DOSPERT scores. RESULTS: In experiment 1, pace during the first kilometer was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(18) = 2.0, P = 0.03) and faster among higher risk takers compared with lower risk takers (t(18) = 2.2, P = 0.02). Actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first kilometer in both the higher risk perceivers (t(9) = -4.2, P = 0.001) and lower risk perceivers (t(9) = -1.8, P = 0.049). In experiment 2, pace during the first 36 km was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(16) = 2.0, P = 0.03). Irrespective of risk perception group, actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first 18 km (t(16) = 8.9, P < 0.001) and from 18 to 36 km (t(16) = 4.0, P < 0.001). In both experiments, there was no difference in performance between higher and lower risk perception groups. CONCLUSIONS: Initial pace is associated with an individual's perception of risk, with low perceptions of risk being associated with a faster starting pace. Large differences between predicted and actual pace suggest that the performance template lacks accuracy, perhaps indicating greater reliance on momentary pacing decisions rather than preplanned strategy.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wolters Kluwer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/MSS.000000000000050