Teacher Ratings of Children's Behavior Problems and Functional Impairment Across Gender and Ethnicity:Construct Equivalence of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire

The present study examined construct equivalence of the teacher Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and compared mean scores in an ethnically diverse sample of children living in the Netherlands. Elementary schoolteachers completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for 2,185 children aged 6 to 10 years of the four largest ethnic groups in the Netherlands, namely native Dutch (n = 684) and Moroccan (n = 702), Turkish (n = 434), and Surinamese (n = 365) immigrant children. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis suggested the factor structure of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire to be invariant across children's ethnicity and gender. Additionally, the factor structure appeared to be similar for Dutch and Surinamese teachers. However, mean scores on emotional problems, hyperactivity, conduct problems, prosocial behavior, and impairment varied significantly according to ethnicity and gender. Mean scores on peer problems differed significantly for boys and girls, but not across ethnicity. Whether mean differences reflect a method bias or actual differences in classroom behaviors is discussed and needs further research

Anti-allergic Activity of Stem Bark of Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. (Myricaceae)

Allergic diseases, such as allergic asthma, are hypersensitivity reactions initiated by immunological mechanisms. Myrica esculenta (M. esculenta) is known traditionally in Ayurveda to possess anti-asthmatic activity. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of crude extract of stem bark of M. esculenta (Family Myricaceae, commonly known as Kaiphal) on experimental allergic reactions. Experimental models studied were allergic pleurisy and vascular permeability induced by acetic acid in mice. Pretreatment with M. esculenta (75 mg/kg and 150 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly inhibited the eosinophil accumulation (P < 0.01) respectively in the pleural cavity. M. esculenta (75 and 150 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly inhibited the rise in plasma exudation (57.12% and 59.77%, P < 0.01) induced by acetic acid in mice. These findings demonstrate that the crude extract from the stem bark of M. esculenta possesses antiallergic activity. This activity may be mediated by reducing the release of mediators such as histamine, inhibition of mast cell degranulation, and inhibition of eosinophil accumulation thereby preventing the release of cytokines and chemokines

Track A Basic Science

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138319/1/jia218438.pd

Latent variable modeling in congruence research:current problems and future directions

During the past decade, the use of polynomial regression has become increasingly prevalent in congruence research. One drawback of polynomial regression is that it relies on the assumption that variables are measured without error. This assumption is relaxed by structural equation modeling with latent variables. One application of structural equation modeling to congruence research is the latent congruence model (LCM). Although the LCM takes measurement error into account and allows tests of measurement equivalence, it is framed around the mean and algebraic difference of the components of congruence (e.g., the person and organization), which creates various interpretational problems. This article discusses problems with the LCM and shows how these problems are resolved by a linear structural equation model that uses the components of congruence as predictors and outcomes. Extensions of the linear model to quadratic equations used in polynomial regression analysis are discussed

The relationship between student behaviour patterns and teacher burnout.

A wide range of factors have been proposed as antecedents of burnout in teachers, including student behaviour in the classroom. Several studies have shown associations between student misbehaviour and teacher burnout. However, researchers have rarely incorporated a direct measure of teachers' perceptions of student behaviour in their own classroom. The main aims of the present study of 100 British primary school teachers were: (a) to explore the properties of a measure of student behaviour in the classroom (the Pupil Behaviour Patterns scale PBP; Friedman, 1995) and (b) to test the prediction of burnout dimensions from dimensions of student behaviour assessed by the PBP. An exploratory factor analysis confirmed the PBP domains of disrespectful behaviour, sociability and attentiveness. Furthermore, reliability analyses supported the internal consistency of the scales. Regression analysis of teacher burnout showed differential prediction by PBP sub-domains: disrespect predicted emotional exhaustion and depersonalization burnout, and lack of sociability predicted depersonalization and personal accomplishment burnout. Methodological problems are discussed along with suggestions for future theoretical and empirical development. In particular, we focus on the potential role of psychological variables such as teacher self-efficacy and coping strategies in explaining how teacher well-being is affected by student behaviour in the classroom. <br/