Language skills, peer rejection, and the development of externalizing behavior from kindergarten to fourth grade

Background: Children with poorer language skills are more likely to show externalizing behavior problems, as well as to become rejected by their peers. Peer rejection has also been found to affect the development of externalizing behavior. This study explored the role of peer rejection in the link between language skills and the development of externalizing behavior. Methods: Six hundred and fifteen (615) children were followed from kindergarten to grade 4. Receptive language skills were measured with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test in grade 2. Teachers reported externalizing behavior and peer reports of social rejection were measured annually. Results: Children with poorer receptive language skills showed increasing externalizing behavior, while children with better receptive language skills showed decreases in externalizing behavior. Children with poorer receptive language skills experienced peer rejection most frequently. The link between receptive language skills and the development of externalizing behavior was mediated by the development of peer rejection. Findings suggested that this mediational link applied mostly to boys. Conclusion: Children with poorer language skills are at increased risk of becoming rejected by mainstream peers, which adds to the development of externalizing behavior. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2010 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health

A CASE STUDY USING LITERACY ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIOS WITH STUDENTS IDENTIFIED WITH DISABILITIES

The purpose of this case study, using a qualitative research design, was to examine the process of using literacy assessment portfolios (LAPs) within a cross-categorical special education classroom to investigate whether or not using LAPs would provide distinct information about the literacy development of two students identified with specific learning disabilities and one student identified with autism. It also investigated whether or not the information obtained from the LAPs would impact the teacher-investigators instructional decision-making and whether or not using LAPs would influence parents\u27 understanding of their child\u27s progress and skills in the area of literacy development. The outcomes of this case study showed that student reading skills improved, their attitudes toward academic reading improved, there was an increased awareness of their reading/writing needs and behavior, and students self-evaluated their own progress while demonstrating increased confidence. The outcomes for parents showed that parents not only wanted to be involved in their children\u27s progress, but that their expectations of what their children could achieve changed after the LAP process began. Parents also recognized changes in their children\u27s motivation, self-awareness, and self-efficacy. Finally, this case study demonstrated that the outcomes after implementing LAPs in the classroom helped the teacher gain a deeper understanding of the students as learners, provided a better understanding of the importance of ongoing dialogue, and gave the teacher the opportunity to observe the power of reflection

Presence or Absence of Microcystins within the Lake Macatawa Watershed

Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, are freshwater aquatic microorganisms that are important indicators of climate change. They also release microcystins: toxins that can cause sickness, organ failure, or even death in plants, animals and humans. Studies have monitored microcystin presence and concentration in large-scale Cyanobacterial blooms, such as in Lake Erie, but often omit smaller scale instances. This project determines whether or not microcystins are present in the Lake Macatawa Watershed and identifies important conditional factors associated with microcystin presence to conclude if harmful algal blooms like those of Lake Erie are plausible locally. Six sample locations along the shoreline and at river convergence points were sampled twice, with six days between sampling sessions, and analyzed to determine whether cyanobacteria and microcystins were being supplied to the lake or cultivated within it. YSI water quality sonde analyses and resulting correlation coefficients highlighted four conditional factors: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and nitrates. These data were paired with an Envirologix QuantiPlate Kit for detection of Microcystins Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) of the water samples taken at each site. In all, the concentration of microcystins was higher in the first, warmer temperature samples. The relationship between temperature and concentration yielded the highest correlation coefficient value at 0.5986. A weak correlation of 0.3453 was found between pH and concentration. Relationships involving DO and nitrates both yielded extremely weak correlation coefficients. We conclude that microcystins are present within Lake Macatawa. While present, their concentration was not determined to be harmful at any of the sample locations. Outliers within sonde readings supported theories of conditional factors ideal for Cyanobacteria development yet indicate a low likelihood of harmful Cyanobacterial blooms happening within Lake Macatawa

Effect of Carbon Supplementation on Denitrifying Bacteria in Woodchip Bioreactors

California’s agricultural sector is fundamental to the state’s economic growth and responsible for supplying a large portion of the country’s produce. An abundance of nutrient-rich irrigation is required to meet these high demands, and the resultant agricultural effluent is a source of increased nutrient content in California’s watershed and groundwater systems. This promotes eutrophication, and negatively impacts local ecosystems and human health. Effective remediation of waterways using bacteria in woodchip bioreactors can be achieved by maintaining the system within ideal conditions for productivity of the microbial populations. Bioreactor systems used wood chips to provide both substrate and a carbon source, and relied on insulated structures to maintain temperatures within the active range of the mesophilic bacteria. Corn starch was introduced to one system as a carbon supplement, as results had indicated the system was carbon-limited. A second bioreactor system acted as a control with no carbon supplement. Single pass and recirculatory experiments were conducted over a period of six weeks. More denitrification occurred in the experimental bioreactor than the control, suggesting corn starch serves as a viable carbon supplement to facilitate the metabolic processes of denitrifying bacteria

Environmental strategies of affect regulation and their associations with subjective well-being

Environmental strategies of affect regulation refer to the use of natural and urban socio-physical settings in the service of regulation. We investigated the perceived use and efficacy of environmental strategies for regulation of general affect and sadness, considering them in relation to other affect regulation strategies and to subjective well-being. Participants from Australia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, India, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden (N = 507) evaluated the frequency of use and perceived efficacy of affect regulation strategies using a modified version of the Measure of Affect Regulation Styles (MARS). The internet survey also included the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), emotional well-being items from the RAND 36-Item Health Survey, and a single-item measure of perceived general health. Environmental regulation formed a separate factor of affect regulation in the exploratory structural equation models (ESEM). Although no relations of environmental strategies with emotional well-being were found, both the perceived frequency of use and efficacy of environmental strategies were positively related to perceived health. Moreover, the perceived efficacy of environmental strategies was positively related to life satisfaction in regulating sadness. The results encourage more explicit treatment of environmental strategies in research on affect regulation

Early childhood adversities and trajectories of psychiatric problems in adoptees: Evidence for long lasting effects

The aim of the present study is to investigate whether early childhood adversities determine the longitudinal course of psychiatric problems from childhood to adulthood; in particular if the impact of early maltreatment on psychopathology decreases as time passes. A sample of 1,984 international adoptees was followed (955 males and 1029 females; adopted at the mean age of 29 months). Parents provided information about abuse, neglect and numbe

Girls' disruptive behavior and its relationship to family functioning: A review

Although a number of reviews of gender differences in disruptive behavior and parental socialization exist, we extend this literature by addressing the question of differential development among girls and by placing both disruptive behavior and parenting behavior in a developmental framework. Clarifying the heterogeneity of development in girls is important for developing and optimizing gender-specific prevention and treatment programs. In the current review, we describe the unique aspects of the development of disruptive behavior in girls and explore how the gender-specific development of disruptive behavior can be explained by family linked risk and protective processes. Based on this review, we formulate a gender-specific reciprocal model of the influence of social factors on the development of disruptive behavior in girls in order to steer further research and better inform prevention and treatment programs

Promoting Amphibian Conservation through the College Classroom: Detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis among Local Amphibians

Many global amphibian declines have been linked to the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The knowledge on Bd distribution provides a fundamental basis for amphibian conservation planning. Yet, such Bd distribution information is currently insufficient, in particular at a regional scale. The college classroom provides an excellent opportunity to expand the knowledge of Bd distribution. Here we provide an example of such research projects to detect Bd prevalence among local amphibians in a college course setting and present the results of work conducted in central Pennsylvania, USA. We collected toe clips and conducted PCR assays of six species, Plethodon cinereus, Desmognathus fuscus, Notophthalmus viridescens, Lithobates catesbeianus, L. clamitans, and L. sylvaticus (59 individuals). Four groups of students independently conducted entire projects, orally presented their findings, and submitted manuscripts to the professor at the end of the semester. This example demonstrates that it is feasible for an undergraduate class to complete a Bd-detection project within a single semester. Such a project not only contributes to Bd research but also promotes conservation education among students through hands-on research experiences. We found Bd infection in only one sample of N. viridescens, but no sign of infection in the rest of the samples. As a relatively high prevalence of Bd has been reported in surrounding areas, our results suggest spatial heterogeneity in Bd occurrence at a regional scale and thus, the need for continued efforts to monitor Bd prevalence