Family-school-community interventions for chronically disruptive students: An evaluation of outcomes in an alternative school

Abstract In the current educational climate, educators are challenged to balance safety issues with compulsory attendance. The presence of violence, weapons, drugs, and alcohol at school disrupts and interferes with the educational process. Those students who interfere with the learning of others may need additional services to enable them to be successful in school. There is evidence to suggest that these students' misbehavior results from unmet physical, emotional, or social needs. Certain types of alternative schools provide psychosocial and educational interventions for these students. However, divergent missions and lack of empirical evaluations have failed to identify effective interventions for students assigned to alternative schools for disciplinary reasons. Accordingly, this study was conducted in an alternative school at which the first author was the school social worker. Specifically, the study examined the following psychosocial variables: self-esteem, depression, locus of control, and life skills using a pre-test and post-test design to measure changes at post-assignment as a way of evaluating the effectiveness of the program. In addition, educational variables, absences, grades, and school status were examined using a simple times series design to study changes and to further evaluate program effectiveness. Participants evidenced statistically significant improvements in self-esteem, life skills, attendance, and grade point average upon successful completion of assignment to 75 an alternative school. The results suggest the importance of a multisystemic assessment and intervention model in improving the school performance of disruptive youth

A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Energy drink consumption has continued to gain in popularity since the 1997 debut of Red Bull, the current leader in the energy drink market. Although energy drinks are targeted to young adult consumers, there has been little research regarding energy drink consumption patterns among college students in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine energy drink consumption patterns among college students, prevalence and frequency of energy drink use for six situations, namely for insufficient sleep, to increase energy (in general), while studying, driving long periods of time, drinking with alcohol while partying, and to treat a hangover, and prevalence of adverse side effects and energy drink use dose effects among college energy drink users.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on the responses from a 32 member college student focus group and a field test, a 19 item survey was used to assess energy drink consumption patterns of 496 randomly surveyed college students attending a state university in the Central Atlantic region of the United States.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifty one percent of participants (<it>n </it>= 253) reported consuming greater than one energy drink each month in an average month for the current semester (defined as energy drink user). The majority of users consumed energy drinks for insufficient sleep (67%), to increase energy (65%), and to drink with alcohol while partying (54%). The majority of users consumed one energy drink to treat most situations although using three or more was a common practice to drink with alcohol while partying (49%). Weekly jolt and crash episodes were experienced by 29% of users, 22% reported ever having headaches, and 19% heart palpitations from consuming energy drinks. There was a significant dose effect only for jolt and crash episodes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using energy drinks is a popular practice among college students for a variety of situations. Although for the majority of situations assessed, users consumed one energy drink with a reported frequency of 1 – 4 days per month, many users consumed three or more when combining with alcohol while partying. Further, side effects from consuming energy drinks are fairly common, and a significant dose effect was found with jolt and crash episodes. Future research should identify if college students recognize the amounts of caffeine that are present in the wide variety of caffeine-containing products that they are consuming, the amounts of caffeine that they are consuming in various situations, and the physical side effects associated with caffeine consumption.</p

Dieting practices, weight perceptions, and body composition: A comparison of normal weight, overweight, and obese college females

BACKGROUND: Of concern to health educators is the suggestion that college females practice diet and health behaviors that contradict the 2005 dietary guidelines for Americans. In this regard, there remain gaps in the research related to dieting among college females. Namely, do normal weight individuals diet differently from those who are overweight or obese, and are there dieting practices used by females that can be adapted to promote a healthy body weight? Since it is well recognized that females diet, this study seeks to determine the dieting practices used among normal, overweight, and obese college females (do they diet differently) and identify dieting practices that could be pursued to help these females more appropriately achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. METHODS: A total of 185 female college students aged 18 to 24 years participated in this study. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness were measured to assess body composition. Surveys included a dieting practices questionnaire and a 30-day physical activity recall. Participants were classified according to body mass index (BMI) as normal weight (n = 113), overweight (n = 35), or obese (n = 21). Data were analyzed using JMP IN® software. Descriptive statistics included means, standard deviations, and frequency. Subsequent data analysis involved Pearson X(2 )and one-way analysis of variance with comparison for all pairs that were significantly different using Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test. RESULTS: Outcomes of this study indicate the majority of participants (83%) used dieting for weight loss and believed they would be 2% to 6% greater than current weight if they did not diet; normal weight, overweight, and obese groups perceived attractive weight to be 94%, 85%, and 74%, respectively, of current weight; 80% of participants reported using physical activity to control weight, although only 19% exercised at a level that would promote weight loss; only two of 15 dieting behaviors assessed differed in terms of prevalence of use among groups, which were consciously eating less than you want (44% normal weight, 57% overweight, 81% obese) and using artificial sweeteners (31% normal weight and overweight, 5% obese); and the most prevalent explicit maladaptive weight loss behavior was smoking cigarettes (used by 9% of participants) and most unhealthy was skipping breakfast (32%). CONCLUSION: Collectively, results indicate female college students, regardless of weight status, would benefit from open discussions with health educators regarding healthy and effective dieting practices to achieve/maintain a healthy body weight. The results are subject to replication among high school, middle-aged, and older females

A survey of energy drink consumption patterns among college students

Background: Energy drink consumption has continued to gain in popularity since the 1997 debut of Red Bull the current leader in the energy drink market. Although energy drinks are targeted to young adult consumers there has been little research regarding energy drink consumption patterns among college students in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine energy drink consumption patterns among college students prevalence and frequency of energy drink use for six situations namely for insufficient sleep to increase energy (in general) while studying driving long periods of time drinking with alcohol while partying and to treat a hangover and prevalence of adverse side effects and energy drink use dose effects among college energy drink users. Methods: Based on the responses from a 32 member college student focus group and a field test a 19 item survey was used to assess energy drink consumption patterns of 496 randomly surveyed college students attending a state university in the Central Atlantic region of the United States. Results: Fifty one percent of participants (n = 253) reported consuming greater than one energy drink each month in an average month for the current semester (defined as energy drink user). The majority of users consumed energy drinks for insufficient sleep (67%) to increase energy (65%) and to drink with alcohol while partying (54%). The majority of users consumed one energy drink to treat most situations although using three or more was a common practice to drink with alcohol while partying (49%). Weekly jolt and crash episodes were experienced by 29% of users 22% reported ever having headaches and 19% heart palpitations from consuming energy drinks. There was a significant dose effect only for jolt and crash episodes. Conclusion: Using energy drinks is a popular practice among college students for a variety of situations. Although for the majority of situations assessed users consumed one energy drink with a reported frequency of 1 – 4 days per month many users consumed three or more when combining with alcohol while partying. Further side effects from consuming energy drinks are fairly common and a significant dose effect was found with jolt and crash episodes. Future research should identify if college students recognize the amounts of caffeine that are present in the wide variety of caffeine-containing products that they are consuming the amounts of caffeine that they are consuming in various situations and the physical side effects associated with caffeine consumption. Originally published Nutrition Journal Vol. 6 No. 35 Oct 200

Dieting practices weight perceptions and body composition: A comparison of normal weight overweight and obese college females

Background: Of concern to health educators is the suggestion that college females practice diet and health behaviors that contradict the 2005 dietary guidelines for Americans. In this regard there remain gaps in the research related to dieting among college females. Namely do normal weight individuals diet differently from those who are overweight or obese and are there dieting practices used by females that can be adapted to promote a healthy body weight? Since it is well recognized that females diet this study seeks to determine the dieting practices used among normal overweight and obese college females (do they diet differently) and identify dieting practices that could be pursued to help these females more appropriately achieve and aintain a healthy body weight. Methods: A total of 185 female college students aged 18 to 24 years participated in this study. Height weight waist and hip circumferences and skinfold thickness were measured to assess body composition. Surveys included a dieting practices uestionnaire and a 30-day physical activity recall. Participants were classified according to body mass index (BMI) as normal weight (n = 113) overweight (n = 35) or obese (n = 21). Data were analyzed using JMP IN® software. Descriptive statistics included means standard deviations and frequency. Subsequent data analysis involved Pearson X2 and one-way analysis of variance with comparison for all pairs that were significantly different using Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test. Results: Outcomes of this study indicate the majority of participants (83%) used dieting for weight loss and believed they would e 2% to 6% greater than current weight if they did not diet; normal weight overweight and obese groups perceived attractive weight to be 94% 85% and 74% respectively of current weight; 80% of participants reported using physical activity to control weight although only 19% exercised at a level that would promote weight loss; only two of 15 dieting behaviors assessed differed in terms of prevalence of use among groups which were consciously eating less than you want (44% normal weight 57% overweight 81% obese) and using artificial sweeteners (31% normal weight and overweight 5% obese); and the most prevalent explicit maladaptive weight loss behavior was smoking cigarettes (used by 9% of participants) and most unhealthy was skipping breakfast (32%). Conclusion: Collectively results indicate female college students regardless of weight status would benefit from open discussions with health educators regarding healthy and effective dieting practices to achieve/maintain a healthy body weight. he results are subject to replication among high school middle-aged and older females. Originally published Nutrition Journal Vol. 5 No. 11 Mar 200

Dieting practices, weight perceptions, and body composition: A comparison of normal weight, overweight, and obese college females

Background: Of concern to health educators is the suggestion that college females practice diet and health behaviors that contradict the 2005 dietary guidelines for Americans. In this regard, there remain gaps in the research related to dieting among college females. Namely, do normal weight individuals diet differently from those who are overweight or obese, and are there dieting practices used by females that can be adapted to promote a healthy body weight? Since it is well recognized that females diet, this study seeks to determine the dieting practices used among normal, overweight, and obese college females (do they diet differently) and identify dieting practices that could be pursued to help these females more appropriately achieve and\r\nmaintain a healthy body weight. Methods: A total of 185 female college students aged 18 to 24 years participated in this study. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness were measured to assess body composition. Surveys included a dieting practices\r\nquestionnaire and a 30-day physical activity recall. Participants were classified according to body mass index (BMI) as normal weight (n = 113), overweight (n = 35), or obese (n = 21). Data were analyzed using JMP IN® software. Descriptive statistics included means, standard deviations, and frequency. Subsequent data analysis involved Pearson X2 and one-way analysis of variance with comparison for all pairs that were significantly different using Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test. Results: Outcomes of this study indicate the majority of participants (83%) used dieting for weight loss and believed they would\r\nbe 2% to 6% greater than current weight if they did not diet\; normal weight, overweight, and obese groups perceived attractive weight to be 94%, 85%, and 74%, respectively, of current weight\; 80% of participants reported using physical activity to control weight, although only 19% exercised at a level that would promote weight loss\; only two of 15 dieting behaviors assessed differed in terms of prevalence of use among groups, which were consciously eating less than you want (44% normal weight, 57% overweight, 81% obese) and using artificial sweeteners (31% normal weight and overweight, 5% obese)\; and the most prevalent explicit maladaptive weight loss behavior was smoking cigarettes (used by 9% of participants) and most unhealthy was skipping breakfast (32%). Conclusion: Collectively, results indicate female college students, regardless of weight status, would benefit from open discussions with health educators regarding healthy and effective dieting practices to achieve/maintain a healthy body weight.\r\nThe results are subject to replication among high school, middle-aged, and older females. Originally published Nutrition Journal, Vol. 5, No. 11, Mar 200

Coral pathogens identified for white syndrome (WS) epizootics in the Indo-Pacific

Background: White Syndrome (WS), a general term for scleractinian coral diseases with acute signs of advancing tissue lesions often resulting in total colony mortality, has been reported from numerous locations throughout the Indo-Pacific, constituting a growing threat to coral reef ecosystems.\ud \ud Methodology/Principal Findings: bacterial isolates were obtained from corals displaying disease signs at three WS outbreak sites: Nikko Bay in the Republic of Palau, Nelly Bay in the central Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Majuro Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and used in laboratory-based infection trials to satisfy Henle-Koch's postulates, Evan's rules and Hill's criteria for establishing causality. Infected colonies produced similar signs to those observed in the field following exposure to bacterial concentrations of 1×106 cells ml−1. Phylogenetic 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated that all six pathogens identified in this study were members of the γ-Proteobacteria family Vibrionacae, each with greater than 98% sequence identity with the previously characterized coral bleaching pathogen Vibrio coralliilyticus. Screening for proteolytic activity of more than 150 coral derived bacterial isolates by a biochemical assay and specific primers for a Vibrio family zinc-metalloprotease demonstrated a significant association between the presence of isolates capable of proteolytic activity and observed disease signs.\ud \ud Conclusion/Significance: this is the first study to provide evidence for the involvement of a unique taxonomic group of bacterial pathogens in the aetiology of Indo-Pacific coral diseases affecting multiple coral species at multiple locations. Results from this study strongly suggest the need for further investigation of bacterial proteolytic enzymes as possible virulence factors involved in Vibrio associated acute coral infections