Children’s Direct Exposure to Types of Domestic Violence Crime: A Population-based Investigation

Police officers served as public health sentinels to collect data on children exposed to domestic violence across an entire municipality for one year. This study extended research by investigating a typology of domestic violence crimes and children\u27s direct sensory exposure to these types. Police officers used a standard, validated protocol to collect data on all substantiated domestic violence. Findings revealed that almost half of all events had children present, and 81% of these children were directly exposed to the violence. Children under the age of 6 years old were at greater risk of exposure. Identified domestic violence households with children were more likely to be low-income, non-White, and headed by a single female, compared to households at large. Cluster analysis revealed seven domestic violence event profiles. Typology showed that children were disproportionately exposed to the most unstable and dangerous profiles including weapon use, mutual assault, and substance abuse

Prevalence and Effects of Child Exposure to Domestic Violence

In recent years, researchers have focused attention on children who are exposed to domestic violence. Although presently there are no scientifically credible estimates of the national prevalence of children exposed to domestic violence, existing data suggest that large numbers of American children are affected. This article discusses the limitations of current databases and describes a promising model for the collection of reliable and valid prevalence data, the Spousal Assault Replication Program, which uses data collected through collaboration between police and university researchers. Research examining the effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence is also limited by a range of methodological problems. Despite this, however, sufficient evidence from the body of studies exists to conclude that such exposure has adverse effects. The specific effects may differ depending on a host of variables, such as the children’s ages, the nature and severity of the violence, the existence of other risk factors in the children’s lives (for example, poverty, parental substance abuse), and whether the children are also directly physically abused. In general, childhood exposure to domestic violence can be associated with increased display of aggressive behavior, increased emotional problems such as depression and/or anxiety, lower levels of social competence, and poorer academic functioning. A scientifically credible body of research on the prevalence and effects of childhood exposure to domestic violence is necessary to promote the development of effective interventions and to permit the proper channeling of public and private funds. This article identifies some of the steps that can be taken to build the research capacity necessary to obtain the needed data

Validity of the Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills as an Indicator of Early Literacy for Urban Kindergarten Children

The validity of three subtests of the Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) was investigated for kindergarten children in a large urban school district. A stratified, random sample of 330 participants was drawn from an entire cohort of kindergarten children. Letter Naming Fluency, Phoneme Segmentation Fluency, and Nonsense Word Fluency evidenced significant concurrent and predictive validity when compared to general reading ability measured by teacher report, individual assessments, and group-administered nationally standardized tests. Evidence for convergent and discriminant validity was also found when comparing these subtests to measures of specific literacy, cognitive, and social-behavioral constructs

A Validation Study of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale with Urban Hispanic and African American Preschool Children

The development of culturally and linguistically appropriate measurement is necessary to enable accurate assessment of preschool children’s interpersonal competence and behavioral difficulties. This need is most pressing for children from Hispanic backgrounds, who currently represent the fastest growing population of U.S. children. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of a Spanish and English version of the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale (PIPPS; Fantuzzo et al., 1995) when employed with Spanish- and English-speaking teachers and students in an urban, Southeastern community. Psychometrically sound structures were obtained with the Spanish translation of the PIPPS in support of the three original dimensions named Play Interaction, Play Disruption, and Play Disconnection, which were derived from studies of African American preschool children in lower income, Northeastern communities. Concurrent validity was supported by significant correlationsbetween the three Spanish PIPPS constructs and teacher ratings of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Significant group differences in class-room peer play interactions were also detected for children’s gender and ethnicity. The independent emergence of comparable Spanish and English PIPPS factor structures across two distinct regional samples provides initial support for use of this measure in research with Hispanic preschool children from low-income backgrounds. Implications for school psychologists engaging in outreach to preschool programs servicing diverse groups of children are discussed, including the generalizability of interactive peer play constructs for preschool children across racial, ethnic, linguistic, and geographic back-grounds

Learning to Meet the 'Demands of the Day': Towards a Weberian Philosophy of Education

The purpose of this dissertation is to propose a Weberian philosophy of education. I understand philosophy of education to be a field dedicated to reflection upon the educator’s practice. My project arises from the contention that too many contemporary philosophers of education have, in the name of realism, exchanged reflection on educational practice for reflection on the political dimensions of educational institutions, thereby engaging in some variety of applied political philosophy. Treating philosophy of education as applied political philosophy demotes the significance of educational practice and thus the significance of the field itself. The central question this dissertation takes up is how philosophers of education might lend significance and priority to educational practice in a manner that does not ignore the realities of educational institutions. My argument is that a Weberian philosophy of education – a philosophy based on social theorist Max Weber’s conception of education – can provoke reflection upon the ideal qualities of educational practice amidst a non-ideal and pluralistic society. A Weberian philosophy of education revives a vision of students as particular persons, prioritizes calling as an educational aim, galvanizes the dignity of the educator’s cause, and points towards the responsible re-enchantment of society

An Investigation of Classroom Situational Dimensions of Emotional and Behavioral Adjustment and Cognitive and Social Outcomes for Head Start Children

This study employed a developmental-ecological approach to investigate the relationship across the school year between early problems in preschool classroom situations and a comprehensive set of readiness competencies for urban, low-income children. Study I identified three reliable and unique underlying classroom situational dimensions where behavior problems occurred: Structured Learning, Peer Interaction, and Teacher Interaction situations. Boys and younger children evidenced more problematic behavior across all situations. Study II investigated the relationship between early problems in the situations and readiness outcomes. Early situational difficulties uniquely and differentially predicted lower peer social and classroom learning outcomes. In combination, both the type of behavior problem (what) and the situational problem (where) explained greater variance in the prediction of readiness outcomes, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of developmental trajectories

The Classroom Engagement Scale: Validity Evidence and Implications for Use

This research brief describes the validation of the Classroom Engagement Scale for use in kindergarten based on it current full-scale use in the School District of Philadelphia. It provides the foundation for more meaningful use of the scale by parents and teachers as they work to build social-emotional competencies in kindergarten students.https://repository.upenn.edu/pennchild_briefs/1001/thumbnail.jp

A Comprehensive Examination of the School District of Philadelphia’s Kindergarten Classroom Engagement Scale (CES): Validation Report

The Penn Child Research Center and School District of Philadelphia (SDP) have partnered to foster the classroom engagement skills of students entering public school kindergarten. To do so, a three-phase, evidence-based, plan was developed. The first phase was to establish the scientific validity and reliability of the District’s measure of classroom engagement currently used at-scale with all kindergarteners–the Classroom Engagement Scale (CES). This measure consists of 14 items and it appears on the kindergarten report card which is sent home quarterly. This report contains the findings from the validation study.https://repository.upenn.edu/pennchild_reports/1000/thumbnail.jp

Multiple Dimensions of Family Involvement and Their Relations to Behavioral and Learning Competencies for Urban, Low-Income Children

Relations between multiple dimensions of family involvement in early childhood education and classroom outcomes were examined. Participants included 144 urban, Head Start children. Parental report of family involvement was gathered in late fall using a multidimensional assessment. Relations between family involvement dimensions and end of the year outcomes of approaches to learning, conduct problems, and receptive vocabulary were investigated. Results revealed that Home-Based family involvement emerged as the strongest predictor of child outcomes. This dimension associated significantly with children\u27s motivation to learn, attention, task persistence, receptive vocabulary skills, and low conduct problems. The School-Based Involvement dimension was significantly related to low conduct problems in the classroom when combined with the influence of Home- Based Involvement. The School-Based Involvement and Home-School Conferencing dimensions did not predict later child outcomes when considered simultaneously with Home-Based Involvement