SAGE Journal Articles

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Tervo, R. C. (2010). Attention problems and parent-rated behavior and stress in young children at risk for developmental delay. Journal of Child Neurology, 25, 1325-1330.

The aim of this article is to characterize the neurobehavior of young children at risk for developmental delay and attention problems. Two hundred and eighty-one children, ages 18 to 70 months, were evaluated. All parents/guardians completed the Child Development Inventory, Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½ to 5, Inventory for Client and Agency Planning, and Parenting Stress Index—Short Form. All children had significant delays (developmental ratios <.70). A Mann-Whitney U test compared those with and without attention problems (T score >70). A 2-tailed P value of <.05 indicated statistical significance. Children with attention problems were more likely to have withdrawn behavior, sleep problems, and aggressive behavior. All had severe problem behaviors, and their families experienced significant stress. Attention problems and other serious problem behaviors occur frequently in young children at risk for developmental delay. Parental stress warrants prompt intervention for their children and positive supports for them.

Vaughn, S., Reiss, M., Rothlein, L., & Hughes, M. T. (1999). Kindergarten teachers’ perception of instructing students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 20, 184-191.

This investigation determined the perceptions of kindergarten teachers about the desirability and feasibility of practices identified to enhance outcomes for children with disabilities as they make the transition from their prekindergarten programs to kindergarten. Thirty-one kindergarten teachers participated by completing the 28-item, Likert-type (1 = low, 5 = high) Adaptations for Kindergarten Children with Disabilities questionnaire and responding to two open-ended questions. Applying the Wilcoxon signed ranks two-tailed test, it was shown that, with the exception of one item (maintain portfolios), there were statistically significant differences between teachers' views of the desirability of implementing each practice and the feasibility of implementation. Furthermore, the median scores for desirability of implementation were less than 5 for only two items, while most of the ratings for feasibility received median scores lower than 5. Responses to open-ended questions revealed that the majority of teachers did not perceive that they were adequately prepared to teach children with disabilities, yet most teachers indicated that they were somewhat confident that they could make instructional adaptations for children with special needs.

Lucassen, M. F. G., Robinson, E., & Merryl, S. N. (2007). Workshop on motivation to pursue a career in child and adolescent mental health. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 41, 618-624.  

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine whether a 3 h workshop on child and adolescent mental health positively influenced nursing, occupational therapy and social work students’ career intentions.

Method: Students participating in the study were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after attending the workshop and again at follow up. Post-workshop students and their educators were also asked to complete a questionnaire on the perceived quality of teaching. Career intentions scores were analysed using generalized mixed linear models. The quality of teaching data was analysed using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U-tests.

Results: The workshops were attended by 373 students and had an immediate positive impact on students’ career intentions in relation to child and adolescent mental health. A repeated measures analysis showed an overall time effect (F2,546=16.29, p <0.0001). A multiple comparison test of this difference showed a highly significant positive increase in career intentions between pre-workshop and post-workshop ratings (p <0.0001), and the magnitude of this difference dropped between post-workshop assessment and follow up (p =0.004). However, there was no significant change between pre-workshop and follow-up ratings (p =0.43). The study also highlighted that a number of students consistently rated working in child and adolescent mental health very favourably.

Conclusions: The workshop did have a positive influence on students’ career intentions, but this change was not enduring. However, a number of students did indicate an interest in working in the area; and enhancing this interest while addressing the lack of training in this area would be worthwhile.

Aunthun, R., & Manger, T. (2006). Effects of special education teams on school psychology services. School Psychology International, 27, 259-280. 

The aim of the present study was to examine assumed differences in workload, service provision and professional quality evaluations in school psychology services (SPS) to schools with and without special education teams (SETs). Inclusion in the respective school samples was based on information from a survey completed by the school administrations about the schools' special education systems. SPS professionals recorded the case process and evaluated the case service quality. The results supported the hypotheses of different service patterns and workload in the two samples: SET schools compared to schools without SETs have: (1) a reduced number of referrals to SPS; (2) fewer referrals of behaviour cases; (3) more indirect work by the SPS and (4) more SPS collaboration with home and school and other services, institutions and authorities. The SPS professionals evaluated the service quality of the cases in the SET sample highest, as assumed. There is no significant difference in the mean number of work operations per case between the samples. The results are discussed with reference to quality indicators of the SPS and practical implications.