Applying optimal stimulation theory, the present study explored the development of sustained attention as a dynamic process. It examined the interaction of modality and temperament over time in children and adults. Second-grade children and college-aged adults performed auditory and visual vigilance tasks. Using the Carey temperament…

With the current reformation of school counseling and the increasing expectations of school counselors, all counselors' work activities include some Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSCP) activities. This exploratory study focused on differential patterns among elementary, middle, and high school counselors' daily work activities and on…

Background: An organizationally healthy school environment is associated with favorable student and staff outcomes and thus is often targeted by school improvement initiatives. However, few studies have differentiated staff-level from school-level predictors of organizational health. Social disorganization theory suggests that school-level…

Background: Smoking is popular among Korean male high school adolescents, with the prevalence of 20.7% differing markedly with the type of school, being 16.3% and 27.6% in academic and vocational technical high schools, respectively. The purpose of this study was to identify significant variables that predict stages of smoking cessation among…

This study utilized the goal-efficacy model to examine a) the extent to which index scores of student self-efficacy, self-set goals, assigned goals, and ability (four variables in the model) could predict academic performance of university students; and b) the best predictor of academic performance. The sample comprised 103 undergraduate students…

Via a simultaneous analysis of different life course pathways (marital, occupational, and childbearing histories) and different outcomes, this article addresses the question When does childlessness matter in late life and how? Survey data from Amsterdam (N = 661) and Berlin, Germany (N = 516) are used. Lifelong childlessness results in smaller…

This study tested whether an individual's beliefs about the importance of appearance in their life is a mediator of sociocultural influences on body dissatisfaction in young girls. Participants were 265 girls in Grades 4 to 7 (M age = 10.71 years) from 5 private primary schools in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. Girls completed…

This study sets out to examine the pragmatic competence of Cantonese adult learners of English possessing different levels of proficiency when performing the speech act of requesting for a formal purpose in writing. Pragmatic judgment--one of the two aspects of pragmatic competence--was examined by studying the most proficient group (i.e., native…

Large nationally representative samples of White, Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and American Indian students were used in this study to examine current patterns and recent trends in racial, ethnic, and gender differences in school discipline from 1991 to 2005. Findings revealed that Black, Hispanic, and American Indian youth are slightly more…

The present study aimed to evaluate the role of social support and self-efficacy on the level of stress associated with the transition from high school to university. One hundred and eight-five university students who had completed high school in the previous year completed a three-part questionnaire designed to gather information on their levels…

This study examines the nature of citizen participation in education. A questionnaire was developed that assessed both the kinds of educational activity in which citizens participated and selected primary personal variables. General purposes of this assessment were 1) to describe the frequency, distribution, and modes of educational participation…

This questionnaire is used in the Educational Quality Assessment Program in the state of Pennsylvania. It includes checklists for the following kinds of information concerning teachers: locale, stability, college, mother's education, father's occupation, attitudes relating to professional recognition, career interests, salary, length of service,…

This questionnaire, used in the Educational Quality Assessment Program in Pennsylvania, was designed to be filled out by school administrators. It requests information about staff size, enrollment size, library books available, hours of paraprofessionals, and quality of housing in school district. It also includes a checklist to show the extent of…

This study tested 625 college students in an introductory computer course to determine their knowledge of common computer terms. Results indicate that a large proportion of the terms are used inconsistently, and not understood by either students or those who define them. Implications for teachers of computer courses are discussed. (MBR)

This is a general discussion of the validity, reliability, function, and format of questionnaires designed to measure problem behavior, noncompliance, anxiety, social interaction, hyperactivity, drug use, and sexual behavior. Commonly used questionnaires are cited. (CP)