This article synthesizes some of the published literature comparing the cognitive functioning of children with reading disabilities (RD) and children with low reading and low intelligence (low achievers). Research indicates that children with reading disabilities outperformed low achievers on measures of lexical knowledge, syntactical knowledge,…

A study examined 50 Pennsylvania cases reviewing the involuntary commitment of persons with mental retardation. Factors evaluated included characteristics of the individual, the presiding court, the impact of a court-appointed Child Advocate or Public Defender, availability of residential alternatives, and prior placement. (Author/DB)

Examines the experiences and socialization process of beginning teachers. Finds that entry experiences often include unmet expectations that cause stress, frustration, and ultimately lead to exit from the profession. When attributing meaning to surprising events, beginning teachers rely on organizational and individual inputs. (DHP)

Used meta-analysis to integrate and summarize the empirical research from 1966 through 1987 regarding the influence of college residence halls on the academic performance of undergraduate students in the United States. Found research did not show living in a conventional residence hall significantly influenced academic performance over living at…

Conducted meta-analytic review of findings from 34 past studies examining marital satisfaction and analyzed moderating effect of certain study characteristics. Found statistically significant differences for three of five comparisons made but concluded that differences had little practical meaning. Included critique of marital satisfaction…

Responds to Donald Dean Morley's reply (same issue). Discusses his claims about the use of multiple-message designs, the analysis of multiple-message designs, and generalization on logical grounds. (MS)

Fifteen studies of severe mental retardation in children are reviewed, from the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Quebec, and West Germany. For each study, the aims, definitions, subpopulations studied, case-finding methods, and findings are reported. Findings are then analyzed in terms of prevalence, etiology, service provision, and associated…

Methods for approximating confidence intervals for the population standardized mean difference (delta) were evaluated analytically in small samples. An empirically determined simple linear adjustment to the sample delta demonstrated the most consistent precision when used to construct confidence intervals for the delta parameter. (SLD)

The critical evaluation of data-based studies concerned with social and vocational problems of adults with learning disabilities concludes that, despite methodological problems of existing research, professionals need to take a life-span approach to learning disabilities since many children with learning disabilities will become learning disabled…

Large sample multivariate methods for estimating and comparing effect sizes across independent samples within a single study are presented. Procedures for pooling treatment effects are provided to allow determination of overall study effect sizes for treatments with similar effects prior to implementation of meta-analyses. (TJH)

Examined relation of characteristics of career counseling interventions to career counseling outcomes. Explored 240 treatment-control comparisons resulting from 58 studies containing 7,311 subjects. Class interventions were most effective but required most time. Individual counseling produced more client gain per hour than other intervention…

Examines implications of incorporating a metacognitive focus in the curriculum. Recommends an integrative and contextualized approach to teaching children to understand and apply metacognitive strategies. (RAE)

Presents situations in which researchers can use the general linear model to uncover reasons for discrepant effect-size results of meta-analysis of similar studies. Situations include similarly labeled treatments or participants differing in important ways, treatment effectiveness varying by subject aptitude or situational variables, research…

Pooled data from previous studies in which autistic, mentally handicapped, and normal young children had been tested on theory of mind tasks. Found that normal children at a verbal mental age of four years, but autistic children at a verbal mental age of more than nine years, had a 50% chance of passing the theory of mind tests. (BC)

Discusses recent research findings, which do not appear to support the idea that boys' superiority in mathematics is biological. Cerebral lateralization studies are discussed; meta-analysis showed that the gender gap has narrowed, casting doubt on the importance of innate ability determining mathematics performance. Discusses implications of…