Describes a computer-assisted learning program called Link, which was designed for psychology students to review their understanding of correlation. Results of a summative evaluation showed that use of Link contributed to students' understanding of correlation, as did the use of paper-based instructional materials. Suggests implications for…

Dealing with data from multiple family members presents problems for researchers, as many of the techniques available for dealing with such data are problematic, and there is no way that is unique to each family. Proposes and gives an example of the use of Q factor analysis as a means of combining data from multiple family members in a unique way…

Analyzes simulated performance ratings on a six-point scale by two independent raters to account for nonsystematic error in performance ratings. Results suggest that rater agreement or covariance is not always a dependable estimate of score reliability and that the practice of seeking additional raters for adjudication of discrepant ratings is not…

Discusses results of a survey of 148 off-campus students formerly enrolled in Deakin University (Australia) to assess factors that influenced their decisions to leave/withdraw. Implications of the findings for quality assurance in higher education and the development of more flexible modes of distance education are suggested. (Author/LRW)

Content (item) bias on the Mental Processing Scales and the Achievement Scale of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) was investigated with 100 Mexican American and 100 White fifth- and sixth-grade boys and girls. Biases were found against the Mexican American sample. (JBJ)

This study investigates the relationship between three dimensions of perfectionism and five dimensions of library anxiety among graduate students. Topics include barriers with library staff; knowledge of the library; mechanical barriers; affective barriers; use of the Library Anxiety Scale and Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale; and Pearson…

A self-paced reading skills program was designed to boost the reading ability of seventh- and eighth-grade students. The study correlated students' independent reading levels with science grades. Techniques included guided reading, context clues and cloze activities. Over six months, reading levels increased 1 to 5 grade levels; science grades…

We examined 7-month-old infants' responses to 6 joy-eliciting episodes. Three episodes included and 3 did not include a major social-interactive component. Confirmatory factor analysis of infants' joy reactions in these episodes revealed that a 2-factor model significantly improved the fit over a single-factor solution. Those 2 factors represented…

This study examined the relationship between psychological sense of community, social-support networks, and care-giver stress and satisfaction among firefighters. No significant gender differences were obtained, but zero-order correlates demonstrated significant relationships among all four variables. In examining the mediating effects of…

This paper examines the relationship between birth order and later educational outcomes in a birth cohort of more than 1,000 New Zealand young adults studied to the age of twenty-five. Being later born was associated with gaining fewer educational qualifications at secondary level and beyond. The use of nested models to control for the confounding…

Reflected self-appraisal suggests that individual functioning is related to the fit between individual characteristics and the norms of their primary contexts. To apply this social psychological concept to the study of obesity, we hypothesized that adolescents at risk of obesity would have lower academic achievement overall than other students,…

Most research on access to health care focuses on individual-level determinants such as income and insurance coverage. The role of community-level factors in helping or hindering individuals in obtaining needed care, however, has not received much attention. We address this gap in the literature by examining how neighborhood socioeconomic…

A longstanding debate focuses on whether suicide and homicide rates walk hand in hand or whether they are reciprocally related. Much of the research on this issue investigates whether suicide or homicide predominates in certain geographic areas or whether they trend together over time. We theorize that the degree of social integration and social…

Humiliation; incarceration; stigma; loss of income, freedom, and respect: most research on offending emphasizes these sanctions. Yet classical theorists recognized other costs including physical harm. We revive this abandoned insight, arguing that danger--the possibility of pain--figures largely in people's decisions to offend. Although modern…

The paper reports three studies addressing the role of numeral writing for arithmetic performance. About 650 children in the age range 5-7 years participated in the studies. The results demonstrate a positive correlation between number of digits correctly written and number of arithmetic problems solved. The correlations between number of reversed…