Examines the scientific evidence supporting claims about phonemic awareness (PA) instruction. Presents a quantitative meta-analysis evaluating the effects of PA instruction on learning to read and spell. Concludes that PA instruction was found to make a statistically significant contribution to reading acquisition. (SG)

Cumulates findings across existing empirical research on the effects of violent video games to estimate overall effect size and discern important trends and moderating variables. Suggests there is a smaller effect of violent video games on aggression than has been found with television violence on aggression. (SG)

Presents a meta-analytic study based on the assumption that children's cognitive abilities can be both highly heritable and highly malleable. Results show strong support for the idea that early childhood education is a highly effective preventive intervention. Also finds that as preschool intervention intensity increases, so does the magnitude of…

This article discusses probable explanations for the weak effects in some meta-analyses that have investigated the effectiveness of social skills training (SST) for students with disabilities and offers specific recommendations for designing and producing more effective SST interventions. Treatment integrity issues, assessment issues, and…

Reviews research published in the past 15 years on the use of technology to teach or support literacy among students with mild disabilities. Addresses research on computer-assisted instruction and synthesized speech feedback to improve phonemic awareness and decoding skills; use of electronic texts to enhance comprehension by compensating for…

Details meta-analysis of 64 intervention studies measuring the effect of school-based interventions for students with learning disabilities. Discusses findings that middle school students benefited most from interventions and that the type of interventions that were most effective differed by grade levels. (JPB)

In studies of the usefulness of psychotherapy with children and adolescents, clinical therapy has markedly poorer outcomes than laboratory studies. Proposals to bridge the gap include enriching the data base on treatment effects by clinical practitioners, identifying the features of research therapy that account for positive outcomes, and…

Meta-analyses were performed on 12 studies of treatment with sex offenders (n=1,313). A small, but robust, overall effect size was found for treatment versus comparison conditions. Cognitive-behavioral and hormonal treatments were significantly more effective than behavioral treatments but were not significantly different from each other. (JPS)

Two chapters of this issue consider critical multiplism as a research strategy with links to meta analysis and generalizability theory. The unifying perspective it can provide for quantitative and qualitative evaluation is discussed. The third chapter explores meta analysis as a way to improve causal inferences in nonexperimental data. (SLD)

Claims evidence from meta-analysis justifies the use of computer-based instruction in reading comprehension. Discusses specific applications of comprehension strategies that foster knowledge building and understanding. Provides annotated URLs for teaching critical reading and offers URLs for on-line programs and information on teaching critical…

Presents the results of a meta-analysis of cross-time relations of academic/cognitive and social/behavioral readiness assessments from preschool to second grade that used 70 longitudinal studies. Discusses findings in terms of assessment and conceptualization of school readiness, the role of school and classroom experiences in individual…

Discusses the history and theory of computer-based education (CBE) and reviews five meta-analyses that investigated the effectiveness of computer-based applications on individuals by measuring student achievement on a final exam for both CBE and traditional teaching. Concludes that CBE should supplement traditional instruction, not replace it.…

This critical review examines 10 controlled studies in which traditional operant behavioral procedures were compared with normalized interventions for teaching language to young children with autism. It concluded that normalized language training was substantially more effective than discrete-trial training and yielded more positive parental…

A systematic meta-analysis of research studies (N=22) published since 1980 concerning self-concept as a multidimensional phenomenon in children and adolescents was conducted. Results show a complex pattern of gender differences and similarities, some of which were consistent across grade level. Although some of the results defied stereotypes,…

Critiques the conclusions of S. Veenman (1995) about multigrade classes and suggests that selection bias and lower-quality instruction should be included as part of the explanation for his findings of no difference. Indicates that multigrade classes have at least a small negative effect on achievement and potentially negative effects on teacher…