A hypertension screening and followup program was made available to inner-city adolescents. Results support the idea that research studies on hypertension in adolescents have a greater impact on participants when the school nurse is a member of the research team. The role of the school nurse should be that of educator, followup facilitator,…

Determined the utility of the Behavior Problem Checklist (BPC) with preschool children. Found the BPC sensitive in differentiating clinical from nonclinical groups. Findings suggest that the Behavior Problem Checklist, although not specifically designed to assess preschool age children, may be effective with this population. (Author)

Investigated validity of the American College Testing (ACT) Assessment as a predictor of college success for Mexican Americans by comparing ACT scores and grade point averages for White and Mexican American college graduates. Mexican American students scored lower on both measures, indicating that ACT scores have validity in predicting college…

The Beery-Butkenica Developmental Test and the Caldwell Test were the best predictors. Combining the academic performance with visual-motor integration results at age seven years yielded 89 percent accuracy of prediction at age nine years. The false-positive rate represents the problem of mislabeling children as school failures. (Author)

All variables except the Slosson Intelligence Test were poor predictors of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) intelligence scores. A moderate correlation was found between verbal and full scale IQ scores and a lower relationship between performance IQ scores on the two scales. Results may be culture specific. (Author/JAC)

Slosson Intelligence Test scores are the best predictor of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) (WISC-R) IQ scores. But they are often higher than WISC-R scores and increasingly verbally weighted. A skilled teacher's classroom observation is as valid an indicator of need for in-depth assessment as screening tests. (JAC)

In a series of seven questions and answers, the author explores some aspects in the identification of speech language handicaps (as opposed to speech language differences) in prekindergarten children, using 94 kindergarten children as the basis for the research. (PHR)

Two studies compared the performance of Puerto Rican and African American Head Start children (total n=134) on familiar (description) and unfamiliar (one word labeling) test tasks. Results indicated children performed better on the familiar test task, which was also more sensitive in differentiating typically developing children from those with…

Reviews both the technical and policy aspects of readiness testing in local school districts. Summarizes policy context, motivations behind the tests, and consequences. Discusses the types of readiness tests and developmental screening measures misused as readiness tests, along with evidence of these measures' substantive and technical validity.…

Reliability and construct validity of over 1,000 mothers' responses to the Disruptive Behavior Rating Scale-Parent Version were studied. Results indicated excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability on three subscales (Oppositional, Distractible, and Impulsive-Hyperactive) but only marginal reliability on the Antisocial Conduct…

Investigates the use of school nurses to deliver the American Medical Association's Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) in collaboration with school and community professionals. Examines GAPS' components and related critical issues (identifying students for screening, screening students, triage, interdisciplinary and interagency…

Tested the validity of the Brigid Collins Risk Screener (BCRS) to assess child abuse risk in a sample of 49 expectant mothers. Found that at 3 months postpartum, high-risk mothers scored significantly lower on the quality of infants' physical, social, and emotional environments than moderate or low-risk mothers. Concluded that the BCRS appears to…

In the absence of national screening requirements, physicians have been vulnerable to lawsuits following sudden cardiac deaths in athletes. The American Heart Association recently recommended routine cardiovascular screening for athletes. The article suggests that it is time for mandatory, national standardized cardiovascular screening for…

Twenty-two children with mild mental retardation, 27 children with learning disabilities, and 49 nondisabled peers (ages 4-5) were presented with a battery of eight cognitive tasks being considered for inclusion in a new screening test. Results found the components measured different cognitive tasks and led to accurate individual classification…

Addresses the conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of social-emotional problems in preschool children. Promising findings, materials, and techniques are reviewed, such as the internalizing-externalizing dichotomy, developmental pathways, the Early Screening Project, the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales, behavioral momentum to…