Two studies examined age-related change in proactive interference from previously learned material. The meta-analysis of 26 studies indicated that proactive interference decreased with age. The cross-sectional study found that third through sixth graders' and college students' recall was accurate on Trial 1, but became less so over Trials 2…

Findings from meta-analyses of outdoor education, psychotherapy, and educational innovations are presented to help determine the relative efficacy of adventure therapy programs. While adventure therapy effects are stronger than those of outdoor education, they are not nearly as strong as those of individual psychotherapy. Benchmarks are derived…

Reports a meta-analysis of published cross-cultural self-construal research. Notes that the results across studies suggests that the evidence for the predicted cultural differences is weak, inconsistent, or nonexistent. Concludes that catastrophic validity problems exist in research involving the use of self-construal scales in cross-cultural…

Disagrees with Levine et al.'s conclusion (published in this issue, see CS 764 297) that the three self construal scales currently in use have "severe" or "fatal" flaws. Argues that the results of Levine et al.'s meta-analysis and priming studies do not raise problems with the validity of self construal scales. Concludes that the two-dimensional…

Addresses each of the three main areas of Levine et al.'s (see this issue, CS 764 297) validity testing: mean differences in self-construals between Asians and Westerners and within individuals; priming experiments; and factor analysis of self-construal scales. Suggests that Levine et al.'s conclusions on crucial aspects of validity are untenable.…

Offers a critical rejoinder in the discussion concerning the viability of self-construal scales. Disputes the arguments to the contrary offered by Gudykunst and Lee and Kim and Raja (see this issue, CS 764 298-299). Sees the potential utility in the self-construal construction, but the three primary scales fail to meet reasonable and accepted…

Analysis of 117 research articles reporting use of behavioral interventions with single subjects with autism concluded that behavioral treatments are effective in reducing problematic behaviors. Type of target behavior and type of treatment did not moderate average treatment effect. Reliability of observation, number of treatment data points, and…

Reviews the historical findings of computer-based instruction research and 47 evaluations of web-based courses in higher education published 1996-2002. Tabulates results in terms of content area, educational level, sample size, use of comparison group, and course characteristics. Assesses experimental designs, effect sizes, and use of features…

Adoption studies were reviewed for evidence of the malleability of intelligence quotient (IQ). Although moderate estimates range between 20 and 25 points, it is argued that the standard adoption study provides little evidence about IQ malleability and that a major study of contrasted environments yields even more conservative estimates. (SLD)

Two papers respond to an article by P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, and M. Hammersley (1988) critiquing papers by E. Jacob (1987, 1988) on qualitative research traditions. The use of T. Kuhn's concept of "paradigm" and the criticism that the British were not included in the Jacob's study are addressed. (TJH)

A meta-analysis of studies on preparation for medical procedures and pain examined the relative effects of sensory, procedural, and combined sensory-procedural preoperational information on coping outcomes. Results indicated that, in contrast to sensory information, procedural information provided no significant benefits over control group…

A meta-analysis of 28 studies was conducted to review the effectiveness of Beck's cognitive therapy for depression, and to compare cognitive therapy with other modes of therapy. Results documented a greater degree of change for cognitive therapy compared with a waiting list or no-treatment control, pharmacotherapy, behavior therapy, and other…

Empirical research concerning the selection of school administrators was reviewed. The methodology of the review, the methods by which principals are typically selected, and empirical research on the validity of selection techniques are described. Data from 138 studies with managerial and professional samples were analyzed. (TJH)

The utility of the fail-safe "N" statistic was evaluated by computing it for studies in three organizational research domains in which discrepant conclusions were reached by initial and subsequent meta-analyses. Calculation of the fail-safe "N" may have led to more cautious interpretations. Implications for meta-analyses are…

A review and meta-analysis were made of placebo control groups in educational experiments. In all, 125 studies were clustered into procedures that included (1) explicit manipulation of attentional elements; (2) explicit description of the placebo activity plus implied reference to attention; and (3) exclusive reference to the activity. (SLD)