This policy brief reviews research on the effectiveness of summer-school programs. It begins with a short history of the current school calendar, including how 19th century agrarian life required children to stay home during the summer to attend to crops or livestock. Next, a meta-analysis of 13 studies brings to light the effects long summer…

An earlier review by the author reported an aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) relating instructional feedback and prior knowledge. For low prior knowledge learners, single-try feedback (STF) was slightly superior to multiple-try feedback (MTF), while for high prior knowledge learners, MTF was superior to STF. In the current report, raw score…

Maintains that it is important to distinguish theory testing from effect-size evaluation when considering the impact of mothering on attachment security. Contends that it is possible that the De Wolff and van IJzendoorn meta-analysis both over- and underestimates mothering effects, as would be the case if infants varied in their susceptibility to…

Study reviews a 1998 article, concerning the first study denounced by the House of Representatives, which recommended that a willing encounter with positive reactions would no longer be considered sexual abuse, but rather adult-child sex. Current article concludes that the previous study can best be described as an advocacy article inappropriately…

Systematically reviewed the current status of outcome research. Specifically looked at trends in the publications sources, research focus, and methods of 365 counseling outcome studies. Results suggest that outcome research can provide a considerable knowledge base regarding numerous client concerns and various clinical interventions in…

A meta-analytic review of 15 outcome studies of group treatment for sexually abused children and adolescents was conducted to establish a quantitative measure of group treatment effectiveness for this population. Results found that overall, the current group treatments utilized for sexually abused children and adolescents are effective. (Author/CR)

Used meta analysis to test predictions from psychoanalytic, parental investment, and differential socialization theories regarding gender differences in ability to resist temptation. Found that although females showed more restraint than males with a very small effect size, there were appreciable differences on forbidden-object tasks and very…

A study examining the effectiveness of wilderness therapy programs for rehabilitating delinquent adolescents analyzed 23 programs using meta-analysis. Moderate effect sizes in favor of wilderness therapy programs were found with respect to enhancing self-esteem/self-concept, improving interpersonal skills, and promoting behavior changes. A small…

Describes a meta-analysis that indicated a slight student preference for a traditional educational format over a distance education format in higher education, and little difference in satisfaction levels, even when considering presence and type of interaction. Discusses meta-analysis as a method for synthesizing literature. (Contains 53…

Conducted a meta-analysis of 74 studies in which there had been an intervention that aimed to improve the behavioral, cognitive, or social functioning of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or attention deficit disorder. Overall, there were larger effects of the various interventions on behavioral than on educational outcomes.…

Presents the results from two meta-analyses of the Mozart Effect studies. Explains that in Christopher Chabris' meta-analyses, 16 studies with subjects (n=714) and 12 studies with subjects (n=522) were analyzed; while in the author's meta-analysis 36 studies with subjects (n=2,465) and 31 studies with subjects (n=2,089) were analyzed. (CMK)

A synthesis of research on interventions designed to build reading fluency in students with learning disabilities identified 24 studies on various interventions. Results suggested that effective interventions include explicit models of reading fluency, multiple opportunities to read familiar text repeatedly, independently, and with corrective…

Meta-analyses of sex differences in attitudes and affect specific to mathematics found that effects were small in size and similar to sex differences in mathematics performance. When differences did exist, the pattern was for females to hold more negative attitudes than males. However, males held more sex-stereotyped attitudes than did females.…

A meta-analysis of studies conducted between 1974 and mid-1987 on sex differences in mathematical tasks is presented. Methods used include estimations of: (1) parameters for a random effects model, and (2) coefficients for a linear-regression equation, all based on effect sizes calculated from each study. Differences have been decreasing. (TJH)

Summarizes and critiques Asarnow's 1988 review of 24 longitudinal studies identifying environmental factors and individual vulnerability important to development of schizophrenia. Found Asarnow's analysis well conducted but summary should have addressed longitudinal research design. Concludes that identifiable behavior and family interaction…