High school physics students (n=41) were exposed to both massed and distributed practice on two different physics topics. Results suggest that using distributed practice in high school physics classrooms can lead to higher student achievement. (11 references) (Author/MKR)

A two-stage approach based on the rationale of maximum likelihood and generalized least-squares methods is developed to analyze the general structural equation model for continuous and polytomous variables. Some illustrative examples and a small simulation study (50 replications) are reported. (SLD)

Observes the impact of gender and status on the communication of 26 same-sex and 13 mixed-sex dyads of college students. Suggests that differences in the use of certain linguistic features may be more a result of a power differential than of gender. Other characteristics of the speaker, however, must also be considered. (CJS)

Examined the attitudes of a sample of 95 high school students concerning the relationship between education, intelligence, background, and occupational attainment. Advises that less advantaged students be made aware of occupational opportunities, and of the distinction between school learning and on-the-job performance. (DM)

Reports on the results of a study of nontraditional undergraduate students that was conducted to determine whether self-directedness in learner profile was a predictor of computer anxiety. Analysis based on the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory and Oetting's Computer Anxiety Scale (COMPAS) indicates that self-directedness is a useful predictor.…

Compares various base-rate procedures with statistical-significance testing approach used by psychologists. Nonlinear multivariate method is used to determine whether children with a learning disability or emotional disturbance are more likely to show unusual subtest patterns than are children from the normative sample of Wechsler Intelligence…

Presents dynamics and measurements of subjective experience of problem irresolvability (SEPI). First study describes construction and factor analysis of scale and its relationship to suicidal tendencies, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, and commitment to parents. Second study presents factor analysis and association between SEPI scale and…

Using data from the National Opinion Research Center's General Social Surveys for 1974-1994, analyzes changes in gender role ideology among women in the United States. Results suggest that there may be a ubiquitous shift toward more egalitarian gender role attitudes among U.S. women regardless of individual characteristics. (SLD)

Uses data from the Longitudinal Studies on Aging (1984-90) to examine a sample who at baseline lived in community settings and reported problems with urinary incontinence (n=719). Analyses indicate that residents of less urbanized and more thinly populated nonmetropolitan counties were more likely to have a nursing home admission than others. (JPS)

Studied the victim-bully cycle in middle school and identified student and school characteristics that contributed to the cycle using data from the New Brunswick School Climate Study for 6,883 sixth graders and 6,868 eighth graders. Results of a multivariate, multilevel analysis show that the relationship of bully to victim was reciprocal, and…

Risky sexual behavior can lead to pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Our study of 300 adolescent females takes an integrative approach by incorporating these multiple outcomes to assess the influence of risk perceptions on sexual behavior by (1) identifying subgroups of perceived susceptibility…

Purpose: Our objective in this study was to compare Medicare costs of treating older adults with and without dementia in nursing home settings. Design and Methods: An expert panel established the dementia status of a stratified random sample of newly admitted residents in 59 Maryland nursing homes between 1992 and 1995. Medicare expenditures…

Assessments of clinical skills of medical students rely increasingly on standardized patients demonstrating medical cases with faculty rating performance. The common finding of inconsistency of scores across cases is often referred to as case specificity. A multivariate generalizability model reveals that overall case specificity cannot explain…

Objective: Childhood abuse and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have historically been studied individually, and relatively little is known about the co-occurrence of these events. The purpose of this study is to examine the degree to which ACEs co-occur as well as the nature of their co-occurrence. Method: We used data from 8,629 adult…

Cluster analysis and analysis of variance procedures were used to identify students' domain-specific epistemological belief profiles and to examine differences in students' beliefs, motivation, and task performance. Four hundred eighty-two undergraduates completed measures regarding their beliefs about knowledge, competency beliefs, and…