Teacher Ratings of Academic Skills: The Development of the Academic Performance Rating Scale

Exploring the association between online gaming addiction and academic performance among the school-going adolescents in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Background and Aims

The pervasive nature of online gaming, notably accentuated during the COVID-19 pandemic, has spurred concerns regarding gaming addiction among children. This study explores the intricate ramifications of online gaming addiction on the academic performance and social dynamics of children in Bangladesh. Our primary objective is to gauge the extent of online gaming addiction and unravel its profound effects on academic performance.

Methods

Conducting a nationwide survey from January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2023, we analyzed 502 responses from participants aged 6-17 years. The survey encompassed sociodemographic details, gaming addiction assessment, and academic performance following a simple random sampling method. We analyzed participant demographics utilizing descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression.

Results

Key findings revealed a majority within the 13-17 age bracket (75.50%), predominantly male (58.57%), and enrolled in secondary education (83.27%). A robust inverse relationship showed that nonaddicted students towards online gaming had higher academic performance. Therefore, it is important to implement targeted strategies to address online gaming addiction among Bangladeshi children.

Conclusion

Recommending early intervention, academic initiatives, and holistic therapy, we advocate for collaboration among educational institutions, mental health professionals, parents, and policymakers. All of these initiatives are essential to navigate the evolving challenges presented by gaming addiction. Furthermore, our call for ongoing research seeks to deepen our understanding of enduring consequences on academic and social dimensions, fostering a digitally supportive environment conducive to the holistic well-being of children.

The role of emotional regulation on early child school adjustment outcomes

Emotional regulation involves managing attention, affect, and behavior, and is essential for long-term health and well-being, including positive school adjustment. The purpose of this secondary data analysis from the Durham Child Health and Development Study was to explore how parent and teacher reported emotional regulation behaviors related to school adjustment outcomes (social skills, academic performance, and academic achievement) during early childhood. Parent and teacher reports on emotional regulation behaviors showed mixed concordance, however they correlated with critical aspects of school adjustment. Clinical and practical implications are discussed, including the role of psychiatric nurses in promoting positive emotional regulation and school adjustment outcomes across settings.

Primary and Secondary Variants of Callous-Unemotional Traits in Children with Conduct Problems: A Longitudinal Follow-up During Adolescence

Recent empirical work has suggested that youths with conduct problems and presenting high levels of callous-unemotional (CU) traits can be divided in two variants (i.e., primary, secondary) presenting specific characteristics and needs, but studies examining outcomes associated longitudinally with variants memberships remain scarce. Building on a previous investigation in which we identified variants of CU traits among children with conduct problems, we examined differences between groups on a wide range of behavioral/psychological, relational/social, and educational outcomes assessed during adolescence (n = 309, mean age = 17.4, SD = 0.96). When compared to those from the primary variant, youths from the secondary variant reported higher levels of conduct, opposition, attention deficit/hyperactivity and anxiety problems, had lower teacher-reported academic performance, experienced more conflictual relationships with their teachers, and were at higher risk of being victimized by their intimate partner. These results shed light on the specific clinical characteristics of children from the secondary variant that are likely to persist until adolescence. Providing these children with intensive preventive interventions targeting these long-term consequences could be particularly beneficial.

Comparing the effectiveness of game literacy education and game coding education in improving problematic internet gaming

Objective

Problematic internet gaming by adolescents has been thought to be associated with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and attention problems. We hypothesized that both game literacy and coding education would effectively improve problematic internet use. However, game coding education would be more effective in enhancing self-esteem and social anxiety in adolescents than game literacy education.

Methods

A total of 733 adolescent volunteers were included and randomly assigned to either the game coding education or game literacy education programs. Both programs consisted of eight sessions, each lasting 45 minutes, over four weeks. The coding education sessions included game planning and development lessons and allowed students to create the game's characters, stages, and tutorials directly using Scratch, a free coding program. Game literacy education sessions included lessons on enjoying gaming with a healthy rationale and etiquette. Data on demographics, gaming patterns, and psychological status, including positive/negative perceptions of online games, depression, social anxiety, and self-esteem, were collected.

Results

Both game coding and game literacy education significantly improved YIAS scores compared to baseline, and there was no significant difference in the YIAS scores between the two groups after the interventions. In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis of all participants, higher YIAS scores, stronger negative perceptions of gaming, and lower attention problem scores at baseline predicted lower levels of internet gaming addiction after interventions. In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis among individuals with game coding education, higher YIAS scores, stronger negative perceptions of gaming, lower attention problem scores, and higher self-esteem scores at baseline predicted lower levels of internet gaming addiction after intervention. In addition, game coding education greatly improved negative perceptions of games, self-esteem, and social anxiety compared to game literacy education.

Conclusion

Both game literacy and game coding education effectively mitigate internet game addiction. However, game coding education effectively mitigated problematic internet gaming by improving negative perceptions of games, self-esteem, and social anxiety in adolescents. We found that the application of knowledge by students in creating their own games was more effective than simply developing a conceptual understanding of the games.

An Open-Label Study of a Wearable Device Targeting ADHD, Executive Function, and Academic Performance

OBJECTIVE

This was an open-label pilot study to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a wearable digital intervention developed to improve on-task behavior. This was an exploratory study to test for specificity of response on parent- and teacher-reported symptom outcomes in attention and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, as well as domains of functional impairment, including school behavior and learning and executive function.

METHOD

Participants included 38 children aged 8-12 years with a parent-reported past diagnosis of ADHD. Following baseline ratings from parents (N = 38) and teachers (N = 26), participants wore the device to school for four weeks. Parent and teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms, executive function, and functional impairment were repeated at the end of the four-week intervention period.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvement was seen in the total scores for all parent and nearly all teacher outcomes, with moderate effect size improvements in attention, organization and planning, self-monitoring, school functioning, and teacher-reported academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Preliminary evidence from this open-label pilot study suggests that having a child interact with a wearable device to self-monitor attention is feasible. This exploratory, open-label pilot study found real-world improvement in functional domains, including academic performance. Future research will require a blinded, randomized, controlled trial using an appropriate sham comparator to confirm these findings.

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: A School-Based Executive Function Group Intervention for Autistic Middle Schoolers

Executive functioning (EF) deficits, such as challenges with planning, organization, and materials management, negatively impact academic performance, particularly for middle-school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability (ID). The aim was to assess the initial efficacy of the school-based version of the Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS) intervention in a pilot randomized clinical trial. 47 autistic middle-schoolers without ID attending nine different schools were randomized to participate in AIMS or to wait to receive AIMS the following semester (waitlist control = WLC). Youth, caregivers, and teachers rated academic EFs and academic functioning, and youth completed an objective EF measure, at baseline and outcome (post). Effect sizes were computed comparing baseline and post measures within each group. Individuals randomized to AIMS improved from baseline to post on academic EF outcome measures with small to moderate effect sizes, compared to WLC, who made some improvements but with generally smaller effect sizes. Analyses with academic functioning measures showed a similar pattern of results. These promising results suggest that AIMS delivered in the school by school-based personnel to small groups of students with ASD without ID can improve academic EF skills.

A preliminary 'shortlist' of individual, family, and social-community assets to promote resilience in pediatric ADHD

BACKGROUND

Understanding factors that promote resilience in pediatric ADHD is important though highly understudied.

AIMS

The current study sought to provide a preliminary 'shortlist' of key individual, family, and social-community assets among children with ADHD.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

The study included well-characterized, clinically-evaluated samples of children with (n=108) and without ADHD (n=98) ages 8-13 years (M=10.31; 41.3% girls; 66.5% White/Non-Hispanic). All subsets regression and dominance analysis identified the subset of predictors that accounted for the most variance in broad-based resilience for children with ADHD and their relative importance. Findings were compared for children with versus without ADHD as preliminary evidence regarding the extent to which identified assets are promotive, protective, or conditionally helpful.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

Higher levels of peer acceptance, social skills, and academic performance were top predictors of resilience among children with ADHD. Better child working memory, attention, higher levels of hyperactivity, older age, and fewer parent self-reported mental health concerns were also identified as predictors of resilience in ADHD. Both overlapping and unique factors were associated with resilience for children with versus without ADHD. Conclusions and Results: These results, if replicated, provide a strong preliminary basis for strength-based basic/applied research on key assets that promote resilience in ADHD.

Implementation resources to support teachers' use of behavioral classroom interventions: protocol of a randomized pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Teacher-delivered behavioral classroom management interventions are effective for students with or at-risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other disruptive behavior challenges, but they can be difficult for teachers to use in the classroom. In this study, we will pilot test a package of implementation strategies to support teachers in using behavioral classroom interventions for students with ADHD symptoms.

METHODS

We will use a 2-group, randomized controlled trial to compare outcomes for teachers who receive Positive Behavior Management Implementation Resources (PBMIR), a theory and data-driven implementation resource package designed to increase teacher implementation of behavioral classroom management interventions, with those who do not receive this additional implementation support. We will measure teacher implementation outcomes (e.g., observed fidelity to behavioral classroom interventions) and student clinical outcomes (e.g., ADHD-related impairment, ADHD symptoms, student-teacher relationship, academic performance) before and after an 8-week intervention period for both groups; we will also measure teacher-reported acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility for the PBMIR group following the intervention period.

DISCUSSION

If there is preliminary evidence of feasibility and effectiveness, this pilot study will provide the foundation for evaluation the PBMIR at a larger scale and the potential to improve outcomes for students with or at risk for ADHD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ ) on 8/5/2022 which was prior to the time of first participant enrollment. The registration number is: NCT05489081.

Longitudinal relationships between conduct problems, depressive symptoms, and school dropout

School dropout can be an ongoing process of academic failure and disengagement starting as early as elementary school. Given the multitude of factors involved and the importance of early identification of vulnerabilities, this study examined whether (a) initial levels of conduct problems and depressive symptoms predicted school dropout, (b) the rate of change in conduct problems and depressive symptoms predicted dropout, (c) the interaction between trajectories of conduct problems and depressive symptoms affected the likelihood of dropout, and (d) whether there were sex differences in these associations. Using a dataset of 364 children ages 6-9 (T1) years who had displayed conduct problems, mean trajectories of conduct problems and depressive symptoms over 6 years were drawn using parallel process latent growth curve modeling. Results showed that both the initial levels of and rate of change in conduct problems predicted dropout, whereas trajectories of depressive symptoms did not. The interaction between trajectories of conduct problems and depressive symptoms was non-significant and sex differences were not observed. These results suggest that, for boys and girls presenting early conduct problems, although a higher initial levels of conduct problems increases the risk of school dropout, a larger decrease in these problems over time may reduce this likelihood. Recognizing and treating conduct problems consistently may be crucial in reducing the risk of dropout in children with early-onset issues.

Data-Driven Methods for Predicting ADHD Diagnosis and Related Impairment: The Potential of a Machine Learning Approach

Current diagnostic criteria for ADHD include several symptoms that highly overlap in conceptual meaning and interpretation. Additionally, inadequate sensitivity and specificity of current screening tools have hampered clinicians' ability to identify those at risk for related outcomes. Using machine learning techniques, the current study aimed to propose a novel algorithm incorporating key ADHD symptoms to predict concurrent and future (i.e., five years later) ADHD diagnosis and related impairment levels. Participants were 399 children with and without ADHD; multiple informant measures of ADHD symptoms, global impairment, academic performance, and social skills were included as part of an accelerated longitudinal design. Results suggested eight symptoms as most important in predicting impairment outcomes five years later: (1) Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities, (2) Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish work, (3) Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities, (4) Avoids tasks (e.g., schoolwork, homework) that require sustained mental effort, (5) Is often easily distracted, (6) Is often forgetful in daily activities, (7) Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat, and (8) Interrupts/intrudes on others. The algorithm comprising this abbreviated list of symptoms performed just as well as or significantly better than one comprising all 18 symptoms in predicting future global impairment and academic performance, but not social skills. It also predicted concurrent and future ADHD diagnosis with 81-93% accuracy. Continued development of screening tools will be key to ensuring access to clinical services for youth at risk for ADHD.

Sleep Duration and Kindergarten Adjustment

OBJECTIVES

The current study examined longitudinal linkages between child sleep duration and children's socioemotional, learning engagement, executive functioning, and academic outcomes across the full kindergarten (K) year.

METHODS

A measurement-burst design was employed to examine 3 different measures of child sleep duration in 7-day bursts at pre-K (July-August), early K (late September), mid-K (late November), and late K (mid-to-late April), using wrist actigraphy. These measures included mean amounts of child sleep per 24-hour period across the full week, proportion of 24-hour periods per week that children slept 10 or more hours, and proportion of nighttime sleep periods per week that children slept 10 or more hours. Children's outcomes at early, mid-, and late K were provided by their K teachers blind to children's sleep histories, and by assessments administered by project staff.

RESULTS

Among the 3 sleep measures examined, regularity of nighttime sleep in which children slept 10 or more hours per night, especially at pre-K, consistently predicted more favorable K outcomes in both socioemotional, learning engagement, and academic domains. Results suggested that establishing healthy nighttime sleep habits before K start was especially promotive of better K adjustment across the full K year. These findings were controlled for income-to-poverty threshold ratios, child health status, and number of missed school days.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts to promote a favorable transition to first-time schooling should pay particular attention to sleep hygiene and regularity of 10-plus hours of nightly child sleep established before the start of K.

The Role of Stakeholders Participation, Goal Directness and Learning Context in Determining Student Academic Performance: Student Engagement as a Mediator

There is a growing body of literature on the predictors of student academic performance. The current study aims to extend this line of inquiry, and has linked stakeholders' participation, goal directness and classroom context with students' academic outcomes. Using the multistage sampling technique, the researchers collected cross-sectional data from 2,758 high school students. This study has employed regression analysis (simple linear regression and hierarchical linear regression modeling) to test the study hypotheses. The results revealed that learning context produces highest variance in students' engagement (R2 = 59.5%) and their academic performance (R2 = 42%). It is further evident that goal directness has the highest influence on students' academic performance (Std. β = 0.419) while learning climate of the classroom frequently affects their engagement (Std. β = 0.38) in studies. Results also illustrated that students' overall engagement (R = 99.1%: Model-5 = 0.849) and cognitive induction (R2 = 79.2%: Model-5 = 0.792) yield highest variance in their academic performance. Although stakeholders' participation causes low variance in students' academic performance but the role of parents, teachers, peers and students (themselves) remained significant. Further, student engagement mediates the direct relationship (s) of independent and outcomes variable. The findings of the present research could be potentially useful for policymakers and schools to ensure the elevation in students' engagement and their academic performance in studies.

Exploration of the Teaching of Mental Health Education Courses in Fine Art Colleges and Universities From the Perspective of Positive Psychology

The study’s objective is to examine the impact of teacher ability on student academic performance, identification (self-valued goals; personal importance), and self-regulation skills. Additionally, the study examines the mediating effect of identification (self-valued goals; personal importance) and self-regulation skills between teacher ability and student academic performance. The data was collected by the teachers at different colleges and universities in China and 341 samples were used to analyze the data through a convenient sampling technique. Moreover, partial least square structural equation modeling is used in data analysis with Smart PLS software. This research indicates that teacher ability has a positive and significant effect on student academic performance, identification (self-valued goals; personal importance), and self-regulation skills. Further, the study also discovers that identification (self-valued goals; personal importance) and self-regulation skills significantly mediate between teacher ability and student academic performance. The study is helpful for the teachers to adopt the better strategies and abilities in themselves when they are engaged with the student in teaching activities.

Assessing math anxiety in elementary schoolchildren through a Spanish version of the Scale for Early Mathematics Anxiety (SEMA)

Math anxiety (MA) affects students of all age groups. Because of its effects on children’s academic development, the need to recognize its early manifestations has been highlighted. We designed a European-Spanish version of the Scale for Early Mathematics Anxiety (SEMA; Wu et al. (2012)), and assessed its psychometric properties in a sample of children aged 7 to 12 years. The participants (967 typically developing children) were elementary school students recruited from ten schools. Children reported their general and math anxiety levels in an individual session and performed nonverbal IQ and math abilities subtests in a group session. Teachers reported the final math grades. The psychometric indices obtained, and the resulting factor structure revealed that the European-Spanish version of the SEMA developed in this study is a reliable and valid measure to evaluate MA in children from 3^rd to 6^th grade. Moreover, we explored gender differences, that resulted in small effect sizes, which disappeared when controlling for trait anxiety. Differences across grades were found for both global MA and the numerical processing anxiety factor but not for the situational and performance anxiety factor. Finally, MA was negatively associated with students’ math achievement, although the strength of the associations varied with the MA measure selected, the kind of math achievement analyzed, and the school stage considered. Our findings highlight the relevance of MA in elementary school and highlight the need for an early identification of students at risk of suffering MA to palliate the negative consequences of MA in children’s cognitive and academic development.

Investigation of the associations between physical activity, self-regulation and educational outcomes in childhood

It is common knowledge that physical activity leads to physiological and psychological benefits. The current study explored the association between physical activity and self-regulation longitudinally and the indirect relationship this may have on academic achievement, using secondary data on primary and secondary school children from the Millennium Cohort Study, a cohort of infants born in 2000–2001 in the United Kingdom. There are two main findings. First, there is a positive link between physical activity and emotional (not behavioural) regulation both concurrently and longitudinally across all three time points, 7-years-old, 11-years-old and 14-years-old. The relationship was negative for emotional regulation and negligible for behavioural regulation when controlling for socioeconomic status. Second, across two time points (due to data availability), physical activity positively predicted academic achievement through emotional regulation for 7-year-olds and behavioural regulation in 11-year-olds. The impact of this relationship was more pronounced when controlling for socioeconomic status. Together these findings indicate that emotional regulation is linked to physical activity in early childhood. Subsequently, emotion regulation predicts academic attainment, suggesting that early interventions might focus on attention rather than behaviour.

Knowledge hiding in academia: an empirical study of Indian higher education students

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of knowledge hiding (KH) on academic performance, using three antecedents – relatedness with peers, territoriality of knowledge and performance motivation. It also looked into the moderating role of academic self-efficacy upon student’s KH behavior and academic performance. The research was grounded on the theory of reasoned action.

Design/methodology/approachx

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the five hypotheses. The data was collected through a primary survey based on a structured questionnaire with a sample size of 324 students from the Indian higher education institutions.

Findings

The study found that performance motivation and territoriality are positively associated with KH, which is further positively related to students’ academic performance. Sense of relatedness had no influence upon KH behavior, implying that proximity of social relationships does not predict KH behavior among students. Additionally, it was also observed that while evasive (a situation where the knowledge hider deliberately provides incorrect, partial or misleading information) and rationalized KH (a situation where the knowledge hider tries to provide a rational justification for not sharing the knowledge) had a significant influence on the academic performance of the students, the effect of “playing dumb” was not significant. The study did not reveal any moderating effect of academic self-efficacy on all three forms of KH and academic performance.

Practical implications

The findings of the study are expected to be valuable for instructors, administrative authorities and policymakers at the higher education level, to create a more conducive teaching and learning environment. Out of the three hiding strategies, students indulge more often in rationalized KH. Based on the outcomes of this research, management may focus toward the creation of an institutional environment conducive toward knowledge sharing interdependency among students.

Originality/value

One of the novel contributions of this study is that it analyzes Indian higher education, providing a developing country perspective, thereby contributing to the body of knowledge in knowledge management and hiding. The study also intends to understand the interplay of constructs such as KH, territoriality, sense of relatedness and academic performance, which have not been discussed previously within the higher education context, thus making the research work original. The study was done among the students and hence, brings in the academic perspective in the KH literature, which has seen limited research impetus.

Trajectories of academic achievement for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with negative social and occupational outcomes across the life course. However, there has been limited population-based research that quantifies the impact of ADHD on academic achievement and academic trajectories.

AIMS

To compare academic performance and academic trajectories of students with ADHD with students without a mental disorder.

SAMPLE

Data were drawn from Young Minds Matter, a national population-based sample of 6,310 Australian children and adolescents aged 4-17 years. Using linked achievement test data, the academic performance and trajectories of 327 students with ADHD were compared with those of 3,916 students without a mental disorder.

METHODS

Survey data were combined with scores on national standardized tests for literacy and numeracy over an 8-year period.

RESULTS

In Year 3, students with ADHD were on average 1 year behind students with no mental disorder in reading and numeracy, and 9 months behind in writing. In Year 9, the gaps were much larger with students with ADHD on average 2.5 years behind in reading, 3 years behind in numeracy, and 4.5 years behind in writing.

CONCLUSIONS

Students with ADHD have substantially lower achievement in reading, writing, and numeracy. Writing was the most adversely affected domain. For example, in Year 9 students with ADHD were on average writing at a Year 5 level. Children and adolescents with ADHD need substantial support to manage inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Skilled remediation in literacy and numeracy is required throughout all school years.

Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: An Open Trial in the Outpatient Setting

Youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability frequently experience academic problems, in part due to executive functioning (EF) deficits. There are currently no evidence-based interventions targeting academic EF skills (e.g., organization, prioritization, etc.) for middle school youth with ASD. The need is critical given increasing demands on these skills during the transition from elementary to middle school. An intervention targeting academic EF skills, Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS), was recently developed. This paper reports on an open trial of the AIMS-Outpatient intervention with 21 middle schoolers with ASD. Results suggest high feasibility/satisfaction, and improved EF, particularly in the domains of organization and materials management. These promising results support further intervention development work and suggest that academic EF skills are malleable in youth with ASD.

Do Working Memory Deficits Underlie Reading Problems in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

Reading problems are common in children with ADHD and show strong covariation with these children's underdeveloped working memory abilities. In contrast, working memory training does not appear to improve reading performance for children with ADHD or neurotypical children. The current study bridges the gap between these conflicting findings, and combines dual-task methodology with Bayesian modeling to examine the role of working memory for explaining ADHD-related reading problems. Children ages 8-13 (M = 10.50, SD = 1.59) with and without ADHD (N = 78; 29 girls; 63% Caucasian/Non-Hispanic) completed a counterbalanced series of reading tasks that systematically manipulated concurrent working memory demands. Adding working memory demands produced disproportionate decrements in reading comprehension for children with ADHD (d = -0.67) relative to Non-ADHD children (d = -0.18); comprehension was significantly reduced in both groups when working memory demands were increased. These effects were robust to controls for foundational reading skills (decoding, sight word vocabulary) and comorbid reading disability. Concurrent working memory demands did not slow reading speed for either group. The ADHD group showed lower comprehension (d = 1.02) and speed (d = 0.69) even before adding working memory demands beyond those inherently required for reading. Exploratory conditional effects analyses indicated that underdeveloped working memory overlapped with 41% (comprehension) and 85% (speed) of these between-group differences. Reading problems in ADHD appear attributable, at least in part, to their underdeveloped working memory abilities. Combined with prior cross-sectional and longitudinal findings, the current experimental evidence positions working memory as a potential causal mechanism that is necessary but not sufficient for effectively understanding written language.

Current State and Future Trends: A Citation Network Analysis of the Academic Performance Field

Background: In recent years, due to its complexity and relevance, academic performance has become a controversial research topic within the health and educational field. The main purposes of this study were to analyze the links between publications and authors via citation networks, to identify the different research areas and to determine the most cited publications. Methods: The publication search was performed through the Web of Science database, using the term "Academic Performance" for a time interval from 1952 to 2019. The software used to analyze the publications was the Citation Network Explorer. Results: We found a total of 16,157 publications with 35,213 citations generated in the network, and 2018 had the highest number of publications of any year. The most cited publication was published in 2012 by Richardson et al. with a citation index score of 352. By using the clustering function, we found nine groups related to different areas of research in this field: health, psychology, psychosociology, demography, physical activity, sleep patterns, vision, economy, and delinquency. Conclusions: The citation network showed the main publications dealing with the different factors that affect academic performance, and it was determined that psychological and psychosocial factors were the most relevant.

FAMILY-LEVEL FACTORS AFFECTING SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC COMPETENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN

BACKGROUND

Research shows children's life trajectories and outcomes are strongly influenced by factors affecting development of social and academic competence that also interact with racial disparities in academic settings. Given the importance of social and academic competencies, identifying factors that promote these competencies among African American children is critical to their success over the life course.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines a socioeconomically diverse sample of African American children to determine whether family-level factors promote and protect social and academic competence.

METHODS

We analyze longitudinal data from a convenience sample of 97 African American children (54 girls, 43 boys) and their families who participated in a larger study of social and academic development. We analyze 2 waves of data collected when children were 7 and 10 years old.

RESULTS

A series of 2-level, random-intercept, fixed-effects models show social competence is positively affected by quality of parent-child relationships, positive parenting practices, low parental stress, and routine family home environment. Similarly, academic competence is positively affected by low parental stress and family social support.

CONCLUSIONS

Study findings fill a critical knowledge gap regarding predictors of social and academic competence of African American children from various socioeconomic strata. Potential avenues for intervention are discussed.

Closed-loop digital meditation for neurocognitive and behavioral development in adolescents with childhood neglect

Adverse childhood experiences are linked to poor attentive behaviors during adolescence, as well as increased risk for mental health disorders in adults. However, no study has yet tested targeted interventions to optimize neurocognitive processes in this population. Here, we investigated closed-loop digital interventions in a double-blind randomized controlled study in adolescents with childhood neglect, and evaluated the outcomes using multimodal assessments of neuroimaging, cognitive, behavioral, and academic evaluations. In the primary neuroimaging results, we demonstrate that a closed-loop digital meditation intervention can strengthen functional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) in the cingulo-opercular network, which is critically developing during the adolescent period. Second, this intervention enhanced sustained attention and interference-resolution abilities, and also reduced behavioral hyperactivity at a 1-year follow-up. Superior academic performance was additionally observed in adolescents who underwent the digital meditation intervention. Finally, changes in dACC functional connectivity significantly correlated with improvements in sustained attention, hyperactivity, and academic performance. This first study demonstrates that closed-loop digital meditation practice can facilitate development of important aspects of neurocognition and real-life behaviors in adolescents with early childhood neglect.

Visual Health and Academic Performance in School-Aged Children

BACKGROUND

Academic performance at different educational levels has become a very important subject of study in local, national and international institutions. A visual system working properly is critical to improving academic performance. It is important to check children's vision during the different stages of elementary school.

METHODS

A visual screening was carried out in elementary school children, aged between 6 and 12, across Spain. The screening included: the collection of demographic data, surveys of children and families about their vision habits and a basic optometric screening to detect visual problems.

RESULTS

Children with bad academic performance had worse visual health than those with good academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

It would be highly recommendable to introduce policies that ensure the early detection of visual disorders in schools and primary care in order to improve the academic performance of elementary students.

Pathways Between a Polygenic Score for Educational Attainment and Higher Educational Attainment in an African American Sample

We investigated the extent to which performance on standardized achievement tests, executive function (EF), and aggression in childhood and adolescence accounted for the relationship between a polygenic score for educational attainment (EA PGS) and years of education in a community sample of African Americans. Participants (N = 402; 49.9% female) were initially recruited for an elementary school-based prevention trial in a Mid-Atlantic city and followed into adulthood. In first and twelfth grade, participants completed math and reading standardized tests and teachers reported on participants' aggression and EF, specifically impulsivity and concentration problems. At age 20, participants reported on their years of education and post-secondary degrees attained and their genotype was assayed from blood or buccal swabs. An EA PGS was created using results from a large-scale GWAS on EA. A higher EA PGS was associated with higher education indirectly via adolescent achievement. No other mediating mechanisms were significant. Adolescent academic achievement is thus one mechanism through which polygenic propensity for EA influences post-secondary education among urban, African American youth.

EEG Neurofeedback Training in Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cognitive and Behavioral Outcome Study

BACKGROUND

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent childhood disorder with symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. EEG neurofeedback training (NFT) is a new intervention modality based on operant conditioning of brain activity, which helps reduce symptoms of ADHD in children.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

To examine the efficacy of NFT in children with ADHD, an experimental longitudinal design with pre-post comparison was adopted. A total of 30 children in the age range of 6 to 12 years diagnosed as ADHD with or without comorbid conditions were assigned to treatment group (TG; n = 15) and treatment as usual group (TAU; n = 15). TG received EEG-NFT along with routine clinical management and TAU received routine clinical management alone. Forty sessions of theta/beta NFT at the C3 scalp location, 3 to 4 sessions in a week for a period of 3.5 to 5 months were given to children in TG. Children were screened using sociodemographic data and Binet-Kamat test of intelligence. Pre-and postassessment tools were neuropsychological tests and behavioral scales. Follow-up was carried out on 8 children in TG using parent-rated behavioral measures.

RESULTS

Improvement was reported in TG on cognitive functions (sustained attention, verbal working memory, and response inhibition), parent- and teacher-rated behavior problems and on academic performance rated by teachers. Follow-up of children who received NFT showed sustained improvement in ADHD symptoms when assessed 6 months after receiving NFT.

CONCLUSION

The present study suggests that NFT is an effective method to enhance cognitive deficits and helps reduce ADHD symptoms and behavior problems. Consequently, academic performance was found to be improved in children with ADHD. Improvement in ADHD symptoms induced by NFT were maintained at 6-month follow-up in children with ADHD.

Associations between an educational attainment polygenic score with educational attainment in an African American sample

Polygenic propensity for educational attainment has been associated with higher education attendance, academic achievement and criminal offending in predominantly European samples; however, less is known about whether this polygenic propensity is associated with these outcomes among African Americans. Using an educational attainment polygenic score (EA PGS), the present study examined whether this score was associated with post-secondary education, academic achievement and criminal offending in an urban, African American sample. Three cohorts of participants (N = 1050; 43.9% male) were initially recruited for an elementary school-based universal prevention trial in a Mid-Atlantic city and followed into young adulthood. Standardized tests of reading and math achievement were administered in first grade. At age 20, participants reported on their level of education attained, and records of incarceration were obtained from Maryland's Criminal Justice Information System. In young adulthood, DNA was collected and extracted from blood or buccal swabs and genotyped. An EA PGS was created using results from a large-scale genome-wide association study on educational attainment. A higher EA PGS was associated with a greater log odds of post-secondary education. The EA PGS was not associated with reading achievement, although a significant relationship was found with math achievement in the third cohort. These findings contribute to the dearth of molecular genetics work conducted in African American samples and highlight that polygenic propensity for educational attainment is associated with higher education attendance.

'Boost Camp', a universal school-based transdiagnostic prevention program targeting adolescent emotion regulation; evaluating the effectiveness by a clustered RCT: a protocol paper

BACKGROUND

The transition from childhood into adolescence can be considered as a critical developmental period. Moreover, adolescence is associated with a decreased use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies and an increased use of maladaptive emotion regulation strategies increasing the risk of emotional problems. Targeting emotion regulation is therefore seen as an innovative prevention approach. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Boost camp, an innovative school-based prevention program targeting ER, on adolescents' emotion regulation skills and emotional wellbeing. Also secondary outcomes and possible moderators will be included.

METHODS

The aim is to reach 300 adolescents (16 class groups, 6 schools) in their first year of high school. A clustered Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) with two conditions, intervention (n = 150) and control (n = 150), will be set up. Adolescents in the intervention condition will receive 14 lessons over the course of 2 days, followed by Booster sessions, and will be compared with adolescents in a non-intervention control group. The outcomes will be measured by self-report questionnaires at baseline, immediately after Boost camp, and at three and 6 months follow-up.

DISCUSSION

Data-collection is planned to be completed in May 2018. Data-analyses will be finished the end of 2018. The presented paper describes the Boost camp program and the clustered RCT design to evaluate its effectiveness. It is expected that Boost camp will have beneficial effects. If found effective, Boost camp will have the potential to increase adolescent's ER and well-being, and reduce the risk to become adults in need. The trials is registered on the 13th of June 2017 in ISRCTN registry [ISRCTN68235634].

Peer Inclusion in Interventions for Children with ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective

To assess the effectiveness of peer inclusion in interventions to improve the social functioning of children with ADHD.

Methods

We searched four electronic databases for randomized controlled trials and controlled quasi-experimental studies that investigated peer inclusion interventions alone or combined with pharmacological treatment. Data were collected from the included studies and methodologically assessed. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model.

Results

Seventeen studies met eligibility criteria. Studies investigated interventions consisting of peer involvement and peer proximity; no study included peer mediation. Most included studies had an unclear or high risk of bias regarding inadequate reporting of randomization, blinding, and control for confounders. Meta-analyses indicated improvements in pre-post measures of social functioning for participants in peer-inclusive treatment groups. Peer inclusion was advantageous compared to treatment as usual. The benefits of peer inclusion over other therapies or medication only could not be determined. Using parents as raters for outcome measurement significantly mediated the intervention effect.

Conclusions

The evidence to support or contest the efficacy of peer inclusion interventions for children with ADHD is lacking. Future studies need to reduce risks of bias, use appropriate sample sizes, and provide detailed results to investigate the efficacy of peer inclusion interventions for children with ADHD.

Trajectories of internalizing problems during the transition to adolescence in children with and without conduct problems

Children with conduct problems are at greater risk for internalizing problems. The objectives of this study were to (1) examine trajectories of internalizing problems among children with and without clinically significant conduct problems during the transition to adolescence; and (2) identify how academic achievement, peer rejection, parent socioeconomic status, maternal distress, parental warmth, child temperament, and receptive verbal functioning explained differences between the two groups. Children with conduct problems ( N = 388, 45% girls) and a comparison sample without conduct problems ( N = 299, 52% girls) were recruited from Quebec, Canada, when they were between the ages of 7 and 10 years, and were followed across 4 years. Mothers and teachers provided information on internalizing problems each year. Having clinically significant conduct problems was associated with higher initial levels of internalizing problems according to mothers and teachers, but not with changes in internalizing problems over time. With regards to teacher ratings, academic achievement, peer rejection, and negative emotionality partially explained differences in internalizing problems for youth with and without conduct problems. For mother ratings, maternal distress, negative emotionality, and peer rejection completely explained the association for girls, and partially explained the association for boys. Findings supported a multi-rater approach for understanding risk for internalizing problems among children with and without conduct problems. In particular, they highlight the importance of differences across context for understanding factors associated with vulnerability to internalizing problems.

Promoting parent academic expectations predicts improved school outcomes for low-income children entering kindergarten

This study explored patterns of change in the REDI (Research-based Developmentally Informed) Parent program (REDI-P), designed to help parents support child learning at the transition into kindergarten. Participants were 200 prekindergarten children attending Head Start (55% European-American, 26% African American, 19% Latino, 56% male, M_age=4.45years, SD=0.29) and their primary caregivers, who were randomized to a 16-session home-visiting intervention (REDI-P) or a control group. Extending beyond a prior study documenting intervention effects on parenting behaviors and child kindergarten outcomes, this study assessed the impact of REDI-P on parent academic expectations, and then explored the degree to which intervention gains in three areas of parenting (parent-child interactive reading, parent-child conversations, parent academic expectations) predicted child outcomes in kindergarten (controlling for baseline values and a set of child and family characteristics). Results showed that REDI-P promoted significant gains in parent academic expectations, which in turn mediated intervention gains in child emergent literacy skills and self-directed learning. Results suggest a need to attend to the beliefs parents hold about their child's academic potential, as well as their behavioral support for child learning, when designing interventions to enhance the school success of children in low-income families.

Enriching preschool classrooms and home visits with evidence-based programming: sustained benefits for low-income children

BACKGROUND

Growing up in poverty undermines healthy development, producing disparities in the cognitive and social-emotional skills that support early learning and mental health. Preschool and home-visiting interventions for low-income children have the potential to build early cognitive and social-emotional skills, reducing the disparities in school readiness that perpetuate the cycle of poverty. However, longitudinal research suggests that the gains low-income children make during preschool interventions often fade at school entry and disappear by early elementary school.

METHODS

In an effort to improve the benefits for low-income children, the REDI program enriched Head Start preschool classrooms (study one) and home visits (study two) with evidence-based programming, documenting positive intervention effects in two randomized trials. In this study, REDI participants were followed longitudinally, to evaluate the sustained impact of the classroom and home-visiting enrichments 3 years later, when children were in second grade. The combined sample included 556 children (55% European American, 25% African American, 19% Latino; 49% male): 288 children received the classroom intervention, 105 children received the classroom intervention plus the home-visiting intervention, and 173 children received usual practice Head Start.

RESULTS

The classroom intervention led to sustained benefits in social-emotional skills, improving second grade classroom participation, student-teacher relationships, social competence, and peer relations. The coordinated home-visiting intervention produced additional benefits in child mental health (perceived social competence and peer relations) and cognitive skills (reading skills, academic performance). Significant effects ranged from 25% to 48% of a standard deviation, representing important effects of small to moderate magnitude relative to usual practice Head Start.

CONCLUSIONS

Preschool classroom and home-visiting programs for low-income children can be improved with the use of evidence-based programming, reducing disparities and promoting complementary benefits that sustain in elementary school.

Meta-analysis of organizational skills interventions for children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

BACKGROUND

In addition to problems with attention and hyperactivity, children with ADHD present with poor organizational skills required for managing time and materials in academic projects. Organizational skills training (OST) has been increasingly used to address these deficits. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of OST in children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence of the effects of OST for children with ADHD for organizational skills, attention, and academic performance.

METHODS

We searched 3 electronic databases to locate randomized controlled trials published in English in peer-reviewed journals comparing OST with parent education, treatment-as-usual, or waitlist control conditions. Standardized mean difference effect sizes from the studies were statistically combined using a random-effects meta-analyses across six outcomes: teacher- and parent-rated organizational skills, teacher- and parent-rated inattention, teacher-rated academic performance, and Grade Point Average (GPA). Risk of bias was assessed for randomization, allocation concealment, blinding of participants and treatment personnel, blinding of outcome assessors, incomplete outcome data, and selective outcome reporting.

RESULTS

Twelve studies involving 1054 children (576 treatment, 478 control) were included in the meta-analyses. Weighted mean effect sizes for teacher- and parent-rated outcome measures of organizational skills were g=0.54 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.91) and g=0.83 (95% CI 0.32 to 1.34), respectively. Weighted mean effect sizes of teacher- and parent-rated symptoms of inattention were g=0.26 (95% CI 0.01 to 0.52) and g=0.56 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.74), respectively. Weighted standardized mean effect size for teacher-rated academic performance and GPA were g=0.33 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.51) and g=0.29 (95% CI 0.07 to 0.51), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

OST leads to moderate improvements in organizational skills of children with ADHD as rated by teachers and large improvements as rated by parents. More modest improvements were observed on the ratings of symptoms of inattention and academic performance.

PROTOCOL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO (CRD42015019261).

Validation of the Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation

The Teacher Rating of Academic Achievement Motivation (TRAAM) is a scale in development designed to measure children's academic motivation and to be used in a multifactored assessment. This study examined construct and criterion-related validity of the TRAAM with an elementary school sample. Gender and grade differences in academic motivation also were examined. Construct validity was established by investigating the relationship of the TRAAM with the Scale of Instrinsic vs. Extrinsic Orientation in the Classroom (SIEOC), the Children's Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (CAIMI), and the Social Skills Rating System Teacher version, elementary level (SSRS-T). Criterion-related validity of the scale was demonstrated by using the TRAAM factors and Total Score, the SIEOC and CAIMI subscales, and the SSRS-T Social Skills subscales and Academic Competence domain to predict problem behaviors and academic achievement. A discussion of the TRAAM's limitations concludes the article.

Development and Validation of the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales

The purpose of this study was to clarify the construct of academic competence and develop a valid teacher rating instrument to assess this construct. A 95-item pilot scale, the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES), was developed to assess the theoretical components (i.e., academic skills, study skills, academic motivation, interpersonal skills, and academic self-concept) hypothesized to contribute to the construct of academic competence. The ACES was administered to 56 teachers who rated 300 students in Grades 1 through 6. To explore convergent and discriminant validity, 13 teachers completed ratings of social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence (as measured by the Social Skills Rating System; SSRS) for 60 students. In addition, 32 students completed the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), a popular measure of academic achievement. Teacher feedback, item Importance ratings, item-ITBS correlations, and the results of an exploratory factor analysis were used to eliminate 35 items from the pilot scale. The resulting 60-item version of the ACES consists of five related scales: Academic Skills, Interpersonal Skills, Academic Motivation, Participation, and Study Skills. Internal consistency (median a = .95) and test-retest stability (median r= .83) were high for the ACES, and correlational analyses indicated that scores from the ACES are valid indicators of student academic competence. Implications for using the ACES are discussed, and suggestions are offered for research necessary to advance the development of the ACES as a reliable and valid clinical tool.

Heterogeneity in ADHD: Neurocognitive predictors of peer, family, and academic functioning

Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with impairments in peer, family, and academic functioning. Although impairment is required for diagnosis, children with ADHD vary significantly in the areas in which they demonstrate clinically significant impairment. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms and processes underlying these individual differences. The current study examined neurocognitive predictors of heterogeneity in peer, family, and academic functioning in a well-defined sample of 44 children with ADHD aged 8-13 years (M = 10.31, SD = 1.42; 31 boys, 13 girls; 81% Caucasian). Reliable change analysis indicated that 98% of the sample demonstrated objectively-defined impairment on at least one assessed outcome measure; 65% were impaired in two or all three areas of functioning. ADHD children with quantifiable deficits in academic success and family functioning performed worse on tests of working memory (d = 0.68 to 1.09), whereas children with impaired parent-reported social functioning demonstrated slower processing speed (d = 0.53). Dimensional analyses identified additional predictors of peer, family, and academic functioning. Working memory abilities were associated with individual differences in all three functional domains, processing speed predicted social functioning, and inhibitory control predicted family functioning. These results add to a growing literature implicating neurocognitive abilities not only in explaining behavioral differences between ADHD and non-ADHD groups, but also in the substantial heterogeneity in ecologically-valid functional outcomes associated with the disorder.

A Prevalence Study:ADHD in Elementary School Children

Previous studies have investigated the prevalence of hyperkinesis, hyperactivity, and attention disorders in groups of children. This study was designed to determine the best estimate of the prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children attending a midwestern urban Canadian school division. The Conners' Teachers Rating Scale-28 was chosen to allow for comparison of the results in this study to those found in previous studies. The ADHD Rnting Scale was clrosen to ensure that the results in this study more accurately reflect current diagnostic nosology of the disorder. Other instruments were chosen or designed to examine correlates of the disorder that have a negative effect on children's progress at school and that need to be considered when planning appropriate interventions for ADHD children. These correlates include academic and social/behavioral difficulties of ADHD children, teacher recognition of children for whom ADHD assessment would be appropriate, and teachers' feelings of discouragement when working with ADHD students. Results showed that approximately 9.65% of children were identified as ADHD by the Conners' Scale, 7.46% by the ADHD Rating Scale, whereas 6.36% were identified as ADHD by both scales. Furthermore, it was found that 55.17% of ADHD children scored at levels of clinical concern on the Academic Performance Rating Scale, whereas 62.07% scored within the clinical range on the School Situations Questionnaire-Revised. Teachers identified ADHD students as appropriate candidates for ADHD assessments 100% of the time while expressing discouragement with the progress of their ADHD students 75.86% of the time. Implications of these results are discussed.

Moderator Factors in First Nation Students at Risk for Psychosocial Problems

In this study the authors sought to examine the determinants of psychological well-being and risk in First Nation students residing in their home community. The participant sample was drawn from students who resided in a First Nation community and were served by their tribal council in a central western province. All students, Grades 1 to 12, who were registered in a First Nation or provincial school were included. The results of the study indicate that, because academic performance continues to be such a strong predictor of psychosocial well-being, it underscores the importance of the school as an ameliorative factor in the prevention and treatment of behavioral problems. Given this finding, the authors recognize the significance of intervention as a preventive measure for all age groups and the responsibility of federal and provincial funding agencies to continue to make available appropriate educational resources to First Nation communities.