Browsing by Subject "Intervention"

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Adult Student Perceptions of Bullying and Interventions
(2016-05) Belisle, Ann M
The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the perspectives of adult students and their experiences with bullying and the effect this issue had for them personally. The focus of the study will seek to understand the adult students' perspectives and make the comparative analysis of these findings regarding the pervasiveness of bullying and the effect on academic achievement and social climate and where these students believe more focus needs to be. By collecting the perspectives of the students, continuing improvements can be made to current interventions of bullying; and thus improving educational experience for all students.
Approaches to Grammar Intervention: A Look at Current Practice
(2016-05) Satterlund, Kayla
Abstract Purpose Weaknesses in grammar are a core weakness of many children with language impairment and are frequently targeted in language intervention. The present study nationally surveyed speech-language pathologists to better understand the intervention practices of clinicians currently treating grammatical weaknesses. Method A total of 383 participants responded to questions regarding components of grammar intervention through an online survey. Participants reported working primarily with children in early education (n=114), elementary school (n=224), and middle/high school (n=45). Results Participants provided extensive details of their interventions focused on grammatical forms. Participants’ treatment procedures, activities, and context varied based on the age group of their caseload reported. Across age groups, participants reported using modeling and recast procedures and book reading and conversation activities. Participants working with younger children most commonly reported working with children at home, and participants working with children in middle/high school most commonly reported working with children in small groups in the therapy room. Conclusion As researchers continue to develop and evaluate child language interventions, it is essential to have a strong understanding of current practice. Information from this study can be used to guide the development and empirical evaluation of grammatical approaches for children.
Changing mental representations using related physical models: the effects of analyzing number lines on learner internal scale of numerical magnitude
(2013-08) Bengtson, Barbara J.
Understanding the linear relationship of numbers is essential for doing practical and abstract mathematics throughout education and everyday life. There is evidence that number line activities increase learners' number sense, improving the linearity of mental number line representations (Siegler & Ramani, 2009). Mental representations of numbers of children in kindergarten through 2nd grade were examined. Methods of improving mental representation using number line activities were also examined. This experimental study included a pretest, interventions, control, and posttest. Analyses were completed to determine accuracy and linearity of estimation patterns as a reflection of mental representations before and after interventions. Age and achievement test data analyses contributed developmental and mathematics performance information to the study. The findings of this study support existing research indicating children's understanding of number improves with age, with accurate and linear mental representations on a 1 to 100 number line fitting few students in kindergarten, about half in 1st grade and the majority of students in 2nd grade. This study also contributes to our understanding of the educational power of number line activities and interventions. After three short experiences with board games and broken number line puzzles growth is evident, although not significant, for performance on the number line estimation task. Further study must be done to add to our understanding of number line estimation as well as the activities which improve mental representations.
Characterizing Behavior Change Interventions to Improve Pediatric Obesity Prevention Research
(2016-09) JaKa, Meghan
Behavior change interventions to prevent pediatric obesity are critical. The efficacy of these interventions has been modest and reasons for the less-than-desired results are unclear. This dissertation includes three manuscripts aimed at characterizing and identifying effective components within the ‘black box’ of pediatric obesity prevention interventions. The first manuscript assesses the reliability of a standardized method for coding characteristics of an intervention delivered to parents of 5- to 10-year-old children at risk for becoming overweight or obese. The second manuscript evaluates if parents, when given choice in a pediatric obesity prevention intervention, spend time discussing the weight-related behaviors most relevant to their child’s obesity risk. The purpose of the third manuscript is to identify relationships between specific intervention characteristics and study outcomes (i.e., change in child weight-related behaviors and BMI percentile). By using reliable, standardized methods to identify effective intervention characteristics, this dissertation paves the way for future researchers to design more focused interventions, ultimately leading to successful prevention of pediatric obesity.
Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Mathematics Word Problem Solving with English Learners
(2019-12) Jones, Leila
Schema-based instruction is recognized as an effective practice to teach children word problem solving skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally and linguistically responsive adaptation to schema-based instruction with a sample of Spanish-speaking English learners. A multiple probe design across participants was used to evaluate the efficacy of the culturally and linguistically responsive schema-based instruction on word problem solving performance. Maintenance of intervention effects was assessed six weeks following intervention implementation. Student perceptions of the culturally and linguistically responsive schema-based intervention were also measured. Results indicate that the intervention was successful at improving and maintaining word problem solving performance with this sample. The students reported an overall positive attitude toward the intervention, providing evidence that they understood, enjoyed, and felt they benefited from the intervention.
Developing a practical parenting workshop : a case study in family sexual communication .
(2012-05) Croatt, Heidi S.
This dissertation discusses the development and assessment of a parent intervention and training program. Out of concern for the sexual health of adolescents in the United States, both parents and researchers have called for programs assisting parents in the sexual education of their children. Encouraging sexual communication and increasing the number of families who feel confident engaging in this type of communication are essential in promoting sexually healthy behaviors and reducing the number of young people engaged in risky behaviors. There is a clear need for parenting programs that focus on this topic. The project discussed in this dissertation was developed with this need in mind. A parenting program called Beyond Birds and Bees was developed to help parents communicate about sex with their children in a way that is consistent with their family values and with research on parent-child sexual communication. This program was then assessed by the program developer and participants. The goal of developing this program was to utilize existing research and put forth a practical application of what researchers already know - children who talk with their parents about sex are more likely to make sexually healthy decisions. Programs like this are important in advancing our understanding of the practical dimension of facilitating family sexual communication. It is hoped that this program encourages other researchers to think about ways to apply the research in applied communication.
The Differential Effects of Elaborated Task and Process Feedback on Multi-Digit Multiplication
(2020-05) Edmunds, Rebecca
Given persistent low achievement in mathematics for students in the United States, researchers and practitioners have a vested interest in identifying effective intervention components. This study explored the differential effects of elaborated task feedback (ETF) and elaborated process feedback (EPF) when combined with a cover, copy, compare (CCC) intervention as compared to a repeated practice control condition on students’ fluency and strategy use. The multi-digit multiplication class-wide intervention was implemented in 10-sessions with a sample of 101 students from two suburban schools in the Midwest. Due to an interest in the impact of feedback over time, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and hierarchical generalized linear modeling were used to examine changes in performance across the intervention. Despite an overall strong effect, the impact of feedback can vary by context, delivery, and purpose (Kluger & DeNisi, 1996). This study addressed gaps in the feedback literature by providing feedback on strategy use and testing the effects of feedback with elaboration to guide error correction. Non-significant effects were found for both types of feedback on fluency and strategy use. The observed increases in fluency over time across conditions provides additional support for the impact of deliberate, repeated practice in mathematics (e.g. Clarke et al., 2016; Fuchs et al., 2010). Implications of the bidirectional relationship observed between strategy use and fluency as well as the potential moderating effects of individual student characteristics are also explored; implications for practice and future research are discussed. Results underscore the importance of research on interventions targeting mathematics skills beyond single-digit computation.
The Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction in Reading: A Meta-Analysis
(2015-05) Kunkel, Amy
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) to improve the reading outcomes of students in preschool through high school. A total of 61 studies met criteria for this review, and 101 independent effect sizes were extracted. Results indicated that the mean effects for students receiving reading CAI were small, positive, and statistically significant when compared to control groups receiving no treatment or non-reading CAI. Categorical moderator analyses and meta-regression were conducted to explore the variation in effects. Results of an analysis of research quality indicated that, on average, about half of quality indicators were met. The results of this meta-analysis show that CAI in reading can effectively enhance the reading outcomes of students in preschool through high school. Future, high-quality research should be conducted to identify effective programs and establish best practice in the instructional design of CAI to enhance the reading skills of all students.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Positive Life Changes Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum
(2014-07) Young, Julie Lavonne
A pre-and post-test multiple baseline study was conducted in a suburban middle school to ascertain the utility of Positive Life Changes as a targeted (Tier 2) intervention. Specifically, the study sought to determine whether Positive Life Changes yields a significant increase in (a) academic engagement and (b) social emotional competence for students, and to explore student perceptions of intervention strength related to this potential growth. Participants (N = 10) were divided into three groups and received the intervention curriculum twice a week during lunch-group sessions for five weeks. The intervention led to positive growth in both academic engagement and social emotional competency. Potential mechanisms leading to social emotional growth and implications for practice are discussed.
Evaluation of an explicit instructional approach to teach novel grammatical forms to children with autism spectrum disorders
(2014-06) Miller, Danneka Joy
Purpose: Limited or unusual syntax may reduce the functional use of language for children with ASD and exacerbate difficulties with academic and social skill development. The current study evaluated an explicit instructional approach to teach novel grammatical forms to children with ASD.Method: Eleven children with ASD between the ages of 4:4 and 9:9 years who demonstrated weaknesses in expressive grammatical language were randomly assigned to complete two space-themed computer games. In each game participants attempted to learn a novel grammatical form after receiving explicit or implicit instruction. During explicit instruction, the examiner presented a rule guiding the novel form to be learned as well as models of the form. During implicit instruction, only models of the grammatical form were presented. Learning was assessed during each of four treatment sessions and after a 1-week delay in two contexts.Results: Nonparametric analyses revealed a trending advantage for learning novel grammatical morphemes with an explicit instructional approach. Successful learners tended to have stronger expressive language skills then unsuccessful learners. Successful and unsuccessful learners did not differ in nonverbal intelligence or severity of autism- related behaviors.Conclusions: Explicit instruction may lead to more robust learning of targeted grammatical forms for children with ASD. Future research should continue to examine this effect using true grammatical forms.
Evidence-Based Instructional Principles and Sequences for Effective Fraction Instruction
(2021-07) Running, Kristin
Fraction proficiency is a critical milestone for students to reach, as fraction knowledge strongly predicts later math achievement. However, fractions are notoriously difficult for students to learn. The first study in this dissertation reviewed commonly used math curricula to determine if their fraction lessons used evidence-based instructional strategies. The results showed several strengths of the curricula, including sufficient prerequisite skill practice, instructional examples of fraction concepts, and practice opportunities. However, the curricula also needed more explicit instruction of fraction concepts and procedures. In addition to using evidence-based instructional principles, the order of conceptual and procedural instruction may also affect students’ learning and generalization of fraction skills. The second study in this dissertation compared the effect of two instruction sequences, concepts-first and iterative, on fraction performance during a classwide intervention. Fourth-grade students (N=114) were randomly assigned to the concepts-first, iterative, or control group. The primary conceptual assessment showed that the iterative and concepts-first groups performed similarly, demonstrating medium effect sizes compared to control. The primary procedural assessment again demonstrated that both intervention groups outperformed the control, this time with large to very large effects. Additionally, the iterative group outscored the concepts-first group with a medium effect size, though it was not statistically significant. Generalization assessments measuring skill transfer found no differential effects. Overall, iterative instruction was at least as effective as a concepts-first sequence during a fraction intervention. The implications of these findings for fraction instruction and the sequencing of conceptual and procedural instruction more generally are discussed.
Examining Moderators of Response to Executive Function Reflection Training: Initial Skill and Socioeconomic Status
(2016-06) Schubert, Erin
The achievement gap between children of different socioeconomic status (SES) is a grand challenge for developmental psychologists. Fortunately, not all low SES children develop adverse outcomes. Research has identified executive function (EF) as an import-ant characteristic of resilient functioning. EF can be improved through a diverse array of training programs. Yet, these programs do not improve the EF of all participants. An understanding of which individuals benefit from EF training is essential to wide scale dissemination of empirically validated interventions. The objective of this research was to determine the characteristics of children who are most likely to benefit from EF training. Participating families (N = 134) were recruited from group childcare centers, representing a broad range of SES. Children were randomly assigned to a control or intervention group. Parents provided information on children’s demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. All children participated in individual pre- and post- sessions during which their EF and IQ were assessed with direct behavioral measures. Experimenters completed a report on child EF after each session. Between assessment sessions, children in the intervention group received two 10-15 minute sessions of EF reflection training. Children in the control group participated in two 10-15 minute sessions in which they practiced EF tasks but were not given training or feedback. Children in the intervention group as a whole demonstrated marginally significantly better EF performance at post-test than children in the control group. Further, children from lower SES families showed more improvement following the intervention than children from families with higher SES. Children’s initial EF was not a significant moderator of response to intervention while controlling for SES.
A pilot study to evaluate the potential cardioprotective effects of grape juice in survivors of childhood cancer.
(2011-05) Blair, Cindy K.
Childhood cancer is a rare, yet devastating disease, which was almost uniformly fatal 50 years ago. Fortunately, with the tremendous advance of cancer therapies, the 5-year relative survival rate for children under age 15 years has increased to 80%. Research into the late effects of cancer treatment has revealed that there are consequences of the cure. Childhood cancer survivors are at an increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD), and few interventions have been tested to delay or mitigate progression of disease in this population. Dietary strategies have been evaluated as potential means to prevent, attenuate, or reverse the CVD process in adults. Notably, there is considerable interest in the cardioprotective properties of red wine, which are primarily attributed to flavonoids, a class of polyphenols present in most plant foods. Purple grape juice (PGJ) is a rich source of flavonoids with antioxidant properties that has been shown in adults to reduce oxidative stress and improve endothelial function, a key measure of vascular health. The effects of supplementing meals with PGJ on endothelial function and oxidative stress were examined in 24 cancer survivors ages 10 to 21 years in a randomized controlled crossover study consisting of two 4 week intervention periods, each preceded by a 4 week washout period. Subjects were randomly assigned to 6 ounces twice daily of PGJ or clear apple juice (AJ, similar in calories but lower in flavonoids). Clinical measurements and blood samples were obtained before and after each supplementation period. Change in microvascular endothelial function, assessed using peripheral arterial tonometry in the fingertips, and change in plasma markers of oxidative stress (oxidized LDL (oxLDL), myeloperoxidase (MPO)) and inflammation (high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP)) were evaluated using mixed effects analysis of variance. PGJ did not improve endothelial function compared with AJ (mean change: PGJ 0.06, AJ 0.22; difference of mean change (95% CI): -0.16 (-0.42 to 0.11), p = 0.25). There were no significant improvements in biomarkers of oxidative stress (mean change: oxLDL (U/L): PGJ 4.66, AJ 1.57, p=0.29; MPO (ng/mL): PGJ 0.95, AJ 1.03 p=0.15) or inflammation (mean change: hs-CRP (mg/L): PGJ 1.42, AJ 1.06, p=0.37). There were no adverse effects on fasting glucose or insulin, or blood pressure during either juice supplementation; however, there was a statistically significant increase in weight and BMI during the apple juice supplementation (median change: weight: 0.70, p=0.01; BMI: 0.26, p=0.03). Additionally, there was a 5 mg/dL decrease in HDL cholesterol during the apple juice supplementation (p=0.001). Our study was the first to examine the effects of purple grape juice on endothelial function in cancer survivors. The intervention was well-tolerated by study participants and all 24 subjects randomized to the juice intervention completed the four month study. After four weeks of daily consumption of flavonoid-rich purple grape juice, no measurable improvement in vascular health was observed in adolescent and young adult cancer survivors. However, these young survivors were relatively healthy with few cardiovascular risk factors, which may have precluded identifying measurable improvement. An important next step in childhood cancer survivorship research is to be able to identify those cancer survivors most at risk before vascular disease is clinically evident. Future studies might consider targeting the major risk factors for CVD, such as obesity, insulin resistance or diabetes, or hypertension, which directly or indirectly may also affect endothelial function.
Promotion of healthful beverage practices by parents of children (6-12 years)
(2017-08) Zahid, Arwa
Background: The prevalence of obesity among children (6-11 years) in the U.S. has increased from 7% to 20% in the past 30 years. Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake has been associated with weight gain among children. Energy imbalance and excessive weight gain from SSB consumption could lead to adverse health consequences in childhood and later in adulthood. Parents exert a strong influence on dietary intake of children based on the example they provide and the foods and beverages they make available at home. This dissertation investigated beverage parenting practices of parents of children (6-12 years) in three studies. Methods and Results: Parent and child participants for the three studies were recruited at the Minnesota State Fair in 2014, 2015 and 2016 at the Driven to Discover Building, a building that houses University of Minnesota research studies. The same home beverage availability and parent beverage intake questionnaires that were previously evaluated for validity and reliability were used in all three studies. Beverage intake among children: associations with parent and home-related factors (Study 1) The first study was a cross-sectional study with parents and their early adolescent children (9-12 years). The purpose was to determine associations between beverage intakes among early adolescent children (9-12 years) and home- and parent-related factors. A survey was administered to 194 parents to assess usual beverage intake, home beverage availability and beverage nutrition knowledge. Early adolescents completed a survey to assess usual beverage intake. Home availability of dairy beverages and parent dairy intake were positively associated with child dairy beverage intake. Home availability of SSBs was positively correlated with child SSB intake. Parent beverage knowledge about sugar was related to child dairy beverage intake. Results indicated that parental knowledge and parenting practices including managing beverage availability and role modeling may influence child beverage intake. Gain-framed messages motivate sugar-sweetened beverage parenting practices more than loss-framed messages (Study 2) The second study was a cross-sectional study with parents of children (6-12 years) that tested the effects of message framing (gain- vs. loss-framed) on behavioral intention of parents to role model healthful beverage intake and make healthful beverages available in the home for children (6-12 years). A survey was administered to 380 parents to assess usual beverage intake and home beverage availability. The survey included questions to test the effectiveness of message framing on behavioral intention to control home beverage availability and role model beverage intake. Gain-framed messages produced significantly greater intention to make healthful beverages available in the home and to role model healthful beverage intake than loss-framed messages. Effectiveness of an online newsletter/text message intervention promoting beverage-related parenting practices: pilot test results (Study 3) The third study was a single group, pre-post pilot intervention study. A 4-week, newsletter/text message intervention was developed and tested for parents of children (6-12 years) to improve home availability of healthful beverages and parental role modeling of healthful beverage intake. A survey (pre-test) was administered to parents (n=197) to assess usual parent beverage intake, home availability of beverages, and parent-reported child beverage intake. Parents received 3-weekly online newsletters as an email attachment in 2 formats (Pdf and an image) using gain-framed messages to promote healthful beverage parenting practices. They also received 6 text messages in the 3-week period consistent with the newsletter themes. One-hundred and seven parents completed the post-test survey with 100 parents having usable pre-post survey data. Positive effects were observed regarding parent beverage intake, parent-reported child beverage intake, and home beverage availability. Conclusions: In the first study, making healthful beverages available in the home and role modeling healthful beverage intake were identified as strategic intervention targets for parents to decrease child SSB intake. Gain-framed messages were found to be more effective in the second study compared to loss-framed messages in motivating parents to engage in positive beverage parenting practices. In the third study, a brief newsletter/text message intervention was identified as a potentially useful method to promote positive beverage parenting practices.
Ready4Routines: Improving Child Executive Function Skills through Autonomy Supportive Parent-Child Reflective Routines
(2021-06) Semenov, Andrei
Predictable daily routines are a promising context for executive function (EF) interventions. Routines provide structure and predictability that support EF skills. The parent-child interactions during routines help reinforce important serve and return patterns that promote autonomy supportive parenting practices. This dissertation uses a two-generation approach to examine the effects of a novel parenting intervention, Ready4Routines, designed to promote autonomy supportive parenting, mindfulness, and EF development among parents and their children. Ready4Routines follows a fast-cycle intervention design. Pilot studies in 2015 and 2016 led to iterations in intervention design and implementation. Study 1 investigates the effects of Ready4Routines and a modified version of the intervention called Shine on Families on parents and children in Head Start and Early Head Start centers across the United States (N = 228). Study 2 investigates Ready4Routines in an independent suburban school district in Minnesota and a Head Start program in Florida (N = 44). Results from Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that participation in Ready4Routines and Shine on Families is associated with increases in autonomy supportive parenting after controlling for parent EF skills and child age. Ready4Routines demonstrates the potential of leveraging daily family routines to deliver high-quality parenting interventions.
Regional Identities and Dynamic Normative Orders in the Global South: A Comparative Study
(2015-09) Coe, Brooke
Because of the insecurities of postcoloniality, we expect states in the global South to be ‘jealous’ of their sovereignty and to resist intrusions into domestic political and security matters. I find, contrary to this conventional understanding, that non-interference has eroded in the South in significant ways over time—especially since the ‘second wave’ of regionalism beginning in the 1980s—but that this erosion has been uneven. Regional organizations in Africa and Latin America have been empowered to monitor state practices and respond to intrastate conflicts and political crises intrusively, while Southeast Asian states have largely maintained their prohibition against such interference. What accounts for this variation? Through historical comparative analysis, I find that regional identity discourses—pan-Americanism and pan-Africanism—present a challenge to strict sovereignty norms and have contributed to the erosion of the norm of non-interference over time in Latin America and Africa. Pan-Asianism was not important to the establishment of ASEAN, an organization founded on anti-communism at the height of the Cold War. Pan-Americanism’s liberal commitments to representative democracy and human rights—espoused by independence leaders and carried forth by Latin American jurists and diplomats—became embedded in inter-American institutions and practices at an early stage and developed over time into intrusive democracy and human rights promotion regimes. Pan-Africanism’s distinct transnationalism—which originated in the diaspora and emphasizes solidarity among African people rather than among states—has provided critics of non-interference with discursive tools to promote the idea of a regional responsibility to protect human rights and human security. In Southeast Asia, non-interference has been much less contested over the decades, despite persistent domestic conflicts. I furthermore identify two proximate factors—regional democratic density and economic performance—that have contributed to more sharply divergent regional normative trajectories beginning in the late 20th century. The third wave of democratization brought Latin America’s average democracy level to an unprecedented high by the late 1980s, reinvigorating intrusive liberal multilateralism. In Africa, the economic crisis of the 1980s rendered states materially and socially vulnerable, more concerned about Africa’s image vis-à-vis investors and the international community. In order to improve this image, and to create the conditions for economic growth, African states empowered their regional institutions manage domestic governance and security problems. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia was less affected by democratization and experienced unprecedented and unparalleled economic growth in the 1980s, growth that bestowed ‘performance legitimacy’ upon Southeast Asian states and their regional organization, ASEAN.
The relationship of gut microbiota in standard and overweight children, before and after probiotic administration
(2019) Linhardt, Carter A; Clayton, Jonathan B; Hoops, Suzie; Amin-Nordin, Syafinaz; Knights, Dan
The usage of probiotic foods and supplements has been widely considered part of a healthy diet by supplementing the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria. Although the usage of probiotics is a common dietary accessory, there is limited reproducible evidence showing bacterial colonization, thus limiting long term effectiveness. We administered Yakult, a commercial probiotic composed of Lactobacillus paracasei strain Shirota, to overweight and standard weight school children in Malaysia. Using a crossover intervention study design, two groups of school children were administered the probiotic supplement or continued their typical diet in sequential 5-week intervention periods, separated by a 5-week washout period. Fecal samples were collected every five weeks over the course of the 15-week study period. The gut microbiome of each subject was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We observed significant differences in Lachnospiraceae, Coproccus, Roseburia, Pyramidobacter, and Bacteroides ovatus between weight classes. However, differences in overall microbiome diversity between weight classes were not found to be significant. Subjects clustered according to their relative abundance of well-known genera Bacteroides and Prevotella, regardless of age, gender, or weight class. Overall, individual-to-individual variation overshadowed trends in gut microbiome composition associated with probiotic administration.
The Role of Engagement in a Parenting Intervention for Military Families
(2018-05) Chesmore, Ashley
Children of recently deployed parents tend to have higher rates of psychosocial difficulties than children of non-deployed parents. Fortunately, evidence-based parenting programs have shown positive child outcomes through improved parenting. The effectiveness of preventive interventions on parenting, however, may vary by military parents’ program engagement. Study 1 examined whether baseline levels of parenting, child adjustment, and other family demographics were associated with mother (n = 190) and father (n = 180) program engagement among parents who participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a parenting intervention designed for military families known as After Deployment: Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT). Important predictors of different forms of mother and father engagement are discussed. Study 2 used complier average causal effects (CACE) analysis to test whether mother (n = 314) and father (n = 294) program engagement (defined as attending 4 or more parenting sessions) was associated with changes in mother and father parental locus of control and observed parenting practices at 12-month follow-up. Findings indicated that mothers and fathers who engaged in the parenting intervention improved in parental locus of control at 12-month follow-up. Mothers, but not fathers, who engaged in the parenting intervention significantly improved in observed parenting at 12-month follow-up. Post-hoc analyses revealed that fathers needed to attend at least 11 session to evince significant improvements in observed parenting practices. Results from these studies will help identify under what conditions military parents benefit from a parenting intervention and may lead to more effectively tailored programs for military families.
The role of parental reflective functioning in promoting attachment for children of depressed mothers in a toddler-parent psychotherapeutic intervention
(2011-09) Vrieze, Danielle Marie
Parental reflective functioning (PRF) refers to a parent's ability to interpret and reflect upon her child's mental states (e.g., thoughts, feelings, emotions, desires) and underlying behaviors, and relate them to her own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Slade, Bernbach, Grienenberger, Lev, & Locker, 2005a). The purpose of the present study was to explore the potential role of maternal reflective functioning in promoting attachment security among depressed mothers and their toddlers involved in a toddler-parent psychotherapy (TPP) intervention program. Children of depressed mothers have an increased likelihood of negative developmental outcomes, including disrupted attachment relationships with their primary caregivers (Cicchetti, Rogosch, & Toth, 1998). Toddler-parent psychotherapy has been demonstrated to significantly improve attachment security among this vulnerable population (Cicchetti, Toth, & Rogosch, 1999); however the mechanism underlying its efficacy is unclear. This study examined PRF and attachment status of 160 mother-toddler dyads. Among dyads, participant groups included: non-depressed control (NC) mothers (n = 62), depressed control (DC) mothers (n = 52), and depressed intervention (DI) mothers (n = 46) who participated in an 18 month TPP intervention program. Results showed no differences in PRF among the subject groups at either baseline or follow-up (post intervention) periods, suggesting no effect of TPP on PRF. Furthermore, results show that PRF does not account for the efficacy of TPP in improving attachment among toddlers of depressed mothers. PRF was, however, associated with educational attainment of mothers, regardless of participant group status. Research examining the construct of PRF is relatively new and therefore limited. Results of the present study are presented in light of previous research findings. The potential benefits and limitations of PRF as a construct, particularly for examining attachment and other developmental processes, are discussed.
Scaffolding learning from informational texts in the intervention setting
(2016-05) Bergeson, Kristi
The act of creating meaning with texts is complex, and this complexity creates unclear views of instruction in schools and even greater perplexity in knowing how to instruct students who may be struggling in this area of their schoolwork. Comprehension is often measured in schools as a product and an outcome, making it difficult to understand why a student may be experiencing challenges (Duke & Carlisle, 2011). Recently, the emphasis of developing reading skills in isolation in schools is being replaced by the importance of gaining knowledge and building cognition while reading (Cervetti & Hiebert, 2014); yet, handing a difficult non-fiction text to students to read, without considering complex and interrelated factors that influence comprehension does not put students on the path to create meaning with informational texts (Duke, 2014). This study examined that pathway by implementing a reading intervention for fourth and fifth grade students in collaboration with six reading specialists within one mid-western school district. Using design-based research (McKenney & Reeves, 2012), this project aimed to create educational solutions to problems in schools while at the same time developing theoretical understanding of learning. Five conjecture maps guided the embodiment, mediating processes, and intended outcomes for the designed intervention (Sandoval, 2014). This intervention was embodied by content grouped texts that gradually increased in difficulty, mystery texts, reading for authentic purposes, and the use of verbal protocols as a formative assessment tool. The Landscape Model (van den Broek, Rapp & Kendeou, 2005) provided a theoretical framework for this study by describing the dynamic interaction of cognitive processes involved with comprehension. Reading specialists drew on this model to better understand students’ processing of texts as they listened to individual students think out loud while reading. Findings indicated that grouping texts by content area influenced students’ cognitive processes in their reading, was valuable for comprehension development, and impacted the comprehension product. In addition, the implementation of verbal protocols as a formative assessment tool enabled reading specialists to identify students’ unique challenges while reading and to coach students while processing texts. The act of creating meaning with texts is complex, but understanding students’ use of cognitive processes, and not just comprehension outcomes, provides valuable support for scaffolding learning from informational texts for students in the intervention setting.

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