Related Posts

• Introduction to the ECAF-2 at ABVE Meeting, April 12-14

  At the American Board of Vocational Experts (ABVE) Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona next month, psychologist and vocational expert James A. Athanasou, PhD, will present “The Use of the Earning Capacity Assessment Form™, 2nd Edition in a Medico-Legal Setting: An Australian Experience.” The Earning Capacity Assessment Form-2nd Edition (ECAF-2™) by Michael Shahnasarian, PhD is used to estimate future loss of earning capacity following an injury or accident.  At the ABVE meeting, Dr. Athanasou will provide an introduction to the interpretation of the ECAF-2, along with a critique of its use in an Australian context. Data on Australian accident victims (N=33) from a medico-legal vocational assessment practice are used as a basis for his evaluation. Dr. Athanasou’s presentation will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 3:00 pm.  Continuing Education Units will be available for conference attendees. For more information or to register for the conference, visit the ABVE Web site.

• Learning Baby’s Sex Before Birth May Say More About Mom…

  Parents’ choice to find out baby’s sex before birth reveals more than the gender of their offspring. According to a recent study from Ohio State University, a woman’s decision to learn her baby’s sex before birth may be an indicator of her child-rearing beliefs. According to the researchers, mothers who are more open to new experiences, have higher levels of conscientiousness, and have more egalitarian views about the roles of men and women in society tend to wait until delivery to learn their baby’s sex. Mothers who scored higher on a test of parenting perfectionism, meaning they had unrealistically high expectations, were slightly more likely to learn their baby’s sex in utero. Furthermore, mothers who reported higher levels of curiosity and independence were less likely to learn their baby’s sex before birth. The research focused on 182 expectant mothers in Columbus, Ohio who participated in a study to track behaviors across the transition to parenthood. The research team administered a variety of tests to pregnant women to measure personality, gender role beliefs, and expectations regarding parenting perfectionism. Approximately two out of ...

• Want to learn more about DBR Connect? Visit the Training Portal!

  DBR Connect is a Web-based behavioral progress monitoring tool that tracks three core behaviors: Academically Engaged, Disruptive, and Respectful. It can be used to screen at-risk students and monitor their behavior before, during, and after an intervention has been implemented. Now we’ve added a recorded Webinar on DBR Connect to our on-demand course offerings on the PAR Training Portal. Log on to view DBR Connect: Using Technology to Facilitate Behavior Screening and Progress Monitoring presented by Sandra M. Chafouleas, PhD, University of Connecticut, coauthor of DBR Connect. During this three-part recorded Webinar, you will: Increase knowledge about the evidence supporting the use of direct behavior ratings in school-based assessment practices involving screening and progress monitoring. Learn the benefits of electronic data systems that facilitate decisions about behavior supports. Focus on how to use DBR Connect to collect, store, interpret, and communicate information with regard to an individual or group of students. Gain insight on how to use ...

• Learn More About the Vocabulary Assessment Scales

  A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but sometimes a Webinar is better. Join us on Wednesday, February 26th at 12 PM EST for Introduction to the Vocabulary Assessment Scales, a one-hour Webinar presented by Senior Clinical Assessment Consultant Julie Alexander, PhD, NCSP. Delve into the details about this innovative new measure and learn how the Vocabulary Assessment Scales−Expressive (VAS−E) and Vocabulary Assessment Scales−Receptive (VAS−R) can help you measure vocabulary throughout the lifespan using full-color photographs. Realistic photographs are easily discernible and more ecologically valid than line drawings—giving your students and clients every opportunity to show you what they know. Register now for this insightful Webinar. Space is limited! Unable to attend the Webinar, but interested in learning more about the VAS−E and VAS−R? Watch an interview with author Rebecca Gerhardstein Nader, PhD.

• Learn About Procrastination: Don’t Put It Off!

  When an important task requires your attention, do you get right to it or do you put it off? When you’re faced with a paper to write, a report to review, or a memo that needs a detailed response, does the laundry—or the latest YouTube video—suddenly emerge as a more interesting alternative? Procrastination is an occasional challenge for many of us. But chronic procrastination can be a real problem for students, significantly affecting their academic success. In a study published recently in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology*, authors Laura Rabin, Joshua Fogel, and Katherine Nutter-Upham look at procrastination and its connection to the self-regulatory processes that make up executive function. Dr. Rabin and her colleagues examined nine clinical subscales of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning–Adult Version (BRIEF-A) in a sample of more than 200 college students. These subscales include measures of impulsivity, self-monitoring, planning and organizing, ability to “shift” behavior or mindset when necessary, initiative, task monitoring, emotional control, working memory, and organization of materials. The authors found that all nine of the clinical subscales measured by ...

• Putting learning disabilities into the curriculum

  

  School psychologists play a key role in collaborating with teachers, parents, and other professionals to assess, diagnose, and intervene when a student may be at risk for learning disorders and dyslexia. Assessing and determining the appropriate educational placements for students influences their academic journey in an important way.  Here are examples of some unique ways some schools are addressing the needs of students with reading and learning disabilities in order to set learners of all styles up for success. Encouraging movement and passions  In one K-8 school in Maryland, the schedule, the environment, and the curriculum are all designed to help students with language and learning differences learn to advocate for their specific needs. The school creates movement opportunities throughout the day to give students an opportunity to work out their energy and gather focus.  Teachers also incorporate student passions and interests into their lessons in order to ensure a positive and creative school experience for students who may have felt frustrated or left behind in their regular public school environment. Some curriculum examples include:  Integrating topics the students are passionate about into the ...