Behavioral evaluation of a state program of deinstitutionalization of the developmentally disabled

The purpose of this study was to evaluate one phase of a statewide program of deinstitutionalizing developmentally disabled individuals. Forty adults who had spent a minimum of six months in community placements were evaluated with respect to changes in behavior associated with movement out of state institutions and into community settings such as group homes and day activity centers. Pre- and post-deinstitutionalization measures were taken with the Behavior Development Survey. Post-deinstitutionalization measures on Cataldo and Risley's Resident Activity Manifest were compared to the same measures obtained on 159 developmentally disabled individuals scheduled for deinstitutionalization. A consistent pattern of positive changes on both instruments favored deinstitutionalization, but changes could not be unequivocally attributed to movement out of the institutions per se.     

Pragmatic decisions in the evaluation of consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment

This article examines pragmatic choices which must be made in conducting consumer satisfaction assessment of mental health treatment. It is argued that choices involving sample, format, and procedure for examining satisfaction may influence the results of such research, and must be considered when creating or evaluating these efforts. These choices are examined in detail.     

Evaluating employee assistance programs. A review of methods, outcomes, and future directions

Renewed interest in assisting troubled employees has led to an upsurge in the development of employee assistance programs, coupled with demands for demonstrable effectiveness. This review examines the nature and scope of these programs, their administrative and methodological context, and the types and outcomes of evaluation studies conducted thus far. Proposals for improving future investigations through a number of different approaches and strategies are then made.     

On the limiting properties of social indicators

Characteristics of the population and economic measures that constitute traditional social indicators are compared with more recent “quality of life” measures to demonstrate that social indicators are always value statements at the policy level. The possibility of alternative perspectives is illustrated. It is suggested that an awareness of the assumptions implicit in any given indicator is as important as the data they provide.     

Inverse Combinatorial Optimization: A Survey on Problems, Methods, and Results

Given a (combinatorial) optimization problem and a feasible solution to it, the corresponding inverse optimization problem is to find a minimal adjustment of the cost function such that the given solution becomes optimum.Several such problems have been studied in the last twelve years. After formalizing the notion of an inverse problem and its variants, we present various methods for solving them. Then we discuss the problems considered in the literature and the results that have been obtained. Finally, we formulate some open problems.     

针对学前教育专业男生发音问题的研究与分析

目前,学前教育专业男生朗读技能训练的课程中,在发音上存在着声母和韵母发音混淆的问题。男生的舌尖敏感度明显不如女生。男生在练习时要分清发音部位,了解发音方法,学会控制气息。教师要训练男生依靠发音部位和发音方法之间的准确配合,利用对气息的控制,真正掌握正确读出声母的诀窍。男生要学会灵活运用口腔和舌头,掌握每个元音发音时口腔的开合度,舌面的高低升降,唇形的圆展变化,克服弱点,多练多学,纠正发音问题。要提高朗读水平,男生自己的内因,即主动学习的态度十分关键。     

从哲理诠释、精神信仰到成德成人——20世纪以来“致良知”教研究的基本定位与反思

“致良知”教作为王阳明思想的重要内容,既是其讲学的立言宗旨,又是王门诸子学习、实践活动中的思想纲领。20世纪以来,关于“致良知”教的研究主要形成了哲理诠释与精神信仰两种不同诠释路径。反观20世纪以来阳明“致良知”教的两种研究取径,都不可回避一个更为本质的问题——成德成人。成德成人的德性教养既是儒学一以贯之的内在精神,更是阳明“致良知”教的本旨意涵,其意义就在转化个体生命情感、精神意志的过程中显现出人人本有且知是知非的良知。在成德成人的基础上,哲理诠释的路径蕴涵着精神信仰的价值追求,而精神信仰的路径又表现出哲理诠释的普遍性面相。这既关涉如何体贴阳明哲学的真精神,也向当代儒学研究提出了应当如何诠释儒学传统价值的重要问题。     

Maternal Discipline and Children's Adjustment: The Role of the Cultural and Situational Context

This study examined how the cultural and situational contexts can jointly shape the consequences of discipline strategies. Israeli mothers who grew up in Israel or in the Former Soviet Union (FSU) (overall N = 110) reported regarding their use of psychologically controlling and punitive discipline with their seven‐years‐old to 10‐years‐old children, and teachers reported regarding children's behavior problems. We assessed both mothers' overall general use of the discipline strategies, and their use of the same strategies following transgressions in the academic domain, an area which the two groups emphasize to differing degrees. Consistent with hypothesis, controlling discipline in academic situations had more positive consequences in the FSU group compared with the Israeli‐origin group. In contrast, and as predicted, cultural group was not a moderator of mothers' overall, general use of the same discipline strategies. The findings illustrate how taking the situation into account can inform examination of the moderating role of cultural group.     

Approach and Positive Affect in Toddlerhood Predict Early Childhood Behavior Problems

The aim of the study was to examine the moderating role of positive affect on the relation between approach behaviors and adjustment outcomes. One hundred eleven toddlers participated in a laboratory assessment of approach and positive affect at 24 months. Behavior problems were reported by a parent in the fall of the child's kindergarten year. Results supported our hypotheses that children who displayed high approach and high positive affect in both non‐threat and low‐threat contexts were rated as higher in externalizing behavior problems. On the other hand, for children showing low positive affect, increases in approach in a moderate‐threat context lowered the risk of developing internalizing behavior problems. Implications for these findings are discussed, including methodological considerations of differences among eliciting contexts and advantages of separating positive affect and approach.