Using a person-centered analysis to examine second-grade outcomes of a universal SEL program.

Effective universal social skills programs are intended to facilitate the development of students' social competencies and enhance classroom learning. As such, the present study sought to provide additional insights and a more nuanced understanding of the impacts of one such universal program, the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP; Elliott & Gresham, 2007). Using a person-centered data analytic approach, we evaluated SSIS-CIP's association with heterogeneity in patterns of change on social skills and problem behavior measures over time for second-grade students. Specifically, latent profile analysis yielded three consistent behavior profiles over time: high social competence and low problem behavior, moderate social competence and low problem behavior, and low social competence and high problem behavior. Latent transition analysis suggested that students who were exposed to the SSIS-CIP program were more likely to stay in the same profile or transfer to a more positive behavioral profile than students in the comparison condition. The SSIS-CIP also appeared to benefit those with lower levels of skills and likely in need of intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Identifying sets of maximally efficient items from the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales-Teacher Form.

The Academic Competence Evaluation Scales-Teacher Form (ACES-TF; DiPerna & Elliott, 2000) was developed to measure student academic skills and enablers (interpersonal skills, engagement, motivation, and study skills). Although ACES-TF scores have demonstrated psychometric adequacy, the length of the measure may be prohibitive for certain applications in research and practice. Thus, the purpose of this project was to use item response theory to identify sets of maximally efficient items (SMIs) for each subscale of the ACES-TF that could inform the development of an abbreviated version. Results supported the reliability and precision of SMI scores. As such, the SMIs demonstrate promise to inform the development of an abbreviated version of the ACES-TF. (PsycINFO Database Record

Efficacy of the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP) primary version.

A multisite cluster randomized trial was conducted to examine the effects of the Social Skills Improvement System Classwide Intervention Program (SSIS-CIP; Elliott & Gresham, 2007) on students' classroom social behavior. The final sample included 432 students across 38 second grade classrooms. Social skills and problem behaviors were measured via the SSIS rating scale for all participants, and direct observations were completed for a subsample of participants within each classroom. Results indicated that the SSIS-CIP demonstrated positive effects on teacher ratings of participants' social skills and internalizing behaviors, with the greatest changes occurring in classrooms with students who exhibited lower skill proficiency prior to implementation. Statistically significant differences were not observed between treatment and control participants on teacher ratings of externalizing problem behaviors or direct observation.

Divorce, approaches to learning, and children's academic achievement: a longitudinal analysis of mediated and moderated effects.

Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K) were used to test the hypothesis that approaches to learning (ATL) mediates the link between parental divorce and academic achievement. Fixed effects regression was utilized to test for mediation, and subsequent moderation analyses examining gender and age at time of divorce also were conducted. Results indicated that divorce was associated with less growth in test scores and that ATL mediated 18% and 12% of this association in reading and mathematics respectively. Parental divorce also was associated with larger negative effects for children who experienced divorce at an older age as well as for girls' mathematics test scores. These findings contribute to the understanding of the impact of parental divorce on children's academic achievement and underscore the importance of focusing on the variability of child outcomes following parental divorce.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI).

Despite growing interest in early intervention, there are few measures available to monitor the progress of early academic skills in preschoolers. The Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI; DiPerna, Morgan, & Lei, 2007) were developed as brief assessments of critical early literacy and numeracy skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine the factor structure of the EARLI probes via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a sample of Head Start preschoolers (N=289). A two-factor model with correlated error terms and a bifactor model provided comparable fit to the data, although there were some structural problems with the latter model. The utility of the bifactor model for explaining the structure of early academic skills as well as the utility of the EARLI probes as measures of literacy and numeracy skills in preschool are discussed.

The Hispanic Diabetes Management Program: Impact of community pharmacists on clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of community pharmacists on clinical outcomes in Hispanic patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: 126 patients were enrolled in this longitudinal pre/post cohort study that took place in nine community and four workplace pharmacies in San Antonio, TX. Pharmacists provided education, point-of-care testing for glycemic and metabolic parameters, clinical assessment, goal setting, and drug therapy management with physicians. Study outcomes were changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and accompanying metabolic parameters (blood pressure, lipid parameters, and body mass index) during a 1-year time frame. RESULTS: In the overall cohort, A1C was not reduced significantly from baseline to 12 months (7.8% vs. 7.6%, P = 0.516). However, statistically significant reductions occurred for fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and diastolic blood pressure. None of the other parameters was affected significantly. In the subgroup of patients not at target values at baseline, significant reductions occurred for A1C (9.2% vs. 8.6%, P = 0.001), systolic blood pressure (147 vs. 143 mm Hg, P = 0.031), diastolic blood pressure (91 vs. 87 mm Hg, P < 0.001), triglycerides (259 vs. 219 mg/dL, P < 0.001), LDL cholesterol (139 vs. 123 mg/dL, P < 0.001), and total cholesterol (237 vs. 222 mg/dL, P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Interventions performed by community pharmacists are effective in improving clinical outcomes in a Hispanic cohort with diabetes. Pharmacists' efforts were most successful in patients not at target glycemic and metabolic levels.

Influence of starch and casein administered postruminally on small intestinal sodium-glucose cotransport activity and expression

Twenty-four Holstein steer calves (88 ± 3kg) with abomasal catheters were randomly assigned within blocks to one of four treatments. The treatments consisted of four abomasal infusions: water (control), 4 g/kg BW.d-1 of partially hydrolyzed starch (SH), 0.6 g/kg BW.d-1 of casein, and a mix of SH + casein. The small intestine was collected and five equidistan, 1m sites were identified (duodenum, jejunum 1, jejunum 2 jejunum 3 and ileum). Maltase specific activity in mucosal homogenate and brush border membrane vesicles, SGLT1 protein abundance, and sodium-dependent glucose uptake in brush border membrane vesicles did not differ between the calves receiving different abomasal infusion treatments. However, maltase specific activity in homogenates and brush border membrane vesicles increased four-fold from the duodenum to the first jejunal site before declining steadily towards the ileum (p=0.0145 p=0.0020, respectively). The SGLT1 abundance differed by intestinal sampling site (p=0.0162). These data indicated that cattle might not have the ability to alter the capacity for glucose uptake when challenged with different substrates and that the regulation of SGLT1 expression could differ between bovine and other species.