Flunking kindergarten after Head Start: An inquiry into the contribution of contextual and individual variables.

The author examined the extent that nonpromotion to 1st grade after kindergarten can be predicted from information about school and family contexts as well as Head Start children's individual characteristics. The sample comprised 261 Head Start children and parents who were participating in a study on the transition to school. Children who lagged behind their peers on academic achievement and social adjustment indicators were more likely to be in the nonpromoted group. Parental school involvement, parental estimates of children's school adjustment, and parental satisfaction with school programs were predictive of risk for nonpromotion. Head Start children were less likely to be retained in public schools that provided educational as well as family services intended to support the transition to public school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Neighborhood socioeconomic status is a useful predictor of perennial landscape vegetation in residential neighborhoods and embedded small parks of Phoenix, AZ

Though landscape vegetation in cities is human-mediated and often more diverse than that in surrounding environments, little work has been done to quantify ways that humans shape its composition. Our study identified important sources of variation in perennial vegetation composition within residential neighborhoods of Phoenix, AZ, USA. We hypothesized that neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) should offer some capacity for predicting landscape vegetation richness and abundance in both residential neighborhoods and embedded small city parks. As predicted, neighborhood vegetation richness increased across a gradient of low to high SES (R²=0.89) with the most variation explained by median family income (R²=0.86). In contrast, neighborhood vegetation abundance decreased across a gradient of increased time since disturbance (R²=0.62) with the most variation explained by median year of neighborhood development (R²=0.56). Median year of neighborhood development was also the dominant factor (R²=0.47) in explaining decreased park vegetation abundance across a gradient of increased time since disturbance. We were least able to predict park vegetation richness and could account for only 29% of variation using a SES gradient model with percent of population having a graduate education as the most dominant factor. In residential neighborhoods, we identified more than 3 times the number of landscape vegetation taxa than an earlier report and also found a higher percentage of native vegetation in parks than in surrounding neighborhoods. We discuss these different compositional patterns of perennial vegetation in neighborhoods and embedded parks in terms of their relationship to socioeconomic and disturbance gradients, and a conceptual framework of “top-down” and “bottom-up” human management influences. Our study intimates that residential vegetation composition in rapidly expanding, arid cities like Phoenix is largely driven by “luxury” and legacy effects and should be most rich in neighborhoods with the highest socioeconomic standing and most abundant in newest neighborhoods.     

国家知识产权局第80号公告及其相关专利问题探讨

本文首先对与国家知识产权局第80号公告有关的、目前仍有效的农药领域的中国专利进行了简单分析研究。然后介绍了一些与同族专利申请和分案有关的具体案例,供大家在分析判断专利文献时参考。     

家用数码摄录机格式与类别

家用数码摄录机是指供个人消费使用的以数字方式记录视、音频信号的摄录一体机。目前在家用数码摄录机中除了用得最多的DV格式之外 ,还有Digital 8(数码 8mm)格式。分析了DV格式摄录机的技术特点、性能、信号质量及新功能 ,同时介绍了Digital 8格式摄录机的基本特征、技术特点和声像效果     

Rejoinder: The challenges of reconciling family theory with method.

Reply by Carlson and Grotevant regarding comments of their original article (see record 1988-17683-001). We appreciate the thoughtful and relevant comments concerning our review of family rating scales provided by Cowan, Coyne, and Fisher. There are many points in their comments with which we agree and that nicely complement the points of emphasis in our article. There are two key issues about which we would like to provide further comment. The first concerns choosing between rating scales and microanalytic interaction coding schemes. The second concerns the links between family theory and measurement and the implications of theory for the level of analysis at which family processes are examined. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Fathers who fail: Shame and psychopathology in the family system.

Reviews the book, Fathers who fail: Shame and psychopathology in the family system by Melvin R. Lansky (see record 1992-98607-000). This book is composed of a collection of the author's essays which attempt to understand "the psychiatrically impaired father in a truly dynamic way." Drawing on contemporary psychoanalysis, family systems theory, and the sociology of conflict, Lansky sketches a richly textured portrait of fathers who fail. The reviewer believes that Lansky's probing discussion of narcissistic equilibrium in the family system enables him to chart the likely history of the more intimidating modes of distancing involving impulsive actions of impaired fathers. After summarizing the information presented in each chapter, the reviewer then concludes that the book largely succeeds in its task because it provides a deeper, more integrated clinical understanding of fathers who fail. It is highly recommended for selective reading for therapists and researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Integrating Culturally Based Approaches With Existing Interventions for Hispanic/Latino Families Coping With Schizophrenia.

Evidence suggests that schizophrenia is highly responsive to the sociocultural and emotional atmosphere of the family. Therapies have shown an improvement in schizophrenia symptoms following family-oriented interventions. However, most programs are developed and offered in English only, and few are culturally informed. Existing programs may fail to meet the needs of minorities, particularly Hispanics/Latinos, the largest minority group in the United States. In this article, a broad literature is reviewed, which strongly supports the integration of culturally based treatment approaches with existing psychoeducational family-focused interventions to enhance treatment programs for Hispanic/Latino patients and families coping with schizophrenia. On the basis of this conceptual integration, an intervention titled "culturally informed therapy for schizophrenia" is described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The power of Filial Relationship Enhancement therapy as an intervention in child abuse and neglect.

Identified variables that influence intervention in child abuse and neglect and proposes a constructive approach that can help these children and their families change. This is a difficult and complex societal problem, and it is difficult to tease out the specific elements that are responsible for the frequency of its occurrence. The family context is often recognized as having a significant influence. Filial Relationship Enhancement, using an improved family context to support gains, has a long history of research and practice to support its efficacy to intervene in difficulties that impede optimum functioning in children. Filial Relationship Enhancement helps parents learn to conduct weekly child-centered play therapy sessions with their own children at home. This article presents the basic assumptions and the rationale for considering the potential power of this approach. It also describes a program of intervention incorporated by a child protective unit of a county agency. Using informal measures, outcomes are described as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evidence-based parent and family interventions in school psychology: State of scientifically based practice.

The purpose of this special issue was to examine the scientific base that supports the use of parent and family interventions that are implemented in schools or coordinated with school settings, and to demonstrate a change in the school-related behaviors and learning problems of children and youth. Reviews have been conducted in the six sub-domains: parent education, parent involvement, parent consultation, family-school collaboration/partnership, family systems therapy and parent training, and early childhood family-focused interventions. To our knowledge this is the first time standard criteria have been applied across these subdomains to examine the empirical base for the broader family and parent intervention domain. From this review, it would be erroneous to conclude that there is no evidence for the use of parent and family interventions as methods for changing the school-related behavior and learning problems of children and youth. From this review, it is evident that parent and family interventions are multidimensional. In this review, we asked the question, "Do we find evidence that parent and family interventions change children's behavior and learning at school?" Our answer is "yes, but." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Is It Beneficial to Involve a Family Member? A Meta-Analysis of Psychosocial Interventions for Chronic Illness.

Links between chronic illness and family relationships have led to psychosocial interventions targeted at the patient's closest family member or both patient and family member. The authors conducted a meta-analytic review of randomized studies comparing these interventions with usual medical care (k=70), focusing on patient outcomes (depression, anxiety, relationship satisfaction, disability, and mortality) and family member outcomes (depression, anxiety, relationship satisfaction, and caregiving burden). Among patients, interventions had positive effects on depression when the spouse was included and, in some cases, on mortality. Among family members, positive effects were found for caregiving burden, depression, and anxiety; these effects were strongest for nondementing illnesses and for interventions that targeted only the family member and that addressed relationship issues. Although statistically significant aggregate effects were found, they were generally small in magnitude. These findings provide guidance in developing future interventions in this area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)