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This study aims to investigate the association between social support variables and healthy lifestyle for asthma management among early adolescents (ages 9-14 years). Questionnaires were completed by 86 parent-adolescent dyads. Healthy lifestyle was associated with social support variables. The association with peer acceptance was stronger among adolescents who received less asthma-specific support from peers. Age was negatively associated with healthy lifestyle, but the association was attenuated after adjustment for asthma-specific peer support. The findings of this study suggest recognizing the developmental change of social support during early adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The findings discussed here are based on five case studies and a small survey (n = 46) of how secondary schools are responding to demands that they collaborate with other services to intervene to prevent the social exclusion of children and young people. The case studies revealed a new space of action opening up around schools where practices were being shaped by 'welfare managers' who were employed by schools and were undertaking responsive work with vulnerable children and young people and the other services who were also supporting them. At the same time heads of year and/or heads of school and form tutors were increasingly focusing on children's achievement in school. The changes in roles and responsibilities were encouraged by workforce remodelling and changes in criteria for teachers' salaries. However, focusing primarily on the work undertaken by the welfare managers, the article draws on cultural-historical activity theory analyses of relational agency and distributed expertise to question whether welfare managers can undertake the work required in the new space of action without attention to the development of their core expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the 2008 Advanced Research Training Seminars (ARTS) program held in Germany is presented. The ARTS, which involved about 50 participants from various countries, were aimed at supporting younger psychologists. It provided intensive training in research methodologies and directions in psychology science. Information on the accommodation support extended to the scholars as well as the organizations supporting the event is provided.

The article highlights the 2006 Advanced Research and Training Seminars (ARTS) program. ARTS program aims to improve the research skills and knowledge of psychologists. In 2006, ARTS program has offered three workshops in Greece which include design and methods in cross-cultural psychology, stress and well-being in the face of trauma, and couple patterns. Details related to assessments for the 2006 ARTS program and its challenges are discussed.

Education in the early years is a key element in the Government's current strategy. Recently, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) funded a major study of Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE). The Early Years Transition and Special Educational Needs (EYTSEN) Project developed from the EPPE research and was also funded by the DfES. The authors of this article, Brenda Taggart, Pam Sammons, Rebecca Smees, Kathy Sylva, Edward Melhuish, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Karen Elliott and Ingrid Lunt, all worked on the EYTSEN Project, based at the Institute of Education, University of London. In this article, they provide a summary of the findings from the EYTSEN Project, reviewing the impact of pre-school provision on children said to be ‘at risk’ of developing special educational needs. They suggest that pre-school experience has a positive impact on cognitive attainment and social or behavioural development and that integrated centres (where education and care are fully combined) and nursery schools have the most positive influence among the different f o rms of pre-school provision. This paper also discusses the identification of special educational needs; quality in pre-school centres; parents' perspectives; and future developments. The article closes with a call for improved training for practitioners working in early years settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights several seminars on psychology. Topics discussed; Programs and activities; Keynote speakers.

This article considers the development of a global training curriculum and qualification in professional psychology, with particular emphasis on the Combined-Integrated (C-I) model. The C-I model exposes professional psychology trainees to two or more of the practice areas (i.e., clinical, counseling, school/educational). The authors argue that the C-I approach is one that is well suited to the development of a global training curriculum due to its emphasis on broadly training psychologists as well as its respect for diversity and integration of various theoretical and professional orientations. A survey of training programs in 16 countries/regions on six continents found significant variation in training, minimal qualifications, and roles of the professional psychologist. The authors recommend that an international group of psychologists develop a regionally flexible, but common, training curriculum and qualification that would include a five- to six-year competency-based qualification. Ways in which the C-I training model may serve to integrate and globalize professional psychology are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the book "Developing Qualifications Frameworks in EU Partner Countries" by Jean-Marc Castejon, Borhène Chakroun, Mike Coles, Arje Deij and Vincent McBride.