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The purpose of this research is to identify factors that influence the functioning of a school working as a Professional Learning Community (PLC) and to analyze the links between these factors and the school's progression. This research was developed within the context of an interpretative research paradigm. The primary data collection tool employed is a one-hour semistructured interview with each participant, thus allowing researchers to identify each participating school's level of development as a PLC and clarify the underlying factors that have a positive effect on this type of functioning. The interview plan, composed of themes relevant to this research project, is structured according to the Seidman model (1998). The schools were classified according to the three stages of development identified in the Professional Learning Communities Observation Grid (PLCOG) from Leclerc, Moreau and Lepine (2009a), namely the initiation, implementation, and integration stages, using the seven indicators found in the professional literature. This study suggests certain dominant factors, particularly for schools in the initiation and integration stages. Recommendations are presented to better assist school administrators in supporting their teaching staff as a PLC. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of students' perception of both teacher support and students' reaction to questioning on the instrumental help-seeking strategy used by students. The researchers also examined the relationships between these three variables and the motivational components of achievement goal theory. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 1558 undergraduate university students, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore relations between the variables. Overall, the fit of the base model was reasonably good. Results indicate that perception of teacher reaction had a direct and positive effect on students' instrumental help seeking, as well as indirect and positive effects on self-efficacy, and task value. Perception of teacher support had an indirect, positive effect on task value. Furthermore, results revealed that motivational components have important mediating effects on instrumental help-seeking. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a movement disorder with no cure. Symptoms related to PD can be managed through physical activity (PA). However, individuals with PD tend to be sedentary. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the perceived constraints and facilitators to PA in each stage of behavioral change for individuals with PD. Methods: A qualitative methodology was utilized to uncover factors influencing behavior from the participants' perspectives. Twelve participants were recruited and took part in a semistructured interview. Thematic analysis was performed on the data. Results: Constraints in the pre-intention stage related to psychological states. In the intention stage, interpersonal constraints resulted from participants' lack of support from others, and environmental constraints addressed accessibility. The action and maintenance stages saw a decrease in constraints. Few facilitators were mentioned in the pre-intention stage. The intention stage saw an increase in the variety of facilitators. Environmental facilitators in the intention stage highlighted the importance of accessibility to knowledge on programs. Facilitators were also important for maintenance of their PA behavior. Discussion: Findings suggest that multiple factors influence behavior at different stages of behavioral change in PA. Translation to Health Education Practice: These results can be utilized to develop/implement interventions to increase PA behavior in this population.

Prior to the 2016 Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group/Groupe Canadien D'étude En Didactique Des Mathématiques (CMESG/GCEDM) meeting at Queen's University in Kingston a Pre-Conference session was organised to discuss the theme of "Challenges and opportunities related to linguistic and cultural diversity in research and publishing / Défis et opportunités de la diversité linguistique et culturelle dans la recherche et sa publication." The following communications are based on, or somehow inspired by, the presentations of the four panelists. This article includes the following: (1) Challenges and opportunities for publishing in mathematics education: the personal viewpoint of a francophone researcher (France Caron); (2) Reflections on the FLM preconference (Osnat Fellus and Florence Glanfield; (3) Visible and invisible diversity in academic publishing (Mamokgethi Setati Phakeng); and (4) Défis and opportunities of la diversité (linguistic) in publication (Jean-Francois Maheux).

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients are multimorbid elderly at high risk of drug-related problems. A Web-based training program was developed based on a list of significant drug-related problems in CKD patients requiring a pharmaceutical intervention. The objectives were to evaluate the impact of the program on community pharmacists' knowledge and skills and their satisfaction with the training. Methods: Pharmacists were randomized to the training program or the control group. Training comprised a 60-minute Web-based interactive session supported by a clinical guide. Pharmacists completed a questionnaire on knowledge (10 multiple-choice questions) and skills (2 clinical vignettes) at baseline and a second time within 1 month. Trained pharmacists completed a written satisfaction questionnaire. Semidirected telephone interviews were conducted with 8 trained pharmacists. Changes in knowledge and skills scores were compared between the groups. Results: Seventy pharmacists (training: 52; control: 18) were recruited; the majority were women with less than 15 years' experience. Compared with the control group, an adjusted incremental increase in the knowledge score (22%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 16%-27%) and skills score (24%; 95% CI: 16%-33%) was observed in the training group. Most pharmacists (87%-100%) rated each aspect of the program "excellent" or "very good." Additional training and adding a discussion forum were suggested to complement the program. Discussion: Pharmacists like the Web-based continuing education program. Over a short time span, the program improved their knowledge and skills. Its impact on their clinical practices and quality of medication use in CKD patients remains to be assessed. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

Copyright of Journal of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BACKGROUND: Automated oxygen titration to maintain a stable SpO2 has been developed for spontaneously breathing patients but has not been evaluated during CPAP and noninvasive ventilation (NIV). METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled crossover, double-blind study on 10 healthy subjects with induced hypoxemia during 3 situations: spontaneous breathing with oxygen support, CPAP (5 cm H2O), and NIV (7/3 cm H2O). We conducted in random order 3 dynamic hypoxic challenges of 5 min (FIO2 0.08 6 0.02, 0.116 0.02, and 0.14 6 0.02). For each condition, we compared automated oxygen titration and manual oxygen titration by experienced respiratory therapists (RTs), with the aim to maintain the SpO2 at 94 6 2%. In addition, we included 2 subjects hospitalized for exacerbation of COPD under NIV and a subject managed after bariatric surgery with CPAP and automated oxygen titration. RESULTS: The percentage of time in the SpO2 target was higher with automated compared with manual oxygen titration for all conditions, on average 59.6 6 22.8% compared to 44.3 6 23.9% (P 5 .004). Hyperoxemia (SpO2 > 96%) was less frequent with automated titration for each mode of oxygen administration (24.0 6 24.4% vs 39.1 6 25.3%, P < .001). During the manual titration periods, the RT made several changes to oxygen flow (5.1 6 3.3 interventions that lasted 122 6 70 s/period) compared to none during the automated titration to maintain oxygenation in the targeted SpO2. Time in the SpO2 target was higher with stable hospitalized subjects in comparison with healthy subjects under dynamic-induced hypoxemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this proof-of-concept study, automated oxygen titration was used during CPAP and NIV. The performances to maintain the SpO2 target were significantly better compared to manual oxygen titration in the setting of this study protocol. This technology may allow decreasing the number of manual interventions for oxygen titration during CPAP and NIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the clinical profiles of 77 female teenager survivors of sexual abuse and examined the association of abuse-related and personal variables with suicidal ideations. Analyses revealed that 64% of participants experienced suicidal ideations. Findings from classification and regression tree analysis indicated that depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and hopelessness discriminated profiles of suicidal and nonsuicidal survivors. The elevated prevalence of suicidal ideations among adolescent survivors of sexual abuse underscores the importance of investigating the presence of suicidal ideations in sexual abuse survivors. However, suicidal ideation is not the sole variable that needs to be investigated; depression, hopelessness and posttraumatic stress symptoms are also related to suicidal ideations in survivors and could therefore guide interventions. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)

Empirical evidence suggests that children's disruptive behaviour (CDB) and quality of parenting influence one another bidirectionally. However, few studies have considered the separate contribution of the mother--child and father--child relationships to disruptive behaviours within a longitudinal context. Against this background, the reciprocal influence between CDB and five dimensions of maternal and paternal parenting was examined from kindergarten through grade 2 in a community sample of 644 children. These relationships were investigated using cross-lagged panel correlation and reciprocal effect analysis. Differences and similarities emerged in the direction of effects linking maternal and paternal parenting and CDB. At school entry, a reciprocal parent--child influence was evident for mothers only. However, as children grew older, a unidirectional effect from CDB to parenting was noted for both fathers and mothers. Implications for future research focusing on the link between CDB and the parent--child relationship are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 5 figures.)

The goal of this study was to provide an in-depth examination of friendships within organized activities. The prevalence of friendships with co-participants, their quality and characteristics, and their associations with adjustment were investigated. A sample of 281 (60% girls) 8th grade adolescents reported their friendships, activities, and adjustment. The results showed that 70% of youths have friends who co-participate with them. Friends in individual sports are more academically oriented whereas friends in team sports are more supportive but display higher levels of problem behavior. Finally, having friends in activities is associated with lower problem behavior and better academic functioning.

This article describes a study that explored the use of mixed-gender co-facilitation in intimate partner violence groups, especially regarding its potential for gender role socialization. Using an interpretive approach, interviews with men from different mixed-gender co-facilitated groups in Canada were analyzed, with a focus on the men's perceptions of the co-facilitators' attitudes and behaviors in promoting therapeutic interactions. Analysis revealed these interactions were beneficial with respect to the men's problem with violence, group leader support, and group dynamics, and that the difficulties with the group process are not insurmountable. Implications for research and practice are explored and limitations are discussed.

This article offers a brief and personal account of the historical background, implementation and principal findings from the Trois-Rivieres regional project, a large-scale quasi-experimental intervention that tested the impact of providing a daily hour of specialist-taught quality physical education upon the physical and mental development of primary school students. The intervention continued in grades one through six, and it enhanced maximal aerobic power, physical working capacity, muscle strength and physical performance in both boys and girls in both an urban and a rural setting. However, the programme had little influence upon the immediate health, growth, maturation or prevalence of obesity in the experimental group. A follow-up study was carried out when the students had become adults; this showed positive effects upon attitudes towards physical activity, but only limited long-term effects upon habitual physical activity and other aspects of health behaviour. Strengths and limitations of the Trois-Rivieres regional project are considered, and suggestions are offered for those planning future studies of this type. (Contains 4 tables.)

The causal factors associated with increases in depressive symptoms among adolescent girls remain an area of theoretical debate, and the limited research considering a hormonal influence has provided mixed results. The goal of the present study was to test a set of longitudinal associations, that, if found, would provide support for a hormonal contribution to these changes. Specifically, this study tested the hypotheses that changes in depressive symptoms among adolescent girls would be associated with phase-specific symptoms of the menstrual cycle during early adulthood; that these associations would differ across three phases of the menstrual cycle; and that the pattern of associations would differ for changes in depressive symptoms during early- and late-adolescence. The sample consisted of 47 women with longitudinal data from 12 to 21 years old (approximately 91% European Canadian, 4% Middle Eastern Canadian, 2% Haitian Canadian, and 2% Asian Canadian). Consistent with expectations, results showed that early-adolescent increases in depressive symptoms were negatively associated with menstrual-phase negative affect, and positively associated with mid-cycle negative affect, but not associated with premenstrual negative affect; whereas late-adolescent change in depressive symptoms was only associated with depressive symptoms at 20-21 years. Thus, early-adolescent changes in depressive symptoms are longitudinally associated with later mood change across the menstrual cycle, suggesting a common underlying cause, which is hypothesized to be hormonal. Moreover, results suggest that, with respect to variables that are involved in affective development, important differences exist between early- and late-adolescence. The discussion considers menstrual-cycle-related symptoms (e.g., dysmenorrhea) during adolescence, and the need to study their effects on development. It is suggested that focused intervention and prevention efforts may be indicated to interrupt negative developmental outcomes.

In order to improve the understanding of educational needs among residents caring for the critically ill, narrative accounts of 19 senior physician trainees participating in level of care decision-making were analyzed. In this multicentre qualitative study involving 9 university centers in Canada, in-depth interviews were conducted in either English or French, and the transcripts then underwent a hermeneutic phenomenological analysis. The resident was the central figure in the narrated incident, along with the patients' relatives and other attending physicians. The vast majority of interviews recounted negative experiences that involved delivering bad news to patients' families and managing difficult communications with them and with physician colleagues. Emotional distress and suffering were often part of their decision-making process. Narrating their experiences was viewed as a positive event. Data analysis uncovered 6 general themes that were organized into 2 categories, the first one grouping together themes related to interactions with the patients' families and the second comprising themes related to interactions with physician coworkers. The findings suggest that physician trainees' narratives are a rich source of data regarding what constitutes meaningful training experiences and what they learn from them. Educational approaches that incorporate the telling of stories would allow students to express their feelings, doubts, and opinions about their work experiences and could thus foster personal and emotional learning in critical care.

The promotion of regular physical activity for people with type 2 diabetes poses a challenge for public health authorities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a computer-tailoring print-based intervention to promote the adoption of regular physical activity among people with type 2 diabetes. An experimental design was used; 325 participants between the age of 35 and 55 years old were randomized in one of two experimental conditions: the computer-tailoring intervention and the generic intervention. The two dependant variables were the frequency of participation and the intention to participate in leisure-time physical activities. Among the research hypotheses, only one was confirmed: the first computer-tailoring print on the practice of physical activity was more efficient than the first generic intervention at 1-month follow-up. Other similar studies will be necessary to determine the real potential of this type of approach for people with type 2 diabetes in a real-life setting.

Few studies have explored the possible contribution of the peer group to dating violence victimization. The current study tested the hypothesis that a risky lifestyle would mediate the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and dating violence victimization among adolescent girls. The proposed mediation model was derived from lifestyles and routine activities theories. A sample of 550 girls (mean age = 15) drawn from a larger representative community sample in Quebec, Canada, completed a questionnaire on three forms of dating violence victimization (psychological, physical, and sexual). Results revealed that girls with a higher level of affiliation with deviant peers were more likely to endorse a risky lifestyle and reported higher rates of all forms of dating violence victimization. Further analyses showed that, while deviant peer affiliation is associated with dating violence victimization, this relationship may be explained, at least partially for psychological violence, and completely for physical/sexual violence, by the girls' own risky lifestyle. Future preventive interventions for adolescent dating violence victimization should target deviant peer groups, as well as adolescent girls who display a risky lifestyle.

There is a strong empirical connection between individual and peer substance use during adolescence. The determination of whether this level of covariation reflects influence or selection is obscured by both the design and measurement strategies used. This present study utilizes a short-term longitudinal design with bi-monthly assessments to address the following two hypotheses: a) Adolescents select friends on the basis of their substance use, and b) New friend substance use predicts changes in future use. French Canadian adolescents (n = 143) were interviewed on their friendship networks and substance use behaviors (e.g., tobacco, alcohol and marijuana) four times during a school year. Cross-lag panel models revealed that adolescents who use substances tend to select new friends who use. Moreover, once in the network, these new friends also contribute to changes in the adolescents' substance use. These findings are relevant to understanding the multiple functions of adolescent substance use. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

With a specific agenda of creating a fun activity that emphasized teamwork, cooperation, and sportsmanship, Mario Demers, a Canadian physical education professor, created Kin-Ball in the mid 1980s. The game involves three teams of four players each in which a large ball (4 feet diameter and 2.2 pounds weight (1.22 m and 1 kg, respectively) is sent into space so that one of the other designated teams cannot retrieve it before it touches the ground. The purpose of this study was to determine the amount of physical activity achieved during Kin-Ball play. The results showed that across all age groups and experience levels approximately 70% of game time was spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Accumulated MVPA during Kin-Ball did not differ between gender and age. Previous scholarship on children and adolescent physical activity showed that gender was the most important demographic correlate of physical activity for this age group. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Introduction: There has been a surge of interest in the area of bias in industry-supported continuing medical education/continuing professional development (CME/CPD) activities. In 2007, we published our first study on measuring bias in CME, demonstrating that our assessment tool was valid and reliable. In light of the increasing interest in this area, and building on our experience, we wanted to further understand the application of this tool in different environments. We invited other CME/CPD providers from multiple sites in Canada to participate in a second CME bias study. Methods: A new steering committee was established with representatives from 5 academic CME/CPD offices nationally, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the College of Family Physicians of Canada to outline the project in terms of review of the literature, refining items on the tool, updating the training guide for implementation, and establishing a resource Web site for reviewers. Training involved a train-the-trainer session with the event coordinators at each of the 5 participating centers via videoconferencing. Results: The content reviews from the study showed moderate inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.54), and the live reviews showed poor overall inter-rater reliability; however, one center achieved substantial inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.68). Discussion: The analysis from this study suggests that the tool can be used as a part of a multistage process to introduce quality control mechanisms to help raise standards for CME/CPD. It is imperative to develop a cost-effective standardized training protocol that can be implemented at all sites to maximize the reliability of the tool. (Contains 1 table and 4 figures.)

Purpose: Problem/project-based-learning (PBL) approaches have traditionally been shown to be effective for learning within many professional programs that are directly related to the students' future career. The PBL approach has been adopted for over four decades in such fields as medicine and engineering and studies have demonstrated that students working in a PBL context have improved their skill levels over students enrolled in traditional lecture-based classes. In spite of these successes, PBL has not yet been often considered in computer science/IT-related academic programs. This is due to a variety of factors, including lack of support from faculty, historical approaches precluding such innovation, and lack of motivation to innovate beyond the dominant and more traditionally known approaches. This paper presents a case study that outlines a particular approach that was adopted to attempt to overcome these limitations in order to introduce PBL to IT-related studies. The context of this study is a particular program that involves students in industry-relevant practices while learning the necessary theory and honing their skills. It aims to discuss how PBL has been integrated into the IT Game Development and Entrepreneurship program at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, a laptop-based institution. It also aims to provide qualitative results that would support the effective applicability of this PBL approach. Design/methodology/approach: A novel method for learning technical game development (theory and practice) is illustrated using a PBL pedagogical approach. The primary objective is to maintain academic integrity, improve critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and introduce students to the theory of designing and developing video games. Findings: Preliminary results indicate that the proposed PBL method has improved students' skills and expanded their knowledge both theoretically and practically within their area of study. With the integration of this approach into the curriculum, the authors have seen a higher retention rate, increased motivation, and the development of higher quality work from students. Originality/value: This paper provides a discussion on the role of PBL in IT settings with practical and positive implications on student learning, involvement, and retention. The approach is innovative in higher education and provides a framework that can be easily adapted to other fields of study. (Contains 6 figures and 3 tables.)

The influence of using substances with friends on future individual use was examined in the context of parental monitoring rules and the ecology of peer activities. A 1-year longitudinal study design included a combined sample of North Italian and French Canadian adolescents (N = 285, 53% girls, M = 14.25 years). Data analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling and multiple regression analyses. As expected, the covariation between parental monitoring and adolescent substance use was mediated by "co-use" with friends. Moreover, the relation between substance use with friends and individual substance use was moderated by parental monitoring rules and the peer activity context. Specifically, the relation between substance co-use with friends and individual substance use was stronger when the level of parental monitoring rules was low and when friends spent their time together primarily in unstructured contexts such as on the street or in park settings. These findings underline the importance of adults' use of rules to monitor adolescents prone to substance use, and the role of context in facilitating or reducing peer influence. (Contains 2 figures and 5 tables.)

Physical educators experience several occupational constraints and a high risk of physical injury associated with a high attrition rate. Our investigation aimed at identifying the principal career reorientation factors among physical educators and reasons for their career changes. This research used semistructured interviews (n = 53) that were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. While younger teachers frequently invoked job precariousness, the more experienced teachers and those who made a transition toward other teaching functions put more emphasis on teaching problems, work conditions, and physical context. Those who transferred toward administrative duties insisted on their desire for a new challenge. Our study indicates that career reorientation is most often associated with job precariousness and the pursuit of new challenges, respectively, for younger and older physical educators. (Contains 1 table.)

Introduction: Evaluation of poorly performing physicians is a worldwide concern for licensing bodies. The College des Medecins du Quebec currently assesses the clinical competence of physicians previously identified with potential clinical competence difficulties through a day-long procedure called the Structured Oral Interview (SOI). Two peer physicians produce a qualitative report. In view of remediation activities and the potential for legal consequences, more information on the clinical reasoning process (CRP) and quantitative data on the quality of that process is needed. This study examines the Script Concordance Test (SCT), a tool that provides a standardized and objective measure of a specific dimension of CRP, clinical data interpretation (CDI), to determine whether it could be useful in that endeavor. Methods: Over a 2-year period, 20 family physicians took, in addition to the SOI, a 1-hour paper-and-pencil SCT. Three evaluators, blind as to the purpose of the experiment, retrospectively reviewed SOI reports and were asked to estimate clinical reasoning quality. Subjects were classified into 2 groups (below and above median of the score distribution) for the 2 assessment methods. Agreement between classifications is estimated with the use of the Kappa coefficient. Results: Intraclass correlation for SOI was 0.89. Cronbach alpha coefficient for the SCT was 0.90. Agreement between methods was found for 13 participants (Kappa: 0.30, P = 0.18), but 7 out of 20 participants were classified differently in both methods. All participants but 1 had SCT scores below 2 SD of panel mean, thus indicating serious deficiencies in CDI. Discussion: The finding that the majority of the referred group did so poorly on CDI tasks has great interest for assessment as well as for remediation. In remediation of prescribing skills, adding SCT to SOI is useful for assessment of cognitive reasoning in poorly performing physicians. The structured oral interview should be improved with more precise reporting by those who assess the clinical reasoning process of examinees, and caution is recommended in interpreting SCT scores; they reflect only a part of the reasoning process. (Contains 2 figures.)

Some authors assume that the academic difficulties encountered by Aboriginal students can be partly explained by the discrepancy between teaching methods and Aboriginal learning styles. However, this hypothesis lacks empirical foundations. Using pan-Canadian data, we tried to identify the most efficient teaching methods for Aboriginal students and assessed whether these methods were associated with performance differences between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals in science education. Results revealed that judicious dosage and a proper balance among teaching methods seem to be required for students' optimal achievement. In addition, only marginal differences were observed between Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals. However, standard assessment methods might partly explain these unexpected results.

This longitudinal study examined the covariation between parents' use of control and solicitation, youth willingness to self-disclose to parents, and youth antisocial behavior from ages 13 to 14. Structural equation analyses were conducted on a combined sample of Italian (N = 152) and French Canadian (N = 151) adolescents. Analyses tested for longitudinal cross-lagged effects while controlling for stability and all concurrent associations. Although bivariate correlations showed consistent associations among these constructs, both concurrently and over one year, SEM results revealed virtually no cross-lagged effects, after controlling for concurrent associations and stability. These findings suggest that the actual causal effects of parenting and youth behavior may best be conceptualized as occurring in the moment, rather than over extended periods of time. Results also showed that parental control and solicitation demonstrated very different associations with youth antisocial behavior, and should therefore be considered separately for research and prevention.

Most industrialised countries have adopted training strategies for pre-service teachers that place experienced teacher guidance centre stage, particularly within the context of regular pre-service field training sessions. In this article, after analysing the data taken from a longitudinal survey on the computer skills and attitudes of students toward the integration of ICT in teaching in primary and secondary school teacher education programmes at the University of Sherbrooke, the authors underline the potential contradictory effects between the classroom teaching observed during practicum and the effort to support the use of computer technology in school during university training. They conclude by underlining the importance of supporting the professional development of practising teachers regarding the use of ICT, with the aim of changing practices observed by students in training and optimising the probability of increasing the use of these technologies in their future role as teachers. (Contains 13 tables, 1 figure, and 1 note.)

In this study, two longitudinal models of early adolescent risky sexual behaviors (RSB) were compared using a pooled sample of 267 Canadian and Italian adolescents (55% females; 53% Canadians) assessed yearly from grade 8 to 10. We focused on parenting practices (monitoring, control, limit setting), adolescent problem behaviors (antisocial behaviors, substance use) and their friends' deviance (antisocial behaviors, substance use) as predictors of condom use frequency and lifetime number of sexual partners. The socialization model postulates that youths' problem behaviors and RSB are behaviors learned within the friendship network where deviancy training can occur. The selection model posits that delinquent youth tend to affiliate with each other, and that RSB is one of many behaviors that can form the basis of selection. Using structural equation modeling, this study showed that the socialization model was the most accurate to explain the emergence of RSB. A full mediation of parenting practices, passing through deviant friends and youths' problem behavior, was observed for condom use. The same process applied to number of sexual partners, but a direct effect for parenting practices was also found. (Contains 3 figures and 4 tables.)

This study compared anxiety profiles of classroom and distance language learners, and compared anxiety levels between first-semester and more experienced students in both learning environments. Participants were 186 French-speaking learners of English or Spanish, who were tested in Canada in 2006. They were tested for general foreign language anxiety, for second language (L2) reading anxiety, and for L2 writing anxiety. Results show no significant differences in anxiety profiles between classroom and distance learners, and higher anxiety among first-semester distance learners. However, in the case of classroom learners, our data contradict earlier research by indicating similar levels of anxiety between first-semester and more experienced students. Results are discussed in light of the changing profile of distance learners and the school system where participants were tested. (Contains 5 tables and 10 notes.)

The objective of the present study was to examine associations between children's attachment behavior at early school-age, dimensions of narrative performance, and behavior problems as assessed in middle childhood. Children's attachment patterns with mother were assessed at age 6 (N = 127) using the Main and Cassidy (1988) separation--reunion classification system. Two years later, these children (N = 109) completed the Narrative Story Stem Battery (Bretherton, Oppenheim, Buchsbaum, Emde, & The MacArthur Narrative Group, 1990), and teachers rated their level of behavior problems using the Social Behavior Questionnaire (Tremblay, Vitaro, Gagnon, Piche, & Royer, 1992). Results indicated that secure children depicted fewer conflict themes in their narratives than did disorganized/controlling children, produced more discipline themes than avoidant children, and had higher coherence scores than ambivalent children. Avoidant children also depicted fewer conflict themes than disorganized/controlling children. Finally, children's narrative conflict themes significantly predicted both level of externalizing and total behavior problems, even after controlling for variance explained by gender and disorganized/controlling attachment behavior. Girls' narratives were more likely to evoke discipline and affection/affiliation themes, and to be more coherent than boys' narratives. (Contains 1 footnote and 4 tables.)

The goal of this study was to explore the longitudinal associations between youth activity participation and adjustment over the high school years by examining (a) correlations between participation and adjustment growth curves, and (b) bidirectional links between participation and adjustment from one year to the next. Participation was operationalized as the total number of hours spent in sports, performance and fine arts, and youth clubs over a school year. Indicators of adjustment included school grades, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms. Youth (n = 362; mean age = 13.38, SD = 0.42; 59% girls) were surveyed annually from grades 7 to 10 using questionnaires and phone interviews. Growth curve results revealed that: (a) sports were positively associated with alcohol use; (b) performance and fine arts were negatively linked to depressive symptoms, and (c) youth clubs were positively associated with school grades, and negatively linked to alcohol use and depressive symptoms. The bidirectional analyses revealed few significant links from one year to the next, with the exception of performance and fine arts and grades. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

Objective: "Functional foods" (FF)--foods containing nutritional supplements in addition to natural nutrients--have an increasing presence in the marketplace. Expanding on previous research, the authors investigated college students' acceptance of FF. Participants: In September-March 2004, 811 undergraduates in Canada, the United States, and France participated in the study. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire measured students' general food attitudes and beliefs as well as FF-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and purchase intention. Results: Overall, participants slightly favored FF over traditional foods. However, although most respondents associated FF with positive health benefits, many remained dubious of currently available FF information. In terms of culture and sex, the authors found small but significant divergences in FF knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Conclusions: Stronger labeling and education efforts may increase cross-cultural acceptance of FF by college students. (Contains 1 figure and 4 tables.)

Background: Coaches and physical educators must obtain valid data relating to the contribution of each of their players in order to assess their level of performance in team sport competition. This information must also be collected and used in real game situations to be more valid. Developed initially for a physical education class context, the Team Sport Assessment Procedure (TSAP) is precisely an assessment procedure developed to measure the individual performance of each player in a game situation. The procedure has shown appropriate levels of validity for performance measurement in team sports (soccer, handball, volley-ball) taught in physical education classes. However, this procedure was never adapted for ice hockey and all of its specific characteristics. Purpose: Ice hockey has specific characteristics of play which were not considered in the original TSAP model. In order to establish the quality of the procedure in this new context, it was necessary to verify its psychometrical qualities. The purpose of the study was to establish the validity and reliability of the Team Sport Assessment Procedure (TSAP) in the context of ice hockey. Participants and setting: Nineteen young hockey players, between 14 and 17 years of age, participated in this study. These subjects played in different elite teams (CC to AA levels) in the Quebec City area in Canada. All subjects took part in three afternoon training practices per week in the context of a Sports-Studies school programme. Research design: Two correlational studies were used to determine the validity and the inter-rater reliability of the measuring instrument. Data collection: Data were collected using a peer observation strategy, similar to the one used by Grehaigne et al. in their original study. The performance of each player was assessed during three simulated games of two minutes. Two student-observers were assigned for each player during the game. Data analysis: Validity analysis was conducted using the Spearman rank correlation between the average ranks assigned by expert observers to the players performance and scores calculated from student-observers' collected data using the TSAP. Reliability was established using percentage of agreement between student-observers for the same player observed. Findings: A correlation coefficient of -0.77 was obtained between the average ranks assigned by expert observers to players' performance and scores calculated from student-observers' collected data using the TSAP. In addition, peer observation during a simulated game showed that young players can effectively use the TSAP in an objective manner. A mean percentage of agreement of 81.4% was calculated between student-observers. Conclusions: The results from these different analyses showed that TSAP is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of ice hockey performance. Conclusions drawn from the study are similar to those obtained by Grehaigne et al. for the original procedure. (Contains 4 tables, 3 figures, and 3 notes.)

This study examines the relationship between coping mechanisms and suicide attempts among 84 adolescents in the Quebec youth residential services. A new measure based on in-depth interviews is used to identify coping mechanisms. The suicidal youths used fewer adequate coping mechanisms than nonsuicidal youths when faced with comparable stressful events. Negative cognitive reframing, anger, and blaming others were more frequently reported by the suicidal youths. Contrary to certain theoretical conceptions, coping mechanisms were not stable and varied according to the context of the suicidal crisis. These findings indicate the usefulness of this approach to measure coping mechanisms and support the importance of programs aimed at developing coping skills for suicide prevention.

A number of studies (see Ethier, 1999) have shown that neglect has a deleterious impact on children's development. However, the effect of neglect on a child's internal representations of their family still needs to be investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the attachment patterns observed in a subsample of neglected children as compared with a control group, using a representational assessment method. The overall sample consisted of 74 preschool-age children, with a clinical group comprised of 39 children referred to social services because of neglect and a control group including 35 children recruited in ordinary kindergartens. Children's attachment representations were assessed with the "Doll Play Narrative Classification System" (George and Solomon, 1990, 1996, 2000) as well as the complementary "Disorganization Scales" (George and Solomon, 1998). Mothers' reports consisted of: (1) an in-house socio-demographical questionnaire and (2) the shorter French version of the "Parental Stress Index" (Bigras et al., 1996). Results showed: (1) a significant difference in attachment representation classifications between the neglected group and the control group even when socio-economic status and maternal stress were controlled for and (2) a significantly higher proportion of avoidant attachment classification in the neglected group. Moreover, neglected avoidant children displayed more overall disorganized markers, and specifically more frightening markers, than normative avoidant children; they also depicted their mother as being less available than normative children. These results are discussed in the light of other findings as well as on theoretical grounds. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

Introduction: The College des medecins du Quebec (CMQ) offers an individualized remedial professional development program to help physicians overcome selected clinical shortcomings. To measure the influence of the remedial professional development program, physicians who completed the program between 1993 and 2004 and who were assessed by peer review during a 2-year period preceding or following the remedial activities were tracked. Methods: For each physician, 30 to 50 patient records were selected randomly for review. Ratings were assigned for the quality of record keeping and for 3 elements pertaining to the quality of care: the clinical investigation plan, diagnostic accuracy, and patient treatment and follow-up. The impact of the program was measured by comparing the proportion of physicians with satisfactory ratings assigned by peer review before and after the remedial professional development program. Results: Statistically significant improvements (p less than 0.05) were observed for a proportion of physicians (n = 51) with satisfactory ratings with regard to record keeping (20% before and 54% after remediation), the clinical investigation plan (13% before and 59% after remediation), diagnostic accuracy (32% before and 61% after remediation), and patient treatment and follow-up (31% before and 67% after remediation). Discussion: Participation in a CMQ remedial professional development program can result in improved clinical performance, as assessed through peer review.

The complex formed by chronic illness, episodes of acute illness, physiological disabilities, functional limitations, and cognitive problems is prevalent among frail elderly persons. These individuals rely on assistance from social and health care programs, which in Canada are still fragmented. SIPA is an integrated service model based on community services, a multidisciplinary team, case management that retains clinical responsibility for all the health and social services required, and the capacity to mobilize resources as required and according to the care protocol. The SIPA demonstration project used an experimental design, with random allocation of the 1,230 participants from two areas of Montreal to an experimental and a control group. The costs of institutional services were $4,270 less for those in the SIPA group compared to the control group; the costs of community care were $3,394 more. The proportion of persons waiting in acute care hospitals for nursing home placement was twice as high in the control group as in the SIPA group. The costs of acute hospitalizations for persons in the SIPA group with ADL disabilities were at least $4,000 lower than those for persons in the control group. In conclusion, the SIPA trial showed that it is possible to undertake ambitious and rigorous demonstration projects in Canada. These results were obtained without an increase in the overall costs of health and social services, without reducing the quality of care, and without increasing the burden on elderly persons and their relatives.

We compared health status, anthropometric and psychological development of 123 children adopted before 18 months of age from China, East Asia (Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Cambodia), and Eastern Europe (mostly Russia). Data were collected close to the time of arrival, and 3 and 6 months later. Anthropometric measures included weight, height, and head circumference percentiles, and weight/height and height/age ratios (indices of acute and chronic malnutrition, respectively). We assessed cognitive (MDI) and motor (PDI) developments with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (Bayley, 1993). At time of arrival, children presented physical, cognitive, and motor delays, as well as health problems. Growth parameters improved with time, but differently among the groups. East Asian children, in a better physical state at time of arrival, changed less than the others did across time. Children adopted from Russia globally had lower MDI than the others, while children adopted from East Asia had the highest PDI. Hierarchical linear modelling indicated that initial MDI was related to height/age ratio (index of chronic malnutrition), while its change over time was related to age at time of arrival. PDI was also related to height/age ratio, as well as to presence/absence of neurological signs at time of arrival. Infants with a higher risk index had lower MDI and PDI initial scores. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)

Differences occur in the demographic, health, and social network contexts of men and women, all of which are associated with successful aging. The objectives of this study were to determine whether differences exist in satisfaction in specific domains, in general life satisfaction and in the paths for life satisfaction for men and women. A secondary data analysis was conducted on selected variables from the Aging in the Community data set (Beland et al., 1998). The responses of 958 older Canadian francophone adults were examined. There were no differences in general or domain life satisfaction between women and men. Path analyses revealed good model fit for separate models for both male and female samples. For men, life satisfaction is explained positively by age, income, and perceived control, and negatively by recall errors, illness, and functional limitations. For women, life satisfaction is explained positively by age, education, income, social support, perceived control, and physical activity, and negatively by illness and functional limitations. The results suggest that social support had direct positive effects on life satisfaction but reduced perceived control for women. As hypothesized, although there are similarities in paths to life satisfaction for older men and women, the path models indicated that there are also important differences.

A study examined preservice teachers' professional "risk taking" during student teaching with regard to experimenting with cooperative learning. Classroom observations and interviews with 14 preservice teachers who were student teaching in Quebec high schools indicated that risk taking and innovation depended on support received during planning and implementation from the supervisor or cooperating teacher and on positive student reaction. (Contains 70 references.) (TD)

Following September 11, some students in a computer-assisted journalism lab in Canada made disgraceful comments based on ignorance and misinformation regarding the school's Arabic-speaking members. However, a few articles and two news reports helped change the atmosphere as students began to recognize the individuals within stereotyped groups. (TD)

Explains that didaction is an expressive action in search of internal consistency. Analyzes the didactic implications of the poetic transposition into action and the construction of a postmodern action literature through poetry. Presents the process of poetic emergence in Francophone Switzerland and Ontario. (CMK)

Uses data on the oral communication of elementary school learning groups (459 Canadian students in 63 learning groups) to show how experience transcends subject-matter planning, and the paradoxical nature of planning for authentic experiences in education. Presents a framework for semiotic research into disciplinary didactics as a prototype discipline, drawing on the work of F. de Saussure. (SLD)

Responses from 112 general practitioners in Quebec who organize continuing medical education and interviews with 18 identified their skill and knowledge needs in the areas of needs assessment, adult education principles, and group leadership techniques. Their primary problems included motivating and maintaining physicians' interest in formal continuing education. (SK)

Assesses variables associated with increased severity of depressive symptoms among 321 informal caregivers of demented subjects living in the community identified by a Canadian national population-based survey. Measures included patient and caregiver demographics variables, patient behavioral disturbance, activities of daily living and cognitive impairment, living arrangement, and duration of disease. (Author/MKA)