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There exists in our profession a persistent shortage of quality teachers in our high school agricultural education classrooms. A multitude of studies have identified challenges faced by agriculture teachers, however, few, if any, have investigated reasons for attrition by directly asking leavers why they left. This study sought to identify reasons for leaving the profession as perceived by former high school agriculture teachers. Nine former secondary agriculture teachers were interviewed. Themes emerging from this qualitative case study include 1) passions for the profession, 2) alternative opportunities, 3) expectations, 4) burdens, retrospectively and 5) people. Teachers were passionate about their students, their content area and competition inherent in agricultural education. All of the participants had chosen to accept alternative employment opportunities. Former teachers recalled having high expectations for themselves and their career, and perceiving others to have high expectations as well. The teachers recalled the burdens of their job retrospectively, and people played an integral role in their career as well as their decision to leave the profession. Former teachers were satisfied while teaching, but found greater benefit in alternative opportunities. Recommendations include encouraging realistic expectations, developing mentor programs for novice teachers, and strengthening the benefits of remaining in the profession.

This paper was designed to look into the non-indigene discrimination that migrated into Nigerian society from European countries. Non-indigene saga is a new trend that has threatened the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria as a pluralistic nation. The paper further explores the causes, forms and effects of non-indigene discrimination. It also considered the role of religion as a stabilizer of the social problem that has eaten deep into the socio-cultural life of Nigerian society.

Through the years, many governments around the globe have invested in sending postsecondary students abroad through providing scholarships for university-level study -- at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Filling their country's immediate and future demands for professional and academic development through offering grants, and then maximizing on the students' educational experiences once they return home, is the major overarching objective of this activity. What motivates a government to invest in a study abroad exchange program on a large scale? Darla K. Deardorff (2014) explored "the why" for global educational mobility. She found that when research partnerships are established between foreign universities, positive impacts on key global societal problems are created and enhanced. Therefore, these investments not only have a positive impact in meeting the needs of a country, but can have a constructive global influence, as well.

The age of first sex has significantly reduced generally in the modern society, particularly Nigeria. Youths often dare the consequences of premarital sex to fulfil sexual desire which in most cases have dire effects on their health, education and social lives. This study investigated possible causes of premarital sex among youths as perceived by lecturers of University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The descriptive survey method was used for the study while a total of 160 respondents were purposively selected. The t-test statistical analysis was used to test the stated null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The measure of central tendency statistics was adopted to determine answers to the research questions. The results revealed that, personal reason was the most perceived reason for premarital sex among youths while inadequate knowledge of reproductive health was perceived as the most important specific factor. Respondents were similar in their perception based on gender and academic ranks. It was recommended that counsellors and health educators should endeavour to provide adequate information to youths on reproductive health and appropriate relationship with friends.

In 2012, nearly 16 million U.S. children, or over one in five, lived in households that were food-insecure, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines as "a household-level economic and social condition of limited access to food." Even when we control for the effects of other factors correlated with poverty, these children are more likely than others to face a host of health problems, including but not limited to anemia, lower nutrient intake, cognitive problems, higher levels of aggression and anxiety, poorer general health, poorer oral health, and a higher risk of being hospitalized, having asthma, having some birth defects, or experiencing behavioral problems. Food insecurity has been researched extensively, and this research has helped policy makers and program administrators better address the problem. However, relatively little research has looked at what causes food insecurity among children in the first place, or the effectiveness of public policies, especially on more severe forms of food hardship. In this policy report, Gundersen and Ziliak highlight new research that seeks to fill this gap.

This article examines the process by which nine junior Malaysian academics came to complete doctoral degrees in non-Malaysian universities. It expands the scope and refines the focus of an existing study that considered international students' experiences in New Zealand. Part of the motivation for the current study was the researcher's recognition that he had sometimes struggled to adjust to the Malaysian university system. And indeed despite the vast sums of money the Malaysian government spends training academic staff overseas, little is known about their motivations for studying abroad, their experiences abroad, and how their experiences abroad shape their interactions within local institutions when they return. The article begins with a brief introduction, an analysis of the existing study and a description of the chosen methodological approach. The following key themes are then discussed: "choosing to study overseas," "choosing advisors," "family influences," and "pre-departure training programs."

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) policies in the Gulf Arab States are as diverse as the individual economies and political processes that characterize its member states. During the past decade, a number of expert review groups have argued that science and technology policy needs to be reformed and revitalized in the Gulf Arab States. Several reports and studies have identified the need to develop and adopt more rigorous plans to raise the level of research and development (R&D) in the region. In several of the Gulf Arab States, policy makers have sought to address this issue through establishment of new "Education Cities" wherein university campuses have been co-located with industrial parks in order to build regional knowledge economies. Many of these initiatives have attracted foreign talent and global R&D firms. Our research aims to understand the etiology of the under-performance of the R & D efforts in the region. In this paper, we report on results obtained from in-person interviews with the Ministers of Education and other educators in the Gulf Arab States. We interviewed experts in the field of science and technology policy in the Gulf region to address the following major questions: 1) how can science (e.g. biomedical, agriculture, engineering) be strengthened in the Gulf Arab States; 2) how effective are the science policies enacted by regional governments in the Gulf, and how can these policies be enhanced; 3) what role do regional or international collaborations play in a research and training network system, and how can these regional partnerships be bolstered; and, 4) how can the international community assist to accelerate progress and reduce the science knowledge gap. Our results show that the under-performance of the Gulf region in science and technology appears to be due to a: 1) lack of early exposure of young adults to science, 2) low perception of the societal value of science, 3) lack of institutional (e.g. university) resources, 4) too few scientists who make science their long-term careers, 5) lack of an integrated, international research network of collaboration, and 6) lack of motivation among students. We also report on our findings regarding the state-of-the-art of the research enterprise, and the strengths and weaknesses of the research and training environment as perceived by educators/administrators in the region.

This paper discusses plagiarism origins, and the ethical solutions to prevent it. It also reviews some unethical approaches, which may be used to decrease the plagiarism rate in academic writings. We propose eight ethical techniques to avoid unconscious and accidental plagiarism in manuscripts without using online systems such as Turnitin and/or iThenticate for cross checking and plagiarism detection. The efficiency of the proposed techniques is evaluated on five different texts using students individually. After application of the techniques on the texts, they were checked by Turnitin to produce the plagiarism and similarity report. At the end, the "effective factor" of each method has been compared with each other; and the best result went to a hybrid combination of all techniques to avoid plagiarism. The hybrid of ethical methods decreased the plagiarism rate reported by Turnitin from nearly 100% to the average of 8.4% on 5 manuscripts.

This study explored student teachers views of factors influencing them to choose teaching as a career. A total of 600 student teachers completed a questionnaire. They were asked to rate the importance of 25 factors in influencing their choice of teaching as a career. Using Factor Analysis, we categorized the 25 factors into three main factors (Intrinsic, Extrinsic, and Altruistic). We found that of the three factors, altruistic motivation seems to be more dominant (Mean = 6.07) than intrinsic (Mean = 5.72), and extrinsic motivation (Mea n= 5.4). We compared the views expressed by those who were not considering teaching and those who were considering teaching as a career option in relation to factors important in influencing their decisions. We also compared the importance of the factors based on gender. For all the groups regardless of gender or career option, altruistic factors were rated more important than intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Why do students join student chapters? What do they hope to gain from joining them? The Louisiana State University (LSU) chapter of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) conducted a research project that addresses these questions. The SAA-LSU chapter surveyed LIS students and recent graduates from the 61 ALA accredited LIS programs in the United States and Canada. The survey consisted of 31 multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question asking for students' thoughts about why they joined, or didn't join, the student chapter of the professional association of their chosen specialization--archives, public, academic, special, and/or school libraries. It also addressed what they hoped to get from their membership. The goal of this research project was to gain an understanding of how to recruit new students into student chapters as well as how to provide a more enriching experience for those who join.

In a given year, approximately 1.6 million children in the United States experience homelessness, and research shows that their living conditions generally place these children at risk for educational underperformance and failure at school (Hall, 2007; Love, 2009). Although lack of education or low levels of education on the part of a head of household are often identified as indicators of poverty, or associated with the persistence of poverty, too few researchers have attempted to understand the lived experience of poverty and its impact on educational experiences through the eyes of children and youth. In this article, we bring the harsh realities of children's experiences to light through portraits of five homeless children. After situating homelessness within the context of the McKinney-Vento Act, and within the broader context of empirical research on homelessness and its impact on children's educational experiences, we attempt to put a human face on the challenge of child homelessness and poverty in America. A bibliography is included.

In many higher education systems around the world increasing retention is vital if institutions are to produce the number of graduates identified through government projections to meet industry needs. Taking Australia as an example, the analysis uses results from a large-scale survey of undergraduate students to review rates and rationales for students giving serious consideration to departing before graduation. Demographic, educational and contextual concomitants of departure intention are explored. From there, the analysis looks at the role played by student support in mitigating departure intentions, showing that effective provision and use of support is strongly correlated with retention. Yet there are major disjunctions between the support used by students and the support they need, disjunctions that evidence-based practice can do much to resolve. In closing, the paper makes research-driven suggestions about how institutions can increase student support and retention.

This study surveyed and subsequently interviewed over 200 hundred college students who indicated an interest in transferring to university. Students were tracked until they left their colleges, whether or not they transferred. The objective was to learn when, why, and how students finally decide to transfer or not. Information from the study will inform decisions about: the most and least effective forms of transfer articulation, the timing and sources of student counseling, the advisability of transfer before or after completion of college studies, and about the differential effects of different categories of transfer "pathways," and of different college models, for example "university centres" and "concurrent colleges." The study concludes that the articulation that students "see" is not always the articulation that planners and policy-makers "see" for them, that the "concurrent college" model performed the best and that the "traditional college" performed the worst, that availability of pathways generally promotes transfer, and that program switching or "internal transfer" prior to transfer to university is very frequent.

This paper reviews characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), possible causes of ASD, current demographic information, the effects on the individual with ASD and the family, as well as diversity and multicultural issues related to autism. Additionally, the paper provides pertinent information about students with ASD for both general education and special education teachers including a review of special education laws, pedagogical strategies, the individual education plan (IEP), the use of behavior plans, accommodations and modifications appropriate for students on the autism spectrum, assistive technology, and professional development.

Factors that cause poor examination passing rates and high dropout rates among primary school girls in Malawi were analysed. First hand data was collected by conducting a survey in all the three regions of Malawi. The respondents to the questionnaire were girls (402) who are repeating the last class in primary schools (Standard 8), primary school teachers (481) and Head teachers (82). Secondary data sourced from the Malawi Ministry of Education and the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) was also analysed to validate the survey results. The perception by most primary school girls was that they do not perform well in their examinations due to lack of interest (30.2%). However, only a handful of Head teachers and teachers considered this as a problem (7%) suggesting that learners and teachers perceive problems in education differently. There was a strong relationship (P<0.05) between poor examination passing rates and dropout rates confirming that girls who fail exams eventually lose interest to continue with school but quit and opt to marry also due to over-age. This study concludes that factors affecting the girl-child education in Malawi are multi-dimensional hence need a multi-sectoral approach to solve. It is recommended that government need to critically examine problems facing the girl-child and institute relevant policies to avoid future implications.

Myhre syndrome (MS) is a connective tissue disorder with multisystem involvement with or without intellectual disability. In most cases SMAD4 mutations are reported. To date, 55 individuals have been molecularly confirmed. Autism has been proposed among associate clinical features of MS but no standardized diagnosis was available in previous cases. We report a case of a 25-year-old man with a pathogenic heterozygous SMAD4 missense mutation affecting residue Arg[superscript 496] (SMAD4:p.Arg496Cys). Clinical findings are consistent with MS, commorbid with affective disorder and High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder confirmed by a standardized assessment procedure. The thorough clinical assessment of cases with syndromes such as MS can extend our knowledge on both the phenotypic characteristics of the syndrome and the genetic basis of autism.

Body dissatisfaction is a significant mental health symptom present in adolescent girls and boys. However, it is often either disregarded in adolescent boys or examined using assessments that may not resonate with males. The present study addresses these issues, examining the manifestation, etiology, and correlates of 3 facets of body dissatisfaction in adolescent boys. Adolescent male twins aged 16- to 17-years-old from the Swedish Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development were included along with a female comparison group: 915 monozygotic and 671 dizygotic same-sex twins. Body dissatisfaction was defined using measures of height dissatisfaction, muscle dissatisfaction, and the body dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI-BD). We examined the prevalence of body dissatisfaction, whether the facets of body dissatisfaction were phenotypically and etiologically distinct, and associations with specific externalizing and internalizing symptoms. For boys, muscle dissatisfaction scores were greater than height dissatisfaction scores. Results also indicated that height and muscle dissatisfaction were phenotypically and etiologically distinct from the EDI-BD. Unique associations were observed with externalizing and internalizing symptoms: muscle dissatisfaction with symptoms of bulimia nervosa and the EDI-BD with internalizing symptoms, body mass index, and drive for thinness. The facets of body dissatisfaction were also largely distinct in girls and unique between-sex associations with externalizing and internalizing symptoms emerged. Overall, male-oriented aspects of body dissatisfaction are distinct from female-oriented aspects of body dissatisfaction. To capture the full picture of male body dissatisfaction, multiple facets must be addressed.

Two community-based cohorts of children with autism spectrum disorder, examined using similar assessment protocols, were pooled (n = 301) and subdivided according to history of regression. Those with regression (n = 62), 20.5% of the combined cohort, were contrasted with those without regression (n = 241) at first assessment (age range 19-60 months) and at 2-year follow-up on a range of measures. The regression group was significantly more functionally impaired, with regard to intellectual function (p < .001), language development (p < 0.001), and to severity of autism (p < 0.01) at both T1 and T2. Only 14 (23.3%) had a clearly identified underlying etiology [24 (18.6%) in the non-regressive group]. There were no significant differences between those who had regressed 'from normal' and those who had regressed 'from low' functioning.

We conducted the first needs assessment study by examining the information needs in genetic testing for autism spectrum disorders among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in Taiwan. Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders in 236 public elementary schools with special education services were invited to complete a survey. About two-thirds of participants (65.7%) had never heard about genetic testing for autism spectrum disorders. Yet, the majority (71.4%) expressed an interest in learning about this testing. The top three topics participants identified to assist them in making informed decisions before undergoing genetic testing (for themselves, their affected children, or other family members) were testing accuracy (79.7%), genetic causes of autism spectrum disorders (79.4%), and the link between testing and treatment (79.4%). A health education brochure (47.2%) was the most desired educational approach. Our results can be utilized to develop information and counseling materials for genetic testing for autism spectrum disorders in Taiwan as well as to address the needs of parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, particularly in informed decisions-making. Moreover, to promote better communication between the providers and parents, when discussing genetic testing for autism spectrum disorders with Taiwanese parents of children with autism spectrum disorders, healthcare professionals' priorities should be in line with the preferred topics identified in this study.

Purpose: This article is concerned with the growing body of international evidence indicating that adolescents in contact with the youth justice system are likely to have severely compromised oral language skills, receptively and expressively. A smaller, but persuasive, literature also points to poor literacy skills in this population. Language and literacy skills underpin academic, social, and vocational success (C. Snow, 1983; P. C. Snow, 2016; Snowling & Hulme, 2012) and are central to the professional expertise of speech-language pathology as a profession (P. C. Snow, 2016). Method: In this article, I review the epidemiology of youth offending together with research evidence concerning the language and literacy skills of this population. I outline the major practice and research implications of these findings for speech-language pathology as a profession, considering the "school-to-prison pipeline" via key domains of early years' reading instruction, young people's passage through the justice system, restorative justice processes, and design and delivery of language and literacy interventions for young people on youth justice orders. Results: Implications for speech-language pathology scope of practice and future research are outlined. Conclusions: Speech-language pathology as a profession has a significant role to play in advocating for vulnerable young people at each point in the school-to-prison pipeline. This includes strengthening the evidence base concerning speech-language pathology language and literacy interventions and lobbying governments to fund speech-language pathology services to address the complex communication needs of this population, both on community-based and custodial orders.

The purpose of this research was to study the etiology of teacher knowledge about and factors that influence implementation of evidence-based reading and writing interventions at the upper elementary grade levels. Five data sources are used in this study: first, we used teacher surveys about their pre-service preparation on reading comprehension and literacy practices gathered during a recent cluster randomized control trial on a reading comprehension intervention conducted with 280 fourth and fifth-grade teachers and their classroom students. We also conducted focus group interviews with 43% of the teachers and observed 90% of the teachers once during the implementation years. For writing, we used data collected from 32 teachers during a 3-year design project for a teacher-led computer-supported writing intervention. We also collected data from groups of school administrators using structured interviews during both studies. Finally, we conducted an artifact review of school curricula and posted professional development (PD) plans. Our results show that in both reading comprehension and writing, all teachers reported not receiving sound evidence-based pre-service preparation and they were not currently employing any evidence-based approaches. Most teachers reported using the basal reading series with very little variation from the lesson scope and sequence. Teachers and administrators frequently reported that skills were being taught in isolation (e.g., skill of the week is summarizing) and that writing was neglected. The interviews showed very interesting patterns of curricula decision-making by school administrators and these findings were further confirmed through the artifact reviews. Based on these results, we recommend that any review of teacher practices focus also on administrator decision-making and school level factors that are driving what happens in the classrooms. The review showed that the teachers themselves do not feel empowered to learn and deliver evidence-based literacy practices and feel constrained by the system.

Background: Despite a large body of research that has explored the influence of genetic and environmental factors on educationally relevant traits, few studies have explored teachers' beliefs about, or knowledge of, developments in behavioural genetics related to education. Aims: This study aimed to describe the beliefs and knowledge of UK teachers about behavioural genetics and its relevance to education, and to test for differences between groups of teachers based on factors including years of experience and age of children taught. Sample: Data were gathered from n = 402 teachers from a representative sample of UK schools. Teachers from primary and secondary schools, and from across the state and independent sectors, were recruited. Methods: An online questionnaire was used to gather demographic data (gender, age, years of experience, age of children taught, and state vs. independent) and also data on beliefs about the relative influence of nature and nurture on cognitive ability; knowledge of behavioural genetics; openness to genetic research in education; and mindset. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, correlations, and multiple regression. Results: Teachers perceived genetic and environmental factors as equally important influences on cognitive ability and tended towards a growth mindset. Knowledge about behavioural genetics was low, but openness to learning more about genetics was high. Statistically significant differences were observed between groups based on age of children taught (openness higher among primary teachers) and state versus independent (more growth-minded in state sector). Conclusions: Although teachers have a limited knowledge of behavioural genetics, they are keen to learn more.

Trait anxiety is considered to be a risk factor for anxiety disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate how trait anxiety affects associative learning during and after an aversive event in laboratory rats. For this, rats were first submitted to a light-dark box test, followed by relief, safety, and fear learning. Our data demonstrate that all types of learning were affected by trait anxiety, both on a group and on an individual level. Whereas high levels of anxiety impaired relief and safety learning, fear learning was more pronounced. These findings help to show how trait anxiety might be involved in the etiology of anxiety disorders and pathological sensation- and risk-seeking.

English language readers rarely get glimpses of the state of autism research in China. Given the seriousness of autism, the population of China, and the potential for theoretically interesting cross-cultural insights, we provide a broad survey of research carried out in China on childhood autism. Four themes are considered: etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and education. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appears to be a product of epigenetic interactions between genetic and environmental factors; recent Chinese research on etiology reflects this. Current diagnostic procedures in China involve clinical screening and examinations, while research proceeds on brain-imaging techniques for diagnosis. Research on treatment has introduced a comprehensive and moderately effective approach that includes education and training, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy. In the realm of education, however, many problems remain, requiring joint efforts of the government and of other societal actors. Finally, there are opportunities for indigenous Chinese concepts and innovations to contribute to the study of ASD.

Previous research indicates that infection, especially from viruses in the family Herpesviridae, may play a role in the etiology of some cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a case-control design and the polymerase chain reaction with site-specific primers, we screened newborn and childhood blood samples for the presence of eight human herpesviruses. Herpesvirus DNA was detected in 4 of 225 ASD individuals and 2 of 235 controls, with the most frequently detected virus being HHV-6B. Although this study does not detect a significant ASD-Herpesviridae association, it is limited by the use of site-specific primers. We suggest that new techniques using bioinformatics to search next-generation sequencing databases will be more revealing of possible ASD-virus associations.

Parents' understanding/expectations regarding genetic testing for children with developmental disorders were explored. Within a month of testing, interviews were conducted with 57 parents. Many (74%) could not recall the nature of testing. Parents expected genetic testing to have positive impacts for the child (93%) and the family (98%), mainly to find the etiology and/or an intervention. Many parents (40%) reported not knowing their child's clinical diagnosis. They expected genetic testing would establish the diagnosis. Parents anticipated potential negative impacts of testing for children (78%) and families (87%), mainly finding another illness or not finding potential interventions. Abnormal results explaining the disorder were found in 9% of children. In summary, genetic results for developmental disorders are unlikely to meet parental expectations.

Background: The use of traditional/alternative medicine for health care in Africa has been examined for various conditions. However, there is limited research about traditional/alternative health care for intellectual disability. The present authors explored the explanatory models (EMs) of intellectual disability held by traditional/faith healers in Ghana. Methods: Using a case vignette, the present authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 36 traditional/faith healers in Accra, Ghana. Using the EMs of illness framework as a guide, participants were asked questions to examine their beliefs about the nature, causes, course and recommended treatment of intellectual disability. Results: The healers' causal explanations included maternal negligence during pregnancy and spiritual factors. They also believed that intellectual disability was a congenital, lifelong condition which could not be cured. Conclusions: Unlike other conditions which traditional healers claimed to cure, participants admitted that intellectual disability was not curable. The present authors suggest that the findings highlight opportunities that exist for collaboration between biomedicine and traditional medicine.

A global health archive consisting of podoconiosis tissue slides and blocks (which was collected and imported into the UK before the introduction of the Human Tissue Act), was donated to Brighton & Sussex Medical School in 2014. There is little guidance on the socioethical and legal issues surrounding the retrospective use of archived or 'abandoned' tissue samples, which poses a number of questions relating to the ethical standing of the archive. There is a great deal of interpretation in the guidelines that are currently in existence; however, modern ethical principles cannot be applied as it is not feasible to either reconsent or retrospectively seek approval. Our research team believed that it was unethical to leave the archive in storage, as this option favours neither researcher nor subjects. Permission was obtained from the Human Tissue Authority and a local ethics board for the tissues to be utilized in on-going research on podoconiosis aetiology. There is a delicate balance between the benefits gained by society relating to the development and progress of scientific research and the risks to the donor regarding the reuse of their tissues. Clearer guidelines should be made available to ensure that researchers are able to reuse tissue archives in contemporary research.

A risk to develop a learning disability has been shown to run in families. Having a positive family history of learning disability seems to account for mean differences in achievement outcomes (reading, math) in that children with a positive family history score significantly lower compared to their peers with no such family history. However, the role of family history status in explaining etiological (genetic and environmental) differences among these subgroups of children has yet to be established. The present study of 872 twins (M[subscript age] = 13.30, SD[subscript age] = 1.40) from the Florida Twin Project on Reading, Behavior, and Environment utilized a multigroup approach to examine etiological differences on reading, spelling, and math among two subgroups defined by family history status. Results showed significant mean differences on all achievement outcomes, aside from math; however, no significant etiological differences on any achievement outcome were found among the two subgroups. Results support previous literature that the risk for developing a learning disability is transmitted through a family, but this is seemingly not manifested by differential etiology.

Purpose: Various dimensions of teacher bullying by principals were examined including interpersonal and organizational causes and the consequences of bullying on teacher functioning. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 310 teachers from urban elementary, junior high and senior high schools completed seven questionnaires to obtain a multi-dimensional picture of bullying. Findings: The theoretical model was validated that revealed several dimensions to bullying. Interpersonal and organizational factors were diagnosed that contribute to its escalation. Organizational factors were found to carry more weight than expected. Concrete areas of teacher functioning that are affected by bullying were identified. Originality/value: A tool was developed with which bullying can be examined and measured in comparative international research. Through it, new consequences of bullying on the quality of work life in schools were identified. Practical applications: The findings shed light on options for therapeutic intervention for the prevention or moderation of bullying.

This study explored bachelor's-level social work students' readiness to practice with individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and their attitudes toward individuals with ID. Fifty-eight students completed a Web-based survey that assessed their knowledge of four etiological conditions and their willingness to maintain social contact with individuals with various etiological conditions. Students also participated in focus groups that further explored their understanding of ID and readiness to practice in the ID field. The survey results indicated scientific understanding of causes and effective interventions as well as openness to interact with individuals with ID. Thematic analyses of focus group interviews highlighted four themes underlying students' readiness to practice in the ID field. Discussion includes implications of findings for social work education.

Purpose: This study is part of the first systematic program in the Republic of Cyprus examining the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in children, teenagers, and university students. The study incorporated the Greek Version of the Brain Injury Screening Questionnaire (BISQ-G) as the primary tool to identify students with TBI. Methods: The BISQ-G was sent out to 2,800 families of children (aged 6-18 years) attending rural and urban elementary and secondary schools from varied socioeconomic backgrounds. Nine hundred forty-four questionnaires (33.8%) were returned. In addition to school-aged children, 322 university students (aged 17-25 years) were recruited from 3 universities and completed the BISQ-G. Results: Analyses indicated that 5.8% elementary, 9.7% secondary, and 22.7% university students had symptoms consistent with TBI. Several participants reported more than 1 TBI. Etiology of TBI was similar in all 3 groups and included sports, biking, and falls. Factor analyses yielded a 7-factor structure for the BISQ-G. Discussion/Conclusions: The BISQ-G is a valid tool for the identification of individuals with a prior history of TBI. Causes and symptoms of TBI were similar to those reported in the international literature. The article concludes with suggestions for TBI management in the schools.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the level of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and their ratios which may point to the immunological mechanisms involved in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. Method: The complete blood count parameters of the 45 ASD cases were compared with those of healthy controls.Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was performed to measure the disease severity. Results: The monocytes of ASD group were significantly higher; and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) was lower than the controls'. LMR and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were found to be predictors of ASD. The decrease in LMR (B: -0.744; P=0.035; CI: -1.431 to -0.056) and the increase in age (B: 0.432; P=0.045; CI: 0.011-0.853) were related to high CARS scores in linear regression analyses. Conclusions: The results of this study support the role of altered immune cell counts and ratios in ASD. A high monocyte level and low LMR may have diagnostic values in autism.

EBP -- evidence-based policy and practice -- has generated intense controversy. A rough continuum of positions can be discerned: At one pole are "tough-minded" commentators distinguished by their support of EBP; however, there are serious internal differences in this camp, for some regard randomised field trials (RFTs) as the gold standard methodology that should generate the evidence required in EBP; while other "softer" commentators have a more nuanced position wherein the RFT is an INUS factor -- part of a "causal cake" which requires many other support factors to be present before any generalisation can be made about a policy. The evolution of this softer branch of the tough-minded pole is traced, from Campbell and Stanley, to Cronbach and Associates, to Cartwright and Hardie. At the other pole are the tender-minded, many of whom are members of the philosophy of education community; they are sceptical about EBP, perhaps the most serious of their criticisms being that educational processes are not apt for causal investigation at all. The arguments that are offered in support of this position are judged to be deficient.

The conventional view is that the origin of the black-white student achievement gap can be traced to sociocultural and socioeconomic factors, plus variation in parental style and parental investment, and is maintained and perpetuated by variation in school and teacher quality. This article rejects the conventional view, drawing upon the results of a league-table evaluation of the cost-efficiency of 23 interventions to raise student achievement. While sociocultural and socioeconomic factors plus variation in parental style and parental investment contribute to initial disparities in performance, the results support the hypothesis that these disparities are maintained, perpetuated, and exacerbated by demoralizing grading, testing, and grouping practices throughout the K-12 years. The pattern of results is not consistent with any other explanation for the achievement gap.

Gelotophobia can be defined as the fear of being laughed at or ridiculed. The aim of the current literature review is to present a synthesis of the literature on gelotophobia and the link between high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (hfASD) and gelotophobia. It will also give an overview of the literature regarding the variables hypothesised to be affected by the presence of gelotophobic symptoms in individuals with hfASD, namely social functioning, perceived social support and overall quality of life. Topics explored are defining the characteristics of gelotophobia, conceptualisation and measurement implications of gelotophobia, the aetiology and consequences of gelotophobia, analysing the social competence of gelotophobes and assessing the literature on the presence of gelotophobia in a hfASD sample. The characteristics of hfASD will be discussed. Research on hfASD and its relationship with other variables is also investigated, including comorbid psychopathology, perceived social support, social functioning, shame-bound emotions and overall quality of life. The current review will place an emphasis on research conducted on an adult population of individuals with hfASD. Given the limited research in the area, more research is needed to better understand the relationship between gelotophobia and bullying, social functioning, perceived social support, comorbid psychopathology and quality of life in individuals with hfASD. In conclusion, experts in the area of gelotophobia need to expand their research to include individuals with hfASD, and autism researchers need to be aware of gelotophobia and to incorporate gelotophobia as a potential comorbidity into their research.

Despite continuous efforts to increase retention, dropout rates are high in distance universities. The objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the extent and causes of non re-enrollment at a mega university, Korea National Open University; and 2) to suggest actions to improve the retention of students, in general, and those with higher risks of dropout in particular. A survey designed to establish the student demographics and the students' main reasons for non re-enrollment was carried out during spring, 2009 with 1,353 respondents. The results indicate that a lack of feedback from the instructors, heavy workload, and difficulties in studying at a distance were the main reasons for non re-enrollment. The learners' perceptions of the value of the degrees and their ages, gender, and educational backgrounds were also found to be significant factors in decisions not to re-enroll. The suggested solutions for reducing non re-enrollment include: a decrease in the number of required credit hours' study per semester; the provision of stronger social support; the introduction of a more flexible enrollment system; and better use of the available technology and infrastructure to help both students and instructors build stronger learning communities.