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Compared students who attended regular first grade with students who attended a transition classroom. Found that transition children scored lower on reading, language, and mathematics achievement than control children, were more likely to be retained, and were more likely to receive special education services. Most teachers believed transition rooms were a viable option for students "unready" for first grade. (KB)

Investigated the validity of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) with a sample of black low socioeconomic status preschool children enrolled in a Head Start program. Used the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale as a criterion. Demonstrated convergent and construct validity, but suggests that the K-ABC is no more culture fair for black preschoolers than is the Stanford-Binet. (Author/KS)

Investigated validity of Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children with 89 preschool Head Start children from low-income families, using Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Form LM as criterion measure. Found some support for concurrent and construct validity of both instruments for use with high-risk Black and white preschool children. (Author/NB)

To what extent does payment method (managed care vs. out of pocket) influence the likelihood that an independent practitioner will assign a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) diagnosis to a client? When a practitioner does diagnose, how does payment method influence the specific choice of a diagnostic category? Independent practitioners responded to a vignette describing a fictitious client with symptoms of depression or anxiety. In half of the vignettes, the fictitious client intended to pay via managed care; in the other half, the fictitious client intended to pay out of pocket. Payment method had a very significant impact on diagnosis such that relative to out-of-pocket clients, managed care clients were much more likely to receive diagnoses and more likely to receive adjustment disorder diagnoses in particular. We discuss implications involving informed consent and other ethical issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]