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One important aspect of special education research that makes it complex is the variability of the disability categories being studied. This study used the context of Individualized Education Program (IEP)/transition planning and National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) student and parent survey items associated with this context to illustrate the challenges of grouping disability categories. We examined how disability groupings are treated similarly with respect to their transition planning experiences across different survey items. Findings illustrate that the 12 transition-related disability categories can be empirically formed into four clusters according to their IEP/transition planning meeting experiences. Results indicate that regardless of the scale used, these groupings are relatively consistent (e.g., autism, multiple disabilities, and orthopedic impairments were always together), but different from groupings based on theory or another set of items (e.g., self-determination). Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to use data from the United States' National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) to present descriptive information on youth and parent participation and youth's role in required Individualized Education Program (IEP)/transition planning meetings by disability category and age groupings (14-22 year olds, 14-15 year olds, and 16-22 year olds). The study found that youth and parent attendance in IEP/transition planning meetings was high across disability categories, but the extent to which youth and parents met with teachers to discuss transition goals was much lower. Data from NLTS 2012 and a previous U.S. study, the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS2), were compared for youth's participation with school staff in discussing transition goals. A significant decline in participation was found over the past decade. Logistic regression analyses illustrated differences in youth and parent participation and youth's role by disability category.

The increase in English learners (ELs) with disabilities has been reported by others, yet little is known about the transition planning meeting experiences of this population and their post-school expectations. This study explored transition planning experiences and post-school expectations of a nationally representative sample of ELs with disabilities by examining the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 dataset. Results showed that ELs with disabilities were more likely to take a passive role in transition planning and less likely to be involved in developing goals during the Individualized Education Program (IEP) transition planning meeting. ELs with disabilities, compared to non-ELs with disabilities, had lower expectations for being financially independent by age 30. These findings underscore the importance of specifically addressing the cultural and linguistic needs of ELs with disabilities during the IEP transition planning process and suggest recommendations for educational policy and practice for this population.

What we know about transition-age ELs with disabilities comes from a limited number of studies and reports. These students face multiple obstacles to achieving the benchmarks of post-school success, including coming from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and having lower academic achievement than other students with disabilities. This study analyzed National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 data to explore parents' expectations for their child's future goal aspirations, including postsecondary education, independent living, and financial independence for English learners (ELs) with disabilities and compared results with non-ELs with disabilities. Results showed parent expectations varied by disability category and post-school goals. Also, parents of ELs with disabilities, compared to non-ELs with disabilities, had higher expectations for their child to be financially independent by age 30. The analysis also identified several individual and family predictors of these post-school goals for both parent groups. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

This study uses data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to examine predictors at the individual, family, and school levels associated with parental expectations toward postsecondary education among students with significant support needs, including those with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities. Consistent with previous studies, chi-square tests revealed a positive relation between socioeconomic status such as household income or parental education level and parental expectations. Logistic regression analyses showed that whether parents have a college degree and whether students have participated in college entrance or advanced placement tests are factors that are positively associated with parental expectations toward children's future education.

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) to explore the individualized education program (IEP)/transition planning participation and role of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, compared to students with other disabilities. We viewed students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as those included in three disability categories--"autism, intellectual disability, and multiple disabilities"--who took an alternate assessment. The study also included an analysis of student's participation in relation to their functional, communication, and self-advocacy skills, and student-teacher relationships. Although students with the most significant cognitive disabilities experienced greater limitations overall, students with other disabilities were experiencing similar challenges. Implications for practice were discussed from the lens of student engagement, self-determination, and student's leadership role.

Research suggests that bullying victimization occurs at higher rates among students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than among their typically-developing peers. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to explore differences in student and family characteristics between students with ASD and students with all other special education disability categories. The study also examined characteristics serve as predictors of bullying and victimization. Students with ASD were found to have greater difficulties with communication and social skills, as well as less-robust sense of themselves and their abilities than students with all other disabilities. Race, household income, social and communication skills, and self-concept were found to be associated with higher rates of bullying and victimization.

This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 (NLTS 2012) to explore the future goal aspirations of students with extensive support needs who participate in alternate assessments, compared to other students with extensive support needs and to students with other disabilities. We examined students' individualized education program (IEP)/transition planning meeting experiences and postschool goals in relation to their functional, communication, and self-advocacy skills, as well as their school/community support. Students with other disabilities held higher expectations than all students with extensive support needs for future participation in postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and financial independence. All students had higher postschool goal expectations than their parents. Implications for supporting students with extensive support needs and directions for future research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separate school placements persist for students with extensive support needs (ESN) despite longstanding federal mandates for all students with disabilities to be educated in the least restrictive environment. This study extends research on separate school placement for students with ESN to explore the potential impact of locale and charter school policy by determining (1) the percentage of separate schools in states across locales, (2) whether there is a relationship between the percentages of separate schools in each locale and separate school placement rates, and (3) how the number and location of separate special education charter schools change by state over time. Results showed varying proportions of separate schools among each locale in states with different placement rates, a significant moderate difference between the percentage of separate schools in suburban locales and overall separate school placement rate, and few separate special education charter schools. Implications for research and practice are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use ranks as one of the most prevalent health-risk behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. Possible selves—personalized future-oriented cognitions about the self—are significant motivators of one's actions, which may potentially influence adolescent drinking behavior. This study aimed to estimate the content domain-specific possible selves and their associations with drinking behaviors among Taiwanese adolescents. A total of 225 Taiwanese seventh and eighth graders from a public junior high school were recruited. An anonymous self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data during two time-points at six-month intervals. Results showed that having a "physical appearance" related hoped-for possible self and a "friendship" related feared possible self was associated with adolescent alcohol use after six months. Whereas, having the "physical appearance" related hoped-for and feared possible selves were associated with alcohol problems, at both, baseline and six months later. Future studies could clarify the meaning behind "physical appearance" related possible selves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that bullying victimization occurs at higher rates among students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than among their typically-developing peers. This study used data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 to explore differences in student and family characteristics between students with ASD and students with all other special education disability categories. The study also examined characteristics serve as predictors of bullying and victimization. Students with ASD were found to have greater difficulties with communication and social skills, as well as less-robust sense of themselves and their abilities than students with all other disabilities. Race, household income, social and communication skills, and self-concept were found to be associated with higher rates of bullying and victimization., Author(s): Cynthia Matthias [sup.1] , John M. LaVelle [sup.2] , David R. Johnson [sup.3] , Yi-Chen Wu [sup.4] , Martha L. Thurlow [sup.5] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.17635.36, 0000000419368657, Department of [...]

Background and purpose: 18 F-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-1007 positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) is an advanced molecular imaging evaluation method for prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to explore the early detection rate of recurrence and metastasis of patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) by 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and its influence on clinical treatment decisions. Methods: From December 2018 to December 2020, the data of 51 PCa patients with BCR after RP by 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT were summarized and analyzed. Radioactive uptake of tumors was calculated semi-quantitatively by region of interest method and expressed by the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max ). We assessed the detection rate of clinical recurrence and metastasis in BCR patients [local recurrence (prostatic bed), lymph node metastasis (pelvic, retroperitoneal and diaphragmatic), bone metastasis and visceral metastasis (such as lung)], and the difference in detection rate between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) groups and Gleason evaluation group was further compared respectively. Results: The median age of 51 patients was 66 years (52-80 years), and the median PSA was 35 ng/mL (6-224 ng/mL) at the time of initial diagnosis. All of them were prostatic acinar adenocarcinoma, including 1 case with intraductal carcinoma, 1 case with ductal adenocarcinoma, 1 case with mucinous adenocarcinoma, 1 case with signet ring-like component and 1 case with neuroendocrine differentiation. We found Gleason score ≤7 in 22 cases (43.14%) and Gleason score ≥ 8 in 29 cases (56.86%). The median time of BCR was 15 months (5-62 months), and the median PSA was 0.58 ng/mL (0.20- 110.00 ng/mL), including 21 (41.18%) cases with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 0.50 ng/mL, 12 (23.53%) cases with 0.50 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 1.00 ng/mL, 4 (7.84%) cases with 1.00 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 2.00 ng/mL and 14 (27.45%) cases with PSA≥2.00 ng/mL. There were 7 cases (13.73%) with no local recurrence or metastasis, and 44 cases (86.27%) with local recurrence or metastasis, including 9 cases (20.45%) with recurrence in the operative area of prostate, 28 cases (63.64%) had lymph node metastasis at different sites, 31 cases (70.45%) had bone metastasis, and 2 cases (4.55%) had visceral metastasis. In addition, there were 2 cases of subcutaneous nodule metastasis and 1 case of penile root metastasis. The median SUV max was 17.9 (1.4-110.9) for all recurrence or metastasis, 14.0 (3.2-110.9) for local recurrence, 10.2 (2.0-90.1) for lymph node metastasis, and 5.4 (1.4-109.6) for bone metastasis. The detection rates of recurrence or metastasis were 71.43% (15/21), 100.00% (12/12), 75.00% (3/4) and 100.00% (14/14), respectively, in the groups with 0.20 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 0.50 ng/mL (21 cases), 0.50 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 1.00 ng/mL (12 cases), 1.00 ng/mL≤PSA ＜ 2.00 ng/mL (4 cases) and PSA≥2.00 ng/mL (14 cases), and there was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate between groups with different PSA levels (P＞0.05). The recurrence or metastasis detection rates of original Gleason score ≤7 group (22 cases) and Gleason score ≥8 group (29 cases) were 68.18% (15/22) and 100.00% (29/29), respectively, and there were statistically significant differences in the detection rate between groups with different Gleason scores (P ＜ 0.05). In clinical treatment, 4 cases (7.84%) were treated by observation, 18 cases (35.29%) by endocrinotherapy alone, 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage radiotherapy (SRT) alone, 24 cases (47.06%) by endocrinotherapy combined with SRT, 1 case (1.96%) by endocrinotherapy combined with docetaxel systemic chemotherapy, and 2 cases (3.92%) by salvage pelvic lymphadenectomy. Conclusion: 18 F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT has a good value and efficacy in early diagnosis of clinical recurrence or metastasis of BCR patients after RP, which is conducive to accurate evaluation and optimal treatment plan for such patients, and significantly affects clinical treatment decisions.

In Taiwan, most students with disabilities receive education in an inclusive setting. Literature has documented the effects of interventions in increasing students' positive behaviors in inclusive settings, including students with disabilities in Western countries; however, effectiveness of such interventions in an Asian context remains unclear. The Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is one of the interventions that applies reinforcement-based strategies and provides multi-tiered supports to students with various severity of challenging behaviors. This study investigates the effects of CW-FIT Tier I (i.e. class-wide intervention) and Tier II (i.e. self-management) on the on-task and disruptive behaviors of a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder in an inclusive elementary classroom in Taiwan. Across nine weeks of intervention, the researchers used a reversal single-case design A-B-C-B-C to demonstrate experimental control over five phases. In addition, the researchers administered interviews and questionnaires to collect social validity data from the teacher and peers' perceptions toward the intervention. Findings from this study support that the CW-FIT is an effective intervention in increasing a student's on-task behaviors and decreasing disruptive behaviors in an inclusive classroom in an Asian context. The effect of implementing multiple tiers of CW-FIT was much more effective than implementing solely Tier I (class-wide intervention). The intervention was also well-received by the general education teacher and students.

The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with expectations regarding postsecondary education of students with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 16 and 21 years. We conducted logistic regressions using variables at the student, family, and school levels using the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012. Logistic regression results showed that parental expectations for attending college was the only significant predictor of students' own educational expectations. Students' adaptive functioning, autonomy levels, demographic and family variables, parent involvement, and prior roles in Individualized Education Program/transition planning were not significant predictors. Future research needs to examine how schools can develop effective ways to increase both students' and parents' expectations toward postsecondary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What we know about transition-age ELs with disabilities comes from a limited number of studies and reports. These students face multiple obstacles to achieving the benchmarks of post-school success, including coming from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and having lower academic achievement than other students with disabilities. This study analyzed National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012 data to explore parents' expectations for their child's future goal aspirations, including postsecondary education, independent living, and financial independence for English learners (ELs) with disabilities and compared results with non-ELs with disabilities. Results showed parent expectations varied by disability category and post-school goals. Also, parents of ELs with disabilities, compared to non-ELs with disabilities, had higher expectations for their child to be financially independent by age 30. The analysis also identified several individual and family predictors of these post-school goals for both parent groups. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines whether globalization affects the level, volatility and structure of financial development as well as the competition and credit composition of the banking sector. Using dynamic panel estimation techniques, we find, in a sample of advanced and developing countries, that both trade and financial openness promote financial development, raise financial volatility, and result in a more market-based financial system, the effects that moderate with increased openness. It is also found that both trade and financial openness lead to a more competitive, less concentrated banking industry and a greater share of household credit relative to enterprise credit, the effects that dampen with increased openness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]