A psychjologist by training, I carry out quantitative and mixed methods studies that unite developmental psychology with Educational Effectiveness Research (EER). The result is novel interdisciplinary collaborations that provide new knowledge regarding how education affects academic and socioemotional outcomes, issues of educational equity, and mechanisms of social disadvantage. The ultimate aim of this research is to improve the life chances of children and young people by informing the provision of high-quality education
Home learning environments prior to school are well-known predictors of educational trajectories ... more Home learning environments prior to school are well-known predictors of educational trajectories but research has neglected children aged under three. The new Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale is one response and this paper investigates its reliability and validity. The THLE is an adaptation of the Preschool HLE (PHLE) measure developed by the Effective PreSchool Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) investigation in the 1990s. The THLE was developed as part of the Evaluation of Children's Centers in England (ECCE) investigation that followed a sample of 2,608 of families from 14 to 38 months. The THLE was administered at 14 months, the PHLE at 38. The 8-item THLE evidences internal consistency via statistical reliability coefficients and Confirmatory Factor Analysis plus measurement validity via statistically significant and research-appropriate associations with the PHLE, three measures of child development, and child and parent demographics. This paper moves the HLE literature forward with a new parental self-report scale of the HLE that is for use with toddlers.
The high mathematics performance of pupils in Singapore on international assessments has prompted... more The high mathematics performance of pupils in Singapore on international assessments has prompted educational initiatives in other countries—such as the UK and the USA—to adopt Singapore-based approaches in an attempt to raise mathematics achievement. Empirical evidence to support the transferability of such approaches beyond the Singaporean context, however, is limited. This article reports findings from a mixed methods Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (mmCRCT) evaluating the use of a primary mathematics textbook series and teaching approach in England based on a textbook and teaching approach from Singapore. Main features of the intervention included textbook use, mixed-ability groups, use of manipulatives, and emphasis on mastery (i.e., ensuring all pupils grasp core concepts before proceeding to new topics). A delayed treatment experimental design was used within the mmCRCT, with 12 schools randomly allocated into two groups. The experimental group used the textbooks and teaching approach from September 2015. The delayed treatment control group proceeded with “business as usual” until January 2016, then started using the textbooks and teaching approach. Data were collected (in the first, second and third terms of one school year) on pupils’ mathematics knowledge and skills, pupils’ attitudes toward mathematics, classroom practice (based on structured observation schedules and qualitative field notes), teacher perspectives (from semi-structured interviews), and intervention-specific professional development (in July 2015 for the experimental group, December 2015 for the delayed treatment control group, observed by researchers and followed by focus-group interviews). Results showed a small but significant positive effect by Term 3 of using the mastery-oriented materials and approach from September on pupils’ subsequent mathematics knowledge and skills, but no persistent difference between groups across terms on their attitudes. Differences in classroom practice between the two groups were observed in the first term but insignificant by the third term. Qualitative findings elaborate on and illustrate these first-term differences, teachers’ perspectives on their practice, variations in textbook use and teaching approach implementation, and considerations of fidelity to intervention. Implications are drawn for policy and practice in mathematics teaching and for research using mixed methods experimental designs to evaluate a combination of processes, perspectives and outcomes.
A B S T R A C T Exposure to multiple forms of violence is common amongst adolescents from socioec... more A B S T R A C T Exposure to multiple forms of violence is common amongst adolescents from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Adolescents' exposure to violence at home, in school and in their communities can lead to detrimental outcomes in education. In particular, adolescents who are more frequently exposed to multiple forms of violence are at risk of school delay. This paper investigates the potential for supportive parenting to protect against adolescents' school delay in this context. With this aim, this paper applies structural equation modelling to a sample of 503 adolescents exposed to multiple forms of violence from 40 socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Adolescents' self-report data on child abuse in the family, school and community, and adolescents' perceptions of positive parenting, consistent discipline, good monitoring, parental involvement and social support were analyzed. Results showed that perceptions of more positive parenting and consistent discipline moderated the relationship between more frequent exposure to multiple forms of violence and school delay. Our findings suggest that supportive parenting has the potential to protect against school delay for poly-victimized adolescents in South Africa.
Background
Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) sugg... more Background Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that both individual features (e.g., childhood dysregulated behaviour) and negative environmental experiences (e.g., maladaptive parenting, peer victimisation) may lead to the development of BPD symptoms during adolescence. Few prospective studies have examined potential aetiological pathways involving these two factors. Method We addressed this gap in the literature using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We assessed mother-reported childhood dysregulated behaviour at 4, 7 and 8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); maladaptive parenting (maternal hitting, punishment, and hostility) at 8 to 9 years; and bully victimisation (child and mother report) at 8, 9 and 10 years. BPD symptoms were assessed at 11 years using the UK Childhood Interview for DSM-IV BPD. Control variables included adolescent depression (assessed with the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire-SMFQ) and psychotic symptoms (assessed with the Psychosis-Like Symptoms Interview-PLIKS) at 11 to 14 years, and mother’s exposure to family adversity during pregnancy (assessed with the Family Adversity Scale-FAI). Results In unadjusted logistic regression analyses, childhood dysregulated behaviour and all environmental risk factors (i.e., family adversity, maladaptive parenting, and bully victimisation) were significantly associated with BPD symptoms at 11 years. Within structural equation modelling controlling for all associations simultaneously, family adversity and male sex significantly predicted dysregulated behaviour across childhood, while bully victimisation significantly predicted BPD, depression, and psychotic symptoms. Children displaying dysregulated behaviour across childhood were significantly more likely to experience maladaptive parenting (β = 0.075, p<0.001) and bully victimisation (β = 0.327, p<0.001). Further, there was a significant indirect association between childhood dysregulated behaviour and BPD symptoms via an increased risk of bullying (β = 0.097, p<0.001). While significant indirect associations between dysregulated behaviour, bully victimisation and depression (β = 0.063, p<0.001) and psychotic (β = 0.074, p<0.001) outcomes were also observed, the indirect association was significantly stronger for the BPD outcome (BPD – depression = 0.034, p<0.01; BPD – psychotic symptoms = 0.023, p<0.01). Conclusions Childhood dysregulated behaviour is associated with BPD in early adolescence via an increased risk of bully victimisation. This suggests that childhood dysregulation may influence the risk of bully victimisation, which in turn influences the development of BPD. Effective interventions should target dysregulated behaviour early on to reduce exposure to environmental risks and the subsequent development of BPD.
Aims: To determine whether distinct trends can exist in children’s diurnal cortisol slopes as the... more Aims: To determine whether distinct trends can exist in children’s diurnal cortisol slopes as they transition to school, and the extent to which these trends relate to preschool attendance and/or exerted effortful control. Method: A secondary analysis of the anonymised data gathered for the UK Transition to School Study was carried out. 105 children were studied over a 12-month period during transition to school at mean age 55 months. Children’s diurnal cortisol slopes were measured as the difference between average salivary cortisol concentrations (SCC) sampled at waking and early evening over two days at each of three measurement time points: 4 months before, 2 weeks after, and 6months after school entry. Children’s effortful control was measured at 2 weeks after school entry using the parent-administered Child Behavior Questionnaire. Parental questionnaires recorded the duration children spent in preschool (months; days per week; hours per week), and four background characteristics: child gender, parental cohabitation, responding parent’s age, and responding parent’s level of education. Findings: Latent class growth analysis suggested two distinct trends in diurnal cortisol slopes during children’s transition to school: 39% of children demonstrated flatter diurnal cortisol slopes. These children were likely to have spent fewer hours per week in preschool, and were likely to exert less effortful control 2 weeks after transitioning to school. These associations underscore the importance of continuity in children’s daily routines as they transition to school. Implications are discussed concerning school readiness and the effectiveness of early interventions.
Background: Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are r... more Background: Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments.
Aims: To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Sample: n = 3,172 British children aged 3–10 years and their families.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0–3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3–5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Results: Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school.
Conclusions: Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept
"The threat posed by austerity cuts was even greater in the 20% most financially disadvantaged fa... more "The threat posed by austerity cuts was even greater in the 20% most financially disadvantaged families in our sample" "The better resourced the centre, the more it can narrow gaps linked to poverty and disadvantage."
This paper presents a review of the family services that were offered by a sample of 121 English ... more This paper presents a review of the family services that were offered by a sample of 121 English Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2011 and 2012. Children’s Centres are community based facilities that aim to improve outcomes for at-risk families and children through the delivery of a range of services largely aimed at families with young children. Services commonly offered include: health advice, childcare and early education, employment advice, informal drop-in facilities, and specialist support on parenting. This paper provides a snapshot of Children’s Centre service provision in 2011 and 2012 and documents the extent of change. A picture of broad stability was observed in the numbers of services that centres reported offering (from a list of 47 services grouped into 11 categories). However, some Children’s Centres also appeared to be changing the focus of the services that they provided. Some centres seemed to be shifting towards providing greater outreach (rather than parent-support) and services which were targeted (rather than universal).
Background
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achieve... more Background
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achievement are associated, the relationship is relatively modest.
Aims
We sought to determine whether another construct might link academic buoyancy and student's achievement. Based on prior theoretical and empirical work, we examined a sense of control as one possible linking mechanism.
Sample
The study analysed data from 2,971 students attending 21 Australian high schools.
Methods
We conducted a cross-lagged panel design as a first means of disentangling the relative salience of academic buoyancy, control, and achievement (Phase 1). Based upon these results, we proceeded with follow-up analyses of an ordered process model linking the constructs over time (Phase 2).
Results
Findings showed that buoyancy and achievement were associated with control over time, but not with one another (Phase 1). In addition, control appeared to play a role in how buoyancy influenced achievement and that a cyclical process may operate among the three factors over time (Phase 2).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that control may play an important role in linking past experiences of academic buoyancy and achievement to subsequent academic buoyancy and achievement.
Parent ratings of their children’s behavioral and emotional difficulties are commonly collected v... more Parent ratings of their children’s behavioral and emotional difficulties are commonly collected via the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). For the first time, this study addressed the issue of interparent agreement using a measurement invariance approach. Data from 695 English couples (mothers and fathers) who had rated the behavior of their 4.25-year-old child were used. Given the inconsistency of previous results about the SDQ factor structure, alternative measurement models were tested. A five-factor Exploratory Structural Equation Model allowing for nonzero cross-loadings fitted data best. Subsequent invariance analyses revealed that the SDQ factor structure is adequately invariant across parents, with interrater correlations ranging from .67 to .78. Fathers reported significantly higher levels of child conduct problems, hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms, and lower levels of prosocial behavior. This suggests that mothers and fathers each provide unique information across a range of their child’s behavioral and emotional problems.
Cross-lagged SEM examined prior academic buoyancy predicting psychological risk.Cross-lagged SEM ... more Cross-lagged SEM examined prior academic buoyancy predicting psychological risk.Cross-lagged SEM also examined prior psychological risk predicting academic buoyancy.Analyses confirmed a reciprocal effects model.Psychological risk impacts academic buoyancy and academic buoyancy impacts psychological risk.Based on hypothesized reciprocal relations between psychological risk and academic buoyancy (dealing with ‘everyday’ academic setback in the ordinary course of school life), the present study used cross-lagged structural equation models to examine the relative salience of (1) prior academic buoyancy in predicting subsequent psychological risk and (2) prior psychological risk in predicting subsequent academic buoyancy. Academic buoyancy and psychological risk (academic anxiety, failure avoidance, uncertain control, emotional instability, neuroticism) measures were administered to 2971 students (11–19 years) from 21 Australian high schools at two time waves across a one-year interval. Analyses confirmed a reciprocal effects model in which psychological risk impacts academic buoyancy and academic buoyancy impacts psychological risk. The findings hold applied and conceptual implications for practitioners and researchers seeking to help students deal more effectively with adversity in school life.
"Purpose. Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of sch... more "Purpose. Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of school success, it may not protect against increased neonatal risk resulting from underlying neurological damage.
Methods. A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age.
Results. Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes.
Conclusions. Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk."
Past research into the ability of students to ‘bounce back’ from everyday academic setback (acade... more Past research into the ability of students to ‘bounce back’ from everyday academic setback (academic buoyancy) has lacked sensitivity to the contexts in which children demonstrate this behavior. Here we aimed to contextualize past findings by reporting the results of an exploratory investigation that featured: (1) repeated measurement of students' self-reported buoyancy across English, mathematics, science, and physical education; (2) measures of students' psychological appraisal as a test of external validity; (3) a novel national context (England rather than Australia). In total 260 English secondary school students aged 11–16 years completed self-report questionnaires. Students were found to hold relatively consistent views about their ability to bounce back from everyday academic setbacks (e.g., negative feedback, poor results, study stress or pressure) compared to the relatively less consistent views they held regarding the difficulty of the four school subjects as well as corresponding personal competences and effort. These results are discussed in the context of past research, the implications for interventions, and the need for further confirmatory investigations.
This paper illustrates how high quality universal pre-school has the potential to serve as an int... more This paper illustrates how high quality universal pre-school has the potential to serve as an intervention within normal populations. Although it is well known that targeted Early Interventions can protect the development of young children from the impact of developmental risks, there remains less clear evidence concerning universal programs of pre-school. To address this disparity, a longitudinal secondary analysis was conducted that examined the psychological development of 2,862 English pre schoolers between the ages of 3 to 5 years. At age 5, instances of significantly protected development were more strongly evidenced when examining: 1) cognitive rather than social development, 2) child-level rather than family-level risks, and 3) the quality of the processes taking place within pre schools rather than just the structures. Finally, for pre-schools that featured only high quality structures, any partial protection of development was limited to instances of longer durations of child-attendance.
Whether or not more effective schools can successfully mitigate the impacts of early disadvantage... more Whether or not more effective schools can successfully mitigate the impacts of early disadvantage upon latter educational attainment remains uncertain in both the Educational Effectiveness and Risk and Resilience research traditions. Here, both fields are drawn upon in a prospective longitudinal investigation of 2,664 children between the ages of 6-11 years who had their academic skills in English and maths along with self regulation measured at ages 6, 7, and 11 years. Experiencing a greater number of early disadvantages between birth to age 5 was found to strongly impair self regulation and academic attainment throughout primary school. However, attending a more academically effective primary school for just a single year was found to partially protect reading, maths, and self regulation outcomes at age 6 from the adverse impact of early disadvantage. Further, more academically effective primary schools were also found to offer an additional longer-term form of protection - they significantly lessened the extent to which earlier abilities in reading, writing, and self regulation predicted these same abilities at age 11 by boosting later attainment and self regulation. As such, although more academically effective primary schools cannot remove the impacts of disadvantage, the results shown they can make a significant difference to the ultimate academic attainment and self regulation of primary school children who experienced more disadvantages before the start of school and so mitigate their negative consequences.
Despite the last 10–15 years seeing a surge in the volume of early childhood research that has be... more Despite the last 10–15 years seeing a surge in the volume of early childhood research that has been funded, conducted, and reported on, much of this has been generated by American researchers and based on samples drawn from the USA (e.g., National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Early Child Care Research Network [NICHD ECCRN], 1998, 2004, 2005). Moreover, the usefulness of such research for policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and parents outside of the USA is limited because the form, structure, and funding arrangements of early childhood education and care are all well known to vary enormously from country to country (Burger, 2010).
"Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we exami... more "Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we examined the impacts of prematurity from Small [birth weight] for Gestational Age (SGA).
Method: 1,437 Bavarian children from high to low neonatal risk were studied from birth to 6 years as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Gender differences and indirect effects (via age 20 month head circumference and cognition) were considered. Age 6 attention problems were measured by parents and researchers.
Results: Boys, preterms, and SGA children were at increased risk for attention problems. The impacts of prematurity and SGA on age 6 attention problems operated by indirect effects via age 20 months cognition and head circumference. Prematurity was more likely to have indirect effects on attention problems via reduced cognition. SGA was more likely to operate through poorer head growth. Evidence of gender moderation was found indicating a more severe impact of prematurity in girls.
Conclusions: Prematurity and SGA appear to impact attention problems via insults to different neurological structures: SGA is more likely to reduce brain volume while prematurity appears to alter brain function. Although female attention problems are less common, when observed they are more strongly predicted by prematurity and early cognitive dysfunction."
Home learning environments prior to school are well-known predictors of educational trajectories ... more Home learning environments prior to school are well-known predictors of educational trajectories but research has neglected children aged under three. The new Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale is one response and this paper investigates its reliability and validity. The THLE is an adaptation of the Preschool HLE (PHLE) measure developed by the Effective PreSchool Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) investigation in the 1990s. The THLE was developed as part of the Evaluation of Children's Centers in England (ECCE) investigation that followed a sample of 2,608 of families from 14 to 38 months. The THLE was administered at 14 months, the PHLE at 38. The 8-item THLE evidences internal consistency via statistical reliability coefficients and Confirmatory Factor Analysis plus measurement validity via statistically significant and research-appropriate associations with the PHLE, three measures of child development, and child and parent demographics. This paper moves the HLE literature forward with a new parental self-report scale of the HLE that is for use with toddlers.
The high mathematics performance of pupils in Singapore on international assessments has prompted... more The high mathematics performance of pupils in Singapore on international assessments has prompted educational initiatives in other countries—such as the UK and the USA—to adopt Singapore-based approaches in an attempt to raise mathematics achievement. Empirical evidence to support the transferability of such approaches beyond the Singaporean context, however, is limited. This article reports findings from a mixed methods Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (mmCRCT) evaluating the use of a primary mathematics textbook series and teaching approach in England based on a textbook and teaching approach from Singapore. Main features of the intervention included textbook use, mixed-ability groups, use of manipulatives, and emphasis on mastery (i.e., ensuring all pupils grasp core concepts before proceeding to new topics). A delayed treatment experimental design was used within the mmCRCT, with 12 schools randomly allocated into two groups. The experimental group used the textbooks and teaching approach from September 2015. The delayed treatment control group proceeded with “business as usual” until January 2016, then started using the textbooks and teaching approach. Data were collected (in the first, second and third terms of one school year) on pupils’ mathematics knowledge and skills, pupils’ attitudes toward mathematics, classroom practice (based on structured observation schedules and qualitative field notes), teacher perspectives (from semi-structured interviews), and intervention-specific professional development (in July 2015 for the experimental group, December 2015 for the delayed treatment control group, observed by researchers and followed by focus-group interviews). Results showed a small but significant positive effect by Term 3 of using the mastery-oriented materials and approach from September on pupils’ subsequent mathematics knowledge and skills, but no persistent difference between groups across terms on their attitudes. Differences in classroom practice between the two groups were observed in the first term but insignificant by the third term. Qualitative findings elaborate on and illustrate these first-term differences, teachers’ perspectives on their practice, variations in textbook use and teaching approach implementation, and considerations of fidelity to intervention. Implications are drawn for policy and practice in mathematics teaching and for research using mixed methods experimental designs to evaluate a combination of processes, perspectives and outcomes.
A B S T R A C T Exposure to multiple forms of violence is common amongst adolescents from socioec... more A B S T R A C T Exposure to multiple forms of violence is common amongst adolescents from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Adolescents' exposure to violence at home, in school and in their communities can lead to detrimental outcomes in education. In particular, adolescents who are more frequently exposed to multiple forms of violence are at risk of school delay. This paper investigates the potential for supportive parenting to protect against adolescents' school delay in this context. With this aim, this paper applies structural equation modelling to a sample of 503 adolescents exposed to multiple forms of violence from 40 socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Adolescents' self-report data on child abuse in the family, school and community, and adolescents' perceptions of positive parenting, consistent discipline, good monitoring, parental involvement and social support were analyzed. Results showed that perceptions of more positive parenting and consistent discipline moderated the relationship between more frequent exposure to multiple forms of violence and school delay. Our findings suggest that supportive parenting has the potential to protect against school delay for poly-victimized adolescents in South Africa.
Background
Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) sugg... more Background Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that both individual features (e.g., childhood dysregulated behaviour) and negative environmental experiences (e.g., maladaptive parenting, peer victimisation) may lead to the development of BPD symptoms during adolescence. Few prospective studies have examined potential aetiological pathways involving these two factors. Method We addressed this gap in the literature using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We assessed mother-reported childhood dysregulated behaviour at 4, 7 and 8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); maladaptive parenting (maternal hitting, punishment, and hostility) at 8 to 9 years; and bully victimisation (child and mother report) at 8, 9 and 10 years. BPD symptoms were assessed at 11 years using the UK Childhood Interview for DSM-IV BPD. Control variables included adolescent depression (assessed with the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire-SMFQ) and psychotic symptoms (assessed with the Psychosis-Like Symptoms Interview-PLIKS) at 11 to 14 years, and mother’s exposure to family adversity during pregnancy (assessed with the Family Adversity Scale-FAI). Results In unadjusted logistic regression analyses, childhood dysregulated behaviour and all environmental risk factors (i.e., family adversity, maladaptive parenting, and bully victimisation) were significantly associated with BPD symptoms at 11 years. Within structural equation modelling controlling for all associations simultaneously, family adversity and male sex significantly predicted dysregulated behaviour across childhood, while bully victimisation significantly predicted BPD, depression, and psychotic symptoms. Children displaying dysregulated behaviour across childhood were significantly more likely to experience maladaptive parenting (β = 0.075, p<0.001) and bully victimisation (β = 0.327, p<0.001). Further, there was a significant indirect association between childhood dysregulated behaviour and BPD symptoms via an increased risk of bullying (β = 0.097, p<0.001). While significant indirect associations between dysregulated behaviour, bully victimisation and depression (β = 0.063, p<0.001) and psychotic (β = 0.074, p<0.001) outcomes were also observed, the indirect association was significantly stronger for the BPD outcome (BPD – depression = 0.034, p<0.01; BPD – psychotic symptoms = 0.023, p<0.01). Conclusions Childhood dysregulated behaviour is associated with BPD in early adolescence via an increased risk of bully victimisation. This suggests that childhood dysregulation may influence the risk of bully victimisation, which in turn influences the development of BPD. Effective interventions should target dysregulated behaviour early on to reduce exposure to environmental risks and the subsequent development of BPD.
Aims: To determine whether distinct trends can exist in children’s diurnal cortisol slopes as the... more Aims: To determine whether distinct trends can exist in children’s diurnal cortisol slopes as they transition to school, and the extent to which these trends relate to preschool attendance and/or exerted effortful control. Method: A secondary analysis of the anonymised data gathered for the UK Transition to School Study was carried out. 105 children were studied over a 12-month period during transition to school at mean age 55 months. Children’s diurnal cortisol slopes were measured as the difference between average salivary cortisol concentrations (SCC) sampled at waking and early evening over two days at each of three measurement time points: 4 months before, 2 weeks after, and 6months after school entry. Children’s effortful control was measured at 2 weeks after school entry using the parent-administered Child Behavior Questionnaire. Parental questionnaires recorded the duration children spent in preschool (months; days per week; hours per week), and four background characteristics: child gender, parental cohabitation, responding parent’s age, and responding parent’s level of education. Findings: Latent class growth analysis suggested two distinct trends in diurnal cortisol slopes during children’s transition to school: 39% of children demonstrated flatter diurnal cortisol slopes. These children were likely to have spent fewer hours per week in preschool, and were likely to exert less effortful control 2 weeks after transitioning to school. These associations underscore the importance of continuity in children’s daily routines as they transition to school. Implications are discussed concerning school readiness and the effectiveness of early interventions.
Background: Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are r... more Background: Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments.
Aims: To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Sample: n = 3,172 British children aged 3–10 years and their families.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0–3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3–5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Results: Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school.
Conclusions: Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept
"The threat posed by austerity cuts was even greater in the 20% most financially disadvantaged fa... more "The threat posed by austerity cuts was even greater in the 20% most financially disadvantaged families in our sample" "The better resourced the centre, the more it can narrow gaps linked to poverty and disadvantage."
This paper presents a review of the family services that were offered by a sample of 121 English ... more This paper presents a review of the family services that were offered by a sample of 121 English Sure Start Children’s Centres in 2011 and 2012. Children’s Centres are community based facilities that aim to improve outcomes for at-risk families and children through the delivery of a range of services largely aimed at families with young children. Services commonly offered include: health advice, childcare and early education, employment advice, informal drop-in facilities, and specialist support on parenting. This paper provides a snapshot of Children’s Centre service provision in 2011 and 2012 and documents the extent of change. A picture of broad stability was observed in the numbers of services that centres reported offering (from a list of 47 services grouped into 11 categories). However, some Children’s Centres also appeared to be changing the focus of the services that they provided. Some centres seemed to be shifting towards providing greater outreach (rather than parent-support) and services which were targeted (rather than universal).
Background
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achieve... more Background
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achievement are associated, the relationship is relatively modest.
Aims
We sought to determine whether another construct might link academic buoyancy and student's achievement. Based on prior theoretical and empirical work, we examined a sense of control as one possible linking mechanism.
Sample
The study analysed data from 2,971 students attending 21 Australian high schools.
Methods
We conducted a cross-lagged panel design as a first means of disentangling the relative salience of academic buoyancy, control, and achievement (Phase 1). Based upon these results, we proceeded with follow-up analyses of an ordered process model linking the constructs over time (Phase 2).
Results
Findings showed that buoyancy and achievement were associated with control over time, but not with one another (Phase 1). In addition, control appeared to play a role in how buoyancy influenced achievement and that a cyclical process may operate among the three factors over time (Phase 2).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that control may play an important role in linking past experiences of academic buoyancy and achievement to subsequent academic buoyancy and achievement.
Parent ratings of their children’s behavioral and emotional difficulties are commonly collected v... more Parent ratings of their children’s behavioral and emotional difficulties are commonly collected via the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). For the first time, this study addressed the issue of interparent agreement using a measurement invariance approach. Data from 695 English couples (mothers and fathers) who had rated the behavior of their 4.25-year-old child were used. Given the inconsistency of previous results about the SDQ factor structure, alternative measurement models were tested. A five-factor Exploratory Structural Equation Model allowing for nonzero cross-loadings fitted data best. Subsequent invariance analyses revealed that the SDQ factor structure is adequately invariant across parents, with interrater correlations ranging from .67 to .78. Fathers reported significantly higher levels of child conduct problems, hyperactivity, and emotional symptoms, and lower levels of prosocial behavior. This suggests that mothers and fathers each provide unique information across a range of their child’s behavioral and emotional problems.
Cross-lagged SEM examined prior academic buoyancy predicting psychological risk.Cross-lagged SEM ... more Cross-lagged SEM examined prior academic buoyancy predicting psychological risk.Cross-lagged SEM also examined prior psychological risk predicting academic buoyancy.Analyses confirmed a reciprocal effects model.Psychological risk impacts academic buoyancy and academic buoyancy impacts psychological risk.Based on hypothesized reciprocal relations between psychological risk and academic buoyancy (dealing with ‘everyday’ academic setback in the ordinary course of school life), the present study used cross-lagged structural equation models to examine the relative salience of (1) prior academic buoyancy in predicting subsequent psychological risk and (2) prior psychological risk in predicting subsequent academic buoyancy. Academic buoyancy and psychological risk (academic anxiety, failure avoidance, uncertain control, emotional instability, neuroticism) measures were administered to 2971 students (11–19 years) from 21 Australian high schools at two time waves across a one-year interval. Analyses confirmed a reciprocal effects model in which psychological risk impacts academic buoyancy and academic buoyancy impacts psychological risk. The findings hold applied and conceptual implications for practitioners and researchers seeking to help students deal more effectively with adversity in school life.
"Purpose. Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of sch... more "Purpose. Although sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting is a powerful predictor of school success, it may not protect against increased neonatal risk resulting from underlying neurological damage.
Methods. A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age.
Results. Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes.
Conclusions. Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk."
Past research into the ability of students to ‘bounce back’ from everyday academic setback (acade... more Past research into the ability of students to ‘bounce back’ from everyday academic setback (academic buoyancy) has lacked sensitivity to the contexts in which children demonstrate this behavior. Here we aimed to contextualize past findings by reporting the results of an exploratory investigation that featured: (1) repeated measurement of students' self-reported buoyancy across English, mathematics, science, and physical education; (2) measures of students' psychological appraisal as a test of external validity; (3) a novel national context (England rather than Australia). In total 260 English secondary school students aged 11–16 years completed self-report questionnaires. Students were found to hold relatively consistent views about their ability to bounce back from everyday academic setbacks (e.g., negative feedback, poor results, study stress or pressure) compared to the relatively less consistent views they held regarding the difficulty of the four school subjects as well as corresponding personal competences and effort. These results are discussed in the context of past research, the implications for interventions, and the need for further confirmatory investigations.
This paper illustrates how high quality universal pre-school has the potential to serve as an int... more This paper illustrates how high quality universal pre-school has the potential to serve as an intervention within normal populations. Although it is well known that targeted Early Interventions can protect the development of young children from the impact of developmental risks, there remains less clear evidence concerning universal programs of pre-school. To address this disparity, a longitudinal secondary analysis was conducted that examined the psychological development of 2,862 English pre schoolers between the ages of 3 to 5 years. At age 5, instances of significantly protected development were more strongly evidenced when examining: 1) cognitive rather than social development, 2) child-level rather than family-level risks, and 3) the quality of the processes taking place within pre schools rather than just the structures. Finally, for pre-schools that featured only high quality structures, any partial protection of development was limited to instances of longer durations of child-attendance.
Whether or not more effective schools can successfully mitigate the impacts of early disadvantage... more Whether or not more effective schools can successfully mitigate the impacts of early disadvantage upon latter educational attainment remains uncertain in both the Educational Effectiveness and Risk and Resilience research traditions. Here, both fields are drawn upon in a prospective longitudinal investigation of 2,664 children between the ages of 6-11 years who had their academic skills in English and maths along with self regulation measured at ages 6, 7, and 11 years. Experiencing a greater number of early disadvantages between birth to age 5 was found to strongly impair self regulation and academic attainment throughout primary school. However, attending a more academically effective primary school for just a single year was found to partially protect reading, maths, and self regulation outcomes at age 6 from the adverse impact of early disadvantage. Further, more academically effective primary schools were also found to offer an additional longer-term form of protection - they significantly lessened the extent to which earlier abilities in reading, writing, and self regulation predicted these same abilities at age 11 by boosting later attainment and self regulation. As such, although more academically effective primary schools cannot remove the impacts of disadvantage, the results shown they can make a significant difference to the ultimate academic attainment and self regulation of primary school children who experienced more disadvantages before the start of school and so mitigate their negative consequences.
Despite the last 10–15 years seeing a surge in the volume of early childhood research that has be... more Despite the last 10–15 years seeing a surge in the volume of early childhood research that has been funded, conducted, and reported on, much of this has been generated by American researchers and based on samples drawn from the USA (e.g., National Institute of Child Health & Human Development Early Child Care Research Network [NICHD ECCRN], 1998, 2004, 2005). Moreover, the usefulness of such research for policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and parents outside of the USA is limited because the form, structure, and funding arrangements of early childhood education and care are all well known to vary enormously from country to country (Burger, 2010).
"Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we exami... more "Background: The predictors of attention problems in 6-year-olds remains uncertain. Here we examined the impacts of prematurity from Small [birth weight] for Gestational Age (SGA).
Method: 1,437 Bavarian children from high to low neonatal risk were studied from birth to 6 years as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Gender differences and indirect effects (via age 20 month head circumference and cognition) were considered. Age 6 attention problems were measured by parents and researchers.
Results: Boys, preterms, and SGA children were at increased risk for attention problems. The impacts of prematurity and SGA on age 6 attention problems operated by indirect effects via age 20 months cognition and head circumference. Prematurity was more likely to have indirect effects on attention problems via reduced cognition. SGA was more likely to operate through poorer head growth. Evidence of gender moderation was found indicating a more severe impact of prematurity in girls.
Conclusions: Prematurity and SGA appear to impact attention problems via insults to different neurological structures: SGA is more likely to reduce brain volume while prematurity appears to alter brain function. Although female attention problems are less common, when observed they are more strongly predicted by prematurity and early cognitive dysfunction."
Evidence submitted to the evidence-based early-years intervention inquiry of the Science and Tech... more Evidence submitted to the evidence-based early-years intervention inquiry of the Science and Technology Select Committee HC (2017-18).
In February 2017 Blanden, Hansen and McNally published a document that sought to investigate the ... more In February 2017 Blanden, Hansen and McNally published a document that sought to investigate the effects of quality within early education and care settings in England (Quality in Early Years Settings and Children's School Achievement, CEP Discussion Paper 1468, The London School of Economics). Within this document was an argument that contradicts over 30 years of research showing that the quality of early childhood settings has both significant and lasting positive effects on children's development and educational progress (e.g. colleagues conclude that quality (as measured by the presence of a graduate and by Ofsted inspection grades) has only very weak associations with children's outcomes. The controversial findings of this study have since been widely covered in the media-and by those with an interest in keeping staff costs low in the sector. Like many, we were surprised by the authors' counter intuitive conclusions. We have now scrutinised the LSE paper and have identified a number of serious limitations in the study's conceptualisation, research design and research methods. We argue that these limitations are so important that the study's conclusions and apparent policy implications should be treated with great caution...
The role of the parent has been clearly defined in the literature as having a positive influence ... more The role of the parent has been clearly defined in the literature as having a positive influence on children’s emotional, behavioural and educational development, more so than other factors such as maternal education, poverty, peers socio-economic status and schooling (DfES in Every child matters (Green Paper). DfES, London, 2003; Desforges and Abouchaar in The impact of parental involvement, parental support and family education on pupil achievement and adjustment. A literature review. DfES, London, 2003). Supporting the capacity to parent is of prime interest when considering how to improve opportunities for the most disadvantaged families and their children. This chapter focuses on one particular English intervention entitled the ‘children’s centre’. Drawing on international literature and definitions of parenting support, this chapter will explore some of the research evidence collected by the Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE) study which focuses on how children’s centres conceptualise, choose and deliver parenting and family support services to families. A number of characteristics of effective interventions have been identified within the literature as having the greatest impact on improving child outcomes (Glass in Child Soc 13(4): 257–264 1999; Sure Start in The aim of sure start. http:// www. surestart. gov. uk, 2001; Johnson in Impact of social science on policy. http:// www. esrc. ac. uk/ _ images/ Sure_ Start_ final_ report_ tcm8-20116. pdf, 2011). These include the following: a two-generational focus that targets both the parent and child together; multifaceted approaches that include amongst others, enhancing family relationships; services which are non-stigmatising, lasting long enough to make a difference, locally driven, culturally appropriate, sensitive to user needs and centre-based. This chapter will explore these findings in order to address three research questions: (1) Who are children’s centres serving? (2) What are children’s centres doing? and (3) How are children’s centres approaching their work? The chapter will conclude with policy implications and future directions for programmes that share similar characteristics to English children’s centres
Background:
Inspire Maths is the UK edition of My Pals Are Here! first launched in January 2015 b... more Background: Inspire Maths is the UK edition of My Pals Are Here! first launched in January 2015 by Oxford University Press. It consists of a textbook series and pedagogical approach that emphasises the teaching of mathematics through multiple representations of mathematical concepts – specifically the use of a Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach. It is an example of the East Asian mastery-based approach to teaching mathematics that is gaining increasing international prominence in both research communities and in educational policies, and both within the UK as well as internationally.
Methods: This evaluation aimed to establish the effects of Inspire Maths via a clustered Randomised Control Trial (RCT) that followed 576 Year 1 pupils (aged 5-6 years) for one school year in the first schools to implement both Inspire Maths and the 2015 English National Curriculum. The RCT used a mixed methods approach and was driven by theories from the educational research fields of teacher effectiveness and school improvement. It used researcher-administered tests of children's mathematics attainment pre- and post- the introduction of Inspire Maths, but also obtained quantitative and qualitative evidence concerning the ways that schools and teachers adopted and responded to the materials and to the pedagogical approach.
Key Findings: Inspire Maths can help Year 1 pupils make significantly more progress in mathematics. We observed small but significant gains in progress after two terms’ use of the programme. In context: After two terms, the gap in mathematics attainment was twice the size of the gap found between boys and girls when they started school. Inspire Maths promotes Year 1 teaching practices that are well known to be more effective for pupil progress in the long term. Benefits to classroom practice were noted immediately following initial professional development training workshops, secondary benefits were then observed over the course of the year. Teachers were generally very positive about the Inspire Maths materials and approach. Teachers noted a number of key benefits and challenges to themselves, pupils and schools when implementing Inspire Maths. For example, teachers reported that Inspire Maths increased both their and their pupils’ confidence and subject knowledge in mathematics. These were quite consistent regardless of whether a teacher began implementing Inspire Maths in September or in January
This is the eighth report of a multi-component longitudinal evaluation, presenting findings from ... more This is the eighth report of a multi-component longitudinal evaluation, presenting findings from all stages of the Strand 3 evaluation, using data collected between 2012 and 2013. It draws on three published Strand 3 research reports to describe in detail the context of centres in 2012-2013 (Goff et al., 2013; Smith et al., 2014; Evangelou et al., 2014). Parts of this report also draw on data collected from the first survey of Strand 1 (Tanner et al., 2012), and historical information which staff were asked to reflect upon from 2011 (to match the timing of the first Strand 1 survey, for further details see Appendix A2, Figure ApA2). A later report on Strand 4 ‘Impact’ will be produced in 2015 and a report on Strand 5 ‘Value for Money’ will be produced in 2016.
The project was commissioned by three charitable groups – the Education Endowment Foundati... more The project was commissioned by three charitable groups – the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), Unbound Philanthropy and The Bell Foundation – to analyse the evidence from national data in England on the achievement of students with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and to review the literature on effective interventions to raise the attainment of pupils with EAL. The key questions addressed by the project were: Who are the most at-risk groups of EAL learners and what are the predictors of low attainment for these learners? What are the most promising programmes and interventions to address EAL achievement gaps on the basis of causal evidence? This report presents an analysis of the most recent England National Pupil Database (NPD) from 2013 with respect to the first question above. A sister report focuses on the second question concerning effective interventions and is published in parallel with this report. The overall purpose of the project is to help schools and policymakers to effectively target policy, interventions and funding to address achievement gaps.
As more complex statistical analyses become accessible through modern computer software packages... more As more complex statistical analyses become accessible through modern computer software packages, so the terms “Mediation”, “Moderation” and “(Statistical) Interaction” see increased use. At the same time, uncertainty continues over their definitions and discrimination as evident in inconsistent guidelines and varying means of testing. Further, while guideline papers continue to be written, to the best of our knowledge none has yet been written specifically for Educational Researchers. Here we address this discrepancy with a provision of clear definitions that discriminate, note real-life ambiguities particular to educational research, and cover the various means of testing that are available for researchers. The paper ends with the provision of an example Moderation from educational research which is tested with three alternative statistical approaches, the results of which are then compared and contrasted.
This study investigates the relationship between early education and cognitive and social develop... more This study investigates the relationship between early education and cognitive and social development in young British children between the ages of 3-7 years. It is hypothesised that pre-school education might facilitate resilience in children’s developmental pathways that have proved vulnerable due to the significant impact of risks. This study aimed to provide a systematic examination of the relationship between cognitive and social development, child or family specific developmental risks, and the structures and processes of early education.
Adopting the methodology of secondary analysis, this study re-examined the data of the Effective Provision of Pre school Education (EPPE) project that followed the developmental progress of nearly 3,000 British young children as they experienced different kinds of early education from 1997 to 2001 and later primary school. Three sets of longitudinal statistical analyses were carried out. First, a new method was developed for measuring the relative weight of different kinds of risks as they predict development. Second, the impact of different kinds of risks upon development during the pre school period (ages 3-5) was examined to see whether it was lessened by high quality early education. Third, the developmental skills and abilities of children at exit from early education were studied in terms of their prediction of developmental pathways during the first two years of school (ages 5-7).
Results from these three sets of analyses suggested the following: (1) validity of the new method of measuring developmental risks, (2) strong evidence of partial protection of young children’s general cognitive ability when examining child level developmental risks and the quality of the processes that take place in programmes of early education, (3) that high quality early education can contribute to resilient developmental pathways during the first two years of school by boosting the vital cognitive and social skills of children at entrance to primary school.
In policy terms, high quality early education programmes have the potential to serve as interventions within normal populations. Further, high quality early education programmes also have the potential to act as a type of primary prevention in a manner similar to targeted Early Interventions for children already at risk.
UK Department for Education Research Report, Jun 2014
This is the sixth report from the Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE) project, whi... more This is the sixth report from the Evaluation of Children’s Centres in England (ECCE) project, which is a six-year study commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE), and undertaken by NatCen Social Research, the University of Oxford and Frontier Economics.
The fieldwork reported here presents one element of a multi-component longitudinal evaluation, which utilises a nested design, with a sample of children’s centres participating in five different strands of work. The findings presented here are from the second wave of detailed fieldwork regarding the organisation and delivery of children’s centre services for parents. It was deemed important to capture not only the views of the members of staff, but also of the parents who were attending the centres to obtain a broader picture of centre provision.
Chapter within, "Scientific case for a new birth cohort study: Report to the Research Resources Board of the Economic and Social Research Council". Longview UK, 2007
As part of the contribution to the development of national strategy for longitudinal data resour... more As part of the contribution to the development of national strategy for longitudinal data resources, ESRC commissioned Longview to undertake a scoping study to evaluate the case for establishing a new cohort as the latest in a series of cohort studies beginning in 1946, 1958, 1970 and 2000. Subsequently MRC contributed additional support for the study, which extended to: providing advice on alternative options for design, including those in use in prominent overseas studies; to consult sceptics as well as advocates of such studies; and to assess in depth the scientific case for the collection of biomedical data in any new study.
"The evaluation of children’s centres in England (ECCE) is a 6-year study commissioned by the Dep... more "The evaluation of children’s centres in England (ECCE) is a 6-year study commissioned by the Department for Education and undertaken by NatCen Social Research, the University of Oxford and Frontier Economics.
Children’s centres are intended to be one of the main vehicles for ensuring that integrated and good quality family services are located in accessible places and are welcoming to all. They aim to support young children and their families, particularly the most disadvantaged, to reduce inequalities in child development and school readiness.
The mechanism for achieving this is through supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development, improving parenting aspirations and skills, providing access to good early education, and addressing family health and life chances.
The aim of the ECCE is to provide an in-depth understanding of children’s centre services, including their effectiveness in relation to different management and delivery approaches and the cost of delivering different types of services."
"The evaluation of children’s centres in England aims to provide an in-depth understanding of chi... more "The evaluation of children’s centres in England aims to provide an in-depth understanding of children’s centre services, including their effectiveness for children and families, and an assessment of their economic cost in relation to different types of services.
The findings presented here are from the first wave of detailed fieldwork regarding the organisation and delivery of children’s centre services. This fieldwork aimed to assess:
1.the range of activities and services that centres deliver
2. partnership working methods
3. leadership and management
4. evidence-based practice
5. area profiling of centre ‘reach’
The fieldwork took place in 121 phase 1 and 2 children’s centres across England during 2012, and involved staff completing self-report questionnaires, fieldworker observations and document scrutiny, as well as face-to-face interviews."
Chapter within a UK Department for Education Research Report, 2013
Report Abstract:
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year stud... more Report Abstract:
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year study that looks at Sure Start children’s centres (SSCCs) in the most disadvantaged areas of England. These are centres that were set up in the first two phases of the programme.
The evaluation, from a survey of families who were using children’s centres when their child was 9- to 18-months-old, will provide a very detailed picture of children’s centre services. This includes how effective they are when they use different approaches in their management and when delivering services and activities for parents and children. It also looks at the cost of delivering different types of services.
Chapter within a UK Department for Education Research Report, 2013
Report Abstract:
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year stud... more Report Abstract:
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year study that looks at Sure Start children’s centres (SSCCs) in the most disadvantaged areas of England. These are centres that were set up in the first two phases of the programme.
The evaluation, from a survey of families who were using children’s centres when their child was 9- to 18-months-old, will provide a very detailed picture of children’s centre services. This includes how effective they are when they use different approaches in their management and when delivering services and activities for parents and children. It also looks at the cost of delivering different types of services.
Since 2006 the government has provided funding through the Transformation Fund (TF) to help profe... more Since 2006 the government has provided funding through the Transformation Fund (TF) to help professionalise the early years workforce and to deliver the Ten Year Strategy for Childcare. A total of £250 million was made available to private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years settings to fulfil these aims. In August 2007 the TF was replaced by the Graduate Leader Fund (GLF), which provided a further £305 million in funding between April 2008 and March 2011
Centre for Innovation in Mental Health (CiMH) Seminar Series – University of Southampton, 2017
Contents:
1. Setting the Scene
a. The Impact of Rutter
2. Preschool Quality and Resilience
3. Loo... more Contents: 1. Setting the Scene a. The Impact of Rutter 2. Preschool Quality and Resilience 3. Looking Beyond Preschool: a. resilience fostered by primary schools b. resilience effects within children born premature c. one potential biopsychosocial mechanism
University of Oxford Department of Education: Quantitative Hub Seminar Series, 2017
We live in the Age of Big Data. Today’s educational researcher has greater access to larger data... more We live in the Age of Big Data. Today’s educational researcher has greater access to larger databases, more powerful computers, and more advanced statistical software than ever before. However, this combination strains the utility of common multivariate statistical techniques.
Although we have the ability to run statistical analyses on larger datasets that consider more variables than ever before, the stories suggested by our data risk being lost.
This presentation introduces an alternative family of techniques (person-based statistical analyses), and gives examples that demonstrate their utility to today’s educational researcher.
These examples focus on: cluster analyses latent class/profile analyses the measurement of cumulative risk
British Psychological Society (BPS) Psychology of Education Section (PES) Annual Conference. Oxford, UK, September, 2018
Contents:
1. The problem facing the evaluation of interventions that target
2. How the hypothesis... more Contents: 1. The problem facing the evaluation of interventions that target 2. How the hypothesis of Moderation is used to evaluate interventions that target: 3 examples 3. Airbag Moderation: A new hypothesis that is more appropriate than Moderation for evaluating interventions that target 4. Empirical example of Airbag Moderation: Evaluating Sure Start Children’s Centres as a policy and intervention that targets
American Educational Research Association (AERA). New York, NY, April, 2018
Background: Moderation is the hypothesis that the relationship between two concepts varies as a f... more Background: Moderation is the hypothesis that the relationship between two concepts varies as a function of a third. Extensions of this hypothesis have been proposed that variously link Moderation to the hypothesis of Mediation. Aims: 1. To define the hypothesis of Airbag Moderation. 2. To demonstrate that this hypothesis integrates and extends several existing ideas from both substantive and methodological bodies of literature that are core to the interests of those who research developmental psychopathology. 3. To demonstrate that Airbag Moderation may be tested via application and extension of existing techniques that are used for testing other hypotheses, notably Moderation. Methods: The definition of Airbag Moderation is first grounded in existing disparate bodies of literature including developmental psychopathology. Second, the novelty and the applicability of this hypothesis are then demonstrated by its application to a number of preexisting theories, interventions and social policies across educational, psychological, and health research. Results: An example Airbag Moderation is hypothesized concerning the potential impact of UK Sure Start Children’s Centres upon the internalizing behaviors of preschoolers. This hypothesis is then statistically tested using ‘real-life’ research data and the techniques proposed in this paper. Two alternative approaches to statistically testing the hypothesis are carried out – a structural equation model featuring either a statistical interaction term or a random coefficient – and the results of these approaches are shown to substantively match. Conclusions: Airbag Moderation is a novel hypothesis that is demonstrably more suitable than Moderation for conceptualizing and testing a wide range of theories, interventions, and social policies. It is also easily implemented via existing statistical techniques. Potential applications of Airbag Moderation suggest future directions for research in substantive and methodological areas.
Trends in Education Development Conference. Keynote. Moscow, Russia. February, 2020
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Promises reconciling ECEC research with public policy
3. Problems r... more Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Promises reconciling ECEC research with public policy 3. Problems reconciling ECEC research with public policy 4. Five requirements for successful reconciliation of ECEC research evidence with public policy 5. Looking to the future
2019 International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, 2019
Many policies, practices, and interventions that we put in place to promote educational equity em... more Many policies, practices, and interventions that we put in place to promote educational equity employ the targeting of resources to certain individuals or to groups. Great stock is then placed on the results of their empirical evaluation. However, one of the common methodological tools we use in these evaluations, Moderation, is not fit for purpose because it fails to test the targeting element alongside potential effectiveness. As a result, those evidence bases that rely on Moderation to demonstrate the effectiveness of policies, practices, and interventions that target are, at best, partial. Our response was to develop a new methodological framework termed ‘Airbag Moderation’ that simultaneously tests both the targeting and the effectiveness elements of policies, practices, and interventions that target. The presentation first describes this new methodological framework and its origin as the result of drawing together previously unrelated ideas from multiple fields of scientific enquiry. The presentation then illustrates a statistically significant Airbag Moderation effect via analysis of data from a national evaluation of Sure Start Children’s Centres in England. We encourage the uptake and use of Airbag Moderation, rather than Moderation, as a methodological framework for evaluations concerned with the effectiveness of policies, practices, and interventions that target.
How well statistical models represent the data to which they are applied (‘model fit’) is a core ... more How well statistical models represent the data to which they are applied (‘model fit’) is a core concept in multivariate statistics. For the multivariate statistical technique of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), how best to establish model fit has been debated for over 40 years. Partly, this is because of the different types of SEM that have always existed, and partly this is because of continual developments to SEM over time. The result is that today’s researcher using SEM faces greater challenges to demonstrating model fit than ever before. Moreover, some contemporary developments in SEM even prevent estimation of model fit through the use of traditional ‘model fit indices’. So what should researchers to do in response? This presentation provides researchers who use SEM with practical knowledge that will help them publish SEM analyses within peer-reviewed academic journals. Traditional SEM model fit indices are first reviewed, contemporary difficulties in their calculation are then explained, and finally example peer-review publications are shown that can help to overcome these problems.
The 33rd International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, 2020
Background:
Home learning environments prior to school are known predictors of educational traje... more Background: Home learning environments prior to school are known predictors of educational trajectories. However, existing evidence concentrates on home learning environments that are experienced by children aged 3 years and up. In response, this paper reports on the validity and reliability of the Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale. This is a new measure adapted from the Preschool HLE (PHLE) measure created by the Effective Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) investigation in England.
Objective: To improve our understanding of educational trajectories and to help us foster educational equity. How? By investigating whether a new parent-report assessment that measures the pedagogical activities that take place with toddlers in the home produces consistent scores that are meaningfully related to equivalent measures for children aged 3-4 years.
Results: Statistical analyses indicate that the THLE scale is a new, valid, and reliable assessment tool for researchers and early years professionals in education, health, and social work. It can meaningfully differentiate home learning environments during the toddler years and is a significant predictor of the home learning environment in the preschool period. This association between the THLE and PHLE is important given that existing literature shows long-term developmental and educational consequences from the home learning environment in the preschool period.
Starting school is a prime example of naturalistic social stress and provides a platform for obse... more Starting school is a prime example of naturalistic social stress and provides a platform for observing physiological adaptability in the context of a range of psychosocial influences. Further, A key determinant of success at school is effortful-control which past evidence has linked to both daycare history and socio demographic effects. Spending time in daycare prior to school entry may enable greater physiological resiliency during school transition by influencing adaptability of developing allostatic systems . This increased physiological adaptability linked to daycare effects might also alter how demographic factors impact effortful control and so promote school readiness.
Evidence is drawn from the DfE-funded Evaluation of Children's Centres in England (ECCE) Project ... more Evidence is drawn from the DfE-funded Evaluation of Children's Centres in England (ECCE) Project - a £3M 5-year longitudinal evaluation of 128 Sure Start Children’s Centres and 3,000 families and children (aged 1-3 years). The talk discusses the common ways that Children's Centres operate, how families tend to use them, and the benefits that can come from this engagement. Disadvantaged families benefit most, which means that austerity cuts to Children’s Centres pose a particular threat to these families.
In 1986 Baron and Kenny set out to clarify the differences between the terms “Moderation” and “Me... more In 1986 Baron and Kenny set out to clarify the differences between the terms “Moderation” and “Mediation” as used in the social sciences.
Thirty years later, the seminal paper that this collaboration resulted in (published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) has been cited 57,965 times (Google Scholar on 09/03/2016). This is approximately 1900 times year and on average once every 5 hours of every day, of every year, for over thirty years.
However and despite this citation record, the uncertainty surrounding these terms has not gone away. Academics still struggle to define, distinguish and utilise these terms while related under- and post-graduate teaching is still the exception.
This talk sets out simple, clear definitions that distinguish “Mediation” from “Moderation”, and “Interaction”, and presents a range of statistical methods for their testing
1. The Impact of Rutter
2. Preschool Quality and Resilience
3. Looking Beyond Preschool:
Home Lea... more 1. The Impact of Rutter 2. Preschool Quality and Resilience 3. Looking Beyond Preschool: Home Learning Environment (HLE) Primary School Educational Effectiveness 4. Advances into the Future: Biopsychoeducational Research? A new technique to evaluating interventions
How far does engagement with children’s centres promote better outcomes for family, parent, and c... more How far does engagement with children’s centres promote better outcomes for family, parent, and child outcomes? Impact was explored using multilevel statistical models and impact from two areas was considered: 1) Families’ use of children’s centre services over 3 time points, and, 2) Children’s centre characteristics and processes. Beneficial effects were found on Child behaviour; child vocabulary; mother physical health; mother mental health; parental stress; and on the home environment (as a learning environment; and as an organised vs. chaotic space). Effects were not found on child physical health or parental employment status (employed from unemployed).
1. Brief background to social science research
2. Real world planning of research
3. Designing ... more 1. Brief background to social science research
2. Real world planning of research
3. Designing research
4. Sampling
5. Obtaining quantitative data
6. Analysing quantitative data
EDIT: UPDATED WITH A NEW TALK DATED JUNE 6 2016. New content introduces non-continuous mediation... more EDIT: UPDATED WITH A NEW TALK DATED JUNE 6 2016. New content introduces non-continuous mediation, "causal mediation" and the SPSS PROCESS Macro of Hayes.
In 1986 Baron and Kenny set out to clarify the differences between the terms “Moderation” and “Mediation” as used in the social sciences. Twenty seven years later, the seminal paper that this collaboration resulted in (published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) has been cited over 35,000 times (Google Scholar on 09/01/2013). This is approximately 1300 times year – roughly equall to once every 7 hours of every day of every year for over a quarter of a century. However and despite this citation record, the uncertainty surrounding these terms has not gone away. Academics still struggle to define, distinguish and utilise these terms while related under- and post-graduate teaching is still the exception. This presentation sets out simple, clear definitions that distinguish “Mediation” from “Moderation”, and both from “Interaction” as well as all three from a number of other commonly-used terms.
The difference-testing of two statistical regression relationships relies upon comparing “nested ... more The difference-testing of two statistical regression relationships relies upon comparing “nested models”. A “full” statistical model is compared to an otherwise identical but “restricted” model in which two (or more) statistical relationships are fixed to equality.
The specification of this nested model provides a null-hypothesis.
There are however incidents where statistical difference-testing is required but the specification of a nested model is either difficult or impossible. One such incidence is when alterative measures of the same concept need to have effects compared as they impact an outcome.
Here we consider the less well-known statistical tests that compare non-nested statistical models and consider a ‘real-life’ example in which these have been used: Additive vs. Multiplicative statistical interaction between 3 dichotomous measures
Background: Dichotomising and summating separate measures of risks (e.g. familial poverty, unres... more Background: Dichotomising and summating separate measures of risks (e.g. familial poverty, unresponsive parenting) is a method that has been critiqued as simplistic. In response, this investigation tests a novel alternative for capturing the combined effect of multiple risks acting upon children’s development
Results: A cumulative index of risks was compared to a confirmatory factor analysis using formative measurement. This study found differences favoring the factor analysis
Conclusions: The factor analysis procedure demonstrated greater predictive power of children’s cognitive development whilst it systematically tested (through omission) two of the assumptions implicit in cumulative risk indices
1. Background to, and issues surrounding, developmental risk and resilience
2.The contribution... more 1. Background to, and issues surrounding, developmental risk and resilience
2.The contributions offered by pre-school:
a. Some findings from the Effective Provision of Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE*)
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Journal Articles by James Hall
Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that both individual features (e.g., childhood dysregulated behaviour) and negative environmental experiences (e.g., maladaptive parenting, peer victimisation) may lead to the development of BPD symptoms during adolescence. Few prospective studies have examined potential aetiological pathways involving these two factors.
Method
We addressed this gap in the literature using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We assessed mother-reported childhood dysregulated behaviour at 4, 7 and 8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); maladaptive parenting (maternal hitting, punishment, and hostility) at 8 to 9 years; and bully victimisation (child and mother report) at 8, 9 and 10 years. BPD symptoms were assessed at 11 years using the UK Childhood Interview for DSM-IV BPD. Control variables included adolescent depression (assessed with the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire-SMFQ) and psychotic symptoms (assessed with the Psychosis-Like Symptoms Interview-PLIKS) at 11 to 14 years, and mother’s exposure to family adversity during pregnancy (assessed with the Family Adversity Scale-FAI).
Results
In unadjusted logistic regression analyses, childhood dysregulated behaviour and all environmental risk factors (i.e., family adversity, maladaptive parenting, and bully victimisation) were significantly associated with BPD symptoms at 11 years. Within structural equation modelling controlling for all associations simultaneously, family adversity and male sex significantly predicted dysregulated behaviour across childhood, while bully victimisation significantly predicted BPD, depression, and psychotic symptoms. Children displaying dysregulated behaviour across childhood were significantly more likely to experience maladaptive parenting (β = 0.075, p<0.001) and bully victimisation (β = 0.327, p<0.001). Further, there was a significant indirect association between childhood dysregulated behaviour and BPD symptoms via an increased risk of bullying (β = 0.097, p<0.001). While significant indirect associations between dysregulated behaviour, bully victimisation and depression (β = 0.063, p<0.001) and psychotic (β = 0.074, p<0.001) outcomes were also observed, the indirect association was significantly stronger for the BPD outcome (BPD – depression = 0.034, p<0.01; BPD – psychotic symptoms = 0.023, p<0.01).
Conclusions
Childhood dysregulated behaviour is associated with BPD in early adolescence via an increased risk of bully victimisation. This suggests that childhood dysregulation may influence the risk of bully victimisation, which in turn influences the development of BPD. Effective interventions should target dysregulated behaviour early on to reduce exposure to environmental risks and the subsequent development of BPD.
Aims: To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Sample: n = 3,172 British children aged 3–10 years and their families.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0–3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3–5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Results: Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school.
Conclusions: Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept
"The better resourced the centre, the more it can narrow gaps linked to poverty and disadvantage."
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achievement are associated, the relationship is relatively modest.
Aims
We sought to determine whether another construct might link academic buoyancy and student's achievement. Based on prior theoretical and empirical work, we examined a sense of control as one possible linking mechanism.
Sample
The study analysed data from 2,971 students attending 21 Australian high schools.
Methods
We conducted a cross-lagged panel design as a first means of disentangling the relative salience of academic buoyancy, control, and achievement (Phase 1). Based upon these results, we proceeded with follow-up analyses of an ordered process model linking the constructs over time (Phase 2).
Results
Findings showed that buoyancy and achievement were associated with control over time, but not with one another (Phase 1). In addition, control appeared to play a role in how buoyancy influenced achievement and that a cyclical process may operate among the three factors over time (Phase 2).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that control may play an important role in linking past experiences of academic buoyancy and achievement to subsequent academic buoyancy and achievement.
Methods. A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age.
Results. Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes.
Conclusions. Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk."
Method: 1,437 Bavarian children from high to low neonatal risk were studied from birth to 6 years as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Gender differences and indirect effects (via age 20 month head circumference and cognition) were considered. Age 6 attention problems were measured by parents and researchers.
Results: Boys, preterms, and SGA children were at increased risk for attention problems. The impacts of prematurity and SGA on age 6 attention problems operated by indirect effects via age 20 months cognition and head circumference. Prematurity was more likely to have indirect effects on attention problems via reduced cognition. SGA was more likely to operate through poorer head growth. Evidence of gender moderation was found indicating a more severe impact of prematurity in girls.
Conclusions: Prematurity and SGA appear to impact attention problems via insults to different neurological structures: SGA is more likely to reduce brain volume while prematurity appears to alter brain function. Although female attention problems are less common, when observed they are more strongly predicted by prematurity and early cognitive dysfunction."
Developmental theories for the aetiology of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) suggest that both individual features (e.g., childhood dysregulated behaviour) and negative environmental experiences (e.g., maladaptive parenting, peer victimisation) may lead to the development of BPD symptoms during adolescence. Few prospective studies have examined potential aetiological pathways involving these two factors.
Method
We addressed this gap in the literature using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). We assessed mother-reported childhood dysregulated behaviour at 4, 7 and 8 years using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); maladaptive parenting (maternal hitting, punishment, and hostility) at 8 to 9 years; and bully victimisation (child and mother report) at 8, 9 and 10 years. BPD symptoms were assessed at 11 years using the UK Childhood Interview for DSM-IV BPD. Control variables included adolescent depression (assessed with the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire-SMFQ) and psychotic symptoms (assessed with the Psychosis-Like Symptoms Interview-PLIKS) at 11 to 14 years, and mother’s exposure to family adversity during pregnancy (assessed with the Family Adversity Scale-FAI).
Results
In unadjusted logistic regression analyses, childhood dysregulated behaviour and all environmental risk factors (i.e., family adversity, maladaptive parenting, and bully victimisation) were significantly associated with BPD symptoms at 11 years. Within structural equation modelling controlling for all associations simultaneously, family adversity and male sex significantly predicted dysregulated behaviour across childhood, while bully victimisation significantly predicted BPD, depression, and psychotic symptoms. Children displaying dysregulated behaviour across childhood were significantly more likely to experience maladaptive parenting (β = 0.075, p<0.001) and bully victimisation (β = 0.327, p<0.001). Further, there was a significant indirect association between childhood dysregulated behaviour and BPD symptoms via an increased risk of bullying (β = 0.097, p<0.001). While significant indirect associations between dysregulated behaviour, bully victimisation and depression (β = 0.063, p<0.001) and psychotic (β = 0.074, p<0.001) outcomes were also observed, the indirect association was significantly stronger for the BPD outcome (BPD – depression = 0.034, p<0.01; BPD – psychotic symptoms = 0.023, p<0.01).
Conclusions
Childhood dysregulated behaviour is associated with BPD in early adolescence via an increased risk of bully victimisation. This suggests that childhood dysregulation may influence the risk of bully victimisation, which in turn influences the development of BPD. Effective interventions should target dysregulated behaviour early on to reduce exposure to environmental risks and the subsequent development of BPD.
Aims: To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Sample: n = 3,172 British children aged 3–10 years and their families.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0–3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3–5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years.
Results: Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school.
Conclusions: Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept
"The better resourced the centre, the more it can narrow gaps linked to poverty and disadvantage."
Previous research has indicated that although academic buoyancy and student's achievement are associated, the relationship is relatively modest.
Aims
We sought to determine whether another construct might link academic buoyancy and student's achievement. Based on prior theoretical and empirical work, we examined a sense of control as one possible linking mechanism.
Sample
The study analysed data from 2,971 students attending 21 Australian high schools.
Methods
We conducted a cross-lagged panel design as a first means of disentangling the relative salience of academic buoyancy, control, and achievement (Phase 1). Based upon these results, we proceeded with follow-up analyses of an ordered process model linking the constructs over time (Phase 2).
Results
Findings showed that buoyancy and achievement were associated with control over time, but not with one another (Phase 1). In addition, control appeared to play a role in how buoyancy influenced achievement and that a cyclical process may operate among the three factors over time (Phase 2).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that control may play an important role in linking past experiences of academic buoyancy and achievement to subsequent academic buoyancy and achievement.
Methods. A total of 314 very preterm/very low birth weight (VP/VLBW) and 338 term control children were studied from birth to age 13 years. Socioeconomic status was examined at birth. Neurological and physical impairment was assessed at age 20 months, and sensitive and cognitively stimulating parenting at age 6 years. School success was measured from 6 to 13 years of age.
Results. Very preterm/very low birth weight children had lower school success between 6 and 13 years, after statistically controlling for child disability and socioeconomic status. Cognitively stimulating parenting promoted all children's school success whereas highly sensitive parenting at age 6 years partly protected against the adverse effects of VP/VLBW birth on academic outcomes.
Conclusions. Very preterm/very low birth weight children's school success to age 13 years may be partly protected with sensitive parenting in middle childhood, despite the neurodevelopmental impairments associated with VP/VLBW birth. This suggests potential avenues for interventions for children born at high neonatal risk."
Method: 1,437 Bavarian children from high to low neonatal risk were studied from birth to 6 years as part of a prospective longitudinal cohort study. Gender differences and indirect effects (via age 20 month head circumference and cognition) were considered. Age 6 attention problems were measured by parents and researchers.
Results: Boys, preterms, and SGA children were at increased risk for attention problems. The impacts of prematurity and SGA on age 6 attention problems operated by indirect effects via age 20 months cognition and head circumference. Prematurity was more likely to have indirect effects on attention problems via reduced cognition. SGA was more likely to operate through poorer head growth. Evidence of gender moderation was found indicating a more severe impact of prematurity in girls.
Conclusions: Prematurity and SGA appear to impact attention problems via insults to different neurological structures: SGA is more likely to reduce brain volume while prematurity appears to alter brain function. Although female attention problems are less common, when observed they are more strongly predicted by prematurity and early cognitive dysfunction."
Inspire Maths is the UK edition of My Pals Are Here! first launched in January 2015 by Oxford University Press. It consists of a textbook series and pedagogical approach that emphasises the teaching of mathematics through multiple representations of mathematical concepts – specifically the use of a Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach. It is an example of the East Asian mastery-based approach to teaching mathematics that is gaining increasing international prominence in both research communities and in educational policies, and both within the UK as well as internationally.
Methods:
This evaluation aimed to establish the effects of Inspire Maths via a clustered Randomised Control Trial (RCT) that followed 576 Year 1 pupils (aged 5-6 years) for one school year in the first schools to implement both Inspire Maths and the 2015 English National Curriculum. The RCT used a mixed methods approach and was driven by theories from the educational research fields of teacher effectiveness and school improvement. It used researcher-administered tests of children's mathematics attainment pre- and post- the introduction of Inspire Maths, but also obtained quantitative and qualitative evidence concerning the ways that schools and teachers adopted and responded to the materials and to the pedagogical approach.
Key Findings:
Inspire Maths can help Year 1 pupils make significantly more progress in mathematics. We observed small but significant gains in progress after two terms’ use of the programme. In context: After two terms, the gap in mathematics attainment was twice the size of the gap found between boys and girls when they started school.
Inspire Maths promotes Year 1 teaching practices that are well known to be more effective for pupil progress in the long term. Benefits to classroom practice were noted immediately following initial professional development training workshops, secondary benefits were then observed over the course of the year.
Teachers were generally very positive about the Inspire Maths materials and approach. Teachers noted a number of key benefits and challenges to themselves, pupils and schools when implementing Inspire Maths. For example, teachers reported that Inspire Maths increased both their and their pupils’ confidence and subject knowledge in mathematics. These were quite consistent regardless of whether a teacher began implementing Inspire Maths in September or in January
The key questions addressed by the project were:
Who are the most at-risk groups of EAL learners and what are the predictors of low attainment for these learners?
What are the most promising programmes and interventions to address EAL achievement gaps on the basis of causal evidence?
This report presents an analysis of the most recent England National Pupil Database (NPD) from 2013 with respect to the first question above. A sister report focuses on the second question concerning effective interventions and is published in parallel with this report. The overall purpose of the project is to help schools and policymakers to effectively target policy, interventions and funding to address achievement gaps.
Adopting the methodology of secondary analysis, this study re-examined the data of the Effective Provision of Pre school Education (EPPE) project that followed the developmental progress of nearly 3,000 British young children as they experienced different kinds of early education from 1997 to 2001 and later primary school. Three sets of longitudinal statistical analyses were carried out. First, a new method was developed for measuring the relative weight of different kinds of risks as they predict development. Second, the impact of different kinds of risks upon development during the pre school period (ages 3-5) was examined to see whether it was lessened by high quality early education. Third, the developmental skills and abilities of children at exit from early education were studied in terms of their prediction of developmental pathways during the first two years of school (ages 5-7).
Results from these three sets of analyses suggested the following: (1) validity of the new method of measuring developmental risks, (2) strong evidence of partial protection of young children’s general cognitive ability when examining child level developmental risks and the quality of the processes that take place in programmes of early education, (3) that high quality early education can contribute to resilient developmental pathways during the first two years of school by boosting the vital cognitive and social skills of children at entrance to primary school.
In policy terms, high quality early education programmes have the potential to serve as interventions within normal populations. Further, high quality early education programmes also have the potential to act as a type of primary prevention in a manner similar to targeted Early Interventions for children already at risk.
The fieldwork reported here presents one element of a multi-component longitudinal evaluation, which utilises a nested design, with a sample of children’s centres participating in five different strands of work. The findings presented here are from the second wave of detailed fieldwork regarding the organisation and delivery of children’s centre services for parents. It was deemed important to capture not only the views of the members of staff, but also of the parents who were attending the centres to obtain a broader picture of centre provision.
Children’s centres are intended to be one of the main vehicles for ensuring that integrated and good quality family services are located in accessible places and are welcoming to all. They aim to support young children and their families, particularly the most disadvantaged, to reduce inequalities in child development and school readiness.
The mechanism for achieving this is through supporting children’s personal, social and emotional development, improving parenting aspirations and skills, providing access to good early education, and addressing family health and life chances.
The aim of the ECCE is to provide an in-depth understanding of children’s centre services, including their effectiveness in relation to different management and delivery approaches and the cost of delivering different types of services."
The findings presented here are from the first wave of detailed fieldwork regarding the organisation and delivery of children’s centre services. This fieldwork aimed to assess:
1.the range of activities and services that centres deliver
2. partnership working methods
3. leadership and management
4. evidence-based practice
5. area profiling of centre ‘reach’
The fieldwork took place in 121 phase 1 and 2 children’s centres across England during 2012, and involved staff completing self-report questionnaires, fieldworker observations and document scrutiny, as well as face-to-face interviews."
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year study that looks at Sure Start children’s centres (SSCCs) in the most disadvantaged areas of England. These are centres that were set up in the first two phases of the programme.
The evaluation, from a survey of families who were using children’s centres when their child was 9- to 18-months-old, will provide a very detailed picture of children’s centre services. This includes how effective they are when they use different approaches in their management and when delivering services and activities for parents and children. It also looks at the cost of delivering different types of services.
The evaluation of children’s centres in England is a large scale, six year study that looks at Sure Start children’s centres (SSCCs) in the most disadvantaged areas of England. These are centres that were set up in the first two phases of the programme.
The evaluation, from a survey of families who were using children’s centres when their child was 9- to 18-months-old, will provide a very detailed picture of children’s centre services. This includes how effective they are when they use different approaches in their management and when delivering services and activities for parents and children. It also looks at the cost of delivering different types of services.
1. Setting the Scene
a. The Impact of Rutter
2. Preschool Quality and Resilience
3. Looking Beyond Preschool:
a. resilience fostered by primary schools
b. resilience effects within children born premature
c. one potential biopsychosocial mechanism
Although we have the ability to run statistical analyses on larger datasets that consider more variables than ever before, the stories suggested by our data risk being lost.
This presentation introduces an alternative family of techniques (person-based statistical analyses), and gives examples that demonstrate their utility to today’s educational researcher.
These examples focus on:
cluster analyses
latent class/profile analyses
the measurement of cumulative risk
1. The problem facing the evaluation of interventions that target
2. How the hypothesis of Moderation is used to evaluate interventions that target: 3 examples
3. Airbag Moderation: A new hypothesis that is more appropriate than Moderation for evaluating interventions that target
4. Empirical example of Airbag Moderation: Evaluating Sure Start Children’s Centres as a policy and intervention that targets
Aims: 1. To define the hypothesis of Airbag Moderation. 2. To demonstrate that this hypothesis integrates and extends several existing ideas from both substantive and methodological bodies of literature that are core to the interests of those who research developmental psychopathology. 3. To demonstrate that Airbag Moderation may be tested via application and extension of existing techniques that are used for testing other hypotheses, notably Moderation.
Methods: The definition of Airbag Moderation is first grounded in existing disparate bodies of literature including developmental psychopathology. Second, the novelty and the applicability of this hypothesis are then demonstrated by its application to a number of preexisting theories, interventions and social policies across educational, psychological, and health research.
Results: An example Airbag Moderation is hypothesized concerning the potential impact of UK Sure Start Children’s Centres upon the internalizing behaviors of preschoolers. This hypothesis is then statistically tested using ‘real-life’ research data and the techniques proposed in this paper. Two alternative approaches to statistically testing the hypothesis are carried out – a structural equation model featuring either a statistical interaction term or a random coefficient – and the results of these approaches are shown to substantively match.
Conclusions: Airbag Moderation is a novel hypothesis that is demonstrably more suitable than Moderation for conceptualizing and testing a wide range of theories, interventions, and social policies. It is also easily implemented via existing statistical techniques. Potential applications of Airbag Moderation suggest future directions for research in substantive and methodological areas.
1. Introduction
2. Promises reconciling ECEC research with public policy
3. Problems reconciling ECEC research with public policy
4. Five requirements for successful reconciliation of ECEC research evidence with public policy
5. Looking to the future
Our response was to develop a new methodological framework termed ‘Airbag Moderation’ that simultaneously tests both the targeting and the effectiveness elements of policies, practices, and interventions that target. The presentation first describes this new methodological framework and its origin as the result of drawing together previously unrelated ideas from multiple fields of scientific enquiry. The presentation then illustrates a statistically significant Airbag Moderation effect via analysis of data from a national evaluation of Sure Start Children’s Centres in England.
We encourage the uptake and use of Airbag Moderation, rather than Moderation, as a methodological framework for evaluations concerned with the effectiveness of policies, practices, and interventions that target.
The result is that today’s researcher using SEM faces greater challenges to demonstrating model fit than ever before. Moreover, some contemporary developments in SEM even prevent estimation of model fit through the use of traditional ‘model fit indices’.
So what should researchers to do in response?
This presentation provides researchers who use SEM with practical knowledge that will help them publish SEM analyses within peer-reviewed academic journals.
Traditional SEM model fit indices are first reviewed, contemporary difficulties in their calculation are then explained, and finally example peer-review publications are shown that can help to overcome these problems.
Home learning environments prior to school are known predictors of educational trajectories. However, existing evidence concentrates on home learning environments that are experienced by children aged 3 years and up.
In response, this paper reports on the validity and reliability of the Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale. This is a new measure adapted from the Preschool HLE (PHLE) measure created by the Effective Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) investigation in England.
Objective:
To improve our understanding of educational trajectories and to help us foster educational equity.
How? By investigating whether a new parent-report assessment that measures the pedagogical activities that take place with toddlers in the home produces consistent scores that are meaningfully related to equivalent measures for children aged 3-4 years.
Results:
Statistical analyses indicate that the THLE scale is a new, valid, and reliable assessment tool for researchers and early years professionals in education, health, and social work. It can meaningfully differentiate home learning environments during the toddler years and is a significant predictor of the home learning environment in the preschool period.
This association between the THLE and PHLE is important given that existing literature shows long-term developmental and educational consequences from the home learning environment in the preschool period.
Thirty years later, the seminal paper that this collaboration resulted in (published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) has been cited 57,965 times (Google Scholar on 09/03/2016). This is approximately 1900 times year and on average once every 5 hours of every day, of every year, for over thirty years.
However and despite this citation record, the uncertainty surrounding these terms has not gone away.
Academics still struggle to define, distinguish and utilise these terms while related under- and post-graduate teaching is still the exception.
This talk sets out simple, clear definitions that distinguish “Mediation” from “Moderation”, and “Interaction”, and presents a range of statistical methods for their testing
2. Preschool Quality and Resilience
3. Looking Beyond Preschool:
Home Learning Environment (HLE)
Primary School Educational Effectiveness
4. Advances into the Future:
Biopsychoeducational Research?
A new technique to evaluating interventions
Impact was explored using multilevel statistical models and impact from two areas was considered:
1) Families’ use of children’s centre services over 3 time points, and,
2) Children’s centre characteristics and processes.
Beneficial effects were found on Child behaviour; child vocabulary; mother physical health; mother mental health; parental stress; and on the home environment (as a learning environment; and as an organised vs. chaotic space). Effects were not found on child physical health or parental employment status (employed from unemployed).
2. Real world planning of research
3. Designing research
4. Sampling
5. Obtaining quantitative data
6. Analysing quantitative data
In 1986 Baron and Kenny set out to clarify the differences between the terms “Moderation” and “Mediation” as used in the social sciences.
Twenty seven years later, the seminal paper that this collaboration resulted in (published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology) has been cited over 35,000 times (Google Scholar on 09/01/2013).
This is approximately 1300 times year – roughly equall to once every 7 hours of every day of every year for over a quarter of a century.
However and despite this citation record, the uncertainty surrounding these terms has not gone away.
Academics still struggle to define, distinguish and utilise these terms while related under- and post-graduate teaching is still the exception.
This presentation sets out simple, clear definitions that distinguish “Mediation” from “Moderation”, and both from “Interaction” as well as all three from a number of other commonly-used terms.
The specification of this nested model provides a null-hypothesis.
There are however incidents where statistical difference-testing is required but the specification of a nested model is either difficult or impossible. One such incidence is when alterative measures of the same concept need to have effects compared as they impact an outcome.
Here we consider the less well-known statistical tests that compare non-nested statistical models and consider a ‘real-life’ example in which these have been used: Additive vs. Multiplicative statistical interaction between 3 dichotomous measures
Results: A cumulative index of risks was compared to a confirmatory factor analysis using formative measurement. This study found differences favoring the factor analysis
Conclusions: The factor analysis procedure demonstrated greater predictive power of children’s cognitive development whilst it systematically tested (through omission) two of the assumptions implicit in cumulative risk indices
2.The contributions offered by pre-school:
a. Some findings from the Effective Provision of Pre-school, Primary, and Secondary Education Project (EPPSE*)