Parents’ Involvement in High-Stakes Language Assessment A Review of Test Impact on Parent Behavior

This paper reviews a total of 20 empirical research studies concerning parents’ behavior under the context of high-stakes language assessment, aiming to reveal the impact of the assessment on parents’ behavior. The results show that (1) parents are typically involved in high-stakes language assessment process; (2) their involvement practice includes general (such as hiring tutors for children) and extreme involvement behavior (such as participating in movement against high-stakes testing); (3) no unanimous conclusion is reached concerning the effectiveness of parents’ involvement in high-stakes language assessment; (4) multiple factors that affect parents’ involvement in high-stakes language assessment are identified, including parents’ perceptions of tests, their educational background, and the time they spend with their children. This study concludes that tests might influence the ways parents are involved in children’s education. However, not all parents might be influenced by testing, and testing might have a positive impact on some parents but a negative impact on others. This synthesis has several practical implications. Firstly, it indicates that parents’ involvement behavior in the context of high-stakes language assessment deserves to be further investigated. Secondly, it points that various intervention programs should be provided for parents to help them better support their children’s learning and test preparation. The paper also offers several suggestions for future research.  

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The Effect of Participation Effort on CSR Participation Intention: The Moderating Role of Construal Level on Consumer Perception of Warm Glow and Perceived Costs

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12010083 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 83

Author(s):

Yunjeong Ahn ◽

Jieun Lee

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Consumer Participation ◽

Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽

Future Research ◽

Construal Level ◽

Warm Glow ◽

Contrast Analysis ◽

Construal Levels ◽

The Impact

Consumer participation typically reduces consumer skepticism and leads to a positive response to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Although many companies are encouraging consumers to participate in CSR activities, there is still insufficient research on the effectiveness of this strategy. That is, prior studies do not provide guidelines on the effectiveness of requiring consumers to participate in CSR activities. We examine the impact of the required participation effort on CSR participation intention, focusing on the differences in consumers’ perception of a warm glow feeling and costs according to their construal level. For this study, 107 participants were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk. We tested hypotheses using a 2 (CSR participation effort) × 2 (construal level) between-subject analysis of variance (ANOVA), planned contrast analysis, and mediation analysis. The results indicate that for consumers with high construal levels who perceive participation efforts as warm glow, participation efforts have a positive impact on CSR participation intention. However, for those with low construal levels who perceive participation efforts as costs, high required efforts have a negative impact on their participation intention. Finally, we discuss the implications of these results, discuss the limitations, and suggest future research directions.

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Pet Ownership and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.3390/vetsci8120332 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 332

Author(s):

Kristel J. Scoresby ◽

Elizabeth B. Strand ◽

Zenithson Ng ◽

Kathleen C. Brown ◽

Charles Robert Stilz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Adult Population ◽

The Body ◽

Future Research ◽

Pet Ownership ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Prospective Longitudinal ◽

The Impact

Pet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction, and anecdotally, pet ownership can lead to improved physical and mental health for owners. However, scant research is available validating these claims. This study aimed to review the recent peer reviewed literature to better describe the body of knowledge surrounding the relationship between pet ownership and mental health. A literature search was conducted in May 2020 using two databases to identify articles that met inclusion/exclusion criteria. After title review, abstract review, and then full article review, 54 articles were included in the final analysis. Of the 54 studies, 18 were conducted in the general population, 15 were conducted in an older adult population, eight were conducted in children and adolescents, nine focused on people with chronic disease, and four examined a specific unique population. Forty-one of the studies were cross-sectional, 11 were prospective longitudinal cohorts, and two were other study designs. For each of the articles, the impact of pet ownership on the mental health of owners was divided into four categories: positive impact (n = 17), mixed impact (n = 19), no impact (n = 13), and negative impact (n = 5). Among the reviewed articles, there was much variation in population studied and study design, and these differences make direct comparison challenging. However, when focusing on the impact of pet ownership on mental health, the results were variable and not wholly supportive of the benefit of pets on mental health. Future research should use more consistent methods across broader populations and the development of a pet-ownership survey module for use in broad, population surveys would afford a better description of the true relationship of pet ownership and mental health.

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MP04: Interim analysis of the impact of the Emergency Department Transformation System on ambulance offload delay

CJEM ◽

10.1017/cem.2017.170 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (S1) ◽

pp. S66

Author(s):

S. Pawa ◽

K. Van Aarsen ◽

A. Dukelow ◽

D. Lizotte ◽

M. Zheng

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Assessment Process ◽

Hospital Length Of Stay ◽

Initial Assessment ◽

Hospital Inpatient ◽

Chi Square Analysis ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Emergency Department Systems Transformation (EDST) is a bundle of Toyota Production System based interventions implemented in two London, Canada tertiary care Emergency Departments (ED) between April 2014 and July 2016 to improve patient care by increasing value and reducing waste. Some of the 17 primary interventions included computerized physician order entry optimization, staff schedule realignment, physician scorecards, and a novel initial assessment process. Offload delays are associated with longer hospital length of stay and delayed admission, and may increase morbidity and mortality. Delays also result in fewer circulating ambulances in the community. CIHI sets a benchmark of 30 minutes as an acceptable offload target. It is possible that EDST may have impacted offload times. Methods: Middlesex-London EMS provided offload times. Data was collected from London Health Sciences Centre including daily ED visit volumes, ED occupancy, offload nursing hours, and site variation. A binomial logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the impact of interventions and confounding variables on the proportion of patients meeting CIHI benchmark. A chi-square analysis was done comparing proportion of patients meeting the benchmark in the first 3 months versus the last 3 months to identify overall impact of EDST to date. Results: Increased offload nursing hours had a positive impact (p<0.001) on the proportion of offload times meeting the CIHI benchmark while increased ED visit volume and hospital inpatient volume had a significant negative impact (p<0.001). At both ED sites, the proportion of patients meeting the offload target ranged from 58-83% over the timeframe. There was a significant increase in the proportion of patients meeting the benchmark from the first quarter to the last quarter (69.6% vs 75.0%; 95% CI 3.45% to 7.38%, p=0.000). Specific interventions had varying degrees of impact on offload times. Conclusion: The proportion of patients meeting the benchmark offload time varied over the study timeframe but significantly increased with EDST implementation. Offload times are one of many outcomes we aim to improve with EDST and it remains an ongoing process as new interventions continue to be implemented. Once transformation is complete, future studies will focus on the impact of EDST on all ED flow metrics, and patient and provider satisfaction.

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Employee beliefs regarding the impact of unconventional appearance on customers in Mexico and Turkey

Employee Relations ◽

10.1108/er-05-2015-0083 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

pp. 163-181 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Katherine Karl ◽

Joy Van Eck Peluchette ◽

Leda McIntyre Hall

Keyword(s):

Service Quality ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Service Industries ◽

Future Research ◽

Hair Color ◽

Content Type ◽

Customer Perceptions ◽

The Usa ◽

The Impact

Purpose – The increasing prevalence of unconventional appearance attributes (e.g. tattoos, piercings, unnatural hair color, alternative clothing) is a concern among employers as these appearance attributes are often viewed negatively. Because much of the existing employee appearance research has been conducted in the USA, the purpose of this paper is to examine employee beliefs regarding the impact of unconventional employee appearance on customer perceptions of service quality in Mexico and Turkey. The authors also examine the impact of gender, age, and position level. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 295 white collar employees in various service industries in Turkey and Mexico. Respondents reported how they thought eight employee appearance factors (tattoos, facial piercings, unconventional hair color, unconventional hair styles, sweat pants, clothing with rips or tears, clothing that bears midriffs, belly-buttons, or cleavage, and uniforms) would affect customer perceptions of service quality. Findings – Employees in both Mexico and Turkey indicated that uniforms would have a positive impact on customer perceptions of service quality and all seven unconventional employee appearance attributes would have a negative impact. Significant differences for country, gender, age, and position level were also found. Research limitations/implications – Future research including a more diverse group of countries and cultures is needed. Future research should also attempt to control for differences in type of organization, organizational culture, and job type. Practical implications – Alternative fashion and appearance styles may be trendy but there are risks in how these might be perceived by customers and by colleagues at work. Originality/value – This study examines employee beliefs regarding the impact of a variety of unconventional employee appearance attributes on customers’ perceptions of service quality in Mexico and Turkey.

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043 Sleep Restriction Affects Memory in Healthy Adults: Preliminary Findings

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.042 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A18-A19

Author(s):

Molly Zimmerman ◽

Christiane Hale ◽

Adam Brickman ◽

Lok-Kin Yeung ◽

Justin Cochran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Healthy Adults ◽

Task Demands ◽

Sleep Restriction ◽

Neuropsychological Function ◽

Wake Time ◽

Sleep Condition ◽

The Impact

Abstract Introduction Sleep loss has a range of detrimental effects on cognitive ability. However, few studies have examined the impact of sleep restriction on neuropsychological function using an experimental design. The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which maintained insufficient sleep affects cognition in healthy adults compared to habitual adequate sleep. Methods This study used a randomized, crossover, outpatient sleep restriction design. Adults who regularly slept at least 7 h/night, verified by 2 weeks of screening with actigraphy, completed 2 phases of 6 weeks each: habitual sleep (>7 h of sleep/night) or sleep restriction (habitual sleep minus 1.5 h) separated by a 6-week washout period. During the sleep restriction phase, participants were asked to delay their bedtime by 1.5 hours/night while maintaining their habitual wake time. Neuropsychological function was evaluated with the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery at baseline (week 0) and endpoint (week 6) of each intervention phase. The NIH Toolbox evaluates a range of cognitive abilities, including attention, executive functioning, and working memory. General linear models with post hoc paired t-tests were used to assess demographically-adjusted test scores prior to and following each sleep condition. Results At the time of analyses, 16 participants were enrolled (age 34.5□14.5 years, 9 women), 10 of whom had completed study procedures. An interaction between sleep condition and testing session revealed that individuals performed worse on List Sorting, a working memory test, after sleep restriction but improved slightly after habitual sleep (p<0.001). While not statistically reliable, the pattern of test results was similar on the other tests of processing speed, executive function, and attention. Conclusion In these preliminary results from this randomized experimental study, we demonstrated that sleep restriction has a negative impact while stable habitual adequate sleep has a positive impact on working memory, or the ability to temporarily hold information in mind while executing task demands. This finding contributes to our understanding of the complex interplay between different aspects of sleep quality (i.e., both sleep restriction as well as the maintenance of stable sleep patterns) on cognition and underscores the importance of routine sleep screening as part of medical evaluations. Support (if any):

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The Effects of Technology Supports on Community Grocery Shopping Skills for Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

Journal of Special Education Technology ◽

10.1177/0162643421989970 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 016264342198997

Author(s):

Sojung Jung ◽

Ciara Ousley ◽

David McNaughton ◽

Pamela Wolfe

Keyword(s):

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Single Case ◽

Effect Sizes ◽

Future Research ◽

Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Analytic Review ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

In this meta-analytic review, we investigated the effects of technology supports on the acquisition of shopping skills for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) between the ages of 5 and 24. Nineteen single-case experimental research studies, presented in 15 research articles, met the current study’s inclusion criteria and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards. An analysis of potential moderators was conducted, and we calculated effect sizes using Tau-U to examine the impact of age, diagnosis, and type of technology on the reported outcomes for the 56 participants. The results from the included studies provide evidence that a wide range of technology interventions had a positive impact on shopping performance. These positive effects were seen for individuals across a wide range of ages and disability types, and for a wide variety of shopping skills. The strongest effect sizes were observed for technologies that provided visual supports rather than just auditory support. We provide an interpretation of the findings, implications of the results, and recommended areas for future research.

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Exploring the Relationship between Communication and Success of Construction Projects: The Mediating Role of Conflict

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084513 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4513

Author(s):

Summaira Malik ◽

Muhammad Taqi ◽

José Moleiro Martins ◽

Mário Nuno Mata ◽

João Manuel Pereira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Project Success ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Construction Project ◽

Project Team ◽

Relationship Conflict ◽

Team Members ◽

Mediating Role ◽

The Impact

The success of a construction project is a widely discussed topic, even today, and there exists a difference of opinion. The impact of communication and conflict on project success is an important, but least addressed, issue in literature, especially in the case of underdeveloped countries. Miscommunication and conflict not only hinder the success of a project but also may lead to conflicts. The focus of this paper was to examine the impact of communication on project success with the mediating role of conflict. By using SPSS, demographics, descriptive statistics and correlation were determined. Smart PLS version 3.0 was used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal accuracy and validity estimates, hypothesis checking and mediation testing. The results showed that formal communication has a negative impact on the success of a construction project, resulting in conflicts among project team members, whereas informal communication and communication willingness have a positive impact on project success because people tend to know each other, and trust is developed. Task, process and relationship conflicts were used as mediating variables. It was found that task conflict effects the relations positively because project team members suggest different ways to do a certain task, and, hence, project success is achieved. On the contrary, process conflict and relationship conflict have a negative impact on communication and project success. Both of these conflicts lead to miscommunication, and project success is compromised. Hence, it is the responsibility of the project manager to enhance communication among project team members and to reduce the detrimental effects of process and relationship conflict on project success.

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Improving the experience of facility-based delivery for vulnerable women through obstetric care navigation: a qualitative evaluation

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03842-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kirsten Austad ◽

Michel Juarez ◽

Hannah Shryer ◽

Patricia L. Hibberd ◽

Mari-Lynn Drainoni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Workers ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Qualitative Evaluation ◽

Obstetric Care ◽

Hospital Staff ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

Future Research ◽

Care Seeking ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Global disparities in maternal mortality could be reduced by universal facility delivery. Yet, deficiencies in the quality of care prevent some mothers from seeking facility-based obstetric care. Obstetric care navigators (OCNs) are a new form of lay health workers that combine elements of continuous labor support and care navigation to promote obstetric referrals. Here we report qualitative results from the pilot OCN project implemented in Indigenous villages in the Guatemalan central highlands. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 17 mothers who received OCN accompaniment and 13 staff—namely physicians, nurses, and social workers—of the main public hospital in the pilot’s catchment area (Chimaltenango). Interviews queried OCN’s impact on patient and hospital staff experience and understanding of intended OCN roles. Audiorecorded interviews were transcribed, coded, and underwent content analysis. Results Maternal fear of surgical intervention, disrespectful and abusive treatment, and linguistic barriers were principal deterrents of care seeking. Physicians and nurses reported cultural barriers, opposition from family, and inadequate hospital resources as challenges to providing care to Indigenous mothers. Patient and hospital staff identified four valuable services offered by OCNs: emotional support, patient advocacy, facilitation of patient-provider communication, and care coordination. While patients and most physicians felt that OCNs had an overwhelmingly positive impact, nurses felt their effort would be better directed toward traditional nursing tasks. Conclusions Many barriers to maternity care exist for Indigenous mothers in Guatemala. OCNs can improve mothers’ experiences in public hospitals and reduce limitations faced by providers. However, broader buy-in from hospital staff—especially nurses—appears critical to program success. Future research should focus on measuring the impact of obstetric care navigation on key clinical outcomes (cesarean delivery) and mothers’ future care seeking behavior.

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Environmental Regulation, Environmental Awareness and Environmental Governance Satisfaction

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073960 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3960

Author(s):

Meng-Meng Geng ◽

Ling-Yun He

Keyword(s):

Environmental Regulation ◽

Environmental Governance ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Subjective Evaluation ◽

Environmental Awareness ◽

General Social Survey ◽

Probit Model ◽

The People ◽

The Impact

It is a problem worth thinking about whether the government’s environmental regulation policies can meet the residents’ requirements for environmental quality, and benefit the people. The study of the public’s subjective evaluation can more intuitively judge whether the government’s environmental regulation has realized “ecological benefits for the people”. Based on the data of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2013, this paper studied the impact of environmental regulation and environmental awareness on environmental governance satisfaction by an ordered probit model. The study found that environmental regulation has a significant positive impact on environmental governance satisfaction, while environmental awareness has a significant negative impact on environmental governance satisfaction. We also found that when public environmental awareness is taken into account, the positive relationship between environmental regulation and environmental governance satisfaction is affected. The robustness test proved this conclusion.

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The Impact of the Business Environment on the Formalization of Informal Firms. The Case of Kosovo

Südosteuropa ◽

10.1515/soeu-2020-0035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 505-529

Author(s):

Kujtim Zylfijaj ◽

Dimitar Nikoloski ◽

Nadine Tournois

Keyword(s):

Negative Impact ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Business Environment ◽

Positive Influence ◽

Policy Implications ◽

Tax Reforms ◽

Firm Level ◽

Characteristics Analysis ◽

Significant Negative Impact ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe research presented here investigates the impact of the business environment on the formalization of informal firms, using firm-level data for 243 informal firms in Kosovo. The findings indicate that business-environment variables such as limited access to financing, the cost of financing, the unavailability of subsidies, tax rates, and corruption have a significant negative impact on the formalization of informal firms. In addition, firm-level characteristics analysis suggests that the age of the firm also exercises a significant negative impact, whereas sales volume exerts a significant positive impact on the formalization of informal firms. These findings have important policy implications and suggest that the abolition of barriers preventing access to financing, as well as tax reforms and a consistent struggle against corruption may have a positive influence on the formalization of informal firms. On the other hand, firm owners should consider formalization to be a means to help them have greater opportunities for survival and growth.

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