A Historical Review and Analysis of Impact Factors Across School Psychology Journals from 1977 to 2019

School psychology journals yield hundreds of articles each year. As these journals are often evaluated based on the impact factors they produce, the aim of this study was to provide a historically complete record of the five impact factor values for the generalist school psychology journals that yield them. This study identified impact factors beginning in 1977, 20 years earlier than previously reported, and ending in 2019. Across all years and journals, the average Journal Impact Factor (JIF) was about 1.0, the average Immediacy Index was less than 0.4, the average 5-year Impact Factor was about 2.3, the average original CiteScore was 1.8, and the average new CiteScore was about 3.0. Increases in values were evident across time, and the highest recorded values across journals are held by the Journal of School Psychology (for the JIF, 5-year Impact Factor, and both CiteScore metrics) and School Psychology Review (for the Immediacy Index). Most impact factors, with the exception of the Immediacy Index, were moderately to highly correlated. The new CiteScore values were always the highest, and Immediacy Index values were always the lowest. School psychology has added journals to the list of those indexed by major databases, and these journals have increased their impact over time.

The Personality Of Ayyas In Bumi Cinta Novel By Habiburrahman El-Shirazy

This research aimed to find out the Personality of Ayyas in Bumi Cinta novel by Habiburrahman El Shirazy. The method applied in this research was qualitative method. The object of this research was the personality of Ayyas’ character in Bumi Cinta novel by Habiburrahman El Shirazy through psychology review. The technique used in collecting the data was library research. The process of data analysis was data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing. The result of this study was found out that the personality of Ayyas was more dominant influenced by the superego. Based on the result of the study, it could be concluded that the personality of Ayyas influenced by the superego seems when Ayyas defended himself in the sanctity and his faith in the midst of the storms of free life country, having a firm belief and faith to God, Ayyas remained confident and believe in the grace of God to His people. Although there were some people who did not acknowledge the existence of God, Ayyas was always cling to the obligations of religion, implementing everything that God approves, and stay away from all His prohibitions, and reluctant to commit sin and sinners, willing to sacrifice for the sake of religion and give helping.

The role of Need for Cognition in wellbeing – A review of associations and potential underlying mechanisms

Need for Cognition (NFC) describes one’s inclination towards and enjoyment of effortful cognitive activities and has been associated with favourable academic outcomes. Yet, recent evidence also points to beneficial outcomes regarding wellbeing. This review gives an overview of the literature on the role of NFC in wellbeing in adults. Higher NFC was found to be associated with lower neuroticism, higher positive affect and life satisfaction, a more stable identity and higher social confidence, while associations with addictive behaviours and physical health were inconsistent. One mechanism driving these patterns seems to be a higher perceived control in individuals with higher NFC that results in lower depression and burnout via active coping, but also in a reduced effectiveness of health interventions when there was an imbalance between perceived resources and challenges. Thus, this review provides a leverage point for future research on NFC and wellbeing to improve prevention and intervention. [This manuscript has been submitted to Personality and Social Psychology Review on May 18th 2021]

Yes Children Need to Learn Their GPCs but There Really Is Little or No Evidence that Systematic or Explicit Phonics Is Effective: a response to Fletcher, Savage, and Sharon (2020)

Fletcher, Savage, and Sharon (Educational Psychology Review, 2020) have raised a number of conceptual and empirical challenges to my claim that there is little or no evidence for systematic phonics (Bowers, Educational Psychology Review, 32, 681–705, 2020). But there are many mistakes, mischaracterizations, and omissions in the Fletcher et al. response that not only obscure the important similarities and differences in our views but also perpetuate common mischaracterizations of the evidence. In this response, I attempt to clarify a number of conceptual confusions, perhaps most importantly, the conflation of phonics with teaching GPCs. I do agree that children need to learn their GPCs, but that does not entail a commitment to systematic or any other form of phonics. With regard to the evidence, I respond to Fletcher et al.’s analysis of 12 meta-analyses and briefly review the reading outcomes in England following over a decade of legally mandated phonics. I detail why their response does not identify any flaws in my critique nor alter my conclusion that there is little or no support for the claim that phonics by itself or in a richer literacy curriculum is effective. We both agree that future research needs to explore how to combine various forms of instruction most effectively, including an earlier emphasis of morphological instruction, but we disagree that phonics must be part of the mix. I illustrate this by describing an alternative approach that rejects phonics, namely, Structured Word Inquiry.

Yes children need to learn their GPCs but there really is little or no evidence that systematic or explicit phonics is effective: A response to Fletcher, Savage, and Sharon (2020)

Fletcher, Savage, and Sharon (Educational Psychology Review, 2020) have raised a number of conceptual and empirical challenges to my claim that there is little or no evidence for systematic phonics (Bowers, Educational Psychology Review, 32, 681-705, 2020). But there are many mistakes, mischaracterizations, and omissions in the Fletcher et al. response that not only obscure the important similarities and differences in our views, but also perpetuate common mischaracterizations of the evidence. In this response I attempt to clarify a number of conceptual confusions, perhaps most importantly, the conflation of phonics with teaching GPCs. I do agree that children need to learn their GPCs, but that does not entail a commitment to systematic or any other form of phonics. With regards to the evidence, I respond to Fletcher et al.’s analysis of 12 meta-analyses and briefly review the reading outcomes in England following over a decade of legally mandated phonics. I detail why their response does not identify any flaws in my critique nor alter my conclusion that there is little or no support for the claim that phonics by itself or in a richer literacy curriculum is effective. We both agree that future research needs to explore how to combine various forms of instruction most effectively, including an earlier emphasis of morphological instruction, but we disagree that phonics must be part of the mix. I illustrate this by describing an alternative approach that rejects phonics, namely, structured word inquiry.

Patient’s thoughts and expectations about centres of expertise for PKU

Background In the Netherlands (NL) the government assigned 2 hospitals as centres of expertise (CE) for Phenylketonuria (PKU), while in the United Kingdom (UK) and Germany no centres are assigned specifically as PKU CE’s. Methods To identify expectations of patients/caregivers with PKU of CEs, a web-based survey was distributed through the national Phenylketonuria societies of Germany, NL and UK. Results In total, 105 responded (43 patients, 56 parents, 4 grandparents, 2 other) of whom 59 were from NL, 33 from UK and 13 from Germany. All participants (n = 105) agreed that patients and/or practitioners would benefit from CEs. The frequency patients would want to visit a CE, when not treated in a CE (n = 83) varied: every hospital visit (24%, n = 20), annual or bi-annual (45%, n = 37), at defined patient ages (6%, n = 5), one visit only (22%, n = 18), or never (4%, n = 3). Distance was reported as a major barrier (42%, n = 35). 78% (n = 65) expected CE physicians and dieticians to have a higher level of knowledge than in non-CE centres. For participants already treated in a CE (n = 68), 66% requested a more extensive annual or bi-annual review. In general, psychology review and neuropsychologist assessment were identified as necessary by approximately half of the 105 participants. In addition, 66% (n = 68) expected a strong collaboration with patient associations. Conclusion In this small study, most participants expected that assigning CEs will change the structure of and delivery of Phenylketonuria care.

Existential Approaches and Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Challenges and Potential

Existential concerns such as death, responsibility, meaninglessness, and isolation not only are the hallmark of existential psychotherapy but also are frequently encountered by CBT therapists—nevertheless, due to epistemological and ideological differences, existential and CBT approaches to psychotherapy had little overlap historically. During recent years, existential issues are increasingly discussed in empirical clinical psychology, e.g., the potential role of the fear of death for a variety of mental disorders by Iverach et al. (Clinical Psychology Review, 34(7), 580–593, 2014), and there is increasing experimental evidence for a causal rather than correlational role of death anxiety discussed by Menzies and Dar-Nimrod (Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 126(4), 367–377, 2017). Further, existential concerns are common themes in CBT discussed by Grober et al. (Psychotherapeut, 61(3), 229–236, 2016) and may play an important role in the training of CBT therapists discussed by Worrell et al. (Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling Psychology Reflections, 3(1), 9–16, 2018) as well as in personal therapy and supervision.