Recent gseis_ed_oapdeposits items

Conceptual foundations for understanding and characterising adult learning systems: towards more comprehensive comparative reporting

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adult Learning Systems are now central to economic and social policy, yet most international monitoring continues to treat adult learning and education as a series of isolated participation events rather than as a coordinated system. We conceptualise Adult Learning Systems as national configurations of institutions, policies, financing arrangements, regulatory frameworks, and actors that shape who learns what, when, where, and how across the adult life course. To make these systems empirically tractable, we introduce the Demand–Supply–Coordination–Learning–Outcomes framework, a conceptual and analytical architecture that takes learning occurrences as its basic unit of analysis and organises information around five system functions. We show how the Demand–Supply–Coordination–Learning–Outcome framework can reorient comparative reporting from simple, generic indicators towards complex, purpose-specific information systems tailored to research, policy design, and multi-level...

A Conceptual Foundation for the Development of a Lifelong Learning Measurement Framework

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This report proposes a conceptual framework for measuring lifelong learning (LLL) aimed at improving policy design and evaluation. Lifelong learning is understood as learning across the life course and diverse contexts. The report identifies key limitations in current data systems, including narrow age coverage, lack of longitudinal tracking, overemphasis on labour-market outcomes, and insufficient measurement of informal learning. To address these gaps, the framework is structured around three interconnected pillars: demand, supply, and coordination. Demand captures learning needs at individual, organisational, and societal levels; supply maps opportunities across formal education, workplaces, welfare systems, and communities; and coordination focuses on mechanisms that align needs with provision. The framework also redefines learning by introducing a two dimensional model based on formalisation and digitalisation, better capturing hybrid and emerging forms. Finally, it outlines...

Discriminatory Experiences, Critical Consciousness Development, and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults in and Beyond the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As part of the developmental stage of emerging adulthood, youth may cultivate critical consciousness (CC) to transform oppressive systems. CC development may be influenced by discriminatory experiences and may affect well-being. To better understand longitudinal CC development and its relationship to discrimination and well-being (i.e., perceived stress, anxiety, hopefulness), we studied a U.S. national longitudinal cohort of emerging adult college students between the ages of 18 and 22 at baseline (M_age = 20.0, SD = 1.3) who completed four surveys between April 2020 and July 2021 (N = 684). The analytic sample was 63% women and 37% men (gender-diverse participants were removed due to small sample size) and 26% lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer/questioning, and other minoritized sexual identities. Self-identified race/ethnicity backgrounds were 54% white, 20% Asian/Pacific Islander, 9% Latinx, 5% Black, and 10% multiple races/ethnicities and/or as Middle...

Moving beyond linguistic bordering: Utopian designs for new futures

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We examine learning as movement as a utopian methodological approach that reorients how we shape and understand literacy learning ecologies with youth who are racialized as non-white. Understanding linguistic practice as integral to learning, and to common beliefs of what it means to be human, we consider how static notions of language are deployed as border-marking tools within settler coloniality, supporting a logic that justifies pernicious racial subordination. Within education, these ideologies frame certain learners as illegitimate and deviant, with particular implications for literacy learning. The learning sciences are uniquely positioned to re-signify what it means to be a literate body and to design learning ecologies in which youth move across these borders. Aligning ourselves with decolonial scholars, we argue that utopian methodology with a learning as movement frame allows us to forefront expansive learning design as we work alongside youth from otherized backgrounds...

When Learning as Movement meets Learning on the Move

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Considering the special issue on learning-on-the move in light of earlier work on learning as movement, this commentary reflects on how the articles in the special issue expand the field’s theoretical matrix of the sociohistorical, cognitive, sociopolitical, sociocultural, relational, and spatial. Taken together, they tease out new subject-object, subject-subject, and culture-nature relations, and explore the significance of the movement of people and tools across and within tasks, place, everyday events, and interactions in terms of learning and development, human agency, and dignity.

Youth as historical actors in the production of possible futures

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In this paper, we expand the concept of historical actors to elaborate on how transformative agency has been addressed in our work with youth from nondominant communities, particularly as they leverage digital tools. First, we revisit our work with migrant students, from which the concept arose. Next, we expand this theory by proposing four indicia of the transformative nature of becoming historical actors, and offer three empirical examples to elucidate them. In our first vignette, we document how, when youth glitch during video game play, they collectively experiment with the rules, regulations, and boundaries of game design, finding ways to circumvent normative video game play and co-author their experiences. In the second vignette, we focus on siblings who take over research video cameras as their family is being filmed. We illustrate how they reshape their relation to the cameras, reorganizing participation structures through their agentive and transgressive actions. Finally,...

Civics on the Move: The Politics of Latinx Civic Integration

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Throughout the U.S., Latinx communities represent a growing and critical segment of local, regional, and national electorates, but they are underrepresented at the polls. Their political disengagement stems from their historical sociopolitical marginalization and a lack of investment in their political integration. To foster more civic engagement among Latinx students, we propose recognizing their communities’ past and present “lived civics,” which are the actions that address community concerns but are often forgotten or not considered as political. The conception of lived civics that we propose provides a road map for fostering Latinx agency and political efficacy, and our “civics on the move” framework aims to strengthen democratic institutions, ensuring that they represent the needs of this critical segment of the U.S. population.

When Learning Is Made Consequential: A Methodological Note on Repertoires

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This chapter focuses on the utopian methodological approach taken up by social design-based experiments, their conceptual underpinnings, and commitments. The methods are drawn from Gutiérrez’s empirical work and detail ways of seeing and capturing human learning activity crucial to envisioning and enacting new social futures with radical possibilities for those from historically nondominant communities. It elaborates methodological commitments to seeking complexity in human learning activity as it centers equity understood as worldmaking. A review of a range of methodological tools employed across Gutierrez’s studies is presented—from an analytical focus on ensembles and the multiplicity of social spaces in learning ecologies to attending to how people’s repertoires of practices are constituted through participation in everyday activity, as they move in and across the ecologies of everyday life.

Culture and everyday learning across contexts: learning with Luis Moll / Cultura y aprendizaje cotidiano entre distintos contextos: aprendiendo con Luis Moll

Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper brings three bodies of work that share an intellectual and social history into conversation to engage several key ideas in cultural historical theories of learning and development. Anchoring the discussion around the contributions of Luis Moll, the paper highlights the intersections and shared theoretical and methodological commitments across the work of Kris Gutiérrez, Barbara Rogoff and Luis Moll. We discuss how each of us has contributed to understanding the importance of context and everyday practices in youth and children and youths’ learning, attending especially to building on the strengths of Latine children and families in learning activities. We show the relationship between Luis’ concept of households’ Funds of Knowledge and Gutiérrez and Rogoff’s concept of repertoires of practice, Rogoff’s perspective on mutually constituting processes, and Gutiérrez’s contribution focusing on how people develop repertoires of practice and Funds of Knowledge in their movement...

Newark’s Implementation of a Lower Voting Age: Research Brief

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Newark, New Jersey implemented a voting age of 16 for school board elections in April of 2025. This research brief presents findings from a multi-method implementation study. We interviewed 11 stakeholders about implementation successes and challenges. Qualitative insights were supplemented by survey findings from 334 11th and 12th graders in Newark. Implementation successes included high registration numbers and strong coalition building across organizations. However, Newark faced challenges to implementation, including limited accessibility, voter education, and time. These findings can inform Newark and other cities interested in implementing a lower voting age.

A Multidimensional Conceptualization and Measure of Youth Civic Agency

Mon, 4 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Scholars of youth civic development have assessed agency using a wide range of constructs, including motivation, efficacy, empowerment, and sociopolitical control. We propose a multidimensional framework and describe the development and validation of a measure of civic agency, conceptualized as competence, drive, individual power, and collective power. In Study 1, we developed a set of items and employed exploratory factor analysis with a pilot sample of adolescents (N = 295, M_age = 17.1, 65.4% youth of color, 47.9% female, 15.8% nonbinary), which supported our hypothesized four-factor model of civic agency. In Study 2, we conducted confirmatory factor analysis of our final items with a separate adolescent sample (N = 1120, M_age = 16.2, 73.0% youth of color, 55.7% female, 23.3% nonbinary), which demonstrated measurement invariance on race/ethnicity, gender, and age. In Study 3, we validated our scale in a sample of young activists (N = 342, M_age = 19.1,...

Between localization and internationalization: how does the global international school industry establish legitimacy?

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

With shifting customer demographics, the global international school industry faces the legitimacy dilemma of attracting potential customers from local while maintaining its international identity. Drawing on institutional theory, 30 international schools in Shanghai, Geneva, and New York are selected as cases to identify common marketing strategies adopted by schools from the industry when navigating the legitimacy dilemma. This study found that international schools position themselves as elite institutions to meet local aspirations for social mobility and emphasise their international characteristics, such as multilingual curricula, diverse student backgrounds, to maintain their international identity. Findings advance understanding of international schools’ role in reinforcing social inequalities.

Unpacking the implementation climate in general education settings in public schools: a sequential-explanatory mixed-methods study

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundAutism has significantly increased in the United States with 1 in 31 children affected and increasingly included in general education settings as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. While several evidence-based practices (EBPs) effectively support autistic students, organizational-level factors hinder successful implementation in school settings. Implementation climate–implementers’ collective perceptions that their organization prioritizes, rewards, and supports EBP implementation–strongly predicts EBP use. However, little is known about implementation climate within general education settings in public schools.MethodsA sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was applied. Participants included 361 general education teachers (n = 161), special education teachers (n = 138), and paraeducators (n = 62) across 60 elementary schools. All participants served at least one autistic student included in a general education classroom, with the total...

Earlier connectivity and specialization predict longitudinal changes in phonological and semantic specialization in 7- to 9-year-old children

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A central assumption of the Interactive Specialization model (ISM) of brain development postulates that earlier interaction between brain regions (i.e., functional connectivity) drives later specialization. The goal of the current study was to examine this assumption in the language domain. Longitudinal data from 32 children at 7 and 9 years of age were analyzed. The children were given a sound judgment task and a meaning judgment task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess children's phonological and semantic specialization, and functional connectivity in the brain. We found evidence that earlier connectivity at age 7 predicted later specialization at age 9 within the dorsal pathway for phonology and ventral pathway for semantics, therefore supporting the assumption of the Interactive Specialization model. We also found that individual differences in specialization at age 7 predicted later specialization at age 9, and this predictive effect was...

An Exploratory Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Values and Experiences with Breaks, Leisure, and Rest

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract: In the face of worsening college student mental health, calls for greater rest and leisure are abundant. However, without an understanding of student attitudes and experiences with rest, improved mental health through rest are limited. The current study surveyed this critical context in 280 college students across two institutions by examining their attitudes, challenges, and experiences with rest. Results showed students report valuing rest as important to their productivity as students but also report feeling guilty when resting and not working. Students reported that the most common way to recognize it is time to take a break was because of physiological symptoms, including headache, eye fatigue, stomachaches, racing heart, headaches, and exhaustion. Despite students reporting a range of leisure and rest activities, including socializing, watching TV, creative hobbies, and walking, they also reported multiple barriers to resting. This included schoolwork, employment,...

Californians' Views on Lowering the Voting Age

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This research brief presents findings from a statewide poll of Californians to document the level of support or opposition to lowering the voting age to 16 for school board, local, and national elections. Poll results showed the highest level of support for lowering the voting age for local elections. There was greater support among those aged 55 and younger and across certain regions of California.

Social network support is associated with teacher’s perceptions of transition planning for their autistic students

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background School transitions are accompanied by disruptions in routines and increased social and academic demands, creating challenges for autistic students, who often have difficulty coping with change. These transitions are also challenging for teachers, who often report feeling unprepared to guide their autistic students through the transition process. Methods This study examined teacher and student factors that contribute to teachers’ perceptions of transition planning for their autistic students. At four sites (Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Rochester, and Sacramento), 126 teachers responded to survey questions regarding their perception of transition planning for their autistic students, their students’ classroom behavior as they were preparing to transition, their own burnout, and a social network survey about the people they relied on to support their autistic students. Results Teachers reported being somewhat satisfied with their schools with the way that schools prepared...

Today's Young People and Their Political Gloom

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

We surveyed young people in the two weeks following the 2024 election to take their pulse on the current state of U.S. politics. This research brief charts the most frequent terms youth use to describe politics today, highlighting their overall dissatisfaction and political gloom.

Psychometric Properties of the Science Self-Efficacy Scale for STEMM Undergraduates

Mon, 4 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Biomedical research training initiatives need rigorous evaluation to achieve national goals of supporting a robust workforce in the biomedical sciences. Higher science self-efficacy is associated with the likelihood of pursuing a science-related research career, but we know little about the psychometric properties of this construct. In this study, we report on a comprehensive validation study of the Science Self-Efficacy Scale using a robust sample of 10,029 undergraduates enrolled across 11 higher education institutions that were part of a biomedical training initiative funded by the National Institutes of Health in the United States. We found the scale to be unidimensional with an Omega hierarchical (ω_h) reliability coefficient of 0.86 and a marginal reliability of 0.91. Within the item response theory framework, we did not detect variation in item parameters across undergraduates' race/ethnicity; however, one item had parameters that varied across gender identity....

Reassessing the Fitting Propensity of Factor Models

Wed, 21 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Model complexity is a critical consideration when evaluating a statistical model. To quantify complexity, one can examine fitting propensity (FP), or the ability of the model to fit well to diverse patterns of data. The scant foundational research on FP has focused primarily on proof of concept rather than practical application. To address this oversight, the present work joins a recently published study in examining the FP of models that are commonly applied in factor analysis. We begin with a historical account of statistical model evaluation, which refutes the notion that complexity can be fully understood by counting the number of free parameters in the model. We then present three sets of analytic examples to better understand the FP of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis models that are widely used in applied research. We characterize our findings relative to previously disseminated claims about factor model FP. Finally, we provide some recommendations for future...

Estimating the Efficacy of CBT for Children on the Autism Spectrum Using a Home-Based Video Assessment of Autism-Related Solitary Behavior

Wed, 9 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

While laboratory and school playground-based independent evaluator (IE) rated measures of intervention outcome have been used in some clinical trials for autistic individuals (Dawson Pediatrics 125:e17–e23, 2010), IE ratings of children’s behavior in their home environments are virtually nonexistent in published clinical trials in autism. In the present study, IE-rated measure of children’s social isolation in the home setting pre and post intervention is utilized to evaluate treatment effects from a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment for school-aged children on the autism spectrum (Wood et al. J Consult Clin Psychol 89:110–125, 2021). Twenty-nine of the 68 families of participants from a CBT intervention for autistic youth (Wood et al. J Consult Clin Psychol 89:110–125, 2021) who recorded home-based videos at pre-treatment also did so at post-treatment. Two measures were used by IEs to rate pre- and post-treatment home video recordings on children’s social isolation...

Differentiation of autistic adults’ perceptions of research by gender: a mixed methods exploration

Wed, 9 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose: The funding breakdown of autism research diverges with the research priorities of the autism community and stakeholders (Putnam et al., 2023), prompting concern about the disconnect between researchers and the autism community (Keating, 2021). This study aims to address this gap in the literature through an exploration of autistic adults’ opinions of the current research landscape and what autism research should address through a survey disseminated to the autistic community. Design/methodology/approach: In total, 89 autistic adults completed the survey. Participants rated their agreement to statements with a five-point Likert scale, ranging from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” Participants were asked “What should autism research be focused on?” and answered via long answer text. Findings: A numerical difference was found in participants’ ratings of autism research as more harmful than helpful. Participants who identified as nonbinary felt...

John Wooden Advocated “Repetition” but Implemented “Deliberate Practice”

Wed, 9 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

John Wooden emphasized repetition, joking that his eight laws of learning were “explanation, demonstration, imitation, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, and repetition.” We believe Wooden’s laws of learning were rounded off not by repetition, but by deliberate practice. Deliberate practice is defined as “individualized training activities especially designed by a coach or teacher to improve specific aspects of an individual’s performance through repetition and successive refinement” (pp. 278–279). We draw on studies of Wooden, interviews with former players and coaches with whom he worked, and Wooden’s own writings to view his teaching through the lens of deliberate practice.

Violence Directed Against Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Social–Ecological Analysis of Safety and Well-Being

Tue, 8 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Violence against teachers is a public health crisis that has devastating effects on school personnel well-being, health, and retention, as well as students' educational outcomes. In collaboration with national organizations, the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence against Educators conducted the first national survey on educator victimization that included 4,136 pre-K through 12th-grade teachers from all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico during the pandemic. In the current study, 43.7% of teachers reported experiencing at least one verbal threat, physical assault, and/or property damage, with verbal threats being the most prevalent form of victimization during the pandemic. Using a social-ecological framework and logistic regression analyses, characteristics of teachers, school climate, and school organizational and community factors were examined as predictors of teacher victimization (i.e., verbal threats, physical, property violence) during the pandemic....

Violence and Aggression Against Educators and School Personnel, Retention, Stress, and Training Needs: National Survey Results

Mon, 7 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Aggression and violence against educators and school personnel have raised public health concerns that require attention from researchers, policymakers, and training providers in U.S. schools. School aggression and violence have negative effects on school personnel health and retention and on student achievement and development. In partnership with several national organizations, the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Violence Against Educators and School Personnel administered two national, multi-informant, cross-sectional surveys. Time 1 data were collected in 2020-2021 from 14,966 respondents; participants reflected on their experiences of violence and aggression before COVID-19 and during COVID-19 restrictions in this survey. One year later, in 2022, 11,814 respondents completed the Time 2 survey after COVID-19 restrictions ended. Participants included teachers, school psychologists, social workers, counselors, staff members, and administrators from all...

School Safety Concerns and Solutions: A Qualitative Analysis of U.S. School Psychologists’ Perspectives

Wed, 2 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school-family-community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.

Caregiver strategies before intervention moderate caregiver fidelity and maintenance in RCT of JASPER intervention with autistic toddlers

Tue, 1 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Interventions facilitated by caregivers have gained popularity among those caring for young children with autism. Instructing caregivers on specific techniques to foster social communication skills in their at-risk or diagnosed autistic children has the potential to alleviate concerns about their children's development. Moreover, it can offer a more intensive early intervention compared to what community providers alone can deliver. This study seeks to explore the correlation between caregiver strategies employed prior to participating in a caregiver-mediated intervention and the caregiver's fidelity to the intervention, as well as its sustainability during the follow-up period and child outcomes. This study constitutes a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial that compared the joint attention, symbolic play, engagement, and regulation (JASPER) and Psychoeducational Education Intervention (PEI), revealing significant advancements in children's social communication...

How school policies, strategies, and relational factors contribute to teacher victimization and school safety

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In this study, we examined how school policies and strategies (i.e., positive discipline, hardening strategies, and positive behavioral strategies) affect teacher relational factors and teacher reports of victimization and safety. Specifically, we examined the mediational roles of teacher support of student learning, maltreatment of students by teachers, and teachers' differential treatment of students in schools. Using a sample of 6643 pre-K-12th-grade teachers, path analysis results revealed that positive behavior strategies, hardening strategies, and positive discipline were indirectly associated with teacher victimization and sense of safety. Additionally, teachers' perceptions of other teachers maltreating students had the greatest contributions to their sense of safety and victimization by students. Positive discipline was directly and indirectly associated with teacher victimization and safety. Implications and directions for future studies are discussed.

Addressing Violence Against Educators: What Do Teachers Say Works?

Fri, 7 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

School personnel safety and well-being have received increased attention via national outlets; however, research is limited. The current investigation is the first to examine the reported use and perceived effectiveness of commonly used school-based intervention approaches for addressing school violence, specifically violence against teachers in U.S. schools. A sample of 4,471 prekindergarten-12th grade teachers was asked to rate the use and perceived effectiveness of common school-based approaches, namely exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions), school hardening (e.g., metal detectors, school police), prevention (e.g., school climate improvement, social-emotional learning, classroom management), and crisis intervention practices (e.g., de-escalation, physical restraint) to address verbal/threatening, physical, and property violence against teachers. Findings revealed that teachers rated prevention practices as most effective in reducing violence against teachers. The use...

Teacher-Directed Violence and Anxiety and Stress: Predicting Intentions to Transfer and Quit

Mon, 3 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Teacher well-being and experiences of violence have become issues of national concern, and teacher shortages have increased since the onset of COVID-19. In this national study, we examined verbal and physical violence against teachers from multiple aggressors and the role of anxiety and stress in predicting intentions to transfer positions or quit the profession. The majority of the sample of 9,370 pre-Kindergarten-12th grade teachers was White (79%) and female (79%). Descriptive analyses revealed that 25% of teachers reported intentions to transfer schools and 43% of teachers reported intentions to quit teaching. Structural equation model results indicated pre-COVID-19 verbal and threatening violence from students, parents, colleagues, and administrators predicted teacher anxiety and stress and intentions to transfer schools (R² ranged from .18 to .23) and quit the profession during COVID-19 (R² ranged from .34 to .36). Anxiety and stress significantly mediated...

How adolescents learn to build social bonds: A developmental computational account of social explore-exploit decision-making

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Building social bonds is a critical task of adolescence that affords opportunities for learning, identity formation, and social support. Failing to develop close relationships in adolescence hinders adult interpersonal functioning and contributes to problems such as loneliness and depression. During adolescence, increased reward sensitivity and greater social flexibility both contribute to healthy social development, yet we lack a clear theory of how these processes interact to support social functioning. Here, we propose synthesizing these two literatures using a computational reinforcement learning framework that recasts how adolescents pursue and learn from social rewards as a social explore-exploit problem. To become socially skilled, adolescents must balance both their efforts to form individual bonds within specific groups and manage memberships across multiple groups to maximize access to social resources. We draw on insights from sociological studies on social capital...

Practitioner Adherence and Competence in MEYA, a Free Online Self-Instruction Program in Modular Psychotherapy and Counseling for Children’s Autism-Related Clinical Needs

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The quality of care in public schools and other community settings for school-aged youths on the autism spectrum is variable and often not evidence-based. Training practitioners in these settings to deliver evidence-based practices (EBPs) may improve the quality of care. We developed a free internet-based training and clinical guidance system synthesizing multiple EBPs for youth on the autism spectrum addressing a range of mental health needs and autism-related behaviors, entitled Modular EBPs for Youth on the Autism Spectrum (MEYA; meya.ucla.edu). A multiple baseline study was conducted with seven practitioners recruited from mental health practice settings across the United States who were providing services to children on the autism spectrum (aged 6 to 17 years). Practitioners were randomly assigned to undergo baseline conditions of 2 to 8 weeks. Once online training in MEYA commenced, practitioners engaged in algorithm-guided self-instruction in EBPs for autism....

Navigating the Transition to Adulthood: Insights from Caregivers of Autistic Individuals

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

With many teens having to transition from a mainly educational system of support to a set of health and social service systems (Shattuck et al. in Autism Res Treat https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/924182, 2017), there is a critical need to advance research and support services in the area of autism and transition to aid autistic* individuals and their families. This study aims to learn more about the experiences of caregivers of autistic young adults, their experiences navigating the transition process post-graduation, and what realistic steps could be undertaken by high schools, vocational schools, colleges, Regional Centers, and places of employment to ease this transition. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with caregivers of autistic young adults over the age of 18 focused on their experiences helping their children navigate the transition to adulthood. Using an iterative and inductive coding approach, three overarching themes were uncovered with twelve subthemes. The...

Transcendent thinking counteracts longitudinal effects of mid‐adolescent exposure to community violence in the anterior cingulate cortex

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Adolescence involves extensive brain maturation, characterized by social sensitivity and emotional lability, that co-occurs with increased independence. Mid-adolescence is also a hallmark developmental stage when youths become motivated to reflect on the broader personal, ethical, and systems-level implications of happenings, a process we term transcendent thinking. Here, we examine the confluence of these developmental processes to ask, from a transdisciplinary perspective, how might community violence exposure (CVE) impact brain development during mid-adolescence, and how might youths' dispositions for transcendent thinking be protective? Fifty-five low-SES urban youth with no history of delinquency (32 female; 27 Latinx, 28 East Asian) reported their CVE and underwent structural MRI first at age 14-18, and again 2 years later. At the study's start, participants also discussed their feelings about 40 minidocumentaries featuring other teens' compelling situations in a 2-h private...

Operation and performance of the ATLAS tile calorimeter in LHC Run 2

Tue, 4 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The ATLAS tile calorimeter (TileCal) is the hadronic sampling calorimeter covering the central region of the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). This paper gives an overview of the calorimeter’s operation and performance during the years 2015–2018 (Run 2). In this period, ATLAS collected proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and the TileCal was 99.65% efficient for data-taking. The signal reconstruction, the calibration procedures, and the detector operational status are presented. The performance of two ATLAS trigger systems making use of TileCal information, the minimum-bias trigger scintillators and the tile muon trigger, is discussed. Studies of radiation effects allow the degradation of the output signals at the end of the LHC and HL-LHC operations to be estimated. Finally, the TileCal response to isolated muons, hadrons and jets from proton–proton collisions is presented. The energy and time calibration methods performed...

Gauging treatment impact: The development of exposure variables in a large‐scale evaluation study

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

While guidance on how to design rigorous evaluation studies abounds, prescriptive guidance on how to include critical process and context measures through the construction of exposure variables is lacking. Capturing nuanced intervention dosage information within a large-scale evaluation is particularly complex. The Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative is part of the Diversity Program Consortium, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health. It is designed to increase participation in biomedical research careers among individuals from underrepresented groups. This chapter articulates methods employed in defining BUILD student and faculty interventions, tracking nuanced participation in multiple programs and activities, and computing the intensity of exposure. Defining standardized exposure variables (beyond simple treatment group membership) is crucial for equity-focused impact evaluation. Both the process and resulting nuanced dosage variables...

Understanding the context and appreciating the complexity of evaluating the Diversity Program Consortium

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) made a sizeable investment in developing a scientific approach to understanding how to best increase diversity in the NIH-funded workforce by fostering inclusive excellence at a national scale through the Diversity Program Consortium (DPC). This chapter provides an overview of the context in which the consortium-wide evaluation study has taken place to provide readers with an understanding of its level of complexity. This evaluation effort is the first large-scale, national, systemic, longitudinal evaluation of harmonized interventions focused on undergraduate biomedical research training programs in the history of the NIH and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

The School-to-Prison Pipeline for Probation Youth With Special Education Needs

Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Juvenile justice-involved youth with special education eligibility may have distinct needs from other justice-involved youth that place them at higher risk of re-offending. This study examines the extent to which the comorbidity of risk factors, such as school challenges and mental and emotional health problems, is related to recidivism among probation youth with a diagnosis eligible for special education. Data came from the Washington State Juvenile Court Assessment provided to 4,317 youth adjudicated to probation for at least 3 months. We used independent sample t-tests and chi-square tests to assess the difference in mental health and school problems (e.g., suspension/expulsion history) between those with and without special education needs. Multiple regression models estimated the unique and cumulative role of special education status, mental health, and school problems in future recidivism. In the study sample, 39.6% (n = 1,708) of the youth had diagnoses eligible for special...

Characterizing caregiver responses to restricted and repetitive behaviors in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Restricted and repetitive behaviors are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder. This descriptive study documented the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors in 85 toddlers with autism spectrum disorder as they interacted with their caregiver in a play interaction. For each child restricted and repetitive behavior, a caregiver response/non-response was coded. Caregiver responses were rated as successful or unsuccessful. In all, 83 toddlers demonstrated at least one restricted and repetitive behavior in 10 min. The most common child restricted and repetitive behavior was repetitive object use with 72 children displaying at least one instance of this category of restricted and repetitive behavior. Overall, caregivers responded to fewer than half of their child's restricted and repetitive behaviors, and caregiver response varied by child restricted and repetitive behavior type. The most common response was redirection. Success varied by child restricted and repetitive...

Using the Clinical Global Impression scale to assess social communication change in minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Assessing improvements in social communication behaviors in minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often challenging. The Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) is a 7-point scale that has been adapted so that clinicians can easily and quickly rate social communication behaviors. The current study evaluated the CGI-Improvement (CGI-I) subscale as a measure of social communication change in minimally verbal children with ASD. The sample included 54 minimally verbal school-age children with ASD enrolled in a social communication intervention trial. CGIs were rated by interventionists and the study coordinator at baseline and at Week 6 of intervention, and were compared to scores on the Communication Complexity Scale (CCS). Results indicated that CGI ratings corresponded with CCS scores at baseline and Week 6. Children who were rated as more severe on social communication at baseline demonstrated lower complexity of communication compared to those who were...

“I do my best to do right by her”: Autistic motherhood and the experience of raising a non-autistic adolescent daughter

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

LAY ABSTRACT: Little is known about the parenting experiences of autistic mothers, especially those who have daughters who are not on the autism spectrum. In this study, we interviewed seven autistic mothers who have raised or are currently raising non-autistic teenage daughters. Mothers were asked to describe what parenting was/is like during their daughters' teenage years. We analyzed the transcripts of the interviews and found several common themes. Mothers described their relationships with their daughters to be loving, safe, and empathetic. Mothers described several strengths when it came to parenting, such as helping their daughters solve problems and using positive strategies to handle conflict with their daughters. Mothers also described challenges they faced when interacting with other non-autistic people and when trying to form relationships with them. Mothers tried to build their daughters' social skills so that they would not experience the same challenges. This study...

Predictors of Sexual Victimization Among Autistic and Non-Autistic College Students

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Purpose. This study examined predictors of sexual victimization among autistic and non-autistic college students. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether autistic students are more likely than non-autistic students to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault, controlling for co-occurring diagnoses. We also aimed to determine whether students with other disabilities, specifically ADHD, learning disability (LD), and psychological disorders, are more likely than students without these disabilities to experience unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Methods. Autistic students (n=270) and non-autistic students (n=270) who had participated in a nationwide survey were matched on demographic characteristics and co-occurring diagnoses. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to address the research questions and evaluate predictors of unwanted sexual contact and sexual assault. Results. Autistic students were as likely as non-autistic students to have experienced...

Adjustment Across the First College Year: A Matched Comparison of Autistic, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and Neurotypical Students

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Although the number of autistic students attending higher education has grown substantially in recent decades, little is known about factors that support their retention and persistence in college. First-year experiences and adaptability to the college environment greatly impact students' decisions to remain enrolled. Despite the importance of first-year adjustment to persistence and retention, few studies have examined the adjustment experiences of first-year autistic students compared to those of matched nonautistic students. Methods: This study used national survey data to compare the first-year college adjustment experiences of 222 freshmen, including 74 self-identified autistic students, 74 students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 74 students without diagnoses (referred to as neurotypical; NT), matched on mental health and demographic characteristics. Students were compared on measures of academic, social, emotional, and institutional...

Supporting peer engagement for low-income preschool students with autism spectrum disorder during academic instruction: A pilot randomized trial

Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

LAY ABSTRACT: Children with autism spectrum disorder attending special education preschool classrooms may not receive support that addresses their core challenges, such as engagement and social communication. There are interventions designed to target these core challenges, like the play-based intervention known as Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation. Embedding strategies from an intervention like Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation into more traditional academic activities can help teachers target engagement and social communication throughout the school day. In the current study, we collaborated with special education preschool teachers to embed Joint Attention, Symbolic Play, Engagement, and Regulation strategies during small group time for moderate to severe disability students with autism spectrum disorder, 3-5 years of age. Compared to teachers implementing the standard preschool curriculum, teachers trained in Joint Attention,...

Evaluating a National Biomedical Training Program Using QuantCrit: Revealing Disparities in Research Self-efficacy for Women of Color Undergraduates.

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Program evaluation for interventions aimed at enhancing diversity can fall short when the evaluation unintentionally reifies the exclusion of multiple marginalized student experiences. The present study presents a Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit) approach to program evaluation to understand outcomes for Women of Color undergraduates involved in a national biomedical training program called the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative. Using longitudinal data, we examined the impact of participation in the BUILD Scholars programs and BUILD-developed novel biomedical curriculum on undergraduate's research self-efficacy. Employing propensity score matching and multiple regression models, we found that Black women who participated in the BUILD scholars program reported higher research self-efficacy, whereas Latine and White undergraduate BUILD scholars had lower research self-efficacy. Additionally, Latine women who participated in novel biomedical...

The long-lasting benefits of pre-kindergarten education on autistic children’s working memory development

Sat, 4 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

LAY ABSTRACT: Working memory is an important skill for school success, and it involves holding information in our memory while using it to solve complex problems. However, autistic children often have difficulties with working memory tasks. Also, kindergarteners on the autism spectrum tend to be less school-ready compared with their peers. In addition, children from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to struggle more with working memory and school readiness skills. All preschool-age children on the autism spectrum in the United States are entitled to pre-kindergarten (pre-K) education. However, it is unclear whether attending pre-K helps with children's working memory development in the long run. This study tested whether attending pre-K benefits children's working memory development in the long run. It also tested whether pre-K is especially helpful for autistic children's working memory development. It was found that children who attended pre-K outperformed their peers who did not...

Comparative efficacy of an early intervention “parent and me” program for infants showing signs of autism: The Baby JASPER model

Fri, 3 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Despite important advancements into the early detection of autism, there are still few empirically supported interventions for children under the age of two years who are showing early signs. Caregiver-mediated interventions have gained in popularity as a method for delivering support to the child and family. The current study builds on current work by enrolling a comparatively large cohort of infants (ages 12-22 months of age) displaying early signs of autism into a randomized controlled intervention program. Infants and parents received a group-based program using a standard early childhood curriculum. In addition, all families were randomly assigned to receive parent training in the form of either parent-mediated Joint Attention Symbolic Play Engagement and Regulation (JASPER) training or psychoeducation. Infants in both classrooms made substantial gains in social-communication, play, and cognition during a brief, 8-week period. All infants gained over an average of 10 points...

Administrator Turnover: The Roles of District Support, Safety, Anxiety, and Violence from Students

Sat, 28 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Researchers have examined the importance of school administrative support for teacher safety, victimization, anxiety, and retention; however, studies to date have rarely focused on school administrators' perceptions of support by their district leaders, and its relation to administrators' anxiety/stress, safety, and their intentions to transfer or quit their jobs. In the current study of 457 PreK-12th grade school administrators in the United States, structural equation modeling was used to examine relations between administrators' perceptions of support from their district leaders and their anxiety/stress, safety, and intentions to transfer or quit their jobs. Administrator experiences of violence by student offenders served as a moderator. Results indicated that administrators' perceptions of district leaders' support were associated with lower intentions to transfer or quit their positions both directly and indirectly as a function of decreased anxiety/stress. District support...

The Domain-Specific Neural Basis of Auditory Statistical Learning in 5–7-Year-Old Children

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Statistical learning (SL) is the ability to rapidly track statistical regularities and learn patterns in the environment. Recent studies show that SL is constrained by domain-specific features, rather than being a uniform learning mechanism across domains and modalities. This domain-specificity has been reflected at the neural level, as SL occurs in regions primarily involved in processing of specific modalities or domains of input. However, our understanding of how SL is constrained by domain-specific features in the developing brain is severely lacking. The present study aims to identify the functional neural profiles of auditory SL of linguistic and nonlinguistic regularities among children. Thirty children between 5 and 7 years old completed an auditory fMRI SL task containing interwoven sequences of structured and random syllable/tone sequences. Using traditional group univariate analyses and a group-constrained subject-specific analysis, frontal and temporal cortices showed...

An Explanatory Multidimensional Random Item Effects Rating Scale Model

Tue, 3 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Random item effects item response theory (IRT) models, which treat both person and item effects as random, have received much attention for more than a decade. The random item effects approach has several advantages in many practical settings. The present study introduced an explanatory multidimensional random item effects rating scale model. The proposed model was formulated under a novel parameterization of the nominal response model (NRM), and allows for flexible inclusion of person-related and item-related covariates (e.g., person characteristics and item features) to study their impacts on the person and item latent variables. A new variant of the Metropolis-Hastings Robbins-Monro (MH-RM) algorithm designed for latent variable models with crossed random effects was applied to obtain parameter estimates for the proposed model. A preliminary simulation study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the MH-RM algorithm for estimating the proposed model. Results indicated...

Precise measurements of W- and Z-boson transverse momentum spectra with the ATLAS detector using pp collisions at s=5.02 TeV and 13 TeV

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper describes measurements of the transverse momentum spectra of W and Z bosons produced in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of s=5.02$$\sqrt{s}=5.02$$ TeV and s=13$$\sqrt{s}=13$$ TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Measurements are performed in the electron and muon channels, W→ℓν$$W\rightarrow \ell u $$ and Z→ℓℓ$$Z\rightarrow \ell \ell $$ (ℓ=e$$\ell =e$$ or μ$$\mu $$), and for W events further separated by charge. The data were collected in 2017 and 2018, in dedicated runs with reduced instantaneous luminosity, and correspond to 255 and 338 pb-1$$\hbox {pb}^{-1}$$ at s=5.02$$\sqrt{s}=5.02$$ TeV and 13 TeV, respectively. These conditions optimise the reconstruction of the W-boson transverse momentum. The distributions observed in the electron and muon channels are unfolded, combined, and compared to QCD calculations based on parton shower Monte Carlo event generators and analytical resummation. The description of the transverse...

Search for the Exclusive W Boson Hadronic Decays W±→π±γ, W±→K±γ and W±→ρ±γ with the ATLAS Detector

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search for the exclusive hadronic decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ, and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ is performed using up to 140 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13 TeV. If observed, these rare processes would provide a unique test bench for the quantum chromodynamics factorization formalism used to calculate cross sections at colliders. Additionally, at future colliders, these decays could offer a new way to measure the W boson mass through fully reconstructed decay products. The search results in the most stringent upper limits to date on the branching fractions B(W^{±}→π^{±}γ)<1.9×10^{-6}, B(W^{±}→K^{±}γ)<1.7×10^{-6}, B(W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ)<5.2×10^{-6} at 95% confidence level.

Social class group identity, intergroup attitudes, and views on social mobility and inequality in the U.K. and the U.S.

Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Drawing on social identity theory (SIT), this study explored social class group identity, intergroup attitudes, and views about social mobility and inequality among socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse adults in the U.K. (n = 457) and the U.S. (n = 595). U.K. participants evidenced greater consensus about the social class groups present in their society than did U.S. participants, but lower, working, middle, and upper class were commonly perceived in both contexts, and many participants self-identified as working class (38% U.K., 17% U.S.) or middle class (45% U.K., 47% U.S.) Consistent with SIT, participants in both contexts identified with their social class ingroup (e.g., felt they belonged) and stereotyped it less harshly on dimensions (warmth or competence) on which it was generally negatively stereotyped. Importantly, middle and upper class participants tended to feel more positively (e.g., proud) about their ingroup, and believed society...

Syntactic and semantic specialization in 9- to 10-year-old children during auditory sentence processing

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Prior literature has debated whether syntax is separable from semantics in the brain. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and multi-voxel pattern analysis, our previous studies investigated brain activity during morpho-syntactic versus semantic processing. These studies only detected semantic specialization in activation patterns and no syntactic specialization in 5- to 6-year-old and 7- to 8-year-old children. To examine if older children who have mastered morpho-syntactic skills would show specialization for syntax, the current study examined 64 9- to 10-year-old children using the same design and analyses. We observed that only the left IFG pars opercularis was sensitive to syntactic but not semantic information, supporting the hypothesis that this region serves as a core region for syntax. In addition, the left STG which has been implicated in the integration of semantics and syntax, as well as the left MTG and IFG pars triangularis which have been implicated in semantics,...

Towards a dynamic, comprehensive conceptualization of dyslexia

Thu, 7 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Here we build from the central strength of the existing definition of dyslexia—its emphasis on neurobiological origins—and proffer a set of seven core principles for a new, more comprehensive conceptualization of dyslexia. These principles derive from two major research directions: (1) the still evolving history of attempts to explain dyslexia, including in varied writing systems; and (2) the study of the reading brain circuit, its development, and its genetic and environmental influences. What emerges from connecting these two directions is a dynamic conceptualization of dyslexia that incorporates the extensive research on the heterogeneity of dyslexia and the interdependent contributions of multiple biological and socio-cultural risk and preventive factors. A new definition of dyslexia, therefore, needs to transcend both past unitary characterizations and past assumptions based largely on the English orthography. Such a conceptualization references the ways that different languages...

The impact of caregiver‐mediated JASPER on child restricted and repetitive behaviors and caregiver responses

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Compared to the social-communication impairments, we know considerably less about why children engage in RRBs and if and how to intervene with these behaviors. As a result, early intervention has typically focused on social-communication. In this study, we were interested in understanding how child RRBs changed following an intervention targeting social-communication behaviors and if caregiver training changed how they responded to their child's RRBs. Eighty-six toddlers with ASD and their caregivers received one of two interventions: caregivers were either actively coached while playing with their child (JASPER) or attended information sessions about ASD. On three different occasions (when they entered the study, following 10 weeks of intervention and 6-months after) caregivers were filmed playing with their child. From these recordings, we coded child RRBs and caregiver responses...

Parents’ Adoption of Social Communication Intervention Strategies: Families Including Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Who are Minimally Verbal

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Notably absent from the intervention literature are parent training programs targeting school-aged children with autism who have limited communication skills (Tager-Flusberg and Kasari in Autism Res 6:468–478, 2013). Sixty-one children with autism age 5–8 with minimal spontaneous communication received a 6-month social communication intervention including parent training. Parent–child play interactions were coded for parents’ strategy implementation and children’s time jointly engaged (Adamson et al. in J Autism Dev Disord 39:84–96, 2009). Parents mastered an average of 70 % of the strategies. Further analyses indicated some gains in implementation occurred from mere observation of sessions, while the greatest gains occurred in the first month of active coaching and workshops. Children’s joint engagement was associated with parents’ implementation success across time demonstrating parents’ implementation was relevant to children’s social engagement.

Determination of the Relative Sign of the Higgs Boson Couplings to W and Z Bosons Using WH Production via Vector-Boson Fusion with the ATLAS Detector

Tue, 8 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The associated production of Higgs and W bosons via vector-boson fusion is highly sensitive to the relative sign of the Higgs boson couplings to W and Z bosons. In this Letter, two searches for this process are presented, using 140 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The first search targets scenarios with opposite-sign couplings of the W and Z bosons to the Higgs boson, while the second targets standard model-like scenarios with same-sign couplings. Both analyses consider Higgs boson decays into a pair of b quarks and W boson decays with an electron or muon. The data exclude the opposite-sign coupling hypothesis with a significance beyond 5σ, and the observed (expected) upper limit set on the cross section for vector-boson fusion WH production is 9.0 (8.7) times the standard model value at 95% confidence level.

Heterogeneity of autism symptoms in community‐referred infants and toddlers at elevated or low familial likelihood of autism

Wed, 4 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Evidence suggests autistic individuals at elevated familial likelihood of autism spectrum disorder (by virtue of having an autistic sibling) have stronger cognitive abilities on average than autistic individuals with no family history of the condition, who have a low familial likelihood of autism. Investigating phenotypic differences between community-referred infants and toddlers with autism symptoms at elevated or low familial likelihood of autism may provide important insight into heterogeneity in the emerging autism phenotype. This study compared behavioral, cognitive, and language abilities of community-referred infants and toddlers with confirmed autism symptoms at elevated (EL) or low familial likelihood of autism (LL). Participants were 121 children aged 12 to 36 months who participated in two larger randomized trials of parent-mediated interventions for children with autism symptoms. Behavioral phenotypes were compared across three groups: children with at least one autistic...

Search for leptoquark pair production decaying into te-t¯e+ or tμ-t¯μ+ in multi-lepton final states in pp collisions at s=13TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into te-t¯e+$$te^- \bar{t}e^+$$ or tμ-t¯μ+$$t\mu ^- \bar{t}\mu ^+$$ in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset of pp collisions at s=13TeV$$\sqrt{s}=13~\text {TeV} $$ recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1$$^{-1}$$. Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a b-hadron, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass....

Search for pair-produced higgsinos decaying via Higgs or Z bosons to final states containing a pair of photons and a pair of b-jets with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search is presented for the pair production of higgsinos χ ˜ in gauge-mediated supersymmetry models, where the lightest neutralinos χ ˜ 1 0 decay into a light gravitino G ˜ in association with either a Higgs h or a Z boson. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV . It targets final states in which a Higgs boson decays into a photon pair, while the other Higgs or Z boson decays into a b b ¯ pair, with missing transverse momentum associated with the two gravitinos. Search regions dependent on the amount of missing transverse momentum are defined by the requirements that the diphoton mass should be consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson, and the b b ¯ mass with the mass of the Higgs or Z boson. The main backgrounds are estimated with data-driven methods using the sidebands of the diphoton mass distribution. No excesses beyond Standard Model expectations...

Search for the nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs via gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion in the bb¯τ+τ- final state in proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search for the nonresonant production of Higgs boson pairs in the channel is performed using of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The analysis strategy is optimized to probe anomalous values of the Higgs boson self-coupling modifier and of the quartic ( ) coupling modifier . No significant excess above the expected background from Standard Model processes is observed. An observed (expected) upper limit is set at 95% confidence-level on the Higgs boson pair production cross section normalized to its Standard Model prediction. The coupling modifiers are constrained to an observed (expected) 95% confidence interval of ( ) and ( ), assuming all other Higgs boson couplings are fixed to the Standard Model prediction. The results are also interpreted in the context of effective field theories via constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings and Higgs boson pair...

Dual Identification: Trajectories to English Proficiency for English Learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

BackgroundThere are an increasing number of English Learners (EL) served in schools, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, little is known about students who receive school-based services as EL and under autism eligibility.Purpose & MethodsThe present study aimed to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, time to English Language Proficient status by survival analysis, and predictors of English fluency utilizing a logistic regression for dually identified EL and autism eligible students in a large urban school district during the 2011–2019 academic school years.ResultsOverall, dually identified students (N = 849) educated in segregated settings (N = 372) became English proficient at lower rates and at older ages than students included in general education (N = 477).ConclusionStudents placed in segregated special education classrooms were significantly less likely to achieve English Language Proficient classification. The present study begins...

Methodology for Developing and Evaluating the PROMIS® Smoking Item Banks

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

INTRODUCTION: This article describes the procedures used in the PROMIS Smoking Initiative for the development and evaluation of item banks, short forms (SFs), and computerized adaptive tests (CATs) for the assessment of 6 constructs related to cigarette smoking: nicotine dependence, coping expectancies, emotional and sensory expectancies, health expectancies, psychosocial expectancies, and social motivations for smoking. METHODS: Analyses were conducted using response data from a large national sample of smokers. Items related to each construct were subjected to extensive item factor analyses and evaluation of differential item functioning (DIF). Final item banks were calibrated, and SF assessments were developed for each construct. The performance of the SFs and the potential use of the item banks for CAT administration were examined through simulation study. RESULTS: Item selection based on dimensionality assessment and DIF analyses produced item banks that were essentially...

Search for light long-lived neutral particles from Higgs boson decays via vector-boson-fusion production from pp collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search is reported for long-lived dark photons with masses between 0.1 GeV and 15 GeV, from exotic decays of Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson-fusion. Events that contain displaced collimated Standard Model fermions reconstructed in the calorimeter or muon spectrometer are probed. This search uses the full LHC Run 2 (2015–2018) data sample collected in proton–proton collisions at s=13$$\sqrt{s}=13$$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1$$fb^{-1}$$. Dominant backgrounds from Standard Model processes and non-collision sources are estimated using data-driven techniques. The observed event yields in the signal regions are consistent with the expected background. Upper limits on the Higgs boson to dark photon branching fraction are reported as a function of the dark photon mean proper decay length or of the dark photon mass and the coupling between the Standard Model and the potential dark sector. This search is combined with previous ATLAS searches obtained...

Measurement of the VH,H → ττ process with the ATLAS detector at 13 TeV

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A measurement of the Standard Model Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons is presented. This search is based on proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. For the Higgs boson candidate, only final states with at least one τ-lepton decaying hadronically ( τ → hadrons + ν τ ) are considered. For the vector bosons, only leptonic decay channels are considered: Z → ℓ ℓ and W → ℓ ν ℓ , with ℓ = e , μ . An excess of events over the expected background is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.2 (3.6) standard deviations, providing evidence of the Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson and decaying into a pair of τ-leptons. The ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model prediction is μ VH τ τ = 1.28 − 0.29 + 0.30 ( stat . ) − 0.21 + 0.25 ( syst . ) . This result represents the most accurate...

Statistical Combination of ATLAS Run 2 Searches for Charginos and Neutralinos at the LHC

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Statistical combinations of searches for charginos and neutralinos using various decay channels are performed using 139 fb^{-1} of pp collision data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting pure-wino chargino pair production, pure-wino chargino-neutralino production, or Higgsino production decaying via standard model W, Z, or h bosons are combined to extend the mass reach to the produced supersymmetric particles by 30-100 GeV. The depth of the sensitivity of the original searches is also improved by the combinations, lowering the 95% C.L. cross-section upper limits by 15%-40%.

Measurement of jet substructure in boosted tt¯ events with the ATLAS detector using 140 fb-1 of 13 TeV pp collisions

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Measurements of the substructure of top-quark jets are presented, using of 13 TeV collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Top-quark jets reconstructed with the anti- algorithm with a radius parameter are selected in top-quark pair ( ) events where one top quark decays semileptonically and the other hadronically, or where both top quarks decay hadronically. The top-quark jets are required to have transverse momentum , yielding large samples of data events with jet values between 350 and 600 GeV. One- and two-dimensional differential cross sections for eight substructure variables, defined using only the charged components of the jets, are measured in a particle-level phase space by correcting for the smearing and acceptance effects induced by the detector. The differential cross sections are compared with the predictions of several Monte Carlo simulations in which top-quark pair-production quantum chromodynamic matrix-element calculations...

Search for short- and long-lived axion-like particles in H→aa→4γ decays with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Presented is the search for anomalous Higgs boson decays into two axion-like particles (ALPs) using the full Run 2 data set of 140fb-1$$140\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV$$13\,\text {TeV}$$ recorded by the ATLAS experiment. The ALPs are assumed to decay into two photons, providing sensitivity to recently proposed models that could explain the (g-2)μ$$(g-2)_\mu $$ discrepancy. This analysis covers an ALP mass range from 100 to 62GeV$$62\,\text {GeV}$$ and ALP-photon couplings in the range 10-7TeV-1

Combination and summary of ATLAS dark matter searches interpreted in a 2HDM with a pseudo-scalar mediator using 139 fb−1 of s = 13 TeV pp collision data

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Results from a wide range of searches targeting different experimental signatures with and without missing transverse momentum (E_T^miss) are used to constrain a Two-Higgs-Doublet Model (2HDM) with an additional pseudo-scalar mediating the interaction between ordinary and dark matter (2HDM+a). The analyses use up to 139 fb^-1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider during 2015-2018. The results from three of the most sensitive searches are combined statistically. These searches target signatures with large E_T^miss and a leptonically decaying Z boson; large E_T^miss and a Higgs boson decaying to bottom quarks; and production of charged Higgs bosons in final states with top and bottom quarks, respectively. Constraints are derived for several common and new benchmark scenarios in the 2HDM+a.

Combination of Measurements of the Top Quark Mass from Data Collected by the ATLAS and CMS Experiments at s=7 and 8 TeV

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A combination of fifteen top quark mass measurements performed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC is presented. The datasets used correspond to an integrated luminosity of up to 5 and 20 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The combination includes measurements in top quark pair events that exploit both the semileptonic and hadronic decays of the top quark, and a measurement using events enriched in single top quark production via the electroweak t channel. The combination accounts for the correlations between measurements and achieves an improvement in the total uncertainty of 31% relative to the most precise input measurement. The result is m_{t}=172.52±0.14(stat)±0.30(syst) GeV, with a total uncertainty of 0.33 GeV.

The ATLAS trigger system for LHC Run 3 and trigger performance in 2022

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The ATLAS trigger system is a crucial component of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. It is responsible for selecting events in line with the ATLAS physics programme. This paper presents an overview of the changes to the trigger and data acquisition system during the second long shutdown of the LHC, and shows the performance of the trigger system and its components in the proton-proton collisions during the 2022 commissioning period as well as its expected performance in proton-proton and heavy-ion collisions for the remainder of the third LHC data-taking period (2022–2025).

A novel machine learning-based prediction method for patients at risk of developing depressive symptoms using a small data

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The prediction of depression is a crucial area of research which makes it one of the top priorities in mental health research as it enables early intervention and can lead to higher success rates in treatment. Self-reported feelings by patients represent a valuable biomarker for predicting depression as they can be expressed in a lower-dimensional network form, offering an advantage in visualizing the interactive characteristics of depression-related feelings. Furthermore, the network form of data expresses high-dimensional data in a compact form, making the data easy to use as input for the machine learning processes. In this study, we applied the graph convolutional network (GCN) algorithm, an effective machine learning tool for handling network data, to predict depression-prone patients using the network form of self-reported log data as the input. We took a data augmentation step to expand the initially small dataset and fed the resulting data into the GCN algorithm, which...

Exploring science teachers' efforts to frame phenomena in the community

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines two teachers' efforts to re-organize their science teaching around issues of environmental and food justice in the urban community where they teach through the pedagogical approach of community-oriented framing. We introduce this approach to teachers' framing of phenomena in community as supporting students' framing of phenomena as personally and locally relevant. Drawing on classroom observations of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, we took an analytic approach that characterized features of classroom discourse to rate community-oriented framing at the lesson level. Results show that teachers framed phenomena as both social and scientific, and as rooted in students' lived experiences, with classroom activities designed to gather localized and personalized evidence needed to explain or model phenomena. We also share examples of how Black and Latinx students took up this framing of phenomena in their classroom work. By providing a detailed description...

Building Better Bridges: Outcomes of a Community-Partnered New School Transition Intervention for Students on the Autism Spectrum

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

New school transitions can be challenging for students on the autism spectrum. No published, evidence-based interventions exist to support families and teachers of students transitioning to elementary and secondary school during this critical period. Using Community Partnered Participatory Research, we developed Building Better Bridges (BBB), a caregiver coaching intervention that includes training on effective school communication, educational rights, advocacy, and child preparation strategies. We compared BBB (n = 83) to a module/resources-only comparison (n = 87) in a four-site randomized controlled trial in racially and ethnically diverse, under-resourced communities. In our intent-to-treat analysis, caregivers and teachers in BBB rated students’ transitions to the new classroom as more positive, relative to the comparison group. Results suggest this low-cost intervention can improve the transition process for families and students at high risk of poor transitions.

Search for high-mass resonances in final states with a τ-lepton and missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search for high-mass resonances decaying into a -lepton and a neutrino using proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of is presented. The full run 2 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of recorded by the ATLAS experiment in the years 2015–2018 is analyzed. The -lepton is reconstructed in its hadronic decay modes and the total transverse momentum carried out by neutrinos is inferred from the reconstructed missing transverse momentum. The search for new physics is performed on the transverse mass between the -lepton and the missing transverse momentum. No excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper exclusion limits are set on the production cross section. Heavy vector bosons with masses up to 5.0 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming that they have the same couplings as the Standard Model boson. For nonuniversal couplings, bosons are excluded for masses less than 3.5–5.0 TeV, depending...

Search for pair production of higgsinos in events with two Higgs bosons and missing transverse momentum in s=13 TeV pp collisions at the ATLAS experiment

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper presents a search for pair production of higgsinos, the supersymmetric partners of the Higgs bosons, in scenarios with gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. Each higgsino is assumed to decay into a Higgs boson and a nearly massless gravitino. The search targets events where each Higgs boson decays into , leading to a reconstructed final state with at least three energetic -jets and missing transverse momentum. Two complementary analysis channels are used, with each channel specifically targeting either low or high values of the higgsino mass. The low-mass (high-mass) channel exploits of data collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is found. At 95% confidence level, masses between 130 GeV and 940 GeV are excluded for higgsinos decaying exclusively into Higgs bosons and gravitinos. Exclusion limits as a function of the higgsino decay branching ratio to a Higgs...

Measurement of ZZ production cross-sections in the four-lepton final state in pp collisions at s = 13.6 TeV with the ATLAS experiment

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper reports cross-section measurements of ZZ production in pp collisions at s = 13.6 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The data were collected by the ATLAS detector in 2022, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 29 fb−1. Events in the Z Z → 4 ℓ ( ℓ = e , μ) final states are selected and used to measure the inclusive and differential cross-sections in a fiducial region defined close to the analysis selections. The inclusive cross-section is further extrapolated to the total phase space with a requirement of 66 < m Z < 116 GeV for both Z bosons, yielding 16.8 ± 1.1 pb. The results are well described by the Standard Model predictions.

Search for singly produced vectorlike top partners in multilepton final states with 139 fb-1 of pp collision data at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A search for the single production of a vectorlike top partner ( ) with mass greater than 1 TeV decaying into a boson and a top quark is presented, using the full Run 2 dataset corresponding to of collisions at , collected in 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The targeted final state is characterized by the presence of a pair of electrons or muons with opposite-sign charges which form a -boson candidate, as well as by the presence of -tagged jets and forward jets. Events with exactly two or at least three leptons are categorized into two independently optimized analysis channels. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed and the results from the two channels are statistically combined to set exclusion limits at 95% confidence level on the masses and couplings of . The results are interpreted in several benchmark scenarios to set limits on the mass and universal coupling strength ( ) of the vectorlike quark....

Erratum to: Observation of four-top-quark production in the multilepton final state with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Corrections to two figures, one table and the corresponding numbers in the text are noted for the paper. Systematic uncertainties arising from the comparison of the nominal tt¯tt¯ simulation with alternative samples generated with Sherpa and with MadGraph5_aMC@NLO+Herwig7 were not applied when deriving limits on the top-quark Yukawa coupling, Higgs oblique parameter and EFT operators. This affects Figs. 8 and 9, and Table 8. (Figure presented.) (Figure presented.) (Table presented.) Two-dimensional negative log-likelihood contours for |κtcos(α)| versus |κtsin(α)| at 68% and 95%, where κt is the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling strength parameter and α is the mixing angle between the CP-even and CP-odd components. The gradient-shaded area represents the observed likelihood value as a function of κt and α. Both the tt¯tt¯ signal and tt¯H background yields in each fitted bin are parameterised as a function of κt and α. The blue cross shows the SM expectation, while the black cross...

Combination of Searches for Resonant Higgs Boson Pair Production Using pp Collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A combination of searches for a new resonance decaying into a Higgs boson pair is presented, using up to 139 fb^{-1} of pp collision data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The combination includes searches performed in three decay channels: bb[over ¯]bb[over ¯], bb[over ¯]τ^{+}τ^{-}, and bb[over ¯]γγ. No excess above the expected Standard Model background is observed and upper limits are set at the 95% confidence level on the production cross section of Higgs boson pairs originating from the decay of a narrow scalar resonance with mass in the range 251 GeV-5 TeV. The observed (expected) limits are in the range 0.96-600 fb (1.2-390 fb). The limits are interpreted in the type-I two-Higgs-doublet model and the minimal supersymmetric standard model, and constrain parameter space not previously excluded by other searches.

Measurement of Developmental and Behavioral Concerns in Toddlers With Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

BACKGROUND: The TAND (Tuberous Sclerosis Complex [TSC]-Associated Neuropsychiatric Disorders) Checklist was developed as a clinical screener for neurodevelopmental disorders in TSC. Most studies have described patterns in older children and adults. This study sought to better understand behavioral concerns as measured by the TAND Checklist in young children with TSC. METHODS: We examined patterns of caregiver responses to the TAND Checklist in 90 toddlers with TSC (12 to 23 months n = 60; 24 to 36 months n = 30) through data collected during baseline visits across two TSC early intervention studies. RESULTS: Over 90% of caregivers reported at least one behavioral concern related to TAND. The number of concerns increased with age. Delayed language was the most frequently reported concern across ages (12 to 23 months: 58.3%, 24 to 36 months: 86.7%). Questions related to behavioral concerns were largely relevant in this age range, but questions...

Spoken language outcomes in limited language preschoolers with autism and global developmental delay: RCT of early intervention approaches

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Preschool autistic children with significant global developmental delays and very limited language skills are at high risk for remaining minimally verbal at entry into primary school. This study compared two early intervention models for improving social communication and spoken language outcomes in 164 children who received intervention in their community preschool program for 6 months, with a six-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was a standardized language assessment, and secondary measures focused on social communication. Results indicated children on average made 6 months gain in language development in the active 6 months of intervention with no difference between intervention models. Children who initiated joint attention more frequently, or who had higher receptive language at baseline made more progress if assigned to receive JASPER, a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention. Children who received Discrete Trial Training made greater spoken language...

Mixed Signals in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Well‐Being Indicators in the United States: A Call for Improvements to Population Health Monitoring

Fri, 7 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Policy Points Social indicators of young peoples' conditions and circumstances, such as high school graduation, food insecurity, and smoking, are improving even as subjective indicators of mental health and well-being have been worsening. This divergence suggests policies targeting the social indicators may not have improved overall mental health and well-being. There are several plausible reasons for this seeming contradiction. Available data suggest the culpability of one or several common exposures poorly captured by existing social indicators. Resolving this disconnect requires significant investments in population-level data systems to support a more holistic, child-centric, and up-to-date understanding of young people's lives.

Search for Nearly Mass-Degenerate Higgsinos Using Low-Momentum Mildly Displaced Tracks in pp Collisions at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector