Amy G. Carney

Bio: Amy G. Carney is an academic researcher from University of Iowa. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Test validity. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 5 publications receiving 689 citations. Previous affiliations of Amy G. Carney include Bucknell University.

Bullying in schools: Perspectives on understanding and preventing an international problem.

Abstract: Bullying is a problem which is receiving increasing attention worldwide. Researchers in several countries have already devised and implemented bullying intervention/prevention programs on a nation-wide basis. Data from large-scale trials of comprehensive, school-wide programs indicate that when used as a long-term ongoing solution rather than a 'quick fix' in crisis situations, bullying behaviour can be reduced significantly. This article examines terminology, background, developmental aspects and myths about bullying. Psychosocial characteristics of and implications for bullies and victims are discussed. Four bullying interventions are summarized and reviewed, and the main findings indicate everyone must shoulder the responsibility of putting an end to bullying behaviour.

Reliability and comparability of a Spanish-language form of the preschool and kindergarten behavior scales

Abstract: Comparability of a Spanish language translation of the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales was examined in relation to the English language version. Children ages 3–6 enrolled in preschool, kindergarten, or Head Start programs were rated concurrently by respondents on English and Spanish versions of the PKBS. Results showed virtually identical internal consistency of scores on both forms on Social Skills (.93) and Problem Behavior (.96) Scales. Correlations between forms for Social Skills and Problem Behavior scores were .93 and .94, respectively. Implications of these findings, directions for future research and the importance of continued work toward development/translation of other Spanish language assessment instruments for the early childhood population are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reeling in the Big Fish: Changing Pedagogy to Encourage the Completion of Reading Assignments

Abstract: The authors examined how the regular use of Monte Carlo Quizzes, learning logs, or non-random quizzes impacted student completion of assigned reading and preparedness for class. A questionnaire was used to gather data on student perceptions and self-reported reading behavior in response to each of the methods over the course of a semester. Results suggested that students in classes that used the learning log method were more motivated to complete readings, felt better able to contribute to class discussions, and were more likely to recommend the assessment method than students in classes that used the other methods.

No Vacation from Bullying: A Summer Camp Intervention Pilot Study.

Abstract: Bullying behavior, an outgrowth of aggressive behavior in general (Olweus, 1993), is a complicated problem. Common definitions of bullying involve the following concepts: the behavior is intentional, there is a mismatch in terms of social status and/or physical strength between bully and victim, and the physical and/or social intimidation occurs repeatedly over time (e.g., Olweus & Limber, 2002). Boys tend to engage in more physically aggressive bullying than girls, while girls tend to engage in more relationally aggressive bullying than boys (e.g., Crick & Grotpeter, 1995; Olweus, 1997); these sex-dependent differences in aggressive behavior are present even in early childhood (e.g., Olweus, 1997; Ostrov & Crick, 2007). Bullying has received increasing attention in the professional literature over the past decade or so in the United States, and has been recently acknowledged as a pressing problem by the mass media, the federal government's National School Safety Center (NSSC, 1995), and the committee which authored the more recent Safe School Initiative (Vossekuil, Fein, Reddy, Borum, & Modzeleski, 2002). Incidence and prevalence rates of bullying are basically consistent across urban, suburban and rural settings in the United States and abroad; typically cited ranges estimate that each year, between 8% and 15% of the general school population has been involved in bullying on a regular basis (as the bully, victim, or both) (e.g., Hazler, 1996; Olweus, 1997; Nansel, Overpeck, Pilla, Ruan, Simons-Morton, & Scheidt, 2001). Bullying behavior generally shows a slow, steady upward trend through elementary school, peaks during late elementary through middle school/junior high years (i.e., ages 9-15), and decreases markedly in high school (Hazier, 1996). In some subsets of the general school population, the incidence of bullying is quite high. In one study, roughly 30% of over 15,000 students in grades 6-10 reported frequent involvement in bullying; 13% were involved as bullies, 10.6% were involved as victims, and 6% were involved as bully-victims (Nansel et al., 2001). Extensive data indicate significant, long-term mental health difficulties for bullies, victims and bully-victims as a result of bullying (e.g., Carney, 2000; National School Safety Center, 1995; Olweus, 1997; Swearer, Song, Cary, Eagle, & Mickelson, 2001; Vossekuil et al., 2002). Far from being a problem endemic to an individual bully or bully-victim dyad, investigations of bullying behavior implicate social-ecological phenomena which may facilitate bullies' aggressive behaviors (e.g., Henry, Guerra, Huesmann, Tolan, VanAcker, & Eron, 2000; Huesmann, 1994; Pellegrini, 2002; Pellegrini, Bartini, & Brooks, 1999; Sutton & Smith, 1999; Swearer & Doll, 2001), and may also facilitate victimization (e.g., NSSC, 1995; Roth, Coles, & Heimberg, 2002). Effects of Bullying Long-term follow up studies conducted with adults who were childhood victims of bullying show that social and/or sexual difficulties persisted well beyond when the bullying stopped (e.g., Hazler, 1996; Olweus, 1997). Victims of bullying often fear school and are at increased risk of truancy or dropping out (Berthold & Hoover, 2000). Victims are far more likely than non-bullied students to bring weapons to school to protect themselves. In rare instances, victims have carried out retribution, either while still in school or even years after the bullying occurred (Vossekuil et al., 2002). In general, however, victims show average- to below-average rates of adult criminal behavior, but remain at much higher risk for suicide, even into adulthood (e.g., Carney & Merrell, 2001). There are also negative consequences for bullies as they age. A large-scale follow-up investigation conducted by the National School Safety Center (NSSC) in 1995 showed several disturbing trends. As children who engaged in bullying got older, their risk for academic underachievement and dropping out of school increased. …

Teacher Ratings of Young Children with and without ADHD: Construct Validity of Two Child Behavior Rating Scales.

Abstract: This study examined teachers' behavioral ratings of young children (ages 5 and 6) with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A study group consisting of 30 children with formal diagnoses of ADHD and a comparison group of 30 children without ADHD were developed using randomized matching procedures. Teachers of these children rated their behavior at the end of the school year using two child behavior rating instruments: The Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS; Merrell, 1994) and ADHD Symptoms Rating Scale (ADHD-SRS; Holland, Gimpel, & Merrell, 2001). Correlations between scores on the two measures were statistically significant and strong. Differences between behavior rating scores of the two groups were statistically significant and large, and the combination of scores from both measures efficiently predicted group classification. These results support the use of the PKBS and ADHD-SRS as screeners for the presence of ADHD-related behavior in young children and provide ad...

Standards for educational and psychological testing

Abstract: Pedagosko i psiholosko testiranje i procjenjivanje spadaju među najvažnije doprinose znanosti o ponasanju nasem drustvu i pružaju temeljna i znacajna poboljsanja u odnosu na ranije postupke. Iako se ne može ustvrditi da su svi testovi dovoljno usavrseni niti da su sva testiranja razborita i korisna, postoji velika kolicina informacija koje ukazuju na ucinkovitost kvalitetnih instrumenata u onim situacijama u kojima je njihovo koristenje potkrijepljeno validacijskim podacima. Pravilna upotreba testova može dovesti do boljih odluka o pojedincima i programima nego sto bi to bio slucaj bez njihovog koristenja, a također i ukazati na put za siri i pravedniji pristup obrazovanju i zaposljavanju. Međutim, losa upotreba testova može dovesti do zamjetne stete nanesene ispitanicima i drugim sudionicima u procesu donosenja odluka na temelju testovnih podataka. Cilj Standarda je promoviranje kvalitetne i eticne upotrebe testova te uspostavljanje osnovice za ocjenu kvalitete postupaka testiranja. Svrha objavljivanja Standarda je uspostavljanje kriterija za evaluaciju testova, provedbe testiranja i posljedica upotrebe testova. Iako bi evaluacija prikladnosti testa ili njegove primjene trebala ovisiti prvenstveno o strucnim misljenjima, Standardi pružaju okvir koji osigurava obuhvacanje svih relevantnih pitanja. Bilo bi poželjno da svi autori, sponzori, nakladnici i korisnici profesionalnih testova usvoje Standarde te da poticu druge da ih također prihvate.

Predictors of Bullying and Victimization in Childhood and Adolescence: A Meta-analytic Investigation

Abstract: Research on the predictors of 3 bully status groups (bullies, victims, and bully victims) for school-age children and adolescents was synthesized using meta-analytic procedures. The primary purpose was to determine the relative strength of individual and contextual predictors to identify targets for prevention and intervention. Age and how bullying was measured were also considered as moderators. From an original pool of 1,622 studies conducted since 1970 (when research on bullying increased significantly), 153 studies were identified that met criteria for inclusion. A number of common and unique predictors were found for the bully status groups. The implications of the meta-analytic findings for future research on bullying and victimization prevention and intervention are discussed.

Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: a systematic and meta-analytic review

Abstract: This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs in schools. Studies were included if they evaluated the effects of an anti-bullying program by comparing an intervention group who received the program with a control group who did not. Four types of research design were included: a) randomized experiments, b) intervention-control comparisons with before-and-after measures of bullying, c) other intervention-control comparisons, and d) age-cohort designs. Both published and unpublished reports were included. All volumes of 35 journals from 1983 up to the end of May 2009 were hand-searched, as were 18 electronic databases. Reports in languages other than English were also included. A total of 622 reports concerned with bullying prevention were found, and 89 of these reports (describing 53 different program evaluations) were included in our review. Of the 53 different program evaluations, 44 provided data that permitted the calculation of an effect size for bullying or victimization. The meta-analysis of these 44 evaluations showed that, overall, school-based anti-bullying programs are effective: on average, bullying decreased by 20–23% and victimization decreased by 17–20%. Program elements and intervention components that were associated with a decrease in bullying and victimization were identified, based on feedback from researchers about the coding of 40 out of 44 programs. More intensive programs were more effective, as were programs including parent meetings, firm disciplinary methods, and improved playground supervision. Work with peers was associated with an increase in victimization. It is concluded that the time is ripe to mount a new program of research on the effectiveness of anti-bullying programs based on these findings.

Cyberbullying: An exploratory analysis of factors related to offending and victimization.

Abstract: Victimization on the Internet through what has been termed cyberbullying has attracted increased attention from scholars and practitioners. Defined as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the medium of electronic text” (Patchin and Hinduja 2006:152), this negative experience not only undermines a youth's freedom to use and explore valuable on-line resources, but also can result in severe functional and physical ramifications. Research involving the specific phenomenon—as well as Internet harassment in general—is still in its infancy, and the current work seeks to serve as a foundational piece in understanding its substance and salience. On-line survey data from 1,378 adolescent Internet-users are analyzed for the purposes of identifying characteristics of typical cyberbullying victims and offenders. Although gender and race did not significantly differentiate respondent victimization or offending, computer proficiency and time spent on-line were positively related to both cyberbullying victimizati...