Showing papers by "Mark W. Fraser published in 2004"

Intervention Research in Social Work: Recent Advances and Continuing Challenges

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to review substantive and methodological advances in interventive research. Three substantive advances are discussed: (a) the growing use of a risk factor perspective...

Conduct Problems and Peer Rejection in Childhood: A Randomized Trial of the Making Choices and Strong Families Programs

Abstract: This article discusses the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention designed to disrupt developmental processes associated with conduct problems and peer rejection in childhood Compared with 41 children randomized to a wait list control condition, 45 children in an intervention condition received a social skills training program At the same time, their parents participated in an in-home family intervention Compared with control group children, intervention children demonstrated significant improvements on five of six outcome measures Differences between the experimental and control groups suggest the programs strengthen children’s prosocial behavior, promote their ability to regulate emotions, and increase social contact with peers Intervention also was associated with significant improvements in classroom comportment and decreases in relational aggression, a measure of coercion in peer relationships The findings are consistent with those of other programs effective in interrupting risk proces

North Carolina Assessment of Risk (NCAR): Reliability and Predictive Validity with Juvenile Offenders

Abstract: Actuarial risk assessment instruments are used increasingly in juvenile justice to classify youths according to their risk of recidivism The purpose of this article is to describe the results of two studies of one instrument: the North Carolina Assessment of Risk (NCAR) In the first study, the inter-rater reliability of the risk assessment instrument was estimated with a sample of 175 court counselors who rated videotaped vignettes of juvenile offenders In the second study, predictive validity was assessed prospectively by following a statewide sample of 464 delinquent youths for 12 months Findings indicate that the risk assessment instrument increases reliability as compared to clinical judgment Moreover, risk scores are correlated significantly with rearrest However, analyses also show that relationships between risk scores and recidivism vary for subgroups based on gender and race/ethnicity Though challenges remain in improving the accuracy of risk assessment, the findings suggest that

School-Based Skills Training to Prevent Aggressive Behavior and Peer Rejection in Childhood: Evaluating the Making Choices Program

Abstract: This paper reports findings from an evaluation of a school-based prevention program, called Making Choices, which was designed to decrease childhood aggression and peer rejection by teaching children social problem solving and relationship enhancement skills. Using a pre- to post-test control group design, 51 third graders received the intervention program and 50 received the no-intervention control condition. Controlling for pretest scores, children who received the Making Choices intervention had significantly higher scores on social contact, cognitive concentration, and displayed significantly lower overt aggression. Important moderation effects surfaced, indicating that the intervention differentially benefitted high-risk children.

Educational Resilience Among Youth at Risk

Abstract: Educational experts and others recognize the importance of early school experiences on later educational outcomes. Following a sample of youth based on 692 files from low-income, single parent families over time, from one urban school district in the Southeastern United States, 1989-1990 to 1996-1997, we apply event history analytic techniques to examine the relationship between first grade retention and completing high school. The findings indicate that being retained in the first grade increases the risk of dropping out of high school years later. The results also show a link between retention, extracurricular activity participation, and high school completion. The risk of dropping out is lower for those youth who were retained and were involved in activities during high school. The implication is that educational trajectories can be redirected such that positive educational outcomes can occur.

Examining the Impact of Changes in Maternal Employment on High School Completion Among Low-Income Youth

Abstract: The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act and decisions about its re-authorization have resurrected interest in the impact of maternal employment on child outcomes in poor families. The emerging evidence suggests that employment stability among former welfare recipients is a key factor in making successful transitions from welfare to work. This investigation explores how changes in maternal employment in poor families relate to high school completion among at risk youths. Our findings show that a substantial number of mothers experience unstable employment patterns. This instability is positively correlated with dropout among adolescents. The paper concludes with policy implications for the next phase of welfare reform.

Promoting school success among at risk youth

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between grade retention and completing high school in a sample of very low-income children from an urban school district. Results suggest that being retained–whether in first grade or in later grades–increases the risk of dropout. Moreover, youths who are retained in middle school are at greater risk of dropping out early in high school. Regardless of when retention occurs, youths who participate in extracurricular activities remain in school longer, relative to their counterparts. The findings support a social developmental model of academic success in which children's opportunities for pro-social involvement, their social and academic skills, and the rewards in their environments condition educational outcomes.

Using Multilevel Statistical Models in Social Work Intervention Research

Abstract: Statistical analyses of data from a classroom-based study illustrate the need to account for intra-class clustering in studies involving schools, classrooms, and other higher order units of analysis. Students were clustered in homerooms that were assigned to intervention and comparison conditions. Standard multiple linear regression analysis yielded a significant group effect but incorrectly ignored intra-cluster response correlations. A multilevel model appropriately accounting for the dependency among responses in the same cluster yielded a nonsignificant group effect. Implications for the analysis of intervention research data are discussed.

Research Awards in the Society for Social Work and Research, 1996-2000:

Abstract: In 1995, the Society for Social Work and Research developed an awards program for outstanding social work research scholarship. The purpose of this study is to describe 5 years of exemplary social work research. This article presents the results of a document analysis of 299 journal articles nominated for outstanding research awards between 1996 and 2000. Articles were rated on a variety of characteristics such as research design, method, and analysis strategy. The authors found that survey methods predominate among nominated articles. However, half the award-winning articles described studies involving experimental or comparison groups and the design of interventions. Compared with survey methods, intervention research, which should obtain high priority in a practice profession, is less frequently nominated. Similarly, compared with quantitative methods, qualitative articles, which hold potential for informing practice, are less frequently nominated. Profiling exemplary research can be useful for underst...