Objectives. In some chronic conditions, patient-specific tools with individualized items have proved to be more sensitive outcome instruments than fixed-item tools; their use has not yet been investigated in chronic low back pain (cLBP). Methods. Eleven males and 21 females [mean age 44.0 (12.3) years] with cLBP, undergoing a spine-stabilization physiotherapy programme, completed the Roland Mor...

To examine cognitive differences among adults with differing developmental disorders, a comparison of Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revisedprofiles was made with samples of 35 individuals with high-functioning autism (HFA) and 102 individuals with adult learning disability (LD). All participants had Verbal andPerformance IQ scores of 70 or higher. The LD group was divided into 3 subtypes ba...

Improving the nutritional content of public school meals is a topic of intense policy interest. A main motivation is the health of school children, and, in particular, the rising childhood obesity rate. Medical and nutrition literature has long argued that a healthy diet can have a second important impact: improved cognitive function. In this paper, we test whether offering healthier lunches af...

We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Study to estimate how parents' union dissolution influences changes in adolescents' mathematics course work gains, overall grade point average, and course failure rates during a window of approximately 1 year (N = 2,629). A primary purpose of this study is demonstrating the u...

Several studies have found that teacher–student gender matching has positive effects on student achievement. However, the underlying mechanisms that explain this effect have not been empirically explored. This paper studies the impact of same gender teachers on academic achievement for a large sample of 8th graders in Chile. I provide evidence that girls benefit from being assigned to female te...

abstract background: motivation to academic achievement is critical for students of medical sciences, particularly nursing students. it is directly related to high levels of achievement and quality of life. accordingly, diminished motivation would result in academic decline, study and work desertion and exhaustion. therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of cognitive behavioural i...

OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility and efficacy of implementing a treat-to-target approach versus usual care in a US-based cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients. METHODS In this behavioral intervention trial, rheumatology practices were cluster-randomized to provide treat-to-target care or usual care. Eligible patients with moderate/high disease activity (Clinical Disease Activity Index [C...

Test-based accountability as well as value-added assessments and much experimental and quasi-experimental research in education rely on achievement tests to measure student skills and knowledge. Yet we know little regarding fundamental properties of these tests, an important example being the extent of test measurement error and its implications for educational policy and practice. While test v...

In response to a landmark civil rights ruling, the state of Connecticut has adopted models of choice-based interdistrict desegregation that appear to satisfy current legal constraints. In this paper, we focus on Connecticut’s interdistrict magnet schools, and estimate the effects these schools have had on student achievement. We use longitudinal data on individual student test performance and i...

I examine how student allocation rules impact achievement of students of different ability and socioeconomic background. When the assignment rule shifts from exam to district based, a model illustrates that income relative to ability becomes a stronger predictor of student achievement and higher income households sort towards the better school districts. Using evidence from South Korea, I find ...