Compare, contrast and summarize the information from 3 article Essay

Compare, contrast and summarize the information from 3 article together - Essay Example Short term use of stimulants known to be an effective intervention strategy, Corkum and associates (2010) investigate the long term impacts of methylphenidate (MPH). 85 children with ADHD were initially assessed with Wide range achievement test-revised (WRAT-R), parent and teacher rating, estimated intellectual ability, OCHS academic and psychosocial ratings, duration of medication and academic support. Children were randomly assigned to MPH treatment and placebo group in a double blind trial, with former administered a gradually rising dose of 5mg/administration to reach a target dose of 0.7mg/Kg body weight. 12 months later baseline assessments were repeated and using regression analysis academic performance was estimated, one for each subset of WRAT-R and for parent and teacher ratings with baseline covariates, and total treatments as variables. The results indicated that both medication and academic interventions were insignificant in academic improvement. II. Clarfield and Stone r (2005), explored the efficacy of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) on ADHD. The study specifically explored the role of headsprout reading basics; an internet based reading program as a CAI tool in improving the reading and task engagement. 3 children, selected using BASC (behavior assessment system for children), ADHD ratings; and parent, teacher & psychologist interview; received Reading Recovery instruction as part of their curriculum, along with two of them receiving stimulants and one consulting psychologist as part of prior interventions. The frequency of sessions (20-30 minute) was thrice a week with participants completing 27, 24 and 21 sessions. They were assessed using DIEBELS (Dynamic indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) oral reading fluency (DORF) and BOSS (Behaviour observation of students in schools). An improvement in reading fluency was observed in all three students, along with reduction in off task behaviour. III. Shalev et al (2007) tested that a systema tic individualized computerized progressive attentional training (CPAT) can at least partially overcome the lack of attention characteristic of ADHD. CPAT was designed to train each of the four attentional networks, i.e. sustained, selective, orienting, and executive attentions. A double blind randomized control trial (RCT) involving 20 children in treatment and 16 in control group, with baseline similarities in age and intelligence and meeting the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD was conducted. The training schedule was two one hour sessions per week continuing for eight weeks. Pre and post assessments tests relevant to the grade of the child assessing reading, writing, mathematical skills and parental ratings were used for evaluating results. The results specifically showed improvements in all the above fields within two weeks of initiation of CPAT. Critical Evaluation I. 1. What claims are being made? Lack of long term and cumulative impact of MPH on ADHD related academic underperformanc e. 2. What evidence has been provided to support the claims (research study, expert opinion...) The evidences include research study with exhaustive assessments and naturalistic trials. 3. Is the evidence credible (are the tests relevant, can they be repeated, examine validity and reliability)? Assessments are subjective as well as objective enabling repeatability, reliability and validity.

Impact Youth Subcultural Lifestyles and Values Essay

Impact Youth Subcultural Lifestyles and Values - Essay Example The essay "Impact Youth Subcultural Lifestyles and Values" explores how fashion and music influence on the lifestyles and values. Both fashion and music suffered similar fate. Fashion seemed inclined to consider designer labels more important to wearability of the clothes. In music, post-modernism allowed the â€Å"collage, pastiche and quotation,† a hodgepodge way of creating music erasing the distinction between music genres. But superficial or not, music and fashion would definitely affect the cultural language and dynamics of contemporary youth. Mcrobbie (1994) wrote about the power and influence of music on fashion of youth but the result was contrary to what many would perceive as sexist. Shabba Ranks, a raggae / pop music crossover musician created a rage called Ragga girls (p.183). This created a sensation in the 1990’s when Ragga girls would be taken up not only by black girls but Asians and Caucasians. Along with the music was a distinct fashion sense that sep arated Ragga girls from the mainstream. The Ragga girls wore the hair â€Å"scraped back tightly into buns, wearing gold jewellery, trainers, leggings and fake-fur winter coats†. Examining the content of the song, many observed that the lyrics include sexist and homophobic contexts. The cultural interpretation of the Ragga girls, however did not conform to what was observed. Instead, an alternative value on the power of the female sex and pleasure emerged. The dance routines that go with the Shabba Ranks music was considered explicit. also considered sexually explicit and bordering on the obscene. However, Mcrobbie (1994) would provide another explanation for the behaviour. The girls were merely expressing "the rhetoric of a proud young female sexuality. " It is "combined with the sheer physical enjoyment of dance, working together to produce a euphoria of pleasure and of power" (p.184). The above example presented evidence that subculture of fashion and music was a departure from the frame of cultural contexts and values. Fashion and Music: A Postmodern Construct The youth category on cultural and sociological research lacks appropriate definition and orientation. The classification of youth can differ from culture to culture. For example, preadolescent individuals and people in their 30's and 40's may comprise the youth sector of a given cultural context. The distinction may also be derived from chronology or cultural position (Bucholtz 2002,p.526). The youth represents a segment of society that many sociologists and anthropologists consider as innovative. The youth may work inside or outside the system depending on the situation. Traditional views consider the youth subculture were consequences of the working-class consciousness where emergent subculture was "authentic and in the first instance at least uncontaminated by an avaricious commercial culture" (Mcrobbie 1994, p.179). The presumption is no longer applicable as today's complex social systems of mass media, commercial culture and the state (p.179). The proliferation of fashion and music purported to be rebellious expression of the youth against control and authority would in fact be more congruent with Michle Barrett's observation that youth subculture is a product of "turn[ing] to culture and the 'processes of symbolization'" (p.179)