Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Homophobic bullying constitutes a serious threat to adolescent well-being and could be understood as an ecological phenomenon, influenced by diverse school, regional, and community contexts. This study examined geographic variations in the relationship between school characteristics and homophobic bullying. Data from 2244 California schools, including student surveys and administrative records, were combined and analyzed using geographically weighted regression (GWR). Results showed that the associations between school characteristics and general victimization were consistent across geographic areas. However, when it came to homophobic bullying, the relationships with school characteristics varied significantly based on location. Notably, regions with high intolerance, urbanity, large school size, and small student–teacher ratios appeared to offer protection against bullying. Additionally, student socioeconomic status influenced bullying in disadvantaged rural schools with limited Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) presence. Ethnic diversity also played a role, with low diversity or dominance of two ethnic groups linked to higher bullying rates.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11121-024-01732-4.

Nelson's primary technical research interest is the behavior of structural systems. For almost 25 years, he has been actively involved in evaluating the behavior of free-fall lifeboats and the development of analytical tools to predict that behavior. His research has formed the basis for many of the regulations of the

ABSTRACT Mathematics is not just memorized facts, but rather it is understanding how to approach and solve problems, and problem-solving requires linguistic proficiency. Too often, English learners’ (ELs) relatively low math performance is dismissed due to their supposed “limited” English proficiency. Taking this perspective, a constructivist approach suggests that content-area discussions should improve EL students’ math performance. To test this hypothesis, we use nationally representative data from the Educational Longitudinal Study: 2002 to examine the relationship between students’ reported participation in math discussions and their 10th-grade math performance (GPA), considering both course placement and linguistic status. While we find reported participation in student-led discussion to be positively associated with math performance for all students, we also find that EL students report higher participation in student-led discussions only in low-level math placement. This pattern suggests that for EL students, participation in student-led discussion may actually be necessary to counteract the limiting nature of low-track placement. We argue that although EL students appear to benefit from student-led discussions in these contexts, until school systems begin to address the overrepresentation of EL students in low-level coursework, instructional experiences alone will do little to improve their overall achievement.

The goal of this study was to assess Chinese therapists' beliefs about exposure therapy and to examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Therapist Beliefs about Exposure Scale (TBES). Modification of therapists' beliefs about exposure therapy was also assessed following attendance at an exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) training workshop. A total of 203 therapists participated in the study. The TBES and a measure of anxiety sensitivity were administered in Chinese. After a half-day ERP training workshop, the Chinese version of the TBES was administered to the participants again. The Chinese version of the TBES demonstrated adequate internal consistency, moderate item-level psychometric properties, and a normal distribution in the sample in this study. The TBES scores of the participants decreased significantly after they attended an ERP training course. The reduction in TBES scores was significantly correlated with therapists' caseload of clients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The results of this study support the reliability of the Chinese version of the TBES. Chinese therapists had more negative beliefs about exposure than did American therapists who were evaluated in a different study; however, therapists' negative beliefs were significantly reduced after they attended an ERP training workshop. Future studies are encouraged to explore effective strategies to improve the disseminiation and delivery of exposure therapy in China.

Meeting the challenges of the nursing shortage appears to be daunting for schools of nursing across the nation as they struggle to meet educational capacity needs with limited resources. A statewide grant program was developed and implemented through legislative initiatives providing opportunities for schools of nursing to respond to the need for innovation in nursing education. This article shares some of the successes and challenges identified through the process of implementing and evaluating this grant program. Insights into the political and regulatory process are provided as a model for other states to consider. Examples of educational strategies that were successful in improving the recruitment and retention of students and faculty are discussed. Nursing and other health care leaders across the nation should look to policy initiatives such as grant programs to infuse innovation into educational programs and to address educational capacity issues compounding the nursing shortage.

This article describes a successful collaborative endeavor by organizations within Texas to address the nursing shortage. As one of the first states to address the nursing shortage from a legislative perspective, passage of the Nursing Shortage Reduction Act of 2001 focused on bolstering the nursing education pipeline. Specifically addressed are the strategic planning process for development and passage of this important legislation, the content of the legislation, and a 2-year summary of the impact of the legislation on the Texas nursing educational infrastructure.

To determine whether personality type influences the selection of an approach to weight loss, 46 college students completed a food-habits questionnaire and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Analysis indicates that persons who score high on the feeling and perceiving scales of the Keirsey sorter are more likely to choose a group weight-loss program than others. There were no significant personality differences with regard to calorie counting, fasting, or use of diet foods or pills.

AN OUTSPOKEN NIGERIAN Essays in Nigerian Foreign Policy. By Olajide Aluko. Publishers: George Allen and Unwin £12.50 hardback, £4.95 in paperback. UNDERSTANDING INDIA Envoy to Nehru. Escott Reid. Oxford University Press. Printed in India. 301 pp. 7 plates. Rs. 100. PATON'S SOUTH AFRICAN PICTURE Towards the Mountain: An Autobiography. By Alan Paton. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1980; pp. 320. $16.95.