This study investigated whether sexually transmitted infections and lifestyle variables are assoc... more This study investigated whether sexually transmitted infections and lifestyle variables are associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) as well as particular manifestations commonly associated with PMS. Data were gathered from medical records of 500 regularly cycling women. The following infectious agents were investigated: human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrheae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Bivariate tests and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate whether these pathogens were associated with headache, pain, nausea, and depression. Chlamydia trachomatis was significantly associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and two common manifestations of PMS: depression and pain. Trichomonas vaginalis was significantly correlated with headache and Gardnerella vaginalis with nausea. None of the illness manifestations was significantly associated with the tested lifestyle variables: dietary calcium supplementation, alcohol and drug use, exercise, and smoking. These associations provide a basis for assessment of infectious causation of PMS and several manifestations of illness that are commonly associated with PMS.
Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2015
Behind Act have given way to an emphasis on financial incentives. While most policy interventions... more Behind Act have given way to an emphasis on financial incentives. While most policy interventions have focused primarily on linking teacher compensation to student test scores, several recent studies have examined the prospects for the use of financial incentives for students to improve student outcomes. This study builds on the existing literature by comparing student responses to monetary and non-monetary (certificates of recognition) incentives to increase participation in federally funded supplemental education services (SEdS). Approximately 300 eligible middle grade students who had signed up for SEdS were randomly selected and then assigned to either a control condition that received no incentive, a monetary reward group that could earn up to $100 for regular attendance, or a non-monetary group that could receive a certificate of recognition signed by the district superintendent. Although the benefits of the monetary incentives were negligible, the students in the certificate group attended 42.5 percent more of their allotted tutoring hours than those assigned to control. The effect of the certificate was particularly strong for female students, who attended 26 percent more of their allocated Downloaded by [VUL Vanderbilt University] at 09:29 17 August 2015 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 2
We report findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation of the recently implemented US$5,000 rete... more We report findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation of the recently implemented US$5,000 retention bonus program for effective teachers in Tennessee’s Priority Schools. We estimate the impact of the program on teacher retention using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design by exploiting a discontinuity in the probability of treatment conditional on the composite teacher effectiveness rating that assigns bonus eligibility. Point estimates for the main effect of the bonus are not different from zero. However, for teachers of tested subjects and grades, the program has a consistently positive effect that is both statistically and substantively significant. We hypothesize that the null finding for the main effect is driven by teachers of untested subjects and grades given the amount of weight Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system attributes to school-level performance. This creates a strong incentive to exit the Priority Schools that are by definition low performing. Implementation concerns, including the timing of application process and observed noncompliance in bonus distribution, present obstacles for both the program’s effectiveness and its evaluation.
This study investigated whether sexually transmitted infections and lifestyle variables are assoc... more This study investigated whether sexually transmitted infections and lifestyle variables are associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) as well as particular manifestations commonly associated with PMS. Data were gathered from medical records of 500 regularly cycling women. The following infectious agents were investigated: human papillomavirus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrheae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Candida albicans, and Trichomonas vaginalis. Bivariate tests and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate whether these pathogens were associated with headache, pain, nausea, and depression. Chlamydia trachomatis was significantly associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and two common manifestations of PMS: depression and pain. Trichomonas vaginalis was significantly correlated with headache and Gardnerella vaginalis with nausea. None of the illness manifestations was significantly associated with the tested lifestyle variables: dietary calcium supplementation, alcohol and drug use, exercise, and smoking. These associations provide a basis for assessment of infectious causation of PMS and several manifestations of illness that are commonly associated with PMS.
Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 2015
Behind Act have given way to an emphasis on financial incentives. While most policy interventions... more Behind Act have given way to an emphasis on financial incentives. While most policy interventions have focused primarily on linking teacher compensation to student test scores, several recent studies have examined the prospects for the use of financial incentives for students to improve student outcomes. This study builds on the existing literature by comparing student responses to monetary and non-monetary (certificates of recognition) incentives to increase participation in federally funded supplemental education services (SEdS). Approximately 300 eligible middle grade students who had signed up for SEdS were randomly selected and then assigned to either a control condition that received no incentive, a monetary reward group that could earn up to $100 for regular attendance, or a non-monetary group that could receive a certificate of recognition signed by the district superintendent. Although the benefits of the monetary incentives were negligible, the students in the certificate group attended 42.5 percent more of their allotted tutoring hours than those assigned to control. The effect of the certificate was particularly strong for female students, who attended 26 percent more of their allocated Downloaded by [VUL Vanderbilt University] at 09:29 17 August 2015 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 2
We report findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation of the recently implemented US$5,000 rete... more We report findings from a quasi-experimental evaluation of the recently implemented US$5,000 retention bonus program for effective teachers in Tennessee’s Priority Schools. We estimate the impact of the program on teacher retention using a fuzzy regression discontinuity design by exploiting a discontinuity in the probability of treatment conditional on the composite teacher effectiveness rating that assigns bonus eligibility. Point estimates for the main effect of the bonus are not different from zero. However, for teachers of tested subjects and grades, the program has a consistently positive effect that is both statistically and substantively significant. We hypothesize that the null finding for the main effect is driven by teachers of untested subjects and grades given the amount of weight Tennessee’s teacher evaluation system attributes to school-level performance. This creates a strong incentive to exit the Priority Schools that are by definition low performing. Implementation concerns, including the timing of application process and observed noncompliance in bonus distribution, present obstacles for both the program’s effectiveness and its evaluation.
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Papers by Walker Swain