Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

School Psychology Programs: Graduate Preparation In Traumatic Brain Injury, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

Although traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents, it remains a low incidence category for special education identification. Students with TBI can present with unique educational and psychosocial needs. Using surveys administered to program directors and interns, this study explored how school psychologists are prepared to identify and facilitate appropriate services for students with TBI.

Traumatic Brain Injury: The Efficacy Of A Half-Day Training For School Psychologists, Susan C. Davies, Ashlyn M. Ray

Susan C. Davies

The incidence rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are increasing, yet educators continue to be inadequately trained in assessing and serving students with TBIs. This study examined the efficacy of a half-day TBI training program for school psychologists designed to improve their knowledge and skills. Results of quantitative and qualitative survey analysis indicated there was little increase in knowledge and skills from pre-training to one-year follow-up, although participants did increase in confidence related to their decision-making abilities in working with students with TBI. The data indicate a need for future study of more effective training models.

Chronic Pain: The Impact On Academic, Social, And Emotional Functioning, Jason Parkins, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Mystery Motivator And The ‘Get ’Em On Task’ Interventions For Off-Task Behaviors, Elisabeth Kraemer, Susan Davies, Kelli Arndt, Sawyer Hunley

Susan C. Davies

Attending to instruction is a critical behavior for academic success. Many elementary school teachers, however, identify disruptive and inattentive classroom behaviors as key barriers to students' successful educational performance. This study examined the impact of two class-wide positive behavior support programs. The Mystery Motivator and Get 'Em On Task interventions were implemented in an alternating treatments design with fifth grade participants to decrease off-task behaviors. Results indicated that both interventions effectively decreased off-task behavior at the class-wide level. Implications and suggestions for future research on evidence-based behavioral interventions are discussed.

Munchausen Syndrome By Proxy: Identification And Intervention, Alexandra Elizabeth Walk, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP), also known as “factitious disorder by proxy,” is a mental illness in which a person lies about the physical or mental well-being of a person he/she is responsible for (The Cleveland Clinic, 2008). Most often the dynamic transpires between a mother and her child. The motivation behind MSBP is that the adult seeks the attention typically given to those who are sick, and attempts to get the attention by causing or lying about illness in his/her child. MSBP is a type of child abuse and can result in long-term physical and psychological effects or even …

Self-Management And Peer-Monitoring Within A Group Contingency To Decrease Uncontrolled Verbalizations, Susan Davies, Raymond Witte

Susan C. Davies

This study examines the efficacy of an intervention designed to improve the classroom behavior of children identified with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The intervention entailed training a class of third-grade students, including four students diagnosed with ADHD, to use self-management and peer-monitoring strategies embedded within a group contingency to decrease inappropriate verbalizations during class time. Findings indicated that the self-monitoring/group contingency intervention substantially decreased inappropriate talking-out behavior in all four subjects along with their matched controls. Implications as well as limitations within the study are discussed.

Review Of The Par Concussion App For Smartphones, Susan Davies, T. Sullivan, Sara Timms

Susan C. Davies

There has been an explosion in the number of health-related smartphone applications, or apps, available for download. These products nowinclude apps concerning concussion. From April to August 2011, at least seven concussion-related apps were released. The primary focus of these apps is assessment at the time of injury. One exception to this trend is Psychological Assessment Resources' (PAR) Concussion Recognition & Response: Coach & Parent Version.

PAR's Concussion Recognition & Response app provides a checklist of concussion signs/symptoms designed to help coaches and parents determine whether to remove a child from play and seek medical attention. Unlike its competitors, the …

At-Risk Students In After-School Programs: Outcomes And Recommendations, Susan Davies, Lindsay Peltz

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Concussions And Student Sports: A 'Silent Epidemic', Susan C. Davies, Charles J. Russo, Allan G. Osborne

Susan C. Davies

An issue that has gained attention concerns concussions among student–athletes in elementary and secondary schools. In fact, in light of the “silent epidemic” of concussions among student–athletes, in the six month period ending in August of 2011, the number of states that enacted statutes on concussion management jumped from eleven to thirty–one and the list of jurisdictions with laws in place continues to grow.

Based on the significance of concussion management, the remainder of this article is divided into two sections. The first part of the article examines the background on concussions while the second offers recommendations for concussion management …

Training School Psychology Graduate Students To Address Regional Shortages: A Distance Learning Model, Susan C. Davies, Julie Q. Morrison, Sawyer Hunley

Susan C. Davies

Addressing the shortages of school psychologists in underserved regions of the country is critical to the profession and the communities served by its members. This article describes a school psychology satellite training program using a hybrid approach combining distance learning technologies and face-to-face classroom meetings. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of sixteen graduate students in a rural, Appalachian region of Ohio as members of the first two cohorts enrolled in the school psychology satellite program.

Traumatic Brain Injury Interest Group, Susan Davies, Paul Jantz

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Is Your School Prepared For A Sexting Crisis?, Morgan J. Aldridge, Susan C. Davies, Kelli Jo Arndt

Susan C. Davies

Sexting is a growing challenge. Results from a survey indicated that 20% of adolescents ages 13–19 have sent or posted nude or semi-nude pictures of themselves; 71% of adolescent females and 67% of adolescent males who have sexted sent the content to a boyfriend or girlfriend; and 38% of adolescent females and 39% of adolescent males report having seen messages originally intended for someone else (National Campaign, 2008). Those messages can spread at a rapid rate, causing both legal and emotional ramifications for all students involved. Principals can help prevent sexting and mitigate its negative consequences by making staff members …

Review Of 'Evidence-Based Interventions For Students With Learning And Behavioral Challenges', Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

Review of the book Evidence-Based Interventions for Students with Learning and Behavioral Challenges, eds. Richard J. Morris and Nancy Mather.

New School Assignment? Tips For A Positive Start, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

Effects Of A Self-Monitoring Intervention On Children With Traumatic Brain Injury, Susan Davies, Kevin Jones, Mary Rafoth

Susan C. Davies

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-monitoring intervention on teachers’ direct behavior ratings of 3 students with traumatic brain injury. The authors used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate the effect of the strategy on each child's classwork and classroom behavior. The self-monitoring strategy included 3 components: self-ratings, matching self-ratings and teacher ratings, and teacher feedback. Results indicated that the strategy improved performance for all three children, as well as self-monitoring accuracy. The authors discuss the implications for future research, including the need for a component analysis of self-monitoring treatments.

Traumatic Brain Injury And Teacher Training: A Gap In Educator Preparation, Susan C. Davies, Emily E. Fox, Ann Glang, Deborah Ettel, Catherine Thomas

Susan C. Davies

This study examines the level of training provided on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in teacher training programs. Research has shown teachers lack knowledge about the consequences of TBI and about the related services students with TBI might require. Participants included faculty members in teacher training programs in the United States. The current study revealed very little formal training on TBI is provided in teacher training programs. If provided, TBI training was more likely to be found in special education classes than in general education settings.

The Relationship Between Curriculum-Based Measures In Oral Reading Fluency And High-Stakes Tests For Seventh Grade Students, Sawyer Hunley, Susan C. Davies, Christina R. Miller

Susan C. Davies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between oral reading fluency and performance on a statewide reading achievement test for middle grades students. Participants in this study were 75 seventh-grade students. One month before the students were administered the state test, each student read three probes from their current basal reader to determine an oral reading fluency rate. The Ohio Grade 7 Reading Test scores were correlated with oral reading fluency rates to determine the extent of the relationship between the results. Results support the use of oral reading fluency assessment as a valid tool for identifying …

Concussion Awareness: Getting School Psychologists Into The Game, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

Concussions have been called a "silent epidemic" because symptoms can be subtle and covert (Langolis, Rutland–Brown,& Thomas, 2006). However, several high–profile concussion cases involving professional athletes have turned media attention to concussions. Those stories, coupled with stories on the more than 300,000 troops who have sustained concussions during recent combat (Hoge, Goldberg,& Castro, 2009), have helped to increase our awareness of the potential impact of concussions. However, in the sports world, it is not just NFL football players sustaining concussions: It is school–age athletes knocking heads in soccer, knocking helmets in hockey, getting slammed to the mat in wrestling, and …

Concussions: Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries That Can Occur On And Off The Field, Susan Davies

Susan C. Davies

No abstract provided.

School-Based Services For Traumatized Refugee Children, Dana Doran-Myers, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

In 1991, civil war raged in Somalia and the country’s infrastructure began to disintegrate. Since then, millions have fled the violence and instability. Many Somali refugees have settled in the United States; Ohio now has the second larg- est settlement of Somali refugees in the country. Most of these refugees reside in the Columbus area, where numerous out- reach services have been developed. The Somalis are one of many refugee popula- tions that have enrolled children in Ohio schools. In such cases, there is often little or no warning of the children’s arrival and thus little time to prepare a …

Part-Time Work As A School Psychologist, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

U.S. News and World Report recently rated school psychology as one of the 25 best careers for 2007, highlighting a variety of factors converging to create a strong job market outlook for school psychologists. It emphasizes the generally positive working conditions experienced by those working in our field. One of the many perks to the profession of school psychology is the potential for flexibility in one’s work, such as through parttime positions. While numerous occupations do not lend themselves to part-time work, many school districts offer appealing parttime positions to school psychologists. This is not only a good option for …

Sexting: You Found The Sext, What To Do Next? How School Psychologists Can Assist With Policy, Prevention, And Intervention, Morgan J. Aldridge, Kelli Jo Arndt, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

Early Monday morning, it is brought to the school psychologist’s attention that Katie, a 15-year-old student, engaged in “sexting” over the weekend; she sent a naked picture of herself to her boyfriend. The boyfriend immediately forwarded the picture to a group of his friends. At school on Monday, many students were talking about the picture, and Katie was humiliated. The school is unaware of how many students this sext message has reached. What can the school psychologist do to intervene with the female student, her boyfriend, and his friends? What, if anything, can be done to prevent this message from …

Parent Perceptions Of School-Based Support For Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Susan Davies, Shari Wade, Michelle Wu

Susan C. Davies

Primary objective: To determine whether parents believe schools provided necessary support to their children who sustained traumatic brain injuries. Research design: Interview, to determine parent perceptions Methods and procedure: Sixty-six primary caregivers of school-age children who experienced a TBI within the previous 2 years were interviewed regarding what types of special support were needed by and provided for their children during the 3 months immediately following school reentry. They then rated how difficult it was to obtain support or services from the school and how satisfied they were with the support or services. Main outcomes and results: The majority of …

Review Of 'Handbook Of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, And Educational Applications', Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

The third edition of Suzuki and Ponterotto’s Handbook of Multicultural Assessment: Clinical, Psychological, and Educational Applications provides comprehensive reviews on a variety of topics related to culturally appropriate assessment. The text includes updated chapters from previous editions, along with several newly conceptualized chapters that reflect the most current research in the field. Some chapters from previous editions were consolidated, resulting in a streamlined volume which will be useful to professionals and trainees in psychology, education, and social service disciplines.

Graduate Preparation Of School Psychologists In Serving English Language Learners, Morgan J. Aldridge, Elana R. Bernstein, Susan C. Davies

Susan C. Davies

The purpose of this study was to examine the training practices of NASP accredited graduate programs in school psychology with regard to best practices in working with English Language Learners (ELLs). Training directors of school psychology programs were surveyed regarding the amount of time and the extent of instruction they provided their school psychology graduate students on the topic of ELLs. School psychology interns were also surveyed regarding both their current knowledge about serving ELLs and their perceived preparedness to serve ELLs. Results indicated that school psychology programs are not adequately preparing graduate students to serve the growing population of …