Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Systematic Review Of The Literature On The Assessments Used For Social Communication In The Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rachel E. Kim

Masters Theses

This review of the literature aims to analyze the current assessments available for clinicians, parents, and other professionals to use during the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that specifically addresses social communication. Although ASD can be diagnosed as early as the age of 2, children are often not diagnosed until the age of 4-5 years old. Especially for children who would be diagnosed with ASD and require Level 2 and/or Level 3 supports, early diagnosis can lead to early intervention which can help to provide the necessary support for both the child and family. Early intervention can help to …

Exploration Of Factors That Influence The Use Of Psychological Testing In The Treatment And Evaluation Of Children: Development Of A Clinical Decision-Making Model, Joy Bui

Dissertations

Mental health disorders are on the rise among children. Within the field of clinical psychology, psychological testing is considered a professional competency and a formative diagnostic tool. Simultaneously, testing can help clarify differential diagnosis, guide treatment for both medical and mental health conditions, and provide accurate monitoring of treatment over time. Although there is substantial evidence supporting the use of testing in practice, there is limited scientific data linking these same benefits to the assessment process. One explanation for this is that studying psychological assessments is a challenging task, given the complexities of the process. Subsequently, many have described conducting …

Assessing Workload In The Classroom Using Interactive Presentation Software, Connor Mackenzie

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Perceived workload assessments in children have been administered individually in laboratory settings. This study assessed workload in a classroom using the interactive presentation tool Mentimeter to administer the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). Children assessed workload following two cognitive tasks. In addition, the children completed a self-report of executive function. Findings revealed that children’s perceived workload matched the objective demands of the task indicating that workload assessments may be a useful tool in the classroom. Although executive function predicted objective performance, it did not predict perceived workload.

The Casc Framework: An Assessment Model For Students With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Laurel A. Snider

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists pay a critical role in providing assessment and intervention services within the realm of special education. Within this role, they are highly likely to interact with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Students with IDD are characterized by significantly lower than average cognitive and daily living skills that may be comorbid with difficulties with communication, social skills, or other domains. With these differences in mind, dominant assessment practices have been criticized as lacking social and empirical validity when applied to this population. Although students with IDD frequently undergo evaluations, they continue to face significantly poorer post-school outcomes …

Variations In Parent And Teacher Ratings Of Internalizing, Externalizing, Adaptive Skills, And Behavioral Symptoms In Children With Selective Mutism, Evelyn R. Klein, Cesar E. Ruiz, Kylee Morales, Paige Stanley

Psychology Faculty Work

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that impacts communication. Children with SM present concerns to parents and teachers as they consistently do not speak in situations where there is an expectation to speak, such as at school, but speak in other settings where they feel more comfortable, such as at home. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of children with SM on behavioral rating scales and language measures. Forty-two children (22 boys and 20 girls, ranging from 2.4 to 13.8 years, with a mean age of 7.1 years) took part …

Variations In Parent And Teacher Ratings Of Internalizing, Externalizing, Adaptive Skills, And Behavioral Symptoms In Children With Selective Mutism, Evelyn R. Klein, Cesar E. Ruiz, Kylee Morales, Paige Stanley

Communication and Speech Disorders Faculty work

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that impacts communication. Children with SM present concerns to parents and teachers as they consistently do not speak in situations where there is an expectation to speak, such as at school, but speak in other settings where they feel more comfortable, such as at home. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between parents’ and teachers’ perceptions of children with SM on behavioral rating scales and language measures. Forty-two children (22 boys and 20 girls, ranging from 2.4 to 13.8 years, with a mean age of 7.1 years) took part …

Childhood And Trauma: The Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On The Brain, Behavior, And Learning In The Elementary School Classroom, Aeryn Aguilar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

A variety of studies have been conducted on how trauma, caused by emotional, physical, or verbal abuse, impact children’s lives. Many of the studies which involved observations and assessments were done with the preexisting knowledge that these children had been through a traumatic experience. Instead of looking at behavior of known cases, this study’s goal is to find out whether or not children’s observable behaviors can predict cases of trauma. For example, is acting out or defiance a key sign of trauma or is it part of the typical development for the elementary school-age group? This thesis takes into account …

Executive Functions As Moderators Of Response To Behavioral Interventions For Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Stephen J. Molitor

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) experience significant academic impairment and multiple interventions have been developed to address common academic problems, such as difficulties with homework, organization, and planning skills. Given cost and resource constraints, research is needed on factors that mental health providers can use to select the most appropriate interventions. To date, there has been minimal research evaluating moderators of response to ADHD interventions. Further, many of the variables that have been studied do not have strong theoretical ties to the mechanisms of change invoked by the interventions. This study examined potential moderators of treatment response to two academic …

The Provision Of Psychological Assessment Feedback To Children: A Survey Of Practitioners, Caitlin P. Dolan

Antioch University Full-Text Dissertations & Theses

Psychological assessment, long a cornerstone of psychological practice, has been the subject of substantial empirical research and clinical devotion. Far less attention, however, has been given to the process of assessment feedback—the task of communicating psychological test results to clients. Research has demonstrated the therapeutic value of providing clients with feedback, including improved insight and functioning. Providing assessment feedback is also mandated by professional standards. Still, to date, there is minimal published research examining the actual feedback practices of psychologists, or their perspectives on such practices. That which does exist focuses on adult testing clients, not children. It is largely …

Training Parents In Descriptive Assessment And Function Identification, Makenzie Sip

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

It is often difficult for parents to address their child’s problem behavior. Children with special needs can display more frequent and intense problem behavior. Therefore, professionals need to help parents of children with special needs identify how to decrease their child’s problem behavior. Professionals help to decrease problem behavior by performing assessments called descriptive assessments to identify why the problem behavior is happening, and then using these assessments to create an appropriate plan of how to prevent and respond to the problem behavior. We examined if parents could be taught the skills necessary to perform descriptive assessments and then use …

Development Of The Early Childhood Traumatic Stress Screen, Sara Elisabeth Harris

Dissertations (1934 -)

The study aimed to develop a brief screening instrument to assess symptoms associated with potentially traumatic experiences (PTE) in very young children (under 6). Potential items for the Early Childhood Traumatic Stress Screen (ECTSS) were sampled from each of the major content areas implicated in trauma. The items underwent a principle component analysis, which produced a 34-item screening measure with four reliable factors and one sub-scale assessing response style. All subscales and the overall trauma composite score significantly correlated with pre-established measures of traumatic stress in very young children, and a receiver operating characteristics curve analysis identified a cut-score with …

Implementing Universal Social And Emotional Learning Programs: The Development, Validation, And Inferential Findings From The Schoolwide Sel Capacity Assessment, Cheyne A. Levesseur

Doctoral Dissertations

In order to effectively transport universal social and emotional learning (SEL) programs into natural settings, it is important to understand implementation barriers that may hinder the likelihood of successful outcomes (Fixsen, Naoom, Blasé, Friedman, & Wallace, 2005). The current study is primarily based on the notion that within the planning phase of implementation, few technically adequate assessment measures targeting both organizational capacity (OC) and provider characteristics (PC) for SEL programming actually exist. The purpose is to extend the SEL implementation assessment literature by developing a new rating scale designed to measure SEL implementation barriers (School SEL Capacity Assessment [SSCA]) and …

Differences In The Prevalence, Severity And Symptom Profiles Of Depression In Boys And Adolescents With An Autism Spectrum Disorder Versus Normally Developing Controls, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley

Vicki Bitsika

The prevalence, severity and symptom profiles for major depressive disorder (MDD) were compared in samples of boys and adolescents with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Self-reports were obtained on the Depression subscale of the Child and Adolescent Symptoms Inventory (CASI-D) with 70 ASD and 50 non-ASD male participants between the ages of 8 and 18 from Queensland, Australia who were matched for age and IQ. Results indicated that the ASD participants had significantly higher total CASI-D scores, a greater proportion of participants who qualified for a diagnosis of MDD, and over 50% higher scores for 8 of the …

Agreement Between Self- Vs Parent-Ratings Of General Anxiety Disorder Symptoms And Salivary Cortisol In Boys With An Asd, Vicki Bitsika, Christopher Sharpley, Nicholas Andronicos, Linda Agnew

Vicki Bitsika

To determine the relative validity of parent-assessed and self-assessed symptoms of Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 140 boys with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were assessed for GAD by their parents and by themselves, and gave a sample of cortisol during the afternoon of these assessments. There were significant differences between self-assessments and parents’ assessments for the total GAD score and on four of the eight individual GAD symptoms. Using cortisol concentrations as a validation index, the two key GAD items were most validly assessed via boys’ self-ratings. Key GAD symptoms in boys …

Florida Association Of School Psychologists 38th Annual Conference, Lee A. Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Schools: Evidence-Based Screening and Assessment

Epidemiological studies indicate a progressively rising prevalence trend for ASD over the past decade. Yet, compared to population estimates, identification rates have not kept pace in our schools. Many children with ASD are overlooked, misdiagnosed with another psychiatric condition, or present with coexisting psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. School psychologists must be prepared to recognize the presence of risk factors and/or early warning signs of ASD, engage in case finding, and be familiar with screening and assessment tools in order to ensure that students are being identified and …

How Many Doctors Does It Take To Diagnose An Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Lee A. Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

A Multi-Step Screening Strategy For Identifying Children With Autism Spectrum Conditions In The School Setting, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

School-Age Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Screening And Identification, Lee A. Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Epidemiological studies indicate a worldwide increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) over the past decade. ASDs are no longer considered rare conditions. Although the reason(s) for this rise are uncertain, research indicates that specialised intervention at an early age is vital for optimising the outcomes of children with ASD. However, not all children with milder forms of autism will be identified prior to school entrance. Hence, it is essential for educators and school-based support professionals to ensure that children who have risk factors and/or warning signs of ASD are identified and provided with special educational services as …

Facilitating The Identification Of Autism Spectrum Disorders In School- Age Children, Lee A. Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Recent special education trends suggest that students with autism spectrum disorders are underrepresented in our schools’ special education programs. The increased awareness and prevalence of autism, together with the clear benefits of early intervention and special education, have created an urgent need for school-based professionals to identify children who may have an autism spectrum disorder. Screening is an important first step for securing the appropriate educational services. The aim of this article is to provide school professionals with a review of five screening instruments that hold promise for identifying school-age children in need of a more in-depth diagnostic assessment.

Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Laura E. Knouse, Steven A. Safren

Psychology Faculty Publications

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults is a valid and impairing disorder for which psychopharmacological and psychosocial treatments are recommended. Self-report ratings scales for adult ADHD can serve several functions in clinical work with this population including screening, providing information, in a comprehensive assessment, and tracking treatment-related change. The use of two symptom-based ratings scales for screening and tracking treatment progress- the Current Symptoms Scale (CSS) [5] and the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) [6] - is outlined for the practicing clinician. Key issues in the assessment of adult ADHD are briefly discussed, highlighting the role of rating scales within …

A Best Practice Guide To Assessment And Intervention For Autism And Asperger Syndrome In Schools, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

Filling a critical void in the autism literature, this authoritative yet accessible book provides expert guidance to psychologists, advocates, consultants, support professionals, and parents. Grounded in the latest research, special features include an index to 50 evidence-based best practice recommendations and real world case examples to illustrate best practice in the field. This book is certain to become a widely used resource in the field of special education.

Diane Adreon, Associate Director of the University of Miami-Nova Southeastern University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD) comments that “Dr. Lee Wilkinson has produced a well-written, user-friendly, comprehensive guide to the …

Suffering In Silence: Girls With Asperger Syndrome, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

No abstract provided.

Assessing Treatment Integrity In Behavioral Consultation, Lee Wilkinson

Lee A Wilkinson, PhD

The trend in school psychology services is a shift from an emphasis on an assessment-based paradigm to one of consultation problem-solving and behavioral intervention. A critical component of consultation-derived interventions and behavior change is treatment integrity. Treatment integrity (or fidelity) refers to the extent to which an intervention is implemented as intended (or planned). Although its importance has been acknowledged in the literature, this construct has largely been neglected in consultation research and practice. This article describes practical approaches for assessing and monitoring the integrity of treatments implemented during the problem-solving process. A treatment-monitoring interview (TMI) is proposed as an …

A Continuum Approach To Identification And Mentoring Of The Severely Discouraged For Successful Life Career Management, Marion Allen Smallwood

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to assess sensitivity levels of four career classification groups on attitudinal and specific action variables to the severe discouragement of youthful individuals. Youthful discouragement may be considered the leading cause of death among the young, ages 14 through 24 years of age. Subintentioned and deliberate acts of self-harm resulting from discouragement include death from reckless accidents, substance abuse, eating disorders, suicide, and victim-precipitated homicides.

Adults and peers in proximity of discouraged youth need to be trained appropriately in youthful selfharm prevention. An opinionnaire with three sections was used to assess participants’ sensitivity on attitudinal, …