Psychology Commons^™

Trauma Sensitive Schools And The Psychoeducational Evaluation, Barbara Jordan

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Exposure to adverse childhood experiences, commonly referred to as ACEs, negatively impacts various physical and psychological aspects of the body and can result in a number of detrimental life outcomes including disease, mental health disorders, and even early death. The negative effects of ACE exposure begin long before adulthood, often resulting in academic and behavioral difficulties for school-aged children. Since school psychologists strive to advocate for the needs of all students, ensure correct special education categorization, and promote trauma-sensitive practices in schools, it is beneficial for them to have knowledge of ACEs and trauma that impact the students they serve. …

Parental Availability As A Predictor Of Academic Success Among Students Of A Private Residential School, Lesley Kubisiak Logan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

A private residential school in the northeast United States provides a cost-free coeducation to qualifying pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students. One of the most important application factors is need, which is measured by a scale for parental availability. For a parent to be considered unavailable, any or all of the following areas could be present: limited physical capacity to effectively parent the child, limited mental capacity to effectively parent the child, active abuse of drugs or alcohol or ongoing substance abuse history, inadequate supervision, chronic neglect, incarceration, death, no contact or sporadic contact (e.g., not on a regular basis or …

Effects Of Teacher Training In Trial-Based Functional Analysis Via Video Modeling, Mary Haspel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) is an efficient strategy for assessing challenging behavior in the classroom and a necessary step in developing effective functional assessment- based interventions (FABI). However, researchers have identified several barriers limiting the applicability of this practice in schools, including difficulty in (a) training teachers to mastery; (b) assessing whether teachers can implement this practice independently, with fidelity, in natural settings; and (c) determining whether teachers can use functional analysis (FA) to identify functions of problem behavior and develop effective interventions. This study will address these gaps in the literature by using a novel approach for training teachers …

A Survey Of Teacher Receptiveness Regarding Inclusive Education Within A New Jersey Urban School District, Tammy Hobbs-Ginsberg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The inclusion model is being implemented on a national scale in response to the United States Department of Education’s mandate that all pupils with special needs be integrated into the general education classroom. For the inclusion model to yield adequate yearly progress for all pupils, it must be appropriately applied. Research has indicated that an important factor in adequate implementation is an understanding of teachers’ initial attitudes concerning inclusion. The propose of this study is to survey the receptiveness of kindergarten through high school special and general education teachers in an urban New Jersey school district concerning inclusion. More specifically, …

Predictability Of Curriculum-Based Reading Measures For Statewide Test Performance, Rebecca Sarah Mark

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

National legislation has led to an increasing need for school districts to demonstrate student reading progress using performance on statewide achievement tests as indicators of growth. This study added to previous research on the effectiveness of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in predicting success on statewide reading achievement tests and determining whether a student is at-risk for poor performance on statewide tests. The current study analyzed the relationship between a CBM tool for assessing reading progress, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), and a statewide reading assessment, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). This study compared the predictive …

How African American Men From Challenging Backgrounds Beat The Odds And Graduated From College, Valisha Terry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

While Bettis and Sternod (2009) asserted the notion of boys being in crisis as not a new phenomenon but a historically cyclical one, present research contends that African American men are one of the most at-risk groups in the United States. School and criminal-justice systems show similar results. African American men continue to lag in terms of graduation rates and college enrollment, while being overrepresented in victim violence and the criminal justice system. They also lead the nation in homicides as both victims and perpetrators. Despite these obstacles, many at-risk African American men graduate from college and excel in life. …

Bullying Of Linguistically Diverse Learners: Results From The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Jenna Woodarek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bullying is a serious phenomenon yielding significant consequences for youth who are victimized, often targeted due to their perceived level of difference from their peers. This “otherness” can often be amplified in minoritized populations, especially those which have multiple, cooccurring vulnerabilities to be targets of bullying. After a period of bullying rates decreasing in the US, special interest group inquiries found bullying rates to be on the rise again and reportedly motivated by ethnicity or race, immigrant status, and proficiency in the English language. The present research study aims to expand upon the existing pertinent literature base specific to the …

The Efficacy Of School Implemented Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To Reduce Adolescent Anxiety, Madeline N. Michelsen

Selected Honors Theses

Adolescent anxiety is a growing problem which affects millions of children every year. There are a myriad of factors which produce adolescent anxiety such as excessive stress, adverse childhood experiences, and chemical imbalances amongst many other factors. An emerging therapy to treat mental health disorders, such as anxiety, is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) which teaches participants how to correct maladaptive thought patterns to develop resilience. Cognitive behavior therapy has produced positive results for reducing symptoms of anxiety and other mental health disorders in both adolescents and adults. Due to its unparalleled student access, schools have the unique opportunity to develop …

Effects Of A Mindfulness-Based Program On Children’S Social Skills, Problem Behavior, And Emotion Regulation, Jessica Bartley Willenbrink

Theses and Dissertations

This quasi-experimental wait-list control study examined the effects of a mindfulness-based program on students in two open-enrollment public charter schools located in a mid-sized urban city. Participants (n=176) were 3rd through 6th grade students. Students were identified as 54% Hispanic/Latino, 39% African American, and 7% other (e.g., White, Asian, American Indian). Three classrooms at each school served as the treatment group, and three classrooms at each school served as the control group, for a total of 12 participating classrooms. Students and teachers reported on students’ social skills, problem behavior, emotion regulation, and mindfulness before and after the program. The mindfulness …

Violence And Aggression In School Settings, Barbara Katic

Journal of Critical Issues in Educational Practice

Violence and aggression continue to cause harm to American schools and communities, which has been visibly illustrated by the continual perpetration of school shootings. In order to prevent these situations for occurring again, the etiology of violent and aggressive behaviors must be studied. Utilizing an ecological perspective, both the risk factors and protective factors of violence and aggression, also known as a dual strategy approach, are examined within an educational context. Specific risk factors reviewed include weapons exposure and social rejection, while protective factors reviewed include school connectedness and pro-social relationships. Implications regarding the prevention of violent and aggressive acts …

Longitudinal Effects Of Peer, School, And Parenting Contexts On Substance Use Initiation In Middle School Adolescence, Barry Allen Ladis

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Substance use initiation (SUI) among adolescents is a critical public health concern. Research indicates SUI in middle adolescence increases the risk of substance use in adulthood and later dependence, which can result in deleterious consequences for youth, family relationships, and community (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, [SAMSHA], 2014). This study investigated the role of involvement with deviant peers, school connectedness, and parenting quality on SUI (e.g., alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) in middle adolescence using secondary data from a 5-year longitudinal study (N = 387). First, exploratory factor analyses and confirmatory factor analyses with a separate independent sample …

A Review Of Survey Data Collected On The Use Of Applied Behavior Analytic (Aba) Based Instructional Strategies By Educators In Pennsylvania Schools, Eric J. Bieniek, Mike Monfore, Matthew Erickson, Ashlea Rineer-Hershey, Richael Barger-Anderson

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

This survey was initiated to explore the perceptions and daily practices of Applied behavior Analytic ABA) by educators supporting exceptional learners in public and private school settings in Pennsylvania. This survey explores the degree to which educators are trained, feel confident in and actually carry out a range evidenced based practices following an ABA approach. Results are also presented in regards to barriers that educators feel limit the delivery of ABA based approaches and undermine the fidelity of interventions once introduced in their professional settings.

Regrouping: Organized Activity Involvement And Social Adjustment Across The Transition To High School, Amy M. Bohnert, Julie Wargo Aikins, Nicole T. Arola

Amy Bohnert

Although organized activities (OAs) have been established as important contexts of development, limited work has examined the role of OAs across the high school transition in buffering adolescents' social adjustment by providing opportunities for visibility and peer affiliation. The transition to high school is characterized by numerous changes and OAs may provide an important setting for establishing and maintaining peer relationships during this tumultuous time. This study included 151 8th grade U.S. students (58% male) who were assessed across the transition to high school (spring of 8th and 9th grade). Continuous involvement in academic activities across the transition and becoming …

Trauma Training In Educational Settings: Developing A Universal Approach Training Manual, Kerri A. Flatau

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Children who have experienced trauma(s) may display a wide variety of symptoms, including withdrawal, behavioral challenges, difficulty with focus, learning disabilities, and social/emotional delays (Cole et al., 2005). Each of these challenges can present a barrier to learning. Therefore, in order to provide the highest quality support in the school setting, teachers and other school staff need to be educated and trained on the topic of trauma. Further, they need strategies and tools regarding how to best work with all of their students, including those who have, or may have, experienced trauma. The current study examined the available research, as …

School Personnel’S Knowledge And Perception Of School Refusal Behavior, Joshua M. Foy

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the knowledge of school personnel regarding risk and protective factors, the four-function model, assessment, and treatment of school refusal behavior. This study also explored the perceptions of school personnel regarding the understanding of school refusal behavior as an emotional condition versus its being delinquent behavior and the climate of understanding at their work setting. Two hundred, ninety-six mental health and non-mental professionals who currently work in school settings across the United States participated in this study by completing an online survey pertaining to this topic. Results indicate that mental health professionals demonstrated a higher level of knowledge …

School Staff Perceptions Of A Trauma Informed Program On Improving Knowledge, Competence, And School Climate, Elizabeth Mikolajczyk

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study sought to examine school staff perceptions of knowledge, competence, school climate and program effectiveness during and after participation in a trauma informed care professional development. The majority of the sample consisted of special areas (art, music, library) teachers and paraprofessionals from all district schools, which consisted of three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school in in a school district located in Southeast Pennsylvania approximately 20 miles from a major metropolitan city. Most of the participants were female. Participants completed a pretest survey and an identical survey following each phase. Questions on the survey pertained to …

Examining Procedural Fidelity In School-Based Problem-Solving Teams Within Elementary Schools, Catalina Ottinger-Ovens

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The current study examined the procedural fidelity within problem solving teams in three elementary schools, utilizing a 19-item modified checklist (Burns et al., 2008) completed by team members and a trained observer concurrently at eight meetings at each of the schools. The purpose of the study was to determine if there was a relationship between the team members’ ratings and the observer’s ratings, and also to determine the level of procedural fidelity across the three schools. The items on the checklist were divided into three subscales for analysis, based on the problem solving model: problem identification, problem analysis, and problem …

Assessing Clinical Improvement In School-Based Treatment For Social Anxiety Disorder: Agreement Between Adolescents, Parents, And Independent Evaluators, Jeremy K Fox, Carrie Masia

Department of Psychology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Clinical Global Impressions of Improvement (CGI-I) scale is widely used in clinical trials to monitor clinically meaningful change during treatment. Although it is standard practice in research to have independent evaluators (IEs) complete the CGI-I, this approach is not practical in school and community settings. Few studies have explored the potential utility of other informants, such as youth and parents. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate agreement between IEs and both adolescents and parents in CGI-I improvement ratings in the context of a randomized controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder, as delivered by psychologists and school …

Spaced And Expanded Practice: An Investigation Of Methods To Enhance Retention, Katherine Kalenberg

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

In order to promote quality instruction and maximized student learning, it is essential for schools to integrate the most practical, effective, and efficient teaching methods into the curriculum. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of various spacing patterns between practice sessions on retention of information. This study investigated the effects of practice at consistent intervals (spaced practice), practice at increasing intervals (expanded practice), and no practice. Participants were taught a set of eight unknown math words and definitions using incremental rehearsal (IR). After the teaching session, students in expanded and spaced practice conditions participated in three …

Depressive Symptoms In Mexican-Origin Adolescents: Interrelations Between School And Family Contexts, Prerna G. Arora, Lorey Wheeler

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

This study, as guided by cultural-ecological frameworks, examined multiple contextual stressors, including subjective economic hardship, acculturation, discrimination, and negative perceptions of school safety, as simultaneously linked to adolescents’ depressive symptoms, as well as the role of gender, familism values, family cohesion, and school connectedness on these associations. Data come from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (Portes and Rumbaut 2012) that included second-generation 8th- and 9th-grade children of foreign-born parents from the Mexican-origin subsample (n = 755; 52% male; time 1 M age = 14.20 years). Adolescents were either born in (60%) or immigrated prior to age 5 to …

Examining The Protective Effect Of Ethnic Identity On Drug Attitudes And Use Among A Diverse Youth Population, Tamika C. B. Zapolski, Sycarah Fisher, Devin E. Banks, Devon J. Hensel, Jessica Barnes-Najor

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Ethnic identity is an important buffer against drug use among minority youth. However, limited work has examined pathways through which ethnic identity mitigates risk. School-aged youth (N = 34,708; 52 % female) of diverse backgrounds (i.e., African American (n = 5333), Asian (n = 392), Hispanic (n = 662), Multiracial (n = 2129), Native American (n = 474), and White (n = 25718) in grades 4–12 provided data on ethnic identity, drug attitudes, and drug use. After controlling for gender and grade, higher ethnic identity was associated with lower past month drug use …

The Effect Of Therapy Dogs On Children In A Learning Environment, Kimberly Ann Sheckler

Theses and Dissertations

Having a dog in school can seem exciting for many students, but can these furry companions actually help students attain higher levels of academic success? The benefits of therapy dogs in an educational setting can be seen in many research studies. Dogs in the classroom can be used to calm fears, relieve anxiety, and teach skills to students (Lessons Learned from Dogs in the Classroom, 1996). Even though there is much evidence of the positive benefits of therapy dogs in a school, many schools still choose not to have therapy dog programs. This thesis looks at the benefits of therapy …

Case Study Examining The Treatment Effect Of Trainee Psychologists In Schools, Elliot Broch

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

CASE STUDY EXAMINING THE TREATMENT EFFECT OF TRAINEE PSYCHOLOGISTS IN SCHOOLS

The effects of school- based therapy carried out by trainee psychologists were examined in four urban schools (k4-8th grade) in socio economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Additionally, the treatment effects were compared between students serviced by trainees compared to those receiving treatment from licensed professionals. Trainee psychologists obtained moderate effect sizes (equivalent to that procured by licensed professionals) on measures of social emotional functioning. Discipline problems did not increase or decrease at a different rate for those receiving counselling from trainees and licensed professionals compared to their same age counterparts. …

An Analysis Of The Self-Disclosure Practices Of School-Based Mental Health Practitioners, Kristen Rudiger

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The study presented in this document examined school-based mental health practitioners’ views regarding the use of self-disclosure (the sharing of personal information or thoughts with their clients) in their current practice. This study also collected school-based mental health practitioners’ opinions concerning their graduate-level training and other preparation related to the use of self-disclosure. Research questions investigated whether school-based mental health practitioners engaged in self-disclosure, whether participants viewed self-disclosure to be ethical, and if participants had utilized self-disclosure, did they believe their graduate-level training adequately prepared them to do so. Sixty-five school-based mental health practitioners, self-identifying as school psychologists, school counselors, …

Full-Day Kindergarten Program: Fostering Academic And Behavioral Gains For At Risk Students, Sarah Stefanakis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The following study investigated the effectiveness of a full-day kindergarten program as an intervention to foster academic and behavioral gains in students presenting with poor school readiness skills when entering kindergarten. Sixteen public school kindergarten students selected for a pilot full-day kindergarten program participated in the study. The sample included students from low-socioeconomic status families with poor academic skills, students from higher socioeconomic status families with poor academic skills, and students receiving special education services. Dependent-samples t-tests revealed significant growth between the beginning and the end of the school year in phonological processing, print recognition, and early writing skills. Measures …

School Social Work: Supporting Children’S Primary Education In The South West Of Western Australia, Karen Mcdavitt

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In many countries, social workers play a role in the education of children. In Australia, this is evident in the state of Victoria which has a long history of school social work. However, it is not the case in Western Australia where there are very few government-funded social work roles in public schools. With the barriers to education rising for increasing numbers of students, the social work profession could be one component in a multi-disciplinary whole that supports students and the broader community so that each child has the best chance of reaching their full potential.

This thesis poses the …

Advances In Research With Lgbtq Youth In Schools, Nicholas C. Heck, Paul V. Poteat, Carol S. Goodenow

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Over the past decade, there has been an increase in scholarship devoted to the topic of sexual and gender minority youth in schools (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; LGBTQ). In this special section, we highlight this group of LGBTQ youth, a group that needs as many allies as possible, a group that lacks the social standing, the financial capital necessary, and the rights afforded to adults to directly influence the political climate in ways that affect their lives. Collectively, these seven data-driven articles are reflective of the innovation that is occurring in our field as we continue …

Placing Evidence-Based Interventions At The Fingertips Of School Social Workers, Jose Castillo, Tommi Rivers, Catherine Randall, Ken Gaughan, Tiina Ojanen, Oliver Tom Massey, Donna L. Burton

Psychology Faculty Publications

Through a university-community collaborative partnership, the perceived needs of evidence-based practices (EBPs) among school social workers (SSWs) in a large school district in central Florida was assessed. A survey (response rate = 83.6%) found that although 70% of SSWs claim to use EBPs in their everyday practice, 40% do not know where to find them, which may partially explain why 78% of respondents claim to spend 1 to 4 h every week looking for adequate EBPs. From this needs assessment, the translational model was used to address these perceived needs. A systematic review of the literature found 40 tier 2 …

You Live, You Lose: Supporting Youths On Their Journeys In The Land Of The Loss, Gary W. Mauk, M. Bruce Garris

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

As youths journey through life, they experience various personally significant losses and associated grief that can negatively impact their physical/mental health, developmental trajectory, and academic success. Framed in a broad-based perspective of loss, this presentation will acquaint participants with various loss-related constructs and events, potential associated physical, intellectual, emotional, and social effects of loss experiences, and supportive interventions and resources.

Effect Of A Brain Based Learning Program On Students' Use And Recognition Of Self-Advocacy Skills, Megan Maynard

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Students' abilities to employ self-advocacy skills have a wide research base; however, the research behind the use of students' self-advocacy skills used in conjunction with brain-based learning theory has not been widely explored. This is also true when one considers the population of children who have been studied; it is particularly true about those who have been diagnosed with language-based learning disabilities. This study, conducted using archival data at an independent school in the Philadelphia suburbs, used a variety of statistical methods to determine whether or not a brain-based learning self-advocacy program would increase students identified with a language based …