School Psychology Commons^™

The Relationship Between Counselors' Multicultural Counseling Competence And Poverty Beliefs, Madeline Elizabeth Clark

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The relationship between increased levels of poverty and decreased levels of psychological wellbeing and overall wellness is well documented. Although poverty clearly impacts mental health and wellness, little research in counseling has been conducted exploring the poverty attitudes of counselors. This study explored the relationship between professional counselors’ multicultural counseling competence (MCC), poverty beliefs, and select demographic factors (i.e. counseling specialty, gender, age, ethnocultural identity, poverty counseling experience, and personal poverty experience). Data were collected using survey-based methods from professional counselors of all specialties. Results of a hierarchical linear regression indicate that increased MCC, adjusted for select demographic factors, is …

Adolescent Attitudes Toward And Perceptions Of Suicide, Stigma, And Help-Seeking Behavior, Julia M. Hollinger

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Suicide is a leading cause of death for adolescents and represents a major national health concern (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, [AFSP], 2015; (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2013). Because adolescents spend the majority of their day at school (Erbacher, Singer, & Poland, 2015), the effectiveness of school-based suicide prevention programs may be improved through better understanding of adolescents’ views on the subject of suicide and the factors that may influence participation in prevention efforts. The present study explored the attitudes and perceptions of seventh grade students from a suburban middle school in Pennsylvania, using archival survey data. Variables that …

The Secret Ingredient For Improving Infant/Child Mental Health: Teaching Parents To Play, Geraldine Healy Marini

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Disorders in mental health are the highest of all disorders and results in the most common form of disability. Since 2011, mental health disorders have increased at alarming rates. It is estimated that 9.5 to 14.2% of children between the ages of 0 to 5 years have and emotional or behavioral problem. The mental health of parents or caregivers can affect and impact the development of young children (Nelson & Mann, 2011, Zero to Three, 2004).

The over arching goal of this research is to explore issues of mental health within parent-child interactions. Coaching parents during the co-occupation of play …

Executive Function Predictors Of Children's Talk, Jacqlyne D. Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Relatively few studies have investigated the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and language development, and even fewer have researched hot and cool EF as a predictor language development. This study is an investigation into the relationship between EF and language development in preschool aged children. More specifically, the ability for hot or cool EF to predict language, this will be the focus of the study. It was found that hot EF was a better predictor of language development in preschool aged children.

Pearl Harvesting Autism, Mariya Gruntovskaya

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis addresses the difficulties of on-line information searching as it relates to the topic of autism. A review of existing search strategies is presented and their limitations are discussed. A new method for deriving a set of search-terms for comprehensive searching, Pearl Harvesting, was tested here to determine the necessary search terms (i.e., synonym ring) for ERIC and PsycINFO databases. Once discovered and validated, a synonym ring can be copied and pasted directly into the search box of the database, providing a simple, thorough and time saving way of conducting on-line research in the field. This easily used method …

Developing Executive Functions Through Mindfulness Training In School-Aged Children, Ashley Black Adams

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Well-developed executive functions are necessary for successful classroom functioning. Students with executive function deficits can fall behind academically as well as socially and emotionally, relative to their same-aged peers. Effective interventions for developing executive functions within the school environment are essential for addressing this issue. This study examines changes in students’ executive functions as a result of their participation in a mindfulness training intervention. Participants included four ten-year old elementary school boys who took part in a ten-week mindfulness training intervention. The data were generated through pre and post assessments with an executive function teacher rating scale and a Goal-Attainment …

The Effectiveness Of A Computer-Assisted, Cognitive-Behavior Program For Treating Anxiety Symptoms In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer A. Zabel

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex and multifaceted, neurodevelopmental disorder that severely impacts children and families across a variety of settings. Prevalence rates of ASD are continuing to increase rapidly, with sizeable intervention and treatment costs placed on families and society. Further complicating the matter, many individuals with ASD also evidence co-occurring anxiety symptoms or disorders and tend to be at a higher risk for developing such problems when compared to other clinical populations or typically developing children. This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted CBT program, Camp Cope-A-Lot (CCAL), in regards to reducing anxiety symptoms in four …

Impact Of Group Cognitive Behavior Therapy On Adolescents With Deficits In Inhibition, Jessica L. Morley

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Existing literature connects impulse control dysfunction to high-risk behaviors and negative life outcomes. Evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents who are at-risk or who are displaying significant levels of impulsive behavior are necessary in order to promote self-control, and in turn, positive life outcomes. This study investigated the impact of an eight-week, school-based GCBT intervention on cognitive inhibition and behavioral impulsivity in adolescent participants. The intention of the study was to evaluate the trend in inhibition and impulsivity from baseline to post-intervention assessments across five middle school students dually enrolled in a residential treatment facility and a center-based emotional support …

The Retrospective Diagnosis Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder In Adolescents: Family Physicians' Challenges, Adam M. Pechmann

Masters Theses

The primary purpose of the study was to identify current retrospective practices used by family physicians in the diagnosis of Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adolescents and young adults. In other words, do physicians adhere to best practices and examine information from childhood in order to diagnose ADHD in adolescents and young adults? In addition, this study aimed to examine the information physicians request for ADHD diagnosis, types of treatments they recommend, the type of information they use to assess treatment outcomes, and professional attitudes regarding the nature of ADHD. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to answer the research questions. Participants …

Visual Efficiency And The Relationship Between Reading And Behaviors Indicating Difficulties In The Classroom In Elementary School-Age Children, Patricia A. Broadbent

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between visual efficiency, reading levels and behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom. The sample consisted of thirty–three school-aged children, from four elementary schools. Visual efficiency was measured through a multi-step vision screening process, the Visual Efficiency Rating (VERA) software program. Behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom were measured using the Behavioral Indicator Checklist, Indicators of Visual Performance Difficulties. This behavior checklist is part of the VERA process and is completed by the classroom teachers. The students’ reading levels were reported by the participating schools. The students were …

Anxiety Disorders And School-Based Treatments: Assessing School Pyschologists' Knowledge And Perceptions, Kelly A. Myhasuk

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Anxiety disorders are common in children and youth. Despite high prevalence rates, most children with anxiety disorders do not receive treatment. In fact, for the few children who are receiving treatment, schools are the primary source of mental health care. When left untreated, children experience significant disruptions in their academic, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Therefore, it is important for those working in schools to recognize and treat children with anxiety disorders. The present study surveyed school psychologists (n = 178) to assess their knowledge about anxiety disorders and about empirically supported school-based treatments. Also, this study sought to investigate …

Experiences Of Resident Assistants With Potentially Suicidal Students: Identification, Referral, And Expectations, Katherine M. Bender

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Resident Assistants (RAs), living on campus and tasked with advising students while keeping them safe, are in a position to identify and refer students who may be at risk for suicide or other mental health issues. This study examined RA ability to identify students at risk for suicide, RA comfort in working with students at risk for suicide, RA actions taken when working with students who may be at risk for suicide, and RA expectations for shared information about students the RAs have referred for counseling because they may be at risk for suicide. The study found that RAs report …

Implementation And Data Tracking Of School-Linked Mental Health Services At A Rural Mental Health Agency, Jim Redmond

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In late December of 2007 Tom McNeely, the clinical director for the Sioux Trails Mental Health Center, received a Request for Proposals (RFP) from the Minnesota Department of Human Services soliciting grant applications for a new school-linked mental health program. The school-linked program would provide students (K-12) attending public schools full therapeutic services in an effort to reduce mental health issues as a barrier to learning. This approach mirrored Sioux Trails’ belief that a holistic philosophy incorporating prevention and early intervention is the most effective healthcare service. Since the RTF seemed a good fit for the agency, Mr. McNeely, along …

Examining The Ability Of The Halstead -Reitan Battery And The Wide Range Achievement Test To Utilize Severity In Discriminating Among Alzheimer's Dementia Patients, Gina Gibson-Beverly

Doctoral Dissertations

Measuring change in cognitive status is essential for the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of brain dysfunction. Psychological abilities are differentially affected by brain dysfunction severity, as some abilities are more vulnerable to brain dysfunction than others. Neuropsychological assessments can be viewed as a continuum of "hold" and "don't hold" tests. "Hold" tests assess abilities that remain stable in spite of brain dysfunction, while "don't hold" tests measure skills that are significantly compromised by brain impairment. The present study ranks the Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB) and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) subtests based on their ability to discriminate between two levels …

The Validity Of The Leiter International Performance Scale In Measuring The Intelligence Of Normal, Borderline, And Mentally Deficient Children, Marlin Pezner

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this project was to compare IQ scores obtained using the Leiter International Performance Scale to those obtained using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R).