School Psychology Commons^™

The Experiences Of School Psychologists Serving Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries: A Phenomenology, E. Grace Ritchie

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a complex experience associated with a diverse constellation of symptoms and challenges. TBI scholars have extensively explored the varying needs of youth in the aftermath of a head injury. Likewise, recent literature details recommendations for school psychological services in support of these students. Such recommendations largely reflect insights drawn from broader TBI and disability research, integrated with the established scope of school psychologists’ practice (e.g., the National Association of School Psychologists Practice Model). Nevertheless, school psychologists’ perceptions of these students’ challenges have been inadequately examined. Such perspectives are likely valuable, given school psychologists’ unique training …

A Guidance Practice Model: Reframing Prevention, Identification, And Treatment Of Trauma-Impacted Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Mark H. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The experience and exposure of trauma among youth, especially continuous traumatic experiences, poses considerable risks of long-term effects. Moreover, untreated trauma and subsequently negative mental health outcomes, like anxiety and depressive disorders, can negatively impact the psychosocial and academic functioning of students. One population that is generally overlooked regarding mental health in schools are students with intellectual disabilities (ID). This is problematic as this population is at an increased risk of traumatic experiences, such as maltreatment and social exclusion.

Moreover, the comorbidity of trauma and internalizing disorders among students with ID can exacerbate already existing challenges and deficits with social …

Increasing Implementation Of The Comfortable Cafeteria Program To Promote School-Age Children’S Mental Health And Well-Being, Reinecka Mondesir, Angela Labrie Blackwell Phd, Otr

Summer 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Every Moment Counts (EMC) is a positive mental health promotion initiative that offers several initiatives to create inclusive environments that support student participation and emotional well-being throughout the school day. Comfortable Cafeteria, part of EMC, fosters positive mealtime experiences supporting peer interaction, emotional regulation, and inclusion. Many SBOT practitioners lack the resources to implement Comfortable Cafeteria, despite its benefits. This capstone project addresses the need for practical tools to help school-based occupational therapy (SBOT) practitioners integrate the Comfortable Cafeteria program into daily practice. Using the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, the project developed and disseminated an interactive, evidence-based video …

Social Sprouts: A Play-Based Packaged Intervention - Improving Peer Interactions In Early Childhood Classrooms With A Novel Group Contingency, Brittany D. Garza

Master's Theses

Teaching prosocial skills such as positive peer interactions in early childhood settings not only promotes behavioral health but reliably predicts future learning outcomes. The literature suggests that decreasing levels of challenging behavior may improve peer interactions, and a feasible class-wide strategy that can address this combination of needs effectively is a group contingency. The current study investigated the effect of a novel group contingency, Social Sprouts, on both positive peer interactions and disruptive behavior. This study utilized a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design in three Head Start classrooms to evaluate the effect of this packaged intervention delivered just before and during …

School Counselor Burnout And Self-Efficacy And Their Impact On The Degree Of Implementation Of A Comprehensive School Counseling Program, Rebecca Pierre-Louis

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

School Counselors are educators who are vital in supporting students’ educational development. School Counselors do this by delivering a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, and prevention-oriented school counseling programs that provide direct, indirect, and responsive services to support students’ career, academic, and social/emotional development. School Counselors do this while often experiencing an expanded definition of their role within a school building. While research supports the benefits of comprehensive school counseling programs to schools and students, school counselors often face large student caseloads. As well, they are tasked with many non-school counseling duties, which hampers the delivery of a comprehensive school counseling program. …

The Impact Of Mindfulness Therapy To Reduce Disruptive Behavior In High School, Wendy Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this project was to determine the impact and effectiveness of Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on adolescent anxiety and the disruptive symptoms that lead to high school adolescents being assigned to detention. This project described a quantitative correlational design research project that investigated a small adolescent sample size, with a goal of decreasing the number of local high school adolescent students who are repeat detention offenders, by implementing Gina Biegel’s mindfulness techniques for stressed teens method on those high school adolescents who were assigned to detention. This was achieved by collecting demographic data from …

Modifying Tier 1 Strategies To Promote Positive Behaviors Of Autistic Preschoolers, Courteney Johnson, Maiko Yomogida, Michela Arlia, Angie Sjoquist, Maylin Herrera

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our study assessed the outcomes of implementing a researcher-developed, teacher-led preventive program in special education preschool classrooms. We evaluated outcomes that were specific to student behaviors, classroom climate, and teacher self-efficacy. As iterative components of the Pyramid Model, an early-childhood-focused iteration of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports framework, the intervention focused on teaching, modeling, and reinforcing behavior expectations using research-based strategies deemed effective at supporting the autistic population. Participants in our study included seven special education preschool classrooms, each composed of approximately five students, one teacher, and two teacher assistants. While the student population included those with various disabilities, …

Screening For Bullying In A Middle School Setting, Paige Bernau

Dissertations

Problem: Bullied youth are two and a half times more likely to experience depression and three times more likely to experience anxiety and suicidal ideation than their peers (Li et al., 2024). Schools represent a key access point for mental health support and treatment for youth (Duong et al., 2020). Despite this, schools typically do not have formal bullying screening integrated into student support services.

Methods: This program evaluation used a descriptive, observational design to evaluate a bullying screening program in a suburban middle-school. This program used the California Bullying Victimization Scale (CBVS) to assess for bullying victimization (BV) followed …

Exploring The Impact Of A Middle Level School Therapy Dog On Students And Staff And Connections To Best Practices In Middle School Education, Brandye Nobiling, Sherry Maykrantz, Tara Downes, Joshua Nobiling

Current Issues in Middle Level Education

The presence of therapy dogs in schools has increased due to the growing body of research showing positive effects of assisted-animal interaction. But there is little published research on how an innovation such as a therapy dog connects to best practices in middle level education. The goal of the research was to use the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory to connect the implementation of a therapy dog to the Association for Middle Level Education’s (AMLE) essential attributes and characteristics as well as components of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. Focus …

Evidence Base And Development Of The Wellbeing Program Guide, Katherine L. Dix, Ee Liz Puah, Tamara Van Der Zant, Syeda Kashfee Ahmed, Shani Sniedze

Wellbeing

This report outlines the background and initial development stage of The Wellbeing Program Guide (wellbeingguide.acer.org), a comprehensive national resource aimed at supporting schools in selecting and implementing wellbeing programs that meet diverse contexts and student needs. Wellbeing is considered in its broadest sense, to include evidence-based mental health, alcohol and other drug, and suicide prevention programs, along with social and emotional learning. Developed collaboratively by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and Department of Health Tasmania, with advice from education and industry stakeholders, the Guide prioritised the needs of school communities in Tasmania, but also includes programs serving other …

A Call For Change: Supporting Children With Tourette Syndrome, Matt Reall

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Tourette Syndrome affects 1 in 100 U.S. children but remains widely misunderstood due to stigma, delayed diagnosis, and media misrepresentation. This neurological disorder is characterized by involuntary tics and often co-occurs with ADHD, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Children with Tourette Syndrome face disproportionate challenges in social, academic, and emotional settings—despite having average or above-average intelligence. One-third engage in self-harm, and suicide rates are four times the national average. Peer-education programs like the Tourette Association of America’s Youth Ambassador initiative have shown promise in reducing stigma, but unequal access and weak institutional support limit their impact. This paper calls for early …

Innovative Partnerships To Expand School-Based Health Capacity In Rural Communities, Robyn Thomas Pitts, Amy K. Mcdiarmid

DU Rural Summit Conference Proceedings

Our nation's youth are in dire need of increased access to high-quality school-based mental health (SBMH) services. In Colorado’s rural areas, the school psychologist-to-student ratio is 1:2,128— over four times the recommended level. Our team secured $4M in federal and state funding to implement an innovative partnership strategy for strengthening rural SBMH capacity. We describe how innovative partnerships enabled us to overcome systemic barriers to training future school psychologists as they live, work, and learn in rural settings. Our culturally sustaining approach to program design, implementation, and evaluation leverages family-school-community partnerships to expand rural SBMH capacity.

العزلة الاجتماعية وعلاقتها بالأفكار اللاعقلانية لدى طلبة المدارس, Feras Qurit'e Al-Jobour, Ali Abdullah Al-Hourani

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت الدّراسة إلى الكشف عن مستوى كل من العزلة الاجتماعية والأفكار اللاعقلانية، والعلاقة بينهما لدى طلبة المدارس. اعتمدت الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي الارتباطي، وتكوّنت عيّنة الدّراسة من (831) طالباً وطالبة (476 طالباً و 355 طالبة)، تم اختيارهم بالطّريقة المُتيسرة في الفصل الدراسي الثاني للعام الدراسي (2023/2022)م. ولتحقيق أهداف الدراسة؛ جرى استخدام مقياس العزلة الاجتماعية ومقياس الأفكار اللاعقلانية اللذين أعدا لغايات هذه الدراسة، بعد التحقق من صدقهما وثباتهما. أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن مستوى كل من العزلة الاجتماعية والأفكار اللاعقلانية جاء متوسطاً، وأن هناك علاقة ارتباطية موجبة دالة إحصائياً بينهما. كما أظهرت النتائج أيضاً عدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً في مستوى كل …

Reality Now: Tobacco And Vaping Report, Tamara Van Der Zant, Terese Hooper, Katherine Dix, Toby Carslake

Wellbeing

This report presents findings from data collected through the Reality Now program, providing a long-term study exploring tobacco and vaping behaviours among Australian secondary school students. Conducted from 2018 to 2024, the program collected nearly 30,000 responses from students in Years 7 to 11. Using a social norms approach (SNA), the program aimed to identify and correct misperceptions about peer substance use and promote healthier behaviours. This report focuses on tobacco and vaping behaviours, whereas the broader program also examined the use of alcohol, cannabis, and MDMA. The findings show that while actual tobacco and vape use remain low, students …

Sociology: Culture, Marcia Morrison

Open Educational Resources

This work examine culture. It begins by examining the foundations of culture to include norms, values, language, symbols and knowledge. In looking at each, it breaks down the implication of each to the development of ourselves as well as the person in the environment. It moves on to look at contexts of culture such as dominant cultures juxtapose to competing cultural systems, and how the various elements of culture can serve to either promote or minimize the various cultural constructs within society.

Embodying Altruistic Love: The Role Of Emotions In Teaching Black Students With Disabilities Within An Inclusive Elementary School, Joshua Armentrout

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher emotions play a pivotal yet understudied role in shaping the educational experiences of Black students with disabilities (SWDs). This study examines how five special educators in a fully inclusive elementary school understand, experience, and navigate their emotions in relation to Black SWDs. Using a qualitative approach grounded in portraiture, this study explores the intersection of race, disability, and emotion, revealing how teachers internalize, resist, and negotiate dominant ideologies within the broader educational system.

Guided by a three-dimensional space framework from the field of narrative inquiry—temporality, sociality, and spatiality—this study traces how educators’ emotions are shaped by past experiences, social …

Poetries Of Abandonment: A Study Of Plath And Glück, Yara Abdelmoneim

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the intersection between literature and trauma, which can be discerned in the key works of two poets, Sylvia Plath and Louise Glück. While offering readings of crucial poems, the thesis also examines the interrelations among trauma, memory and narrative as theorized by two contemporary psychiatrists, Bessel van der Kolk and Judith Herman. Both Plath and Glück wrote about personal and generational trauma after going through different experiences of abandonment. Absence, indirection and repetition provide the basis for literary techniques that allow their traumas to be better understood by authors and readers alike. The degree to which each …

Early Adolescent Intervention: A Therapy Group For Girls, Madelyn A. Ohm

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

As mental health concerns are on the rise, especially among adolescents, it is important to consider promoting early intervention. Paying attention to the nuances surrounding personal identity and interpersonal relationships during adolescence is crucial. Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills encompass just what is needed to address said nuances, including interpersonal effectiveness skills, emotion regulation skills, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. Thus, the proposed DBT group and therapeutic manual designated for adolescent girls summarizes and explores suggestions for early intervention of mental health services. This, alongside the careful attention to the population’s specific needs and noted modules, allows for the exploration of mental …

Not All Superheroes Wear Capes: Understanding The Lives Of Asian American Student Caregivers, Angela Ji

Educational Specialist, 2020-current

There exists an invisible army of children who sacrifice their childhoods and shoulder responsibilities expected of adults; these children are called young caregivers. Young caregivers provide significant assistance for their family on a regular basis. The existing literature shows that youth caregiving is associated with negative physical and mental health impacts that vary depending on the cultural background associated with families. It is also clear that the complexities and nuances of different ethnic groups influence the lived experiences of young caregivers. Unfortunately, there is limited information exploring racial and cultural implications of caregiving for children. This study sought to address …

Perceptions Of Power And Consent: The Role Gender, Race, And Sexual Orientation In Shaping Public Perceptions Of Student-Teacher Affairs, India Campbell

Poster Presentations

Sexual violence is a taboo topic. It is especially challenging to acknowledge child victims. Sexual violence in schools is particularly hard to acknowledge. No parent wants to consider the possibility of sending their child to a predator every day. This phenoma has been researched for decades from various angles. This project will contribute to the research that looks at the ways race, gender, and sexual orientation influence perception of victimhood.

Exploring Secondary Teachers’ Mental Health Self-Efficacy, Perceptions Of Supporting Student Mental Health And Well-Being, Sherilyn A. Kile

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Research has indicated that over half of all lifetime cases of mental health conditions begin before the age of 14 years (NAMI, 2024a), making the adolescent period a critical and formative time. The unprecedented effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to more mental health problems in children and adolescent youth (Sayed et al., 2024), particularly affecting southern California school districts that implemented distance or hybrid learning models (K. Brann et al., 2022). Secondary teachers are essential referral sources and gatekeepers for linking adolescent children to mental health support (Owens et al., 2014). Given the essential role teachers play …

Familismo And Family Achievement Guilt In Latine College Students: Relationships With Psychopathology And Wellbeing, Abril Rangel-Pacheco

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relations between familismo, family achievement guilt, subjective wellbeing, and anxious and depressive symptoms in a sample of Latine young adults enrolled in college in the United States. Familismo has previously been linked to educational success and psychological and behavioral health. On the other hand, family achievement guilt has been linked to low self-esteem and internalizing symptoms. However, it is unclear how these factors interact to impact the psychopathology (i.e., anxious and depression symptoms) and psychological wellbeing (i.e. subjective wellbeing) of Latine young adults in college. Data were collected from 83 Latine …

The Examination Of Teacher Mentorship Design For Mentees, Cagla Cobek

Dissertations

Teacher stress has been documented as a problem for today’s educators. Improving teachers’ well-being through mentorship programs is promising in the literature. Therefore, this study examined a daily check-in mentorship program for teachers experiencing moderate stress. The researchers examined the changes in mentees’ daily stress levels, perceived stress, sense of self-efficacy, and use of proactive classroom management strategies. Mentees and mentors were also asked to complete ratings of the social validity of the mentorship program. Three mentees and mentor dyads working in an elementary and middle school in a Southeastern school district in the USA participated. A nonconcurrent Multiple Baseline …

A Systematic Review Of Effective School-Based Interventions Against Bullying In The United States, Jessica Lopez Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Bullying remains a persistent issue within the United States (U.S.) educational system, affecting–among other things–students’ well-being, academic performance, and mental health. This mixed-methods systematic review was purported to address gaps in previous literature by identifying effective school-based interventions against bullying implemented between 2017 and 2024 in the U.S. Using a purposive sampling method, this review screened three electronic databases: APA PsycNET, ERIC, and JSTOR to garner relevant studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were employed to ensure rigorous selection and analysis of relevant articles. There were four studies in this systematic review (n=4). The …

Assessing Healthcare Students’ Self-Efficacy In Disaster Response: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Aydın Şenol, Abdülkerim Adıyaman, Canan Birimoglu Okuyan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Assessing healthcare students’ self-efficacy in disaster response is crucial for preparing them to effectively manage real-world disaster situations. This study aimed to assess the self-efficacy status of healthcare students in disaster response.

Methods: The data for this cross-sectional analysis were gathered from 498 healthcare students between November 18, 2023, and February 14, 2024, using an individual diagnostic form and the disaster-response self-efficacy (DRSE) scale. This scale is used to assess an individual’s self-efficacy in responding effectively to disasters, including on-site rescue competency, disaster psychological nursing competency, disaster role quality, and adaptation competency.

Results: The mean age …

Breaking The Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, And The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Educators, Ericka J. Varnedoe

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative …

Through The Looking Glass : Diversity Through The Eyes Of A Dress Form, Amara Copeland

LSU Master's Theses

This article aims to look into educational institutions and how they address diversity using curatorial displays. Does fashion and costume curation add to the seclusion of luxury? Looking into this correlation, this study aims to answer these next couple of questions. How does museum curation add to fashion social norms? Is it a subconscious or conscious decision when deciding on a mannequin or dress form? How do museum and fashion curations add to the exclusion of minorities in the world of luxury? What is costume luxury, and who do we say can obtain it?

This research aims to understand the …

The Contribution Of Task Difficulty And Adult Reliability On Children's Academic Task Persistence, Ella M. Wheelbarger

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Task persistence plays a crucial role in children's academic success and achievement of long-term goals. Contextual variables may influence child persistence such as reward source reliability, task difficulty, or task arrangement. We evaluated the effects of reward source reliability on children's academic task persistence with task difficulty. The perception of the reliability of the reward source was manipulated by making a commitment to provide a reward after completion of the task, but upon completion, delivery was delayed to the next day. The study was designed to examine the extent to which experiencing prior disappointments would decrease persistence times on subsequent …

Impacts Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Proactive Coping On College Adjustment And Risky Behavior, Isabella Kester, Will Stutterheim, Jisook Park

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have garnered recent attention in psychological and educational research due to their significant and lasting effects on an individual’s ability to cope and adjust to the demands that are part of the college experience. The trauma experienced in childhood can influence key aspects of psychological and emotional development, shaping how adults conceptualize and cope with stressors later in life. These developmental disruptions also increase one’s susceptibility to risky behaviors, especially during transitional periods in life, such as entering college (Allem et al., 2015; Campbell et al., 2016). This study aims to explore the interplay between ACEs …

Maintaining Well-Being: Coping Strategies For Prolonged Traumatic Experiences From The Stories Of Ukrainian Educators During The Wartime, Natalya Rakevich

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological study aimed to better understand how and whether educators can maintain well-being during prolonged trauma. This study examines the experiences of Ukrainian educators living in non-occupied territories during wartime. The following research questions guided the study: What coping strategies do educators use to take care of themselves? What coping strategies do educators use with their students? How do educators perceive mindfulness and storytelling? A conceptual framework was created to better understand the topics of stress, trauma, being, well-being, surviving, suffering, and coping mechanisms through a literature review. Data collection occurred in February and March 2024, two years …