School Psychology Commons^™

9th Gsep Research Symposium - 2025

GSEP Research Symposium

The Ninth Annual GSEP Research Symposium, themed "Building Bridges to Elevate Humanity: Innovations and Insights in Education and Psychology", was hosted by the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) on June 19–20, 2025, at the historic Château d’Hauteville in Switzerland and virtually via Zoom.

This hybrid symposium convened a vibrant global community of students, alumni, faculty, and scholars to share research that addresses real-world challenges, advances scholarly inquiry, and builds pathways for inclusive collaboration and leadership. Spanning a wide array of topics—from artificial intelligence and mental health to trauma-informed practices, educational equity, social justice, and cross-cultural leadership—the …

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 …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

School Personnel Perceptions Of School-Based Mental Health Prevention And Interventions, Kelsey Lytle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Despite millions of children across the United States experiencing at least one mental health disorder about half do not receive any sort of treatment or counseling. Within schools, many children receive formal intervention services once they are identified. However, there are many other children who would benefit greatly from learning social emotional skills who have not been identified. Prevention could be a great resource to prevent children from falling through the cracks. The purpose of this study was to assess personnel perceptions on the school’s role in student mental health, mental health interventions and prevention, evidence-based practices, and barrier to …

Using Brief Acceptance And Commitment Training To Increase Psychological Flexibility And Reduce Stress In School-Based Professionals, Rayna Yaeger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The significant behavioral and mental health concerns of students and staff in public schools within the United States has led to an increased risk of stress and burnout in teachers, which may lead to subsequent physical and mental health related concerns for staff and negative educational outcomes for students. Due to these school-based concerns, action should be taken to meet the needs of staff and students. This study aimed to better understand the effect of brief, group-based ACTraining on teachers’ psychological flexibility, general stress, job-related burnout, and social validity by replicating and extending the findings of Gillard et al. (2021) …

Psychological Contract Breach And Institutional Trust In Higher Education: Extending The Triadic Framework, Hannah E. Blodget, Katelyn R. Raborn, Justin Travis, Susan Ruppel

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

Psychological Contract (PC) theory, originally developed in organizational contexts, has increasingly been applied to higher education to understand the expectations and obligations that students perceive in their relationships with institutions. In this context, the PC refers to the unwritten set of mutual expectations and perceived obligations that shape the student-university relationship (Rousseau, 1998). Psychological contract breaches (PCB), or perceived failures to fulfill promised obligations, can undermine student trust, engagement, and institutional commitment. Despite growing interest, research on PCBs in higher education remains sporadic, often limited to cross-sectional designs, single relational targets, and inconsistent measurement approaches. Moreover, most studies focus on …

Exploring Front-Line Implementers Perceptions To Inform Tier 1 Pbis Implementation Coaching, Sammi Cowger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The successful implementation of universal practices within Positive Behavior Interventions and Support systems (Tier 1 PBIS) relies on front-line implementers to deliver services through student-facing practice elements. However, schools are often limited in the implementation support they can provide (Fixsen et al., 2005). Therefore, there is a growing emphasis in educational research on the systems and resources necessary to support the individuals tasked with implementing the programming (Forman et al., 2013). One form of support commonly used to support implementers of other school-based practices is implementation coaching. While this term is not universally used within the literature, it can be …

The Demand For Educational Functions Of Study Tour Products: From Students’ Perspectives, Yaqi Yu, Azizan Marzuki

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Few academic studies have comprehensively examined the actual demands of students regarding the educational function of study tours. This paper develops a demand index system based on three dimensions: cognitive, affective, and behavioral demands. A questionnaire survey was administered to 397 students. Initially, student demands were categorized using the Kano model. Subsequently, the “dependence” and “expectancy” characteristics were analyzed through the dissatisfaction index (DI) and satisfaction index (SI). The impact of fulfilling each demand on dissatisfaction and satisfaction levels was then determined. The results indicated that among the three dimensions, there were 7 must-be demands, 6 one-dimensional demands, 8 attractive …

Spanish-Speaking Interpreters’ Perspectives: How Latinx Immigrant Caregivers Navigate The Special Education Process, Lizeth B. Tomas Flores

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The study examined the experiences of Spanish-speaking interpreters working with Latinx immigrant caregivers during the special education process, their perspectives on how caregivers and the IEP professional committee members participate in the process, aiming to gain a better understanding of how Latinx immigrant families navigate the special education process. Interpreters play a crucial role in the special education process for families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as they facilitate the transmission of information between caregivers and special education teams. Interviews were conducted with six special education interpreters in a southwestern suburban school district in the United States. A qualitative …

From Street Codes To School Codes: Transformative Educational Intervention For Gang Affiliated Student. An Active Research Study, Alexandra Saldivar

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Gang-affiliated youth face significant challenges in educational and community settings, often resulting in lower graduation rates, limited career opportunities, and an increased risk for behavioral problems. While gang activity on school campuses has increased in recent years, there is limited research and little effort specifically tailored to meet the needs of this vulnerable population. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the WhyTry intervention, a resilience-focused program designed for at-risk populations, modified with additional counseling and a gang-intervention emphasis to address the unique challenges gang-affiliated students face. The study explores whether the modified WhyTry program can improve academic performance, …

Beyond The Brochure: Exploring The Reality Of Belonging In South Florida Private Schools, Jennifer Vigille

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore Black parents’ perceptions of teachers and leadership in predominantly White private schools. The research drew on a rich body of literature on race, education, and social dynamics in diverse school settings. The study addressed the ongoing challenges Black families faced in navigating these environments, particularly in terms of communication and cultural competence. The central research questions investigated how Black parents experienced and interpreted teacher and leadership relationships and support in predominately White private schools.

The study hypothesized that Black parents perceived significant gaps in communication and cultural competence among educators and leaders, affecting …

The Effects Of Mindfulness On Chronic Pain In Children And Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Sophie Parks

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions have become increasingly popular in recent years. Typically, mindfulness-based interventions and their effects on mental health and/or adult populations have been explored in the literature. Limited research has been completed looking at mindfulness’ impacts on other facets, including chronic pain symptoms. Additionally, some research has been conducted to analyze mindfulness and its effects on school aged children and their day-to-day functioning with promising results. In this systematic literature review, mindfulness interventions and their effects on children and adolescents who experience chronic pain were explored. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was …

Antisocial Behavior Among Students In Florida School Districts And Their Associated Disciplinary Approaches: A Cross-Lagged Panel Design, Kaylee A. Salt

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that antisocial behavior is a major problem for all those involved in school environments. Additionally, despite the prevalence of using harsher punishments in response to such behavior, these practices may present more negative rather than positive consequences. The aim of the current study was to explore antisocial behavior in schools and the disciplinary approaches used in response to such behavior. Using disciplinary data reported for public schools in 67 districts of the state of Florida, the prevalence of antisocial behavior incidents was compared to the prevalence of other, drug-related incidents. A cross-lagged panel model determined whether a preference …

A Protection Or A Barrier? A Scoping Review Of Boundaries In Teacher-Student Relationships, Joseph Russell R. Santos

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Teacher-student relationships have differing potentialities in terms of importance and challenges, therefore implying the need for more effective navigation by placing healthy boundaries. However, the impact of this relationship and the boundary itself for both teachers and students need to be recognized to determine how they should be navigated. Doing so can give teachers and students healthier and more meaningful classroom experiences that align with the sustainable development goal of achieving optimal well-being and quality education. To examine the perceived importance and challenges of boundaries in teacher-student relationships, a scoping review was conducted. Eleven (11) out of the 29 studies …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic And Associated Restrictions On Children’S Play: A Systematic Literature Review, Aidan H. Fielding Mr, Emma Harding

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Play is recognised for its essential role in children’s development and, as such, the right to play has been internationally ratified through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s day-to-day lives were universally disrupted by restrictions and children’s ability to play as usual was impacted. The aim of this review was to examine the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s play around the world, and whether this differed as a function of their national context. Database searches were conducted between August 2022 and February 2023, whereby a total of …

Policy, Practice, And Perceptions Of K-12 Social-Emotional Learning, Janice Filer, Ebony C. Cain, Della Thompson-Bell

Education Division Scholarship

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of K-12 school staff who participate in social-emotional learning (SEL). Since the global pandemic, several school districts have included SEL as part of the school curriculum. Teachers, counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and school administrators participate in SEL instruction and/or practices. Classroom teachers instruct students in SEL instruction and other school staff practice the SEL components of self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, social awareness, and relationship skills through their daily interactions with students. This study was conducted in various schools throughout the Los Angeles area using open-ended interview questions that utilized focus …

Promoting Preschool Teachers’ Maintenance And Generalization Of Behavior-Specific Praise Through Multitiered Consultation, Claudia Abril Ochoa

Master's Theses

Teachers struggle to provide behavior-specific praise (BSP), which is associated with appropriate classroom management and decreases in student’s problem behavior. The current study used a multiple-baseline design across three Head Start teachers to test the effectiveness of the multitiered consultation model in increasing teachers’ BSP. The Head Start center provided a universal training in classroom management strategies, including BSP. Three teachers who were not implementing this strategy consistently (i.e., less than five instances in a 10-min observation) received Tier 2 supports including goal setting paired with a simple prompt. Data about teachers’ use of BSP was collected class-wide at a …

Mathematical Anxiety In The Turkish Context: Mathematical Experiences Of High School Students, Vahap Yorgun, Serdal Mert

Journal of Humanistic Mathematics

Although a handful of studies have investigated the prevalence of math anx- iety among Turkish school children and its relationship with several variables like attitudes toward math, gender, self-efficacy, parental style, there is as of now no study focusing on development psychological interventions to cope with math anxiety. Most of the extant studies use quantitative approaches, but in order to develop intervention programs, researchers need to know how math anxiety develops, what kinds of personal variables or factors take place in this process, and what kind of emotional and cognitive reactions hold by students about math. Thus in our research, …