School Psychology Commons^™

Suicide Prevention In Schools, Peyton M. Petersen

Intuition: The BYU Undergraduate Journal of Psychology

Studies have shown that a school environment is the most effective place to administer suicide prevention programs in order to reduce suicide rates among adolescents. This literature review evaluates different prevention programs and implementation strategies in order to determine the most effective suicide prevention method utilized at a high school level. Out of all of the prevention programs examined in this literature review, the Promoting CARE program appeared to yield the best results, as it saw a decline in suicidal ideation and behaviors in the participants over the course of 6 years following the program. This type of program along …

Training Teachers To Differentiate Instruction To Address Work Completion Problems In Math, Elisabeth Kane

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation investigated an adaptation of functional analysis methodology, performance deficit analysis (PDA), and its use in training teachers to differentiate instruction for students having difficulty completing independent math seatwork. Participants included three middle school teachers and one of their students who was referred for having difficulty completing his or her work. Behavioral skills training was used to individually train each teacher to interpret her student’s PDA data, determine if the student had a skill or performance deficit, and select appropriate motivational and instructional strategies to increase the student’s performance. To answer the research questions, a multiple-baseline-design across teachers was …

Test-Driving Interventions For Teachers To Improve Treatment Integrity, Viktoria Papp

Honors Theses

Teachers often have to implement interventions in the classroom to address challenging student behaviors. Such issues are often addressed during behavioral consultation which involves working with a specialized consultant, such as a school psychologist, to determine the most robust strategy that will predictably have the greatest impact in addressing the problematic behavior. Equally important in this intervention process is the application of any intervention technique or strategy in the manner in which it has been designed and investigated to work based on supporting research.

There is an increasing need for consultants to consider utilizing strategies that promote the adherence to …

Importance Of Mental Health Awareness In Schools, Alexandra Elliott

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

We all have different experiences and beliefs that shape our perspectives and impact our mental health. The concept of mental health exists in Western civilization but is absent in others, so it is important to be sensitive when discussing the terminology of mental health by itself. There is ample evidence of a disproportionate amount of mental health issues among people living in low-income areas due to lack of resources in these communities. In fact, mental health resources are disproportionately accessible to white, affluent individuals in Western civilization. This senior capstone research project is intended to find ways to reach new …

Achieving Positive Mental Health And Academic Achievement For Students With Behavioral And Emotional Issues In Elementary School, Reynalda Fuentes

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Elementary students, their peers, and teachers today are being affected by emotional and behavioral issues that some students struggle with at school. In order to understand why it is affecting their academic achievement and mental health, this report answers the following research questions to investigate how these problems affect schools, classrooms, and teachers, as well as what appears to be contributing factors to this problem, and what are some of the solutions. In review of the literature on preventions and interventions placed at elementary schools the research shows that frameworks such as The Multi-tiered System of Supports, and the incorporation …

Peer Acceptance In The Lunchroom And Children’S Internalizing Symptoms, Jake Steggerda

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There is evidence to suggest that the context of the school lunchrooms provides children with rich opportunities for enhancing or hampering the quality of their relationships (Craig, Gregus, Elledge, Pastrana, & Cavell, 2016; Steggerda et al., in preparation). Although past research has linked children’s peer acceptance to their level of internalizing symptoms, few studies have examined peer acceptance within the lunchroom context. This study extends that work by examining associations between lunchroom peer acceptance (assessed via self- and peer-reports) and children’s internalizing symptoms. Participants were 676 fourth-grade students (50.7% female; 42.7% Hispanic/Latino, 30.3% White, 10% Pacific Islander, and 17% other) …

Perceived Adult Social Support During Adolescence And Well-Being Among Lgbtq-Identified Young Adults, Adrienne Macdonald

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Many youth, particularly those who are LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) face challenges during identity development including lack of social support and psychological maladjustment. These challenges are not typically experienced by the general population of youth. The goal of this study was to explore social support among LGBTQ youth and its relations to general well-being among LGBTQ-identified young adults through a mixed method design, including qualitative and quantitative information. This study found specific characteristics of supportive adults that were identified as beneficial for LGBTQ youth. In addition, this study explored specific situations where LGBTQ young adults found social support …

Helping Bereaved Students: The Effects Of Early Traumatic Loss And The Role Of School Personnel And Supportive Services, Sarah Moss, Breanna Couts, Etienne Hopkinson, Emily Jobson, Oliviah Rachael, Abigail Danzig, Gabriella Demelfi, Taylor Pyle

Psychology Presentations

In 1998, Felitti et al. conducted a ground-breaking study that showed how ACES, or adverse childhood experiences, can have major psychological and physical effects not only in the early years, but throughout the lifespan. This study focused primarily on 10 ACES (see chart). Our studies have been investigating whether grief and loss are also ACEs with similar consequences. If so, school personnel and other educators may be in a unique position to support bereaved students.

Emotional Regulation & Therapeutic Rapport With Adolescents: Exploring The Effectiveness Of The Expressive Therapies Continuum, Kasey Larsen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Art therapy is a beneficial service for adolescents who face obstacles connecting emotionally, behaviorally, and academically. Creative techniques and therapeutic rapport can facilitate connection with the self, focus, and emotional regulation. Teens, especially struggling with mental health, often have difficulty functioning in the average public-school setting. Research supports a positive correlation to art therapy services and effectiveness in a school setting. The intention of this capstone was to test the effectiveness of the expressive therapies continuum (ETC) in supporting emotional regulation with two high school girls in a therapeutic day school. The method of research includes a pre-, post-, and …

Text Messaging Between School Counselors And Students: An Exploratory Study, Nicholas R. Gilly

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

This exploratory case study examines the impact of text messaging on mentoring relationships when used as an outreach between school counselors and high school students, where established relationships are lacking. An SMS gateway was used to mediate communication between school counselors (N=2) and students (N=5) over a three-month timeframe. The SMS gateway converted email, sent from counselors, to text messages, which were received on mobile devices of students and allowed students to respond back to counselors. Findings indicate that the use of text messaging may ease scheduling of face-to-face meetings between counselors and students, but evidence does not support any …

Cover-Copy-Compare: A Literature Review, Juan Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cover-copy-compare (CCC) is an evidence-based math intervention strategy that can be used to help to build math fact accuracy and fluency. This literature review aims to examine different modifications of CCC, the effectiveness of CCC in helping students with disabilities, and identifying targeted computational skills. Discussion will also focus on the generalizability of CCC. After using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, thirty-nine articles were identified as relevant to this study. The results indicate that CCC demonstrated efficacy among students with Specific Learning Disability (SLD), Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, and emotional and behavioral disorders. There is no current evidence that CCC works …

Together We Can Do So Much: A Systematic Review And Conceptual Framework Of Collaboration In Schools, Amy-Jane Griffiths

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Effective collaboration is associated with positive outcomes for students and is a key component of equitable educational opportunities. There are challenges to effective collaboration, however, as our understanding of it differs based on the various definitions in the literature. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the common constructs across definitions of collaboration as a means to develop a universal model that can be used in the schools. Through the development of a “building blocks” framework, we provide a common definition and identify the steps that must be taken before true collaboration can occur. This model highlights the …

Teacher Attitudes Toward Addressing Mental Health In Schools (Tatams): Development And Initial Validation Of An Attitude Scale, Jacob Landon Deboer

LSU Master's Theses

The mental health of students continues to be an overlooked topic. Although research surrounding school-based mental health has increased, this increase in research has yet to translate effectively to practice. Past studies have questioned teachers regarding their perceptions of mental health and school-based mental health services. A significant limitation to past research is the absence of a consistent scale used to measure teacher perception. This inconsistency across studies in terms of the measurement tools used (e.g., surveys versus focus groups) limits the ability to compare the findings across research. The purpose of the current study was to develop and establish …

Reliability Of Index And Subtest Discrepancy Scores On The Wj-Iv Cognitive, Kacy Stinson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many guidebooks and publication manuals for intelligence tests recommend that practitioners calculate subtest and index level discrepancy scores along with many other types of scores. The reliability of the discrepancy scores, however, are not provided in the test manuals. The purpose of the study was to determine the reliability of the discrepancy scores in the Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities (WJ IV COG, 2014). Using data from the WJ IV technical manual, the reliability of the discrepancy scores were examined at both the subtest and index level. The results were compared to the reliability criteria recommended by the assessment …

Families First: Impact On Parent Knowledge, And Association Between Program Quality And Child Symptom Severity, Cibrian Johnson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Families First parenting workshops were developed for caregivers of children recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The primary site hosts inperson workshops, but webcasts the workshops to remote sites in different areas of the United States. The purpose of this study was to assess whether parents have an increase in knowledge after participating in Families First workshops at a remote site, and to assess whether program quality ratings and child symptom severity are associated with parent knowledge. The current study addressed the following research questions:

1. Do parents participating in the Families First workshops at a remote site …

Reliability Of Index And Subtest Discrepancy Scores From The Kabc-Ii Nu, Grant Hacherl

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

School psychologists often consider index- and subtest-level discrepancy scores from intelligence tests when making decisions regarding students’ special education eligibility. Best practices for clinical decision-making indicate that scores may only be considered if they meet an established standard of reliability. Therefore, it is essential to assess whether an interpretation of discrepancy scores can be considered reliable. This research used data provided in the supplemental manual of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition Normative Update (KABC-II NU) to calculate internal reliability coefficients (ICR) for discrepancy scores for each of the sample age group batteries, ages 3-6 and ages 7-18. …

Working Memory And Study Strategies: Effects On Performance Gaps, Chloe Stearns

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Working Memory (WM) is a critical contributor to learning. Those with low WM (LWM) are frequently at a disadvantage compared to those with high WM (HWM). Effective study strategies like practice retrieval, and self-explanation have been found to increase retrieval performance. This study compared the use of effective strategies between those with HWM and LWM, to determine whether the effect of study strategies on verbatim, inference, and total retrieval test scores differed due to WM when effective strategies were provided. Results indicated no significant difference in strategy quality between those with HWM and LWM. When looking at retrieval performance, WM …

Students With Autism And Aggressive Behavior: A Review Of Evidence-Based Interventions, Alisha Kelsay

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Aggression can be present in students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and may need to be considered within academic environments. Interventions that are evidence-based have been identified to assist educators with issues with aggression in students with ASD. This review of evidence-based interventions highlights the effectiveness and social validity within educational settings that may be useful to instructors and other educational staff. Teachers need to be equipped with interventions that are considered to be effective and easy to implement within the school system. The literature available about the evidence based interventions for students with ASD are limited when the …

Evidence-Based Bullying Prevention Programs In Elementary Schools, Kaitlyn Ferries

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Youth bullying has gained national attention in recent years and is continuing throughout our educational systems. With technology advancing, students are now faced with an increased chance of being bullied inside and/or outside of school. As members of the school system, children need preventive supports to address this growing issue. Although a large amount of research has focused on bullying prevention programs in middle and high school, this review specifically looks at the prevention of school bullying during a child’s elementary years (e.g., Kindergarten through fifth grade). Failure to address school bullying as young as elementary school-age can have harmful …

The Predictive Validity Of Star Early Literacy, Karlissa Pollack

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In recent years, paper-and-pencil screenings have, to a degree, given way to computer adaptive tests as a more effective way to screen students, though some measures lack research in regards to their utility. The utility of Star Early Literacy (SEL) for predicting future state test performance was examined by analyzing student performance on SEL and student performance on state testing two years later. The following research questions were examined: What is the relationship among first grade SEL scores and performance on the third grade reading state test? What is the diagnostic accuracy of SEL for predicting reading state test performance …