School Psychology Commons^™

A Look Into The College Readiness Needs Of First Time College Students, Lindsey Coomer Cox

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examines the college readiness needs of first year college students based on experiences from students and staff involved with a first year transitional initiative program at Western Kentucky University. The purpose of the study is to share students’ college readiness needs with public school systems in hopes to intervene with these needs before students arrive at college. A total of 45 participants volunteered to be in focus groups, an interview, and complete a survey. Two research questions were proposed: What college readiness needs still exist for first time college students upon entrance to a four year public university? …

Characteristics Of Behavior Rating Scales: Revisited, Ellen Cox

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was a replication of a study by Hosp et al. (2003), which looked at items on behavior rating scales to determine if they can be used to plan and monitor positive behavior interventions. For this study, ten forms of commonly used behavior rating scales were selected, and the so what and dead man tests were applied on each scale. Each item on the scale was placed into one of four categories: positive action, negative action, lack of positive action, and lack of negative action. Then, these categories were used to rate each scale to determine which subscales survived, …

Mental Health Stigma In College Students By Academic Major, Kristen Miller

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Stigma is best defined as the disapproval and shame felt by people who display characteristics not widely accepted in society. Although mental illness has become more prevalent in society through advocacy and awareness campaigns, it fails to be accepted and often individuals may feel shame that prevents them from seeking help (Dyrbye, Eacker, Durning, Brazeau, Moutier, Massie, S., et al, 2015; Givens & Tjia, 2002). Physicians in particular have been shown to have decreased help-seeking behaviors for psychological issues due to fear of professional repercussions (Dyrbye et al., 2015). Physicians also show increased levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and elevated …

Creating Better Roommate Dyads: The Rold Of Optimism, Pessimism, And Preception Within College Roommate Relationships, Madison A. Murphy

Selected Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to address the relationship between optimism/pessimism, perception and roommate relationships in college students. Participants were conveniently pooled from Southeastern University and were assessed via an online survey. Literature was compiled supporting the hypotheses that the researcher created. After analysis, it was found that optimism/pessimism correlated with roommate relationships and perceived similarity of optimism and pessimism correlated with roommate relationships. These results supported some of the researcher’s hypotheses but not all of them

Adolescent Perceptions Of Parental Autonomy Support And Involvement: Outcomes On Adolescent Self-Efficacy, Meagan N. Miller

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Adolescence is a challenging developmental period across domains of functioning. Parenting interactions impact one’s adjustment and well-being through this developmental period. These include Parental Autonomy Support, along with its reverse, psychological control, and Parental Involvement (Beato, Pereira, Barros, & Muris, 2016; Lansford et al., 2014; Levpušček, 2006; and Savard et al., 2013). Additionally, these parental characteristics influence the development of adolescent Self-Efficacy and its 3 subdomains: Emotional, Academic, and Social Self-Efficacy. The objective of this study was to explore how Parental Autonomy Support and Involvement, along with the subdomains of Parental Availability, Knowledge, and Concern and Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience …

Social Support: Who And What Types Matter For Early Adolescents’ Life Satisfaction, Kimberly G. Sitter

Theses and Dissertations

Trends in current psychological research suggest an increasing interest in indicators of well-being in youth, such as life satisfaction (LS). Studies indicate a strong association between LS and social support from different sources within an early adolescent’s social network. However, the unique contributions of specific types of supportive behaviors (within sources of social support) as they relate to development of early adolescent global LS have been largely overlooked. The current study sought to examine the unique contributions of social support types (emotional, appraisal, informational, instrumental) within three sources of support (parent, teacher, peer) to global LS in a sample of …

Investigating The Construct Validity Of Sluggish Cognitive Tempo In Children, Kristin L. Roberts

Theses and Dissertations

The term Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) refers to attention difficulties that are characterized by a constellation of symptoms ranging from excessive daydreaming to drowsiness, sluggishness, and lethargy. Although several SCT scales have been developed in recent years, researchers have yet to agree upon an ideal set of symptoms. In addition, it remains unclear whether SCT consists of a single dimension or if it is a multidimensional construct. The first aim of this study was to extend research related to SCT symptomatology and measurement by conducting a comprehensive investigation of SCT symptoms. A 25-item scale was developed to include each of …

Parents’ Perspectives Of Cultural Competence In Schools: The Initial Development Of The Culturally Competent School Community Scale, Aijah Kai Baruti Goodwin

LSU Master's Theses

Diversity in school settings is continuously changing with an increase of minority students in the United States school systems. The present study uses a phenomenological approach to gain parents’ experiences related to culturally responsive and competent practices in their child(ren)’s schools. Interviews were conducted with 10 culturally diverse parents with children in preschool and/or elementary school. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded for common themes and analyzed for the frequency and prevalence of the themes in preschool vs. elementary school settings. An analysis of the interviews revealed 6 themes related to culturally competent and responsive practices in school settings. The …

Effects Of A Repeated Writing Intervention On Writing Fluency And Writing Quality, Katherine L. Moore

LSU Master's Theses

Writing is a fundamental skill that is essential for students’ academic success. In fact, students with writing difficulties are shown to have lower academic achievement and reduced likelihood of college acceptance (Graham & Perin, 2007). Writing fluency is a crucial component in the development of writing abilities, as it allows for the development of higher-order writing skills (Bloom, 1986, Binder, Haughton & Bateman, 2002). Limited research exists of interventions targeted specially for writing fluency; however, performance feedback procedures have been shown as effective (Hier & Eckert, 2016). Literature suggests the skills of reading and writing share similar processes of learning …

Cops & No Counselors: How The Lack Of School Mental Health Staff Is Harming Students, Angela Mann, Amir Whitaker, Sylvia Torres-Gullien, Michelle Morton, Harold Jordan, Stefanie Coyle, Wei-Lung Sun

Showcase of Faculty Scholarly & Creative Activity

This report examines data provided by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights to better understand the prevalence of school-based mental health (SBMH) professionals in schools. Asserting that access to emotional, behavioral, and mental health supports are part of accessing a Free and Appropriate Education and are a civil right, Dr. Mann and her collaborators at the ACLU examine the impact of a lack of appropriate SBMH supports in schools. The report authors also examine the consequences of hardening of schools including the proliferation of law enforcement in schools.

Social Emotional Learning Through Depression Education In A High School Setting, Antonette Minniti

Theses and Dissertations

Education on depression is an important part of social emotional learning. Lacking emotion regulation skills tend to lead to larger problems, such as academic struggles, disconnect from peers, strife at home and trouble in interpersonal relationships. Research in depression education or educational programs connected to mental health literacy are minimal, especially at the high school level. The purpose of this research will focus on examining the impact of one depression education program, John Hopkins Hospital’s Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP). ADAP is a three-day program that informs students about the facts of depression, how it is treated, and what to …

How To Make School-Based Mental Health Work, Jenny Wilhoite

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

This session is designed to give an overview of how to create a School-Based Mental Health program that benefits students on all tiers, providing universal prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for at-risk students. Meeting the unmet needs of students with mental health challenges impacts student attendance, behavioral and academic outcomes, and discipline in a positive way.

Unveiling The Mask:Sexual Trauma's Impact On Academic Achievement, Behavior, And Self-Identity, Teshaunda Hannor-Walker, Sarah Kitchens, Lacey Ricks

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Sexual trauma is an unfortunate but a common and often masked experience for many students in America. While sexual trauma in itself is not a mental health disorder, it can become a risk factor for many academic and mental health problems. Trauma-informed schools can play an important role in helping students deal with the aftercare of a traumatic experience.

Military Deployment In A Family: Children’S Literature As A Basis For Counseling Support, Aimee Tubbs, Ellie L. Young, Melissa A. Heath, Tina M. Taylor

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The authors summarize 30 children’s books that tell stories of a family member’s military deployment in order to identify books that could be used in bibliotherapy for children impacted by deployment. In this sample of books, the main characters are most commonly portrayed as feeling sad about a family member’s deployment. The most prevalent coping strategies are finding ways to stay connected to the deployed person and talking with an adult. An unexpected finding was a coping strategy of expressing pride in the family member’s military service.

An Exploration Of The Experience Of Adults With Learning Disabilities Through Art, Adi Greenboim-Zimchoni

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This study employed arts-based research with phenomenological, qualitative inquiry to understand and explore the perspectives of adults with learning disabilities and their sense of self and support in inclusive and special education classrooms in Israel during their school years. In this study, the researcher attempted to take Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979) one step further by examining the participants’ feelings and relationships with the people in their daily lives during childhood. The researcher met with 12 participants ages 18-31 diagnosed with learning disabilities between third and eleventh grade. Participants created drawings illustrating how they felt about teachers, parents, friends and …

Partners In School: An Innovative Parent-Teacher Consultation Model For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gazi F. Azad, Steven C. Marcus, Susan M. Sheridan, David S. Mandell

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Little research examines the best ways to improve communication between parents and teachers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and its effect on child outcomes. The present study tests an innovative parent-teacher consultation model, entitled Partners in School. The goal of Partners in School is to improve parent-teacher communication about evidence-based practices (EBPs), and subsequently, outcomes for children with ASD. Participants were 26 teachers and 49 parents of children with ASD from a large urban public school district. Parents and teachers completed measures of their communication and child outcomes prior to and after receiving consultation through Partners in School. …

Rural Adolescent Education Reframed: Can Social Justice, Lewin’S Topology, And Aesthetics Aid Reform Efforts?, Judith F. Upjohn

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The aim of this thesis is to describe and analyze how changes in classroom-level conditions can help underperforming students thrive despite established school structures that discriminate against and exclude those students from learning opportunities.

Every year, millions of US public school students fail to graduate high school (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2018), despite numerous ongoing education reform efforts (Berkshire & Schneider, n.d.; Strauss, 2017). A large percentage of these students attend rural schools (Arnold, Newman, Gaddy, & Dean, 2005; Status of Rural Education, 2018). The rural conditions of adolescent students adversely affect their educational performance and achievement (Howley …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And The Effects On Teachers' Beliefs About Classroom Behavior Management, Hilarie Fotter Kennedy Psyd

All Student Scholarship

The aim of this survey research pilot study was to determine if there is a relationship that exists between a teacher’s perceptions about their disciplinary style and early life exposure to adverse experiences. The method consisted of two brief questionnaires (the Adverse Childhood Experience questionnaire and the Behavior and Instruction Management Scale) which was completed electronically by 2,149 teachers (response rate 16.51%) practicing within the state of Maine.

Impact Of Experience Corps® Participation On Children’S Academic Achievement And School Behavior, George W. Rebok, Jeanine M. Parisi, Jeremy S. Barron, Michelle C. Carlson, Ike Diibor, Kevin D. Frick, Linda P. Fried, Tara L. Gruenewald, Jin Huang, Sylvia Mcgill, Christine M. Ramsey, William A. Romani, Teresa E. Seeman, Erwin Tan, Elizabeth K. Tanner, Li Xing, Qian-Li Xue

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

This article reports on the impact of the Experience Corps® (EC) Baltimore program, an intergenerational, school-based program aimed at improving academic achievement and reducing disruptive school behavior in urban, elementary school students in Kindergarten through third grade (K-3). Teams of adult volunteers aged 60 and older were placed in public schools, serving 15 h or more per week, to perform meaningful and important roles to improve the educational outcomes of children and the health and well-being of volunteers. Findings indicate no significant impact of the EC program on standardized reading or mathematical achievement test scores among children in grades 1–3 …

Collectivism In Central Appalachia: Educational And Career Implications, Heidi Leigh Creamer

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Individualistic cultures tend to focus on freedom, individuality, and personal autonomy. Mainstream America is found to be a vertical individualistic society, but research has shown there are pockets of collectivistic cultures within the US. Collectivistic cultures, in contrast, tend to focus on family, conformity, and thinking of the group before one’s self. Collectivism arises due to a population’s need to rely on one another for resources. As such, low resource environments are subject to having collectivistic values. Research suggests that collectivism rates are higher in impoverished areas, such as Appalachia. This investigation focused on central Appalachia and the attributes that …