School Psychology Commons^™

The Nebraska Panhandle: An Assessment Of Birth-Grade 3 Care And Education, Panhandle Birth – Grade 3 Leadership Team

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

This report summarizes the collaborative work of the Panhandle Partnership, Inc., Educational Service Unit (ESU) 13, and the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska in documenting and assessing birth through Grade 3 programming in the Nebraska Panhandle. The report summarizes findings from 15 school-community conversations and includes data snapshots from local communities that provide information about the status of young children and the services and supports that exist to serve them and their families. Work in the Panhandle was undertaken on the basis of an agreement between the three organizations to work together to better understand and …

Nebraska Child Care Market Rate Survey Report 2019, Greg W. Welch, Elizabeth Svoboda, Amanda Garrett, Kathleen C. Gallagher, Molly Goldberg, Alexandra Daro

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was reauthorized with renewed emphasis placed on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program, which seeks to provide equal access to quality child care for families. The CCDF program is necessary to ensure children from low-income families have the opportunity to experience stable, high-quality early experiences while their parents experience a pathway to economic stability. A primary goal of the CCDF program is to ensure that low-income families receive CCDF funds to help them access quality child care in the same manner as families that pay the full …

Teachers’ Perception Of A Cooking Intervention To Increase Social Skills In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Behavioral Disabilities, Jennifer Malik

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study explored teachers and school staff’s perceptions of the impact of participation in a food-based social skills intervention for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and behavioral challenges. 1st-5th grade students who received special education and related services and were placed in self-contained programs in a suburban school district in New Jersey were eligible to participate in the intervention. The intervention consisted of a food-based social skills intervention in which students prepared food ordered by staff members. The students’ job duties included taking orders over the phone and in person, preparing requested food items, taking payments and counting change, and …

Executive Capacities For Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Learning Disability, Kate Boccella-Perras

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

All students in this study were rated by teachers with the McCloskey Executive Function Scale (MEFS) to identify executive function deficits (EFDs; not knowing when) and executive skill deficits (ESDs; not knowing how). Significantly larger proportions of students in the ADHD-diagnosed (ADHD) group than in the matched control group were rated by teachers as having either an EFD or an ESD within all seven self-regulation clusters, with more deficits identified within the Academic Arena than within the Self/Social Arena. In contrast, significantly larger proportions of students in the LD-classified (LD) group than in the matched control group were rated by …

Messages Of Meaning: African American Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices Of Fathers And Paternal Definitions Of Academic Success, Sharon Coley-Wilson

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This research explores the unique experiences of African American fathers, their ethnic-racial socialization practices, definitions of academic success and the intersectionality of the three concepts. Through a semi-structured interview, the present study explored how African American fathers socialize their children to understand how being Black fits into the larger context of society. The primary focus is to explore what types of racial socialization messages are used, how they are delivered, and if/how the fathers’ academic expectations are a part of the conversations. Implications for how school systems can utilize African American fathers’ perspectives in supporting positive home-school collaboration and promoting …

An Exploration Of Law Enforcement Officers’ Training Experiences, Training Needs, And Interactions Related To Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kirsten Scheil Railey

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

Although research confirms the effectiveness of training to improve law enforcement officers’ awareness and knowledge of people with intellectual disability, learning disabilities, and mental health disorders (Bailey, Barr, & Bunting, 2001; McAllister, Bailey, & Barr, 2002; Scantlebury et al., 2017; Wood & Watson, 2017), research related to the efficacy of autism-specific law enforcement training is limited. In order to provide up-to-date information regarding training for LEOs related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a systematic review of the literature was conducted for the first study. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols 2015 (PRISMA), a …

Exploring The Impact Of Autism Awareness Interventions For General Education Students: A Meta-Analysis, Olivia K. Lochner

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

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses are on the rise, increasing the likelihood of having a student with ASD in the general education classroom. Students with ASD may be included in the general education setting; however, inclusive educational experiences are negative for many students with ASD. ASD awareness interventions have been implemented to help general education students improve their attitudes, behavioral intentions, and understand their peers with ASD. In the current study, empirical articles evaluating the effectiveness of ASD awareness interventions were identified and quantified. Two research questions were addressed: (a)Are ASD awareness interventions effective for general education students? and (b) …

Risk Factors For Depression Among Early Childhood Teachers, Amy Roberts, Kathleen C. Gallagher, Alexandra Daro, Iheoma U. Iruka, Susan Sarver

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

This study examined possible risk factors associated with teachers’ depression in a variety of early childhood settings. Teachers with lower pay, no health insurance, multiple jobs, greater job stress, and more adult-centered beliefs reported more symptoms of depression. To reduce these symptoms, efforts should be made to support teachers’ mental health at multiple levels, including individual, environmental, and policy.

Researchers used data collected in 2015-16 from a large survey of early childhood educators in Nebraska. Four early childhood settings were sampled: licensed family child care homes (home-based), licensed child care centers (center-based), state-funded PreK programs, and elementary schools serving children …

Cinq Cles Pour Aider Vos Enfants A Developper Leurs Talents, Kenneth A. Kiewra

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Certains pensent que le talent est inné. La légende de Mozart commençant à jouer du piano à 3 ans, puis à composer à l’âge de 5 ans, renforce de telles croyances.

The Relationship Between Campus Wellness Center Usage And Symptoms Of Depression In College Freshmen, Allison Leonard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is limited research done on the relationship between the program utilization at a campus wellness facility and the symptoms of depression in college freshmen. College students have been found to have a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms than the general population, possibly due to the stressors college life can add. Studies have been done on the effects of physical activity as an intervention for depression as well as on the benefits of campus wellness facilities; however, there have been few studies that look at both campus recreation and depression. The author’s purpose for this study was to see if …

Middle And High School Teachers' Praise And Reprimand Delivery, Emma Riedesel

Masters Theses

The benefits of increasing teacher praise and decreasing teacher reprimand (for both students and teachers) is well-established in the literature. The purpose of this study was to expand the literature on teachers' natural use of praise and reprimand, specifically in terms of how teachers deliver praise and reprimand. Sixty-six middle (sixth through eighth grade) and high school (ninth through twelfth grade) teachers' delivery of praise and reprimand to individual (one student), small clusters (two to six students), and large groups (seven or more students) during a 20-minute observation were examined. Teachers delivered significantly more general praise to individual students, rather …

Exploratory Factor Analysis Of The Canadian Wechsler Intelligence Scale For Children-Fifth Edition For A Sample Of First Nations Students, Jessica Hanson

Masters Theses

Native Americans and First Nation students are overrepresented in special education and underrepresented in structural bias research of the intelligence measures that place them there. There are several empirical studies of test bias on the Wechsler scales due to their popularity within the school system, however there is little exploratory factor analysis research on these scales with the Native American Indian population. Further, the Native American Indian and First Nation population is a relatively small minority group compared to other racial and ethnic groups in North America and this group is underrepresented in government statistics and overlooked in funding for …

Predictors Of Adolescents’ Interest In Stem Majors And Careers, Ei Myint

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Advanced Research Winner 2019:

The United States currently faces a shortage of qualified workers in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The first critical step in preventing the labor shortage in STEM is understanding the factors that guide adolescents toward STEM pursuits. Drawing on Eccles’ expectancy-value theory (EVT), the current study aims to identify factors that are relevant to adolescents’ interest in STEM majors and careers. Data were collected from 629 adolescents (M_age = 16.09). Participants attended a high school in northern California and predominantly identified as Asian American (82% of the sample). Preliminary analyses …

Executive Functioning For Students With Educationally Significant Hearing Impairment Who Use The Auditory-Oral Approach: Program Development, Lauren Walker

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Research has suggested that children with hearing impairment have delays and difficulties with several areas of executive function. These deficits are believed to be related to delays in language development and other areas of cognitive functioning impacted by impaired access to language, particularly in the early years of childhood. However, ongoing impaired access in students who access auditory information with cochlear implants may also contribute to these deficits. In order to address these skills, existing research addressing executive functioning in students with hearing impairment was reviewed, and a program was formulated to address the common areas of deficit in these …

Does Early Screening Predict Special Education Placement By Age Five?, Samuel Josef Friedman

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The Early Screening Inventory-Revised is an early childhood assessment used to screen three and four-year-olds entering preschool. This screener assesses basic skills and one’s level of functioning as he or she begins to learn in an academic environment. The purpose of this screener is to alert the school district about students who may struggle academically in a school- based setting. Based on the results of the assessment, students can receive academic or behavioral support from the school if the teacher and parents of the child deem the support necessary. Students who receive support from the school may or may not …

How African American Men From Challenging Backgrounds Beat The Odds And Graduated From College, Valisha Terry

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

While Bettis and Sternod (2009) asserted the notion of boys being in crisis as not a new phenomenon but a historically cyclical one, present research contends that African American men are one of the most at-risk groups in the United States. School and criminal-justice systems show similar results. African American men continue to lag in terms of graduation rates and college enrollment, while being overrepresented in victim violence and the criminal justice system. They also lead the nation in homicides as both victims and perpetrators. Despite these obstacles, many at-risk African American men graduate from college and excel in life. …

Parental Availability As A Predictor Of Academic Success Among Students Of A Private Residential School, Lesley Kubisiak Logan

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

A private residential school in the northeast United States provides a cost-free coeducation to qualifying pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students. One of the most important application factors is need, which is measured by a scale for parental availability. For a parent to be considered unavailable, any or all of the following areas could be present: limited physical capacity to effectively parent the child, limited mental capacity to effectively parent the child, active abuse of drugs or alcohol or ongoing substance abuse history, inadequate supervision, chronic neglect, incarceration, death, no contact or sporadic contact (e.g., not on a regular basis or …

Student Participation In School Sponsored Extra-Curricular Activities At The Elementary School Level And The Impact Of Student Engagement, Kirsten D. Myers

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Getting students involved in their day to day educational processes is often challenging and, in some schools, systems appear almost unrealistic. Students in school do not often see the value of or make the connection with the importance of education. Students see movie stars such as Jennifer Lawrence drop out of school at fourteen, singers, rappers and others in the entertainment industry who are successful and make millions without an education. The potential of a YouTube posting, turning someone into a star looms in their imaginations and they think it could happen to them. Students today are even more enticed …

Examining The Impact Of Educational Modules On Self-Care, Burnout, And Professional Impairment On Graduate And Medical Students, Samantha Giangrande

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Graduate school is a time of academic rigor, personal growth, stress, change, fear, and confrontation. It is important for medical and other graduate students to prepare themselves to serve and treat their patients effectively. An important part of this involves learning skills to better manage challenges and demands through ongoing self-care. However, little research has examined what knowledge students have of self-care strategies and burnout or whether education about these constructs is lacking in higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of self-care and impairment modules for medical and other graduate students enrolled in an …

Working With Transgender And Gender-Variant Youth: Teacher Knowledge, Attitudes, And Perceived Competence, Charla J. Curtis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Despite the fact that research shows that access to supportive adults within the school is consistently associated with better outcomes for LGBTQ students (McGuire, Anderson, Toomey, & Russell, 2010; Kosciw et al., 2018), most teachers do not receive significant training—either preservice or post-certification—about some diversity issues, including gender and sexual orientation (Jennings, 2005). Consequently, many educators lack knowledge about transgender individuals, their needs, experiences, and the unique challenges they face. This survey study explored teachers’ perspectives about working with transgender and gender-variant children and adolescents. A total of 76 teachers in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, serving students in public …