School Psychology Commons^™

Iq And Targeted Based Cognitive Tier Ii Interventions, James B. Justice

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between IQ and response to intervention. Thirty six students were administered the Woodcock Johnson III tests of Cognitive Abilities (WJ-III) and assigned interventions based on the results. The IQ scores from the 'tested' group were grouped by highest and lowest and then compared to the students' outcomes on the standardized reading assessment after all students had received the intervention. Results indicated that students in the high IQ group performed significantly better on the standardized reading assessment. The results also indicated a moderate positive correlation between the students' IQ and performance …

Examination Of Consistency On The Ohio Achievement Assessments And Ohio Graduation Test, Adam R. Fox

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study investigated a cohort of students’ performance on the Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA) and Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT). The purpose of this study was to investigate the consistency of a cohort’s reported scores on the OAA over a four-year period (5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades) and reported scores on their OGT assessment; this was accomplished through the examination of OAA and OGT data from a rural school district located in central Ohio. The data were analyzed using correlations, regressions, and repeated measures ANOVA. A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was computed indicating positive correlations between all OAA and OGT …

Teacher Attitudes Toward Post-Secondary Transition Planning, Vicki Wallen

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to survey special education teachers in a rural high school in a rural Mid-Atlantic state. The survey collected data about attitudes and perceptions of the transition planning process and how these attitudes impact the amount of instructional time that is spent teaching self-determination skills to their students. Generally, the survey results indicated that although teachers feel that transition planning is important, they also find it difficult to incorporate self-determination instruction with the Common Core curriculum. Less than half of the respondents indicated that they feel as though the transition curriculum that they use effectively …

The Effectiveness Of The Concordance-Discordance Model: Identifying Learning Disabilities In School-Aged Children, Bryan Hendricks

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

After the reauthorization of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in
2004, the federal regulations indicated that there are three possible methods for the identification of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). The three methods include the ability-achievement discrepancy (AAD), Response to Intervention (RTI), and the addition of a third method, which consists of other alternative research-based procedures. Hale and Fiorello (2004) proposed the use of a Concordance-Discordance Model (CDM), which suggests that learning disabled students have discordance between processing strength and both processing weakness and achievement deficit. In addition, SLD students have a concordance between the achievement deficit and processing …

Autism Interventions In Educational Settings: Delivery Within A Response To Intervention Framework, Caitlin E. Gilmartin

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Monitoring the progress of and delivering services to students with Autism present a unique challenge. Numerous interventions exist without a common, mandated progress monitoring system or service delivery system. The current study examined the principles of Response to Intervention (RTI) programs in the context of service delivery for students with Autism. An innovative service delivery system, the Autism Response to Systematic Intervention (ARTSI), was designed utilizing these principles. Outcomes of the study included a manual for the program, as well as forms and necessary materials to provide initial program implementation. Initial comment from stakeholders, future directives, and limitations are also …

Effectiveness Of A Brief Parent Training Intervention, Brian Legg

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examined the effectiveness of a brief parent-training intervention in reducing defiance in children. Four African American single mothers with children demonstrating clinically diagnosable levels of defiance participated in this study. Parental stress and general maladaptive behaviors of children were evaluated pre- and post-treatment. In addition, participants completed treatment-satisfaction questionnaires to assess the perceived value of the accommodations and training structure. Results indicated some reduction in child defiance in three of the four participants. Parental stress and overall child maladaptive externalizing behaviors were both reduced over the entire study for two participants. Participants reported that the flexibility of individually …

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Teachers' Perceptions And Acceptability Of Interventions, Betti Stanco Vitanza

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine elementary and middle school teachers’ perceptions of attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and acceptability of interventions commonly used in the treatment of ADHD. Eighty-one teachers from three elementary schools and one middle school participated in this study by completing an online survey containing the Perception of Attention Deficit Disorder Survey (PADDS) and Intervention Acceptability Survey (IAS). Results indicate that teachers feel adequately trained on the topic of ADHD and feel confident when implementing interventions for students with ADHD; however, teachers would like to receive additional in-service training on the topic of ADHD. …

Visual Efficiency And The Relationship Between Reading And Behaviors Indicating Difficulties In The Classroom In Elementary School-Age Children, Patricia A. Broadbent

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between visual efficiency, reading levels and behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom. The sample consisted of thirty–three school-aged children, from four elementary schools. Visual efficiency was measured through a multi-step vision screening process, the Visual Efficiency Rating (VERA) software program. Behaviors indicating difficulties in the classroom were measured using the Behavioral Indicator Checklist, Indicators of Visual Performance Difficulties. This behavior checklist is part of the VERA process and is completed by the classroom teachers. The students’ reading levels were reported by the participating schools. The students were …

Dating Violence On Small Rural College Campuses: Are Administrator And Student Perceptions Similar?, Jean Allen Oldham

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

In recent years dating violence has become more and more prevalent on college campuses. Reports of the range of dating violence vary widely, with studies reporting from 20% to 85% of college women experiencing dating violence. However, almost all research has been conducted among urban and/or large colleges and universities, with virtually no attention to what is happening on small and/or rural college and university campuses.

When a possible 20% of college women have experienced dating violence on college campuses, there becomes a crucial need for administration at a college to have an accurate assessment of the college’s liability, and …

Changes In School Connectedness And Deviant Peer Affiliation Among Sixth-Grade Students From High-Poverty Neighborhoods, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Kate Niehaus, Lisa J. Crockett, Christopher R. Rakes

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This longitudinal study examined associations between changes in School Connectedness and changes in Affiliation With Deviant Peers among students from high-poverty backgrounds during the year immediately following the transition to middle school. Sixth-graders (N = 328) attending two middle schools in a large school district completed measures of School Connectedness and Affiliation With Deviant Peers at three points across the year. Results from parallel process modeling showed that students’ reports of School Support significantly declined across the school year, School Support and Affiliation With Deviant Peers were negatively associated at the beginning of the school year, and students who reported …

Korean American Adolescents And Their Mothers: Intergenerational Differences And Their Consequences, Hui Chu

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

The current study examined the links and mechanisms associated with intergenerational cultural conflict, psychological distress, and the intergenerational differences in acculturation and model minority stereotype (MMS) endorsement for South Korean immigrants. Specifically, Korean American adolescents’ (ages 12-19, M = 15.3, SD = 1.71) and their mothers’ (N = 209 dyads) acculturation difference and MMS endorsement difference were measured and analyzed as predictors of intergenerational cultural conflict and psychological distress for adolescents. Furthermore, the study analyzed intergenerational cultural conflict as a mediator in the acculturation gap-distress and the MMS endorsement-distress paths. Results indicated that when mothers and their adolescents differed …

Outcomes Of The Sanctuary Model In An Education Setting, Brianna Matey

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This study examines the short-term outcomes of implementing the Sanctuary Model in an emotional support educational setting over the 2011-2012 school year. The frequency of restraints, the therapeutic environment, and job satisfaction were evaluated pre and post implementation of the model. Study participants included teachers, teacher aides, and a licensed clinical social worker at a nonprofit behavioral health care organization in the mid-Atlantic region. Results indicated similar numbers of restraints employed in the 2010-2011 school year compared to the 2011-2012 school year. Three out of 10 domains in the therapeutic environment measured by the Community Oriented Program Environment Scale (COPES-R) …

The View From Across The Table: A Qualitative Study Of Parent Experiences With The School Psychologist During Initial Evaluation Feedback Conferences, Katherine Scipioni

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

This qualitative study focuses on the experiences of 11 parents whose child received an evaluation at school by the school psychologist. By using a semi-structured interview, the author examined the initial evaluation process, or the first time a parent had his or her child evaluated by a school psychologist. A special focus was placed on the meeting in which the parent received results from the school psychologist. The results indicated that there is a lack of connection between parents and the evaluation process. This disconnect becomes wider over the course of the evaluation and at the end of the process, …

Contribution Of Reactive And Proactive Control To Children’S Working Memory Performance: Insight From Item Recall Durations In Response Sequence Planning, Nicolas Chevalier, Tiffany D. James, Sandra A. Wiebe, Jennifer Mize Nelson, Kimberly Espy

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

The present study addressed whether developmental improvement in working memory span task performance relies upon a growing ability to proactively plan response sequences during childhood. Two hundred thirteen children completed a working memory span task in which they used a touchscreen to reproduce orally presented sequences of animal names. Children were assessed longitudinally at 7 time points between 3 and 10 years of age. Twenty-one young adults also completed the same task. Proactive response sequence planning was assessed by comparing recall durations for the 1st item (preparatory interval) and subsequent items. At preschool age, the preparatory interval was generally shorter …

Assessing Middle School Students' Perceptions Of Social Support Provided By Teachers And Other School Professionals, Constantine J. Pappas

Masters Theses

Despite the expanding body of research pertaining to social support practices within the educational environment, there remain questions regarding which types of social supports and teacher behaviors students perceive as being most meaningful. This mixed-methods study investigated students' perceptions of social supports as offered by teachers and other school professionals through the use of qualitative narrative reports and quantitative rating scales. Participants included 94 regular and special education middle school students. Results revealed three types of positive social support (Informational Support, Instructional Support and Emotional Support, respectively) and one type of negative social support (Lack of/Negative Emotional Support) that emerged …

The Impact Of An Individualized Social Skills Intervention For A High Functioning Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Rachel Schaub

Masters Theses

The Social Skills Intervention (developed specifically for this study) is a social skills plus anxiety reduction program that uses direct instruction, anxiety reduction, and reinforcement principles. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the social skills training on increasing the frequency of three target behaviors for one 8 year old, female student. A secondary purpose was to decrease student anxiety by teaching how and when to use a specific coping technique. A concurrent multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate social skills instruction on target behaviors. During baseline, intervention, and maintenance sessions, the participant's …

Parent Knowledge Of Child's Level Of Play: Implications For Early Childhood And Preschool Assessment, Jessie Shuemaker

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine how accurately parents were able to report on their own child's play skills. Additionally, the study sought to examine if the addition of a parent interview used in conjunction with an observational play-based assessment would warrant a more comprehensive and accurate picture of a child's skills. A Spearman Rank Order Correlation was conducted to examine the relationship between a parent interview developed specifically for this study and an observational play-based assessment. Kappa Coefficients were also conducted to determine the level of agreement between the interviews and observations. Results suggested a weak positive …

Incremental Validity Of The Learning Behavior Scale In Special Education Evaluation, Margaret Lakebrink

Masters Theses

The Learning Behavior Scale (LBS) was developed as a teacher rating scale to assess students' learning behaviors hypothesized to affect academic achievement. Research utilizing the LBS has primarily stemmed from the standardization sample. The present study attempted to examine the incremental validity of adding the LBS to standardized intelligence test scores in order to predict standardized academic achievement in students participating in initial evaluations for determining disability and eligibility for special education services. Due to difficulty obtaining a sufficient sample, reevaluation cases were also obtained in the sample of first to eighth grade students (N=40) in the study. Results provided …

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of The Louisiana Gear Up Program In Promoting Self-Efficacy, Improving Academic Achievement And Increasing Teachers' Aspirations For Their Students, Candi Hill

Doctoral Dissertations

Students are likely to avoid academic pursuits if they lack academic self-efficacy (Bandura, 2000). Furthermore, past poor academic performance contributes to the development of low academic self-efficacy. Students who participate in extracurricular activities, like LA GEAR UP, demonstrate better academic achievement and less risk-taking behaviors than non-participating students (Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003). Research supports the notion that LA GEAR UP is an effective way to improve students' academic performance and to reduce the number of disciplinary referrals students receive (Beer, 2009). Additionally, within the academic literature research has demonstrated that teachers' attributions about students are based upon their perceptions …

An Evaluation Of The Penn Resiliency Program For Disruptive Preadolescents In An Elementary School Setting, Mildred Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Penn Resiliency Program in decreasing disruptive behavior, modifying negative automatic thoughts and improving academic achievement. Forty-eight students from two Title I schools in Georgia participated in this study. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition, Progress Monitor, The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale and report card grades were used to evaluate program effectiveness. Research results suggest the program effectively reduced negative automatic thoughts and improved academic performance.