During a school day, children make several transitions between activities, which can take away from instructional time and result in challenging behaviors. This study investigates the impact positive engagement and behavioral supports have on children's behavior while transitioning. Participants (N = 40; 77.5% Male; 92.5% Hispanic) were enrolled…

The purpose of this study was to obtain perspectives of parents, teachers, and students about the contextual fit of conjoint behavioral consultation for supporting middle school students with emotional and behavior concerns. Participants were eight parents of middle school students with elevated behavior risk, eight middle school students with…

The purpose of this study was to obtain perspectives of parents, teachers, and students about the contextual fit of conjoint behavioral consultation for supporting middle school students with emotional and behavior concerns. Participants were eight parents of middle school students with elevated behavior risk, eight middle school students with…

Universal screening continues to be a missed opportunity for addressing mental health in schools. The current study compared three separate self-report screening tools: the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Third Edition: Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS), Youth Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Screener (YIEPS),…

School-based universal screening for behavioral/emotional risk is a necessary first step in the identification of students who might need services within a behavioral response to intervention model. When choosing among the available screening measures, psychometric information such as reliability and validity of the scores is critical to inform…

The goal of this project was to evaluate the effects of an innovative intervention model created specifically for youth in alternative school settings. The Motivational Interviewing with At-Risk Students (MARS) Mentoring Program is a unique intervention rooted in self-determination and behavior modification theories and delivered through a…

In this pilot study, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a school-based engagement intervention on parent adherence to recommendations for children screened for social, emotional, behavioral, and adaptive problems at kindergarten entry. The aims were to evaluate the impact of an enhanced feedback session on…

Responsive service delivery frameworks rely on the use of screening approaches to identify students in need of support and to guide subsequent assessment and intervention efforts. However, limited empirical investigations have been directed to informing how often screening should occur for social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties in school…

This research examined the risk and protective factors of responders and nonresponders to a schoolwide implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports (SW-PBIS) within an alternative school. Students completed self-perception measures of individual, school, community, and home systems. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated a…

Current research places an emphasis on outcomes, rather than the processes, that lead to disproportionality in special education. In most instances, referrals for special education are based on teacher perception, rather than data. Using a norm-referenced self-report instrument to assess behavioral and emotional risk, this study compared those…

Students with elevated levels of risk require targeted Tier 2 behavioral interventions that are efficient and effective to prevent the need for more intensive, special education supports. Although Tier 2 is a critical component of multi-tiered systems of support, a paucity of research exists regarding how best to provide evidence-based Tier 2…

Despite schools increasingly adopting multitiered systems of support (MTSS) for prevention and intervention of mental health concerns, many are slow to adopt universal mental health screening (UMHS), a core MTSS feature, due to concerns about their limited capacity to meet the needs of all identified. In this study, we examined differences in the…

This study describes the benefits of systematic universal screening (US) for school counselors engaged in the creation of effective, multi-tiered systems of support that address academic, social, emotional, and behavioral student concerns. The authors used an action research framework to present a case example of one school district's pilot of US…

The goal of this study was to examine the extent to which preschoolers with externalizing behavior problems (EBP) can identify behaviors indicative of callous-unemotional (CU) traits among their peers. Participants for this study included 86 preschool children (69% boys; M[subscript age] = 5.07 years) with at-risk or clinically elevated levels of…

Despite innovations in the screening and early identification of students who may benefit from school mental health services, many schools struggle to link screening to intervention decisions, particularly at the Tier 2 level. Universal complete mental health screening, which measures strengths along with risk factors, is a strength-based approach…