The aim of this research is to examine the effect of drama-based social studies education on the psychological resilience and well-being levels of secondary school students affected by the earthquake that took place in Turkey in 2023. The embedded design from mixed methodology was used in the research. The participant group of the research was…

The current experience sampling study examined the change in distinct daily positive and negative emotions of 136 students (aged 10-12) participating in the Flourishing Students program. Students completed smartphone-based questionnaires covering emotions, daily activities, and social context at eight semi-random intervals for six days. Using a…

This research was designed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a social and emotional learning (SEL) mindfulness-based school program (MindUp) for children in post-conflict Northern Uganda. In study one, we culturally adapted and implemented MindUp with 5th and 6th graders. Over a two-year period, significant decreases in children's…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders served in alternative educational settings (e.g., residential treatment facilities) have been exposed to traumatic events at higher rates compared to their peers. Due to the significance of the need for connection with safe, healthy adults, in healing from past traumatic experiences and developing…

This study investigated the effects of a mentoring program for at-risk students of color by integrating reading fluency instruction and resilience-building activities. Three 4th and 5th-grade students identified as having reading difficulties participated in the program, which involved college mentors providing one-on-one instruction for 30-40…

Fluent recall of basic facts is essential to the development of more complex math skills. Therefore, failure to develop fluency with basic facts may impede the development of these skills. The present study used a between-group experimental design to investigate whether a basic facts fluency program, implemented within a self-regulated learner…

The FRIENDS Resilience programs provide cognitive-behavioral skills across the developmental spectrum and can be applied as a universal or selective prevention program. In the current study, we assessed whether, relative to the schools' existing counseling curriculum ("guidance"), FRIENDS improved social skills, problem behaviors, and…

This dissertation developed the Teach program, a psychoeducation program for teachers. Teach is based on research demonstrating a positive correlation between teacher depression literacy and the mental health and academic success of their students, in addition to improved teacher-student relationships. Studies also found that stress management…

This study reports the findings from a year-long randomized evaluation assessing the impact of assigning 62 classrooms in Nigeria to receive either blocked or interleaved math problem sets. Blocked practice sessions focused on a single skill at a time. Interleaved problem sets alternated between different skills within a practice session. On tests…

Advocates 4 ALL Youth (ALLY) is a universal, 6-week mental health literacy program, implemented in schools during the school day by community volunteers. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the ALLY program on youth who endorsed negative affect (i.e., self-reported symptoms of both depression and anxiety). Using a randomized…

Upper elementary students in a Title I rural school participated in an expressive arts-based resiliency small-group intervention entitled Resilient Warriors (RWs). This mixed-methods study revealed positive changes in participating students based on teacher ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. We also found four qualitative…

During the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, many K-12 schools suddenly shifted from the traditional brick and mortar schooling to virtual learning. With this shift, many teachers and students faced unanticipated instructional challenges. In this study, three elementary school teachers in the Mid-Atlantic opted to utilize an innovative technology based…

Various investigations have applied meditation protocols in the school context, with beneficial effects. Transcendental meditation, however, received little attention in primary school settings and few controlled studies are available. The present study is aimed: 1) to investigate the implementation of a school protocol (Quiet Time-QT) based on…

In the US, the presence of a lifetime diagnosis of either depression or anxiety rose from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2012 in children aged 6-17 years (Bitsko et al., 2018) and by 2016, 16.5% had at least one mental health disorder including depression or anxiety (Whitney & Peterson, 2019). Children and adolescents exposed to adverse childhood…

Preventing smoking among adolescents is critical. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Smoking Prevention Education Program among nonsmoking adolescents. A quasi-experimental study design was used. Data were collected from Year 5 students (n = 140) from four government primary schools in the Kuantan and Pahang districts of Malaysia. The…