The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a behavioral based intervention program on minority student behavior. The Breakfast Club was an intervention created with the goal of improving the negative behavior of minority adolescent students. The participants in this study were minority, high school students who displayed frequent…

In this dissertation an integrated intervention in high schools is proposed for students with anxiety that combines CBT and yoga methods. The development of this program was derived from a critical review of the literature on CBT and yoga programs in high school that aim to reduce anxiety in students. Thirteen studies that used CBT programs and…

Within the school setting, students identified as having emotion regulation impairment (ERI) are at particularly high risk for negative academic and personal outcomes. These students often need additional support with mental health. Unfortunately, there are several barriers to providing evidence-based interventions in schools, including time and…

Behavioral activation (BA) has significant and long-lasting effects on depression in adults, and a growing body of evidence supports its efficacy with adolescents. It remains unclear, however, whether BA reduces systematically-observed depressive behavior in addition to subjective report of depressive symptoms. In this single-case study, three…

Increasingly, empathy is a topic of discussion and instruction. Often used as a synonym to describe the socially acceptable and friendly behaviors we want to see more of in our society and specifically among adolescents, empathy is being used as a catchall phrase, confusing efforts to teach people how to choose empathetic behaviors. Adolescents…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with comorbid disorders like anxiety. However, special education teachers may lack the training to implement specific interventions in the classroom setting for adolescents with ASD and anxiety. This qualitative action research study was conducted to examine how special education…

Promoting healthy development for youth requires understanding the factors that predict positive outcomes. Although cognitive skills are important for student development, research has also identified social-emotional and behavioral growth as key developmental contributors. Social-emotional and behavioral skills, such as adaptability, emotional…

With the prevalence of autism continually on the rise, more Autistic people will enter the work force. Research and employment data demonstrate Autistic individuals have a difficult time securing and maintaining employment. One of the issues Autistic people face is a lack of effective and efficient vocational training. Although Autistic students…

Many individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities are identified and receive special education services to address deficits in cognitive and adaptive functioning. These deficits impact the student's ability to engage in daily living tasks independently. However, there are limited generalizable programs available to address these…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder in which individuals experience deficits in communication, restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, as well as social interaction and reciprocity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For adolescents with autism, anxiety often interferes with these symptoms making them…

Adolescent anger, aggression, and violent outbursts are social problems significantly affecting each of us. Individual therapeutic management of pathological anger is treated in various ways depending on practitioners' theoretical orientations and competency levels. Popular psychological individual and group therapies addressing anger and…

Adolescence is marked by a period of stress with a portion of these individuals experiencing problems with anxiety. There are physical and psychological benefits of using animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for decreasing anxiety, however, the research on this is limited. The current study expands on the AAT literature by studying the additive effects…

This generic qualitative study investigated the experiences of counselors who use cognitive behavioral therapy with middle school students who were bullied. Counselors can play a significant role in the life of an adolescent when tools are offered to help the adolescent recognize negative thought patterns and help them work towards attaining…

As Non-Suicidal Self Injury (NSSI) is increasing in prevalence among adolescents and young adults, College Counseling Centers (CCC's) are tasked with treating this population of students. CCC's are designed to provide counseling services to all students seeking assistance and therapy is typically relegated to short term psychotherapy with…

Depression during adolescence is highly prevalent with as many as 20% experiencing a major depressive episode by the age of 18. Adolescent depression causes significant impairment across life areas including school functioning, such as poor academic performance and decreased academic achievement. Despite the existence of many evidence-based…