Recent empirical research shows that air pollution harms student test scores and attendance and increases office discipline referrals. However, the mechanism by which air pollution operates within schools to negatively affect student and teacher outcomes remains largely opaque. The existing literature has primarily focused on the effects of…

A systematic review was conducted using PsychInfo, ERIC, and Google Scholar using the terms "classroom" and "direct observation". The search yielded 1,006 articles published between 1935 and 2022 with a total of seven observation codes (Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools, Classroom Observation of Engagement,…

Objective: The secondhand effects of alcohol use (SEA) are adverse consequences caused by another's drinking. This study explored the relationship among the experience of SEAs, alcohol use, and alcohol related consequences (ARC). In addition, we examined whether coping (i.e., adaptive, maladaptive, substance use coping, maladaptive coping without…

Recent studies have focused on predictors of exclusionary practices in early childhood, but few have examined what happens after a child is removed from care. Families' difficulty finding new care is complicated by the shortages of convenient, affordable and quality childcare in the United States. Using online surveys, we gathered data from…

A common consequence for students who engage in disruptive behaviors at school is their removal from the instructional environment. Depending on the frequency and/or intensity of the disruptive behavior, this removal occurs from classrooms (e.g., office discipline referrals), school buildings (e.g., suspensions), or districts (e.g., expulsions).…

While research suggests that social emotional competencies (SECs) influence students' disciplinary outcomes, less is known of their potential to explain racial disparities or grade level differences in those outcomes. This study used survey and administrative data from 30,494 students in grades 3-12 to examine the degree to which SECs were related…

There are documented disparities in how preschool teachers perceive and respond to challenging behavior in the classroom. Teachers' decision-making processes when handling challenging behavior and how they include families in the process is an area that is notably under-researched. Using an experimental design, preschool teachers (N = 131; 93%…

Caregivers from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds perceive and work to prevent challenging behavior exhibited by their children with disabilities in various ways. However, limited research has been conducted with caregivers across racially and ethnically diverse groups, to explore the parenting practices and preventative strategies used…

This study examined the unique and interactive effects of teacher-child relationships and classroom quality on PreK to Grade 1 children's reading and math achievement, social skills, and problem behaviors, as well as whether these relationships differed by children's race and ethnicity. Based on data from 192 children (18.23% Black, 8.33% Latine…

Disciplinary action towards racially minoritized students compared to their White peers is disproportionate and these actions often result from teachers' lived experiences, socialized perceptions, or a homogenous teaching workforce consisting of predominantly White middle-class women with limited social interactions with minoritized communities.…

A primary goal of this study was to examine adolescents' use of the most commonly used social media apps in the United States. An additional goal was to examine the relationship between social media use and adolescent externalizing behaviors. The moderating influences of gender and race/ethnicity also were assessed. The sample included 1,072…

Teachers often hold lower academic and behavioral expectations for Black students, and they are more likely to make a disciplinary referral for Black students than their White peers for similar infractions. The mechanism underlying this may be teachers' implicit attitudes about their Black students. This quantitative study examined the connection…

Black youth overwhelmingly experience excessive discipline and exclusionary practices in schools, which contribute to the growing achievement and opportunity gaps between Black and White students. This study examined 915 teacher education students' (TES') interpersonal attributions of classroom behaviors of elementary age Black and White girls,…

National policies have targeted widespread exclusionary discipline in schools which is associated with negative academic outcomes. Principals play an important role in making disciplinary decisions, yet little is understood about how their mindsets might impact these decisions. We hypothesized that principals' mindsets regarding the purpose of…

This 10-year study followed 134 caregivers of young adults with autism and intellectual disability, examining the effects of caregivers' coping strategies, sociodemographic features, and young adult symptomatology on caregiver well-being and depression. Lower caregiver education and higher young adult externalizing behaviors predicted lower…