Measurement limitations have hindered research on learned helplessness (LH) and mastery orientation (MO) in the classroom. We reduced the 24-item Student Behavior Checklist to a 6-item scale and tested the abbreviated measure for evidence of reliability and validity in a sample of 5th and 6th graders (N = 299). We then replicated findings in an…

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) are more likely to exhibit internalizing and externalizing behaviors than typically developing peers. Virtually none of the literature, however, reports on the behaviors of students at-risk for writing disabilities (AR-WD). We compared the behaviors of writers who are AR-WD and typically…

The "Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies (PATHS®)" program is a curriculum that aims to promote emotional and social competencies and to reduce aggression and behavior problems in elementary school children. "PATHS"® is delivered through short lessons given two to three times a week over the school year. The program is…

This study aimed to examine the impact of a universal, school-based intervention, the Good Behavior Game (GBG), on children's behavior, and to explore any subgroup moderator effects among children at varying levels of cumulative risk (CR) exposure. A 2-year cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted comprising 77 primary schools in England.…

Few youths engage in the recommended amount of physical activity (PA). Many educators have concerns about increasing PA in schools, including taking time from academics, though studies show that school-based PA can be beneficial to academics. This study extends previous research on the relationship between school-based PA and time on task (TOT) by…

There is a growing need for valid measures that can be administered efficiently in school settings to assess the impact of school-based preventive interventions. The current paper aimed to establish a balance among assessment efficiency, reliability, and the measurement properties of an instrument widely used to assess the impact of school-based…

There is a growing need for valid measures that can be administered efficiently in school settings to assess the impact of school-based preventive interventions. The current article aimed to establish a balance among assessment efficiency, reliability, and the measurement properties of an instrument widely used to assess the impact of school-based…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a specific classroom seating arrangement can contribute to students being on or off-task while completing independent work within the general education setting of an inclusive second grade class. In this study, three classroom seating arrangements were compared in a second grade classroom. These…

Prior research has suggested Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) effectiveness is linked to the function of problem behavior. Though effective for students whose misbehavior occurs to gain attention, findings are equivocal for behavior that occurs to escape academic tasks. The purpose of this study was to therefore evaluate a modification to CICO, wherein…

Just as the classroom guide must prepare for observation in the classroom, so too should parents prepare themselves for classroom observation. What is the purpose of their observation? What is the procedure? What should they note? What points of awareness should they keep in mind? Using the format of a letter to parents preparing to observe in a…

Computer programming skills are important to many current careers; teaching robot coding to elementary students can start a positive foundation for technological careers, develop problem-solving skills, and growth mindsets. This study, through a repeated measures design involving students in two classrooms at two widely-separated grade levels…

The current pilot study assessed the impact of a motivational intervention on the task-avoidant behaviors, task-engagement behaviors, and skill growth of elementary-age readers attending a remedial summer reading program. We randomly assigned students (ages 7-10) either to an experimental condition (n = 24) that integrated strategies emphasizing…

Three students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who displayed off-task behavior participated in a two-phase study. In Phase 1, a functional behavioral assessment (FBA) was conducted for each student. In addition, an assessment of each student's ability to perform the replacement behavior identified that none of the participants was able to do…

Concerns regarding the social-behavioral maladjustment of U.S. youth have spurred efforts among educators and policymakers to identify and remedy educational contexts that exacerbate children's anxiety, depression, aggression, and misconduct. However, investigations of the influence of collective classroom student characteristics on individuals'…

The purpose of this study is: (1) to investigate the underlying latent structure and cut-off scores of a teacher-rated screening form (PSC-17) for use in early elementary schools. Participants were 522 children from Grades One and Two. Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling was suggested to identify the optimal factor solution. Results indicated…