This dissertation investigates the relationship between stigma, knowledge, and help-seeking attitudes among high school students in two New York City Jewish day schools: a Modern Orthodox all-boys high school and a Sephardic Orthodox Jewish all-girls high school. The primary focus is on understanding how these factors: stigma about mental illness…

When the COVID-19 pandemic closed in-person schools in March 2020, SOS Signs of Suicide shifted to a virtual program. This paper describes an evaluation of the acceptability of the online program by middle and high school students (N = 1196). Students generally responded favorably to virtual SOS. Although some were unsure, of those with an…

Background: Mental disorders most likely manifest during adolescence, providing opportunities for schools and professionals to implement standardized mental health literacy (MHL) interventions to support improvement of mental health outcomes. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an MHL intervention (the Guide) on knowledge, stigma,…

The feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) framework offers a novel perspective for analyzing second language (L2) learners' proactive agency in processing teacher feedback. While research has identified associations among language mindsets, goal orientations, and FSB in L2 speaking classes, this line of inquiry should be extended to L2 writing education…

Bystanders play an essential role in school bullying prevention. This study examines student bystanders' perceptions of severity and willingness to intervene in scenarios involving physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying. It focuses on five distinct victim reactions: pretending nothing happened, seeking help, fighting back, crying, and no…

For students with disabilities, the process for requesting and receiving accommodations, accompanying rules and requirements, and eligible accommodations differ significantly at the college level as compared to K-12 settings. Considering the differences in regulations governing accommodations and learning supports for students with learning…

The ecologies of Bedouin communities in Israel have changed in recent generations. This mixed-method study examines how such changes have augmented psychological mindedness and a willingness to accept professional psychological help. Twenty-one adolescent girls, their mothers, and their grandmothers responded to dilemmas regarding aspects of…

High school athletes are not immune to mental health challenges. The persistent lack of state or national mental health guidelines for athletes has impacted high school athletes' abilities to access and apply resources in a mentally healthy manner. This can impact not only a high school athlete's career but can leave lasting effects on collegiate…

In line with shifts to avoid blaming individual students and instead be critical of systems that produce inequitable outcomes, this research honors the voices of those closest to math instruction: students. This study sought to learn directly from high school students of color about their experiences as math learners. The study surveyed over 400…

This study evaluated the longitudinal psychometric properties of the Authoritative School Climate Survey (ASCS) using a statewide sample of middle and high schools across 8 years. Multilevel confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the longitudinal measurement invariance of three scales on the ASCS: disciplinary structure, teacher…

Schools have an important role to play in adolescent suicide prevention. This article describes universal screenings for depression and suicidality as one component of the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program in middle and high schools following the suicide death of a student in the past few years. Of the students screened (N = 7,429), 11.0 percent of…

In the three essays which compose this dissertation, I use econometric tools to examine the relationships between various measures of school context and teachers' practice. I first study how a literacy curriculum intervention affects elementary teachers' advice seeking networks and how these advice seeking relationships moderate the impact of…

An increasing number of students enrolling in college engaged in Tier 2 response to intervention (RTI) academic supports in high school to supplement their secondary education. However, few researchers examined if prior experiences with RTI influence academic self-efficacy in college, a construct known to promote student retention and graduation…

An urban, Black high school population share their experiences of a college preparatory counseling group specific to prospective first-generation college students (PFGCS). The salience of help seeking, as a major theme in this study, is highlighted and explored according to Black, first-generation college going students. Participant experiences…

Students often struggle in the transition from high school to college. One component of this struggle is adjusting study habits to navigate new academic expectations. Another is establishing new relationships in college that can support their emotional well-being and academic success. We administered surveys consisting primarily of open-ended…