Resilience and other positive psychological constructs are gaining attention among school psychologists. Theoretically, external assets (e.g., support from caring adults, participation in meaningful activities) help to meet youths' basic developmental needs, which, in turn, promote the growth of internal assets (e.g., ability to problem solve,…

In an effort to understand how schools are coping with incidents of peer victimization, this study explored the types of related interventions currently being offered by public schools in Northern California. School psychologists' perceptions of the importance of the available interventions were also examined (N = 96). The interventions reported…

The increasing emphasis on school-based mental health services is likely to increase the demand for school psychologists to provide counseling with students. Providing counseling in the school context can be challenging, especially given time constraints and limited number of sessions. Solution-focused brief counseling (SFBC) is an approach that…

The development of social and emotional competence is crucial for students. "Second Step" is a curriculum designed to promote prosocial development and prevent violence. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing one unit of the Second Step curriculum (Impulse Control and Problem Solving). A controlled,…

Regulation has been implicated in the development of emotional and behavioral disorders in childhood. Indeed, emotion dysregulation is one of the most common reasons families seek psychological services and behavioral supports. Interventions to support children with regulatory difficulties may be enhanced if they are informed by basic…

The 2004 authorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act affords an opportunity to shift the classification of Learning Disabilities (LD) from a "refer-test-place" to a Response-to-Intervention (RtI) service delivery model. As a result, there are implications for the professional activities of school…

Addressing the needs of children with autism in the school context is an essential component of facilitating the success of these students. This article provides an overview of scientifically based and promising interventions that may be used to promote the social and cognitive competence of children with autism, focusing on the research base of…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning (LGBTQ) students are likely to be in every classroom in every secondary school in the United States; yet, their needs are often overlooked. LGBTQ students are at risk for developing academic, social, and emotional problems due to harassment and bullying experienced at school. Although schools…

Assessing a student for emotional disturbance is a serious and complex task given the stigma of the label and the ambiguities of the federal definition. One way that school psychologists can be more confident in their assessment results is to cross validate data from different sources using the RIOT approach (Review, Interview, Observe, Test).…

Current educational practices for classifying and serving students with mental health disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have been associated with specific problems. These include the stigma of labeling, misalignment of school-based categories (e.g., E/BD, OHI) with clinical diagnoses, and concerns regarding the provision of…

Recent studies on the prevalence of autism indicate that approximately 1 in 200 children meet diagnostic criteria, significantly greater than rates reported just a decade ago (Blanchard, Gurka, & Blackman, 2006). Concurrently, biomedical treatments including psychotropic medication have been used with increased frequency to treat children…

This article examines recent literature related to the diagnosis of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) in childhood. First, the article discusses diagnostic criteria presented in the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Next, it explores the diagnostic procedures for AD/HD…

The revised "Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Education Act" (2004) and subsequent Federal Regulations promote the use of alternative process of identifying students with specific learning disabilities based on how well a student responds to researched-based interventions. As these strategies are implemented, school…

Classroom climate, though difficult to define and assess, affects student learning especially in the elementary schools. Much of the current research focuses on the primary architect of classroom climate--the teacher. There is little doubt that teacher behaviors determine the overall climate of the classroom, but peer actions and reactions also…

Projective techniques continue to be widely used by school psychologists despite frequent criticisms of their use. This article reviews contemporary validity issues in the use of projective techniques with children and adolescents, including incremental validity, treatment validity, and problems associated with professional judgment and…