Children adopted from foreign countries, especially those who were in an orphanage, may experience greater difficulties than culturally or linguistically diverse children who do not come from such a background. Delays in learning language and, consequently, slower cognitive and social development, can undermine the academic success of these…

Background: According to the 2000 Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health, a significant percentage of children and adolescents have emotional or behavioral problems serious enough to merit a mental health diagnosis. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act…

This article provides a review of current practices and tools used in the proactive screening of behaviorally at-risk students within the context of schooling. While there are many obstacles to the early detection of vulnerable students, some recent developments have helped make educators more receptive to early identification and prevention…

Twelve papers by Iowa school psychologists reflect the profession's focus on assessment and intervention. The following titles and authors are presented: "What to Do When the Whole Swim Team Is Referred" (S. DeKrey); "An Alternative Technique for Reducing a Self-Injurious Behavior in a Profoundly Retarded Male Child" (G. Robinson); "Severe…

With its roots in clinical and educational psychology, school psychology is an ever-changing field that encompasses a diversity of topics. "The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology" synthesizes the most vital and relevant literature in all of these areas, producing a state-of-the-art, authoritative resource for practitioners,…

The behavior of preadolescent males was rated by two teachers using the Devereux Child Behavior Rating Scale. Interrater teacher reliability estimates were not significantly different than those reported with mental health professionals, but differentiated significantly between diagnostic categories. (Author)

A conceptual model for school-based personality assessment, methods to integrate behavioral and projective assessment procedures, and issues surrounding the use of projective tests are presented. Ways to maximize the personality assessment process for use in placement and programing decisions are suggested. (Author/DWH)

The purpose of this study is to describe the perspectives and underlying assumptions of Pupil Appraisal (PA) Professionals (i.e., education diagnosticians, certified school psychologists, qualified school social workers) at key decision points in the identification process for students with behavior problems (pre-referral and eligibility…

A case study of a primary school student in Ireland with severe intellectual disabilities and behavior problems (self-injury and aggression) describes the effectiveness of in-depth functional assessment and resulting implementation of a behavior intervention plan. The classroom teacher received training in behavioral techniques and ongoing…

Rated personality and conduct problem behaviors by considering their significance in referring an elementary grade child for school psychological services. Results showed regular class teachers, special class teachers of the emotionally disturbed and school psychologists agreed on importance of behaviors. Conduct problems were prioritized by the…

A sample of parents, school psychologists, and elementary school teachers viewed films of three different children and rated them using a 20-item Likert-type instrument. The hypothesis that perceived socioeconomic status and ethnic identification would differentially affect the three rater groups' attributions of positive and negative behavior was…

The current study examined the assessment strategies school psychologists used in their everyday assessment routine in the evaluation of students referred for social/behavioral/emotional problems. A stratified, random, national sample of 1,000 members of the National Association of School Psychologists were sent surveys; 667 completed surveys were…