This study surveyed a national sample of school psychologists with respect to the identification of reading disabilities (RD). It covers school psychologists' opinions regarding perceived benefits of the use of cognitive assessment in RD identification, both within and outside of an IQ-achievement discrepancy model. The survey also solicited…

The aims of this study were to examine the extent and nature of educational psychologist (EP) work related to children in care in five local authority educational psychology services in the south-west region. The study involved an initial internet-based questionnaire for the 107 EPs in these services (86% response rate), followed up by in-depth…

This study investigates the types of assessment models used by registered psychologists employed by Ministry of Education: Special Education (MOE:SE) who work in the area of severe and challenging behaviour. The aim of the study was to identify and explore frameworks for practice which are currently used at MOE:SE; the theories which underpin…

Decades of research have demonstrated, now convincingly, that emotional and behavioral syndromes and many of their antecedent risks can be prevented. Much of this progress can be traced to the founding and expansion of the relatively young field called prevention science, an interdisciplinary field that emerged in the early 1990s to address the…

For some three decades psychologists and educators have been working with incomplete or outdated ideas of what constitutes giftedness. Conceptual leadership in the field has moved from a definition based on IQ to expertise- and cognitive science-based definitions. Practice lags behind. Similarly, curriculum concepts are changing to foci based on…

In this review article, the authors integrate the theoretical, empirical, and clinical literature relevant to the phenomenon of college student bereavement. They synthesize information on two theories of mourning that appear to fit well with the experience of bereaved college students with information about the developmental, cohort, and…

To better understand the impact of psychotherapy on youth academic performance, the authors located and examined 83 studies of youth psychotherapy that contained 102 treatment comparisons. Results revealed a d = 0.46 overall effect size, with a d = 0.50 effect size for mental health outcomes, and a d = 0.38 effect size for academically related…

Two generations ago, Latino children and families were often defined as disadvantaged, even "culturally deprived," by psychologists, social scientists, and pediatric researchers. Since then, empirical work from several disciplines has yielded remarkable discoveries regarding the strengths of Latino families and resulting benefits for children.…

In this article, the author gives an autobiographical account of his learning experiences and the lessons he learned from his lecturers. The author learned what he subsequently found is supported by experience and research, that the informal is as necessary as the formal. He also learned that teachers and students need to interact spontaneously,…

The purpose of this study was to develop an interview instrument for school systems to use in the hiring process for school psychologists. The current professional standards, guidelines for practice, and existing literature were reviewed, which yielded consistent agreement of 10 interrelated domains that address essential skills and knowledge…

On May 9, 2008, Kathleen Norona received notice that she would no longer be working as a school psychologist for Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) where she had been employed for the past 5 years. In total 41 out of 240 school psychologists were given official notice that they would be placed on surplus. That is, they would no longer be…

Granting awards to recognize outstanding service and leadership is among the more important functions of professional associations. The School Psychologist of the Year Award (SPYA) is one of several national-level recognitions. Although NASP's annual SPYA dates only to 1991, several state associations were already granting such distinctions. Their…

Being the "go-to" person who understands how to deal with problems and help struggling students succeed is truly something to be proud of and promote. School psychologists want administrators, teachers, and parents to view them as an invaluable resource for effective problem solving. Shining a light on the positive aspects of their work and the…

Youth suicidal behavior continues to be a significant national problem in need of urgent attention by school personnel. The purpose of this introductory article to the special series is to provide an overview of youth suicidal behavior, including research-based information on demographic data; risk factors and warning signs; and where, when, and…

Each year, the apportionment ballot is used to determine how many representatives each division and state, provincial, and territorial association will have on the Council of Representatives. The system is described in Article V, Sections 6 and 7, of the American Psychological Association (APA) "Bylaws". Briefly, all APA fellows, members, and…