Breaking bad news can be one of the more difficult aspects of being a school psychologist. Whether it is the first or the hundredth time delivering such news, these conversations can be uncomfortable and daunting communication tasks. The comfort level with delivering bad news is important to consider. Discomfort can lead a school psychologist to…

Reactive attachment disorder of infancy or early childhood (RAD) was introduced as a psychiatric condition in DSM-III in 1980 (American Psychiatric Association; APA). Students who have this condition, which is associated with experiencing severe social neglect during early development (i.e., before the age of 5), have significant difficulties with…

This article explains a process for improving specific learning disabilities (SLD) eligibility guidelines in a special education cooperative in Nebraska. The Central Nebraska Support Services Program (CNSSP) is a special education cooperative that serves four public school districts and seven parochial schools in central Nebraska. Children birth…

Appropriate and effective classroom management skills are critical in supporting students' academic, social, and behavior development in schools; however, teachers often cite needing help with classroom management as their greatest need. Given this concern, school psychologists need effective and efficient strategies to offer to teachers and…

The current study examined the diagnostic decision-making of school psychologists as a function of a student's disability and academic performance with three research questions using a randomly-selected sample of school psychologists from the state of Texas. Results from the first research question indicated that school psychologists significantly…

Ostracism--being ignored and excluded--is a painful experience that can occur in both face-to-face and electronically based (e-based) social interactions (Williams, 2009). There are many reasons why individuals ostracize others, but a common reason is to use ostracism as a form of punishment or a form of relational aggression (Nezlek, Wesselmann,…

In addition to a critique of the primary components of Frisby's article, the value of multicultural competence and training school psychologists is defended. Although acknowledging some weaknesses concerning the value of multicultural competence, these problems should not overshadow the continuous efforts of the researchers who address the…

Over the past couple of decades, the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has gained an increasing role in shaping educational systems and policies across the world. PISA's measurement of a limited range of cognitive abilities across cultures, however, promotes a narrow view of education, one that focuses primarily on preparing…

Child maltreatment has the potential to alter a child's neurodevelopmental trajectory and substantially increase the risk of later psychiatric disorders, as well as to deleteriously impact neurocognitive functioning throughout the lifespan. Child maltreatment has been linked to multiple domains of neurocognitive impairment, including…

Child maltreatment remains a relevant issue for school psychologists. This special issue was designed to provide school psychology practitioners, researchers, and other school personnel with current, empirically sound information about child maltreatment. This introduction provides context for the articles in this volume, including definitions of…

Bullying among children and adolescents is recognized as a significant global public health problem, as it has serious health consequences. Schools are important sites in which to address violence prevention, specifically bullying prevention, and to promote positive youth development. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion outlines five action…

School psychologists continue to play a critical role in the identification of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) in schools. However despite decades of research and debate, the field continues to lack consensus on best practice methodologies. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization in 2004 increased…

Most research on positive psychology interventions (PPIs) has involved young adults and adolescents, but not young children. O'Grady (2013) suggested some conceptually promising pedagogical strategies that teachers can use to integrate PPI into the elementary school classroom. These general ideas include: (1) teaching the language of emotions and…

The purpose of this study was to examine Arab American parents' perceptions of difficulties their children experience in the USA. Both Arab American children born outside the USA who later moved to the country and children born in the USA to Arab parents were examined. Fifty Arab American families were interviewed in two areas in the State of…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder whose incidence is rising. School-based professionals are in an ideal position to provide the much-needed assessment and intervention supports for students with ASD, as the professionals' placement within a formal system affords the opportunity to observe and support children…