There has been an increasing number of students being referred to mental health services due to behavioral problems they exhibit at school. Behavioral and social concerns impede academic success for the individual child as well as their classroom peers. Many factors can contribute to challenging behaviors in early childhood students within rural…

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers feel ill-equipped to handle students who have been impacted by trauma. The purpose of this study was to examine the teachers' experiences in implementing a trauma informed schools (TIS) approach to classroom management in rural Tennessee. The theoretical framework used is Bronfenbrenner's…

Obesity is leading cause of death worldwide. Childhood obesity has jumped to 22.4% in 2020 from 19.3% in 2019. One-third of children are overweight and obese, with an approximately 66% chance of becoming an obese adult. The costs of obesity are to overall health: financial, physical, social, and emotional. Obesity affects students at school, a…

This dissertation project highlights the rising rates of and effects of child anxiety. This was done through a literature review of relevant topics. Child anxiety treatment is explored and best practices highlighted. By using a top-to-bottom approach to the literature, a program/resource was developed that is intended for use by school…

Youth mental health concerns, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, are a global public health concern. These concerns inevitably manifest in school settings, where K-12 youth are spending significant portions of their time. While schools, districts, and state and federal policies are working to expand mental health support in school settings, school…

A public school district in southeast South Carolina implemented a new arts-based initiative due to the surge in demand for mental health services for students following the pandemic. With more students in the research site requiring intensive mental health support during the 2021-2022 academic year, compared to the 2016-2017 school year, the…

My dissertation studies the relationship between counseling and violence within U.S. schools. Much of the research on school security and school safety tends to lean heavily on routine activities theory and other opportunity theories, which limits the study of other factors critically relevant to this topic such as school climate. This…

Food insecurity is a problem for millions of people in the United States. In 2020, 10.5 percent of US households were food insecure, and for people of color, the numbers were even greater. With the United States' history of discrimination against Black and Brown people in areas such as housing, employment, and education, racism is clearly a root…

This study explored the issues surrounding adolescent sleep (middle school students in grades 7-8) in a suburban school district in Columbus, Ohio. This study assessed the effects of a KidsHealth.org sleep education program through middle school physical education class to potentially improve daytime sleepiness as measured by the Epworth…

In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General declared a children's mental health crisis, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an increase in the prevalence of youth mental health needs stating that adolescents are in crisis (Reinert et al., 2021). Since 2021, a significant amount of literature has been published, indicating that,…

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of an online mental health literacy curriculum for K-12. In addition, the study established the next steps for professional development concerning mental health literacy for staff based on the findings. This study was guided by research questions: 1. How much knowledge has been gained…

Extensive research has examined the relationship between classroom-based physical activity and academic achievement. The literature presents mixed results when examining the effect that physical activity has on academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of classroom-based "Take 10!" physical activity…

In the US, the presence of a lifetime diagnosis of either depression or anxiety rose from 5.4% in 2003 to 8.4% in 2012 in children aged 6-17 years (Bitsko et al., 2018) and by 2016, 16.5% had at least one mental health disorder including depression or anxiety (Whitney & Peterson, 2019). Children and adolescents exposed to adverse childhood…

Elementary school counselors working in high-poverty schools experience several challenges due to the multiple barriers associated with serving children from low-SES families. Research shows that children from low-SES families are at risk of adverse consequences to their developmental and psychological progress due to negative environmental…

Acute and chronic health conditions may be important factors impacting absenteeism and student achievement in schools. Coordinated school health programs can support students who have these conditions. Although such programs have had documented success, implementation can be costly and time consuming. The local problem addressed in this project…