Young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) are at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders. Mindfulness may be one strategy that can help support the mental health needs of this particular population; however, those with (IDDs) may need additional support in cultivating the practice. The purpose of this…

We provide theory and evidence about how the design of college financial aid programs affects a variety of high school, college, and life outcomes. The evidence comes from an eight-year randomized trial where 2,587 high school ninth graders received a $12,000 merit-based grant offer. During high school, the program increased their college…

This dissertation investigated relevant issues among undergraduate students at two institutions and how these issues could be incorporated into an introductory personal health course. By illustrating how these issues can attract student attention, relevancy, confidence, and satisfaction, educators can make these introductory personal health…

The Cooperative Extension National Framework for Health and Wellness calls on Extension professionals to operate in new ways that will shape "the context in which people grow, learn, work, and play" and to practice multidisciplinary and collaborative approaches in communities. In this article, we present three cases in Oregon as examples…

The study aims to systematically review evidence on the effectiveness of peer-mediated interventions (PMIs) on children with ASD. A systematic review of English peer reviewed article journals was conducted. Only studies that had children with autism as participants and examined the effectiveness of PMIs in a school or home environment were…

The Preschool Life Skills program is an intervention package designed to teach functional skills to prevent problem behavior in typically developing children. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effects of the instructional package (renamed "Life Skills") with children with developmental disabilities. The program…

Many paraeducators have no formal education beyond high school and are provided with minimal training once on the job. Furthermore, as more schools turn to inclusionary practices, the impetus for highly qualified paraeducators becomes more important. However, little research has examined efficient ways to train paraeducators who work in inclusive…

Introduction: This investigation evaluates whether an intervention involving mindfulness-based practices, socio-affective activities, and socio-cognitive instances can foster prosocial attitudes and positive social relationships and reduce perceived stress in children. Method: The study was conducted with 44 children (20 girls and 24 boys) aged…

In college counseling centers across the county, students' needs for services are far exceeding available resources. This leads centers to engage in creative problem solving regarding triage, waitlists, and alternate services. One such solution was the development of Pathways, an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based therapeutic skills…

The effectiveness of universal social emotional learning (SEL) programs are dependent on the incorporation of best practice principles, including an evaluative component. In the present study, the effects of a best practice, teacher-led SEL program was examined with 854 children aged 8-12 years. KooLKIDS uses an interactive multimedia format and…

The evidence that student learning declines sharply (or stagnates) during the summer has motivated a substantial interest in programs that provide intensive academic instruction during the summer. However, the existing literature suggests that such programs, which typically focus on just one or two subjects, have modest effects on students'…

Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) behavioral instruction includes classroom practices supporting social and emotional learning, which in turn support student academic, behavioral, and emotional success. The study summarized in this research to practice brief, "The Promise of Restorative Practices to Transform Teacher-Student Relationships…

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a family-centered preventive intervention, the Family Check-Up (FCU), on improving parenting skills during kindergarten and 1st grade, when children are challenged to engage in a variety of new behaviors, such as sustained attention and self-regulation of behavior in the classroom. Building…

This study explores whether a school-based group counseling program for adolescent girls, implemented at scale, can mitigate trauma-related mental health harms. In a randomized trial involving 3749 Chicago public high school girls, we find that participating in the program for 4 months induces a 22% reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder…

Background: We examined the effectiveness of Peaceful Playgrounds™ (P2) to decrease antisocial behaviors (ASB) while increasing physical activity (PA) and prosocial behaviors (PSB) in elementary school children. Methods: A longitudinal, cluster-randomized design was employed in 4 elementary school playgrounds where students (third to fifth) from 2…