Financially disadvantaged students in public schools have shown a notable and persistent attendance gap for several years (Boykin & Noguera, 2011; Brey et al. 2019). Addressing the root causes of these gaps has required schools to focus on building a capacity to connect with students in more meaningful ways. This study examines the role a…

More support and resources must be allocated in education for teaching students who naturally outperform their peers. There is even less support provided for Black students who naturally excel. These students require rigor and intentional lessons to continue challenging themselves and growing as scholars. As an elementary school teacher, I found…

New approaches are needed when working in rural communities to identify and communicate holistic evaluation impacts related to community-based health promotion efforts of Cooperative Extension. Specifically, there is a lack of recorded long-term programmatic impacts of these programs, including behavior changes related to consuming nutritious and…

The current study investigated adolescents' (N = 213) decision finding processes and affective reactions to interactions on social media "via" 29 focus groups. As part of a larger study, adolescents participated in focus groups at two time-points across an academic year while participating in a school-based intervention promoting healthy…

With increased public awareness of developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, there are more and more available diagnosis and therapy options for them. It is obvious that services on improving functionality of these children are beneficial. However, there are challenges existing in diagnosis, therapy and intervention service…

Smoking poses a significant threat to adolescent health because of its immediate and long-term detrimental health effects. Smoking refusal self-efficacy predicts smoking behavior in adolescence. In adolescents' health education, digital interventions are potential tools to support smoking refusal self-efficacy. The aim of this two-arm cluster…

Teachers and clinicians report feeling underprepared to implement evidence-based behavior supports. As such, effective models of professional development that lead to improved outcomes for all individuals are required. Critical components of high-quality professional development include explicit instruction, modeling, practice, direct feedback,…

Objective: We assessed the psychosocial influences on college males' human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine patient-provider communication and their uptake of one or more HPV vaccine doses. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey with college males attending one large southwestern university. We used logistic regressions to explore the…

Studies have shown that socially prescribed perfectionism (SPP) is a critical predictor of depression. However, few studies have explored the mechanisms underlying the effects of SPP on depression in Chinese adolescents. Accordingly, the current study aims to explore the relationship between SPP and depression among Chinese adolescents, including…

Improving the development of the social, emotional, and physical domains during early childhood impacts the overall trajectory of a child's well-being. However, researchers often address these independently, leaving a gap for a more integrated approach to promoting development. This study explores the effects of a dual-component intervention on…

The positive promotion of social and emotional wellbeing in schools can be seen as a means to lessen the impact of social difficulties and behavioral problems on educational engagement. This study employed a multicomponent, whole school approach to promoting positive social and emotional wellbeing. School personnel identified nine primary Key…

Background: This study examines the effect of a Theory of Mind (ToM) intervention on ToM abilities and social-emotional functioning in adolescents with developmental language disorder (DLD) or who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH). It emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and measurement for personal growth. The research design incorporates…

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at increased risk of progression to dementia. Whether it is feasible to engage this population in expressive arts therapy and yield effects on cognition and depression for older adults with MCI remained unclear. The aim of this study examined the effects of expressive arts therapy on the…

Bystander intervention has received increased attention as a potential sexual violence prevention strategy, primarily to address campus sexual assault (McMahon et al., 2017). Shifting the focus from potential victims and perpetrators, the bystander approach engages all members of a campus community to act by increasing positive attitudes and…

Current literature exists centered on Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, its components, and ways in which MTSS is intended to support all students. Yet, there is a gap in the literature that examines how elementary schools are implementing it. This dissertation study sought to understand what the MTSS framework implementation at…