Latent Profiles of Students at Social-Emotional Risk: Heterogeneity Among Peer-Rejected Students in Early Elementary School

A latent profile analysis was applied to explore heterogeneity in the social and classroom behaviors of 224 peer-rejected elementary school students (56% White, 68% male, Grades 1–4, Mage = 8.1 years). Profile indicators included teacher ratings of social skills and problem behaviors on the Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) and peer nominations of prosocial, aggressive, and withdrawn behavior. Four profiles emerged. Two profiles where characterized by elevated externalizing problems by peer and teacher report, one with multiple co-occurring difficulties (multiproblem, 21% of the sample) and one characterized primarily by aggression (domineering, 32% of the sample). Another profile was characterized by deficits in social skills and viewed by teachers as internalizing and disruptive (internalizing-dysregulated, 26% of the sample.) The final profile was nondistinct on teacher ratings but defined by low rates of prosocial behavior by peers (teacher preferred, 21% of the sample.) Group comparisons revealed that students in the multiproblem and internalizing-dysregulated profile classes had lower-quality relationships with teachers and more academic difficulties than students in the other two profile classes. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for identifying peer-rejected students for Tier 2 interventions and tailoring those interventions to enhance impact.

Too Anxious to Talk: Social Anxiety, Academic Communication, and Students’ Experiences in Higher Education

Social anxiety is related to a host of negative student outcomes in the educational context, including physical symptoms of anxiety, reduced cognitive functioning, and poor academic performance. Despite the prevalence of social anxiety, little is known about mechanisms that may underlie associations between social anxiety and outcomes in the context of higher education. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate a conceptual model linking social anxiety, communication with peers and instructors, students’ experiences (i.e., engagement, connectedness, and satisfaction), and indices of socio-emotional functioning at university. Participants were N = 1,073 undergraduate students ( Mage = 20.3 years, SD = 3.49) who completed a series of self-report measures. Among the results, social anxiety was negatively related to communication with instructors, socio-emotional functioning, and student experiences, and academic communication accounted for significant variance in the links between social anxiety and student experiences. In addition, there was at least some evidence that student experiences partially mediated the association between social anxiety and socio-emotional functioning. Gender effects suggest that social anxiety is related to less communication with instructors, lower engagement and satisfaction, and poorer socio-emotional functioning among females compared with males. Results are situated within current literature examining social anxiety in education. The discussion provides concrete suggestions for educational practitioners to increase support for students who experience social anxiety.

Behavioral Self-Regulation: A Comparison of Goals and Self-Monitoring for High School Students With Disabilities

High school students, particularly those with disabilities, often struggle with academic engagement in general education classes. One empirically supported method for improving academic engagement includes self-regulation interventions. However, individual effects of frequently used self-regulation strategies’ goal setting and self-monitoring remain unknown. To address this issue, we implemented a multiple-probe single-case design with embedded alternating treatments to evaluate the differential impact of behavioral goal reminders and self-monitoring. The sample included three high school students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBD) in general education classes who also received special education services. Innovative approaches to intervention design included student-determined behavioral goals and self-monitoring procedures informed by triangulated behavioral assessment data. Although visual analysis indicated only moderate improvements in academic engagement, and no functional relations were determined for either the multiple-probe or alternating treatments designs, the intervention was rated with high social validity from teachers and students, and the study represents an exemplar of high-quality special education single-case research. Practical implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Children Who Receive Special Education Services for ADHD: Early Indicators and Evidence of Disproportionate Representation in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K: 2011)

Approximately one in 10 children in the United States is diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a disability that can negatively affect academic achievement, yet relatively few children with ADHD are in special education. To better understand factors that determine which students with ADHD are in special education, we analyzed students in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011 (ECLS-K: 2011). Using logistic regression, we looked to see which sociodemographic, academic, executive functioning, and behavioral skills, all measured in kindergarten, significantly influenced the odds a student would receive special education services for ADHD in fourth grade ( N = 220). Results showed higher conflict with teachers and lower working memory significantly increased these odds. Furthermore, even when controlling for academic and social skills, students who are girls, Hispanic/Latinx, and/or living in a home where a language other than English is spoken were less likely to receive special education services for ADHD. Findings suggest early identification of students with ADHD and special education needs is possible and that sociodemographic characteristics play a significant role in determining who receives special education services for ADHD.

Function-Based Self-Advocacy Training for Students With or at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in General Education Settings

This study evaluated the effects of a function-based self-advocacy (FBSA) intervention, which provided systematic and explicit instruction to three students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders on how to self-advocate their needs in regard to behavioral support based on the function of their behavior. We used a single-case, multiple-probe across-participants design and measured participants’ problem behaviors and replacement behaviors to determine the intervention effects. Results showed a functional relation between FBSA and reduction of problem behaviors. There also was an increase in replacement behaviors upon implementation of the FBSA training. In addition, a descriptive analysis of students’ ability to complete steps to self-advocate needs indicated an increase in the number of responses emitted or steps completed across both intervention and generalization settings.

The School Interference Questionnaire: Examining a Novel Measure of Mental Health–Related Academic Functional Impairment in Youth

This article reports on the development and initial psychometric properties of the School Interference Questionnaire (SIQ), a questionnaire designed to assess both academic functional impairment related to mental health problems and the type and frequency of school refusal behavior. Participants were 110 youth aged 13 to 18 years ( M = 15.41 years, SD = 1.42) admitted to an adolescent partial hospitalization program. The majority of participants identified as female (57.3%), Caucasian (59.1%), and non-Latino (70.0%). Internal consistency of the 12 SIQ core interference items was excellent (Cronbach’s α = .91). The factor structure suggested that a single factor was appropriate for the 12 school interference items. Correlations between the SIQ and other measures in this study provided support for construct validity. The average SIQ core interference item score showed evidence of convergent validity via correlations with measures of school refusal, global disability, and internalizing symptoms. The SIQ also exhibited no significant association with timing of study enrollment, suggesting evidence for divergent validity. Results provide initial evidence supporting the psychometric properties of this novel measure.

Development of Brief Rating Scales for Progress Monitoring Internalizing Behavior

Prevalence estimates suggest that up to 20% of students in schools experience significant internalizing behaviors that impact behavioral, social, or academic functioning. School-based interventions have great potential to promote student mental health; however, validated and feasible brief assessments are needed to progress monitor students’ responses to these supports. The purpose of the current study was twofold: to (a) develop and validate teacher-completed brief rating scales for progress monitoring internalizing concerns in elementary-aged students and (b) determine the reliability of the resultant measures. First, item content was generated and subjected to evaluation by two panels of school-based consumers and researchers. Within the second phase of development, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to reduce the initial number of items and ensure that the items were indicators of one latent factor. Teachers in grades K–3 ( N = 307) each completed ratings for one randomly selected student in their classroom. Results of factor analysis for each scale indicated one-factor solutions for the 4-item Anxious/Depressed (ω = .88) and 4-item Socially Withdrawn (ω = .87) scales.

Psychometric Evaluation of a Pragmatic Measure for Assessing Adherence to System of Care Principles in Behavioral Health Service Interactions

Provider adherence to system of care principles in service interactions with families is an important indicator of behavioral health service quality for youth; however, valid and pragmatic measures suitable for monitoring this quality indicator at population scale have not been developed. This article reports on two studies that developed and evaluated such a measure. In Study 1, an iterative, family-partnered process resulted in generation of 18 items that demonstrated unidimensionality and strong reliability among caregivers of youth participating in behavioral health services ( N = 141). In Study 2, data from a second, statewide, stratified random sample of caregivers ( N = 351) confirmed the items’ unidimensionality, discriminant validity, and criterion-related validity. Higher scores on the System of Care Adherence Scale were associated with lower risk of youth psychiatric hospitalization, greater perceived improvement in youth functioning, and greater increases in caregivers’ self-efficacy to access services. Item response theory analyses indicated the items were strongly related to adherence; however, most were optimal for differentiating between low to moderate levels of adherence. The System of Care Adherence Scale is a psychometrically sound measure suitable for population surveillance of the extent to which families experience system of care principles in their interactions with providers.

Teaching Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Teachers’ Burnout Profiles and Classroom Management

Teachers may have affective responses to teaching students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) that influence their effectiveness. We used latent profile analysis to examine the burnout profiles of 102 K-6 general education and special education teachers who had students with or at-risk for EBD in their classrooms. We then examined if profile membership varied by teacher type (special education vs. general education) and if profile membership was related to teachers’ directly observed classroom management skills. Our results suggest that teachers exhibit three burnout profiles: “flourishing,” “buffered,” and “struggling”; that profile membership did not vary by teacher type; and that burnout profiles were related to teachers’ classroom management skills. These findings suggest teachers may need differential supports when working with students who have EBD and provide directions for future research regarding the association between teacher affect and classroom instruction.

A Preliminary Investigation of Teacher-Reported, Classroom-Level Adversity and Teacher–Student Interactions

Early elementary-aged students with and at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) tend to develop negative interaction patterns with their teachers. This preliminary study examines the extent to which symptoms of teacher burnout and teacher reports of classroom adversity are associated with the likelihood of negative interactions between teachers and students with and at risk of EBD. We conducted observations to assess teacher–student interactions in individual and group settings, and teachers reported on burnout and classroom adversity. This study included 10 teachers and 15 of their students with or at risk of EBD. High levels of classroom adversity increased the likelihood of negative teacher–student individual interaction. High levels of classroom adversity modified the relation between personal accomplishment and negative teacher–student interactions in group settings. Findings suggest teachers may need additional support for engaging in high-quality interactions with students with and at risk of EBD, particularly in classrooms facing high levels of adversity, and inform intervention design and implementation.