Evaluating the Cost of Prevention Programming and Universal Screening with Discrete Event Simulation.

Discrete Event Simulation (DES) is a novel system modeling technique that allows for the evaluation of the potential costs and personnel needed for mental health services in school. A case study is presented to illustrate how DES could be used by a school's decision makers to help plan for implementation of an integrated mental health service model. Discrete Event Simulation was used to model the personnel, time, and costs of an integrated mental health service model within a school setting. In addition, costs are calculated and then compared to a business as usual model. Data from the present investigation indicate substantial cost savings of implementing a prevention oriented mental health intervention model within a school setting. In a school of 1000 students, the prevention model could result in an annual cost savings of approximately $30,000 as well as a 50% reduction in disciplinary referrals and 22% reduction in suspensions. Results from the present investigation indicate substantial savings in financial resources and overall numbers of disciplinary infractions when implementing a prevention model. The DES allows for customization of personnel and time to modify the model and resulting output to local conditions. These data may allow school administrators to modify resources to meet student needs. In addition, cost data can help address some of the common implementation barriers associated with adoption of universal screening and preventative mental health services.

Advancing equity in access to school mental health through multiple informant decision-making.

There has been a substantial increase in the number of students with mental health needs, yet significant discrepancies exist in access to timely intervention. Traditional gatekeeping to intervention has been the provenance of single information sources. Multi-informant decision-making is a promising mechanism to improve equitable access. However, critical advancements are necessary to improve decision-making relating to (a) who is identified, (b) what type of need is determined, (c) the type of intervention necessary, and (d) where or under what circumstances to implement the intervention. We review critical components of effective mental health decision-making, contributors to inequities in school mental health services, and offer future directions for research and practice to increase equitable student outcomes.

Promoting equity and justice in school mental health.

Advancing equity and justice in school mental health can address inequities in school-based services and outcome disparities. The purpose of this special issue is to promote equitable and just systems and practices in school mental health to promote change in institutional practices that have produced and reproduced inequities over time. The four articles in this special issue clarify a process for advancing equity in school mental health by addressing justice-centered variables to promote connections across and within systems to realize a vision of comprehensive and integrated school mental health.

Multi-informant Assessment of Internalizing Concerns: Rater Concordance and Implications for Decision-Making.

Rising rates of mental health challenges among youths have become a significant concern following the COVID 19 pandemic. Although strong evidence supports the implementation of universal screening as a preventative approach to address unmet mental health concerns, the research is less clear surrounding the use of such data in decision-making processes when significant discrepancies between informants (e.g., students and teachers) exist. The purpose of the study was twofold. First, the study aimed to determine the degree of rater concordance between teachers and students on students' internalizing concerns. The second objective was to determine whether concordance on internalizing behaviors differs across ages/grades and if this differentially impacts distal (i.e., academic) outcomes. Results indicated that teachers and students demonstrated limited agreement on ratings of internalizing behaviors. However, when students and teachers agreed, higher and more positive emotional behaviors were linked to higher reading/math performance. Furthermore, patterns of informant dis/agreement and relationships between internalizing concerns and academic outcomes were similar across grade levels. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Are "well" teachers "better" teachers? A look into the relationship between first-year teacher emotion and use of evidence-based instructional strategies.

Teachers experience significant stress with 93% reported high levels of stress (Herman et al., 2018), and literature examining teacher stress levels during the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that 30 percent of teachers experience significantly high levels of stress (Silva et al., 2021). Low levels of teacher well-being and higher levels of stress have been linked to punitive behavior management (Jennings & Greenberg, 2009) and lower student academic achievement (Goddard et al., 2000). The aim of the present study is to explore the relationship between teacher emotion and use of evidence-based instructional strategies that promote student success. In this study, 17 first-year teachers completed a novel measurement, inclusive of single-item scales intended to assess feelings of stress, efficacy, and school connectedness, several times a day, each day of the week, for 1 month. The classroom strategies assessment system of evidence-based academic and behavioral instructional strategies was used in weekly teacher observations. Results indicated validity between these single-item scales and established measures of teacher well-being. A positive relationship between teachers' in-the-moment well-being and evidence-based instruction was found, as well as substantial variation in teacher emotional response across days and weeks. Implications and future directions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Reconceptualizing Social and Emotional Competence Assessment in School Settings.

The mental health needs of youth are both significant and increasing. Recent advancements have highlighted the need to reduce psychological distress while promoting the development of important social and emotional competencies. Current social and emotional assessment tools are limited in important ways that preclude their widespread use. In the current article, these limitations are discussed. A novel social and emotional learning assessment framework guided by methodological and theoretical innovations is presented. Future research directions and opportunities are discussed.

Intervention selection profile-function: An examination of decisional accuracy relative to traditional FBA data.

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of function-based decisions made in consideration of scores from the Intervention Selection Profile-Function (ISP-Function), a tool founded upon direct behavior rating (DBR) methodology. The ISP-Function is designed to be a brief measure, given the need for efficient and low-resource assessments in schools. Data from a previous investigation were used to create data reports for each of 34 elementary students with a history of exhibiting disruptive behavior in the classroom. The first report summarized ISP-Function data that the student's classroom teacher collected. The second report was representative of more typical functional behavior assessment (FBA), summarizing data collected via a functional assessment interview with the teacher, as well as systematic direct observation data. Nine school psychologists conducted blind reviews of these reports and derived decisions regarding the function of each student's behavior (e.g., adult attention or escape/avoidance). Gwet's agreement coefficients were statistically significant and suggested fair to almost perfect correspondence between ISP-Function and FBA reports. Limitations and implications for practice are discussed herein. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring Depression in Young Adults: Preliminary Development of an English Version of the Teate Depression Inventory.

Depression is a common and debilitating condition that impacts individuals with various cultural backgrounds, medical conditions, and life circumstances. Thus, assessment tools need to be useful among different cultural groups. The 21-item Teate Depression Inventory (TDI) was developed in Italy, is designed to assess major depression, and focuses on cognitive and affective rather than somatic symptoms. This study aims to examine the factor structure and concurrent validity of the TDI English version among a non-clinical population in the United States. Participants included 398 adults (mean age 19.89 years, SD = 2.72, range: 18 to 46 years old) who completed the TDI and The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R). The results supported a three-factor bifactor structure of the TDI (Positive Affect, Negative Affect, and Daily Functioning), which largely corresponds to the Tripartite Model of affective disorders. These findings support the use of TDI scores as measures of depressive symptoms among U.S. young adults, offering researchers and practitioners a brief and useful tool.

Combined Approach to Multi-Informant Data Using Latent Factors and Latent Classes: Trifactor Mixture Model.

Although collecting data from multiple informants is highly recommended, methods to model the congruence and incongruence between informants are limited. Bauer and colleagues suggested the trifactor model that decomposes the variances into common factor, informant perspective factors, and item-specific factors. This study extends their work to the trifactor mixture model that combines the trifactor model and the mixture model. This combined approach allows researchers to investigate the common and unique perspectives of multiple informants on targets using latent factors and simultaneously take into account potential heterogeneity of targets using latent classes. We demonstrate this model using student self-rated and teacher-rated academic behaviors (N = 24,094). Model specification and testing procedures are explicated in detail. Methodological and practical issues in conducting the trifactor mixture analysis are discussed.

Cognitive-behavioral intervention for test anxiety in adolescent students: do benefits extend to school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety.

Background and objectives: Cognitive-behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective treatments for test anxiety. Studies on school-aged populations, however, are lacking. Design and methods: In the present study we evaluated a six-session cognitive-behavioral intervention for test anxiety in a sample of secondary school students aged 14-16 years preparing for high-stakes examinations. Furthermore, we extended outcomes to include school-related wellbeing and clinical anxiety. A screening procedure was used to identify highly test anxious persons who were randomly allocated to intervention or wait-list control groups. Results: Test anxiety showed a large reduction following intervention compared to control group participants who showed a moderate reduction. Clinical anxiety showed a small to moderate reduction following intervention compared to control group participants who showed a negligible reduction. The reduction in clinical anxiety was mediated by concurrent reductions in test anxiety. Conclusion: This supports an integrative network approach that deactivating core aspects of anxiety can deactivate associated networks of anxiety symptoms. The intervention showed no impact on school-related wellbeing which increased at a similar rate for both intervention and control group participants. This is likely because test anxiety is just one contributor of many to school-related wellbeing. Implications for school-based treatments are discussed.

Construct validity of the BASC-3 teacher rating scales: Independent hierarchical exploratory factor analyses with the normative sample.

The Behavior Assessment System for Children-Third Edition (BASC-3) is the most recent edition and the Teacher Rating Scales (TRS) was reported to be the most frequently used test in school psychology practice. Despite its popularity, there is a lack of independent empirical research regarding psychometric properties. The BASC-3 Manual, while quite detailed in many respects, lacks important details in reporting TRS item- and scale-level factor analyses limiting confidence in construct validity based on internal structure. The present study examined the latent factor structure of the BASC-3 TRS Preschool, Child, and Adolescent Clinical and Adaptive scales using best practices in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). EFA was conducted with the Clinical and Adaptive scales jointly, and with the Clinical scales separately, to aid interpretive clarity. Results indicated theoretically consistent alignment of the BASC-3 TRS Clinical scales to their specified factors (Externalizing, Internalizing, and School Problems) and an additional factor (Social Disengagement) was identified, suggesting a possible new latent construct for a composite scale score containing the Withdrawal and Atypicality scales. Variance partitioning applied to second-order EFA and model-based validity statistics, however, indicated that the composite scales (Externalizing, Internalizing, School Problems, and Social Disengagement) appear to lack sufficient unique variance for confident clinical interpretation in isolation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Test anxiety, anxiety disorders, and school-related wellbeing: Manifestations of the same or different constructs?

Previous studies have shown that highly test anxious persons are more likely to meet criteria for an anxiety disorder and report more frequent symptoms of anxiety disorders than their low test anxious counterparts. However, it is unclear whether test anxiety should be treated as distinct to, or a manifestation of, anxiety disorders. Furthermore, the Dual Factor Model of Mental Health proposes that high subjective wellbeing cannot be solely inferred from the absence of psychopathology. To date, no studies have examined the Dual Factor Model in relation to test anxiety. In the present study, we examined how test anxiety, two common anxiety disorders (i.e., generalized anxiety disorder [GAD] and panic disorder [PD]), and subjective wellbeing in the school domain (i.e., school-related wellbeing) were related in a sample of 918 adolescents (M age = 15.77 years) using network analysis and latent profile analysis. Results from the network analysis indicated that test anxiety, GAD, PD, and school-related wellbeing were represented as distinct constructs. Bridge nodes were identified that linked test anxiety with GAD, PD, and school-related wellbeing. The latent profile analysis identified three of the four profiles predicted by the Dual Factor Model, including (a) troubled (i.e., low school-related wellbeing, high test anxiety, GAD, and PD), (b) complete mental health (i.e., high school-related wellbeing, low test anxiety, GAD, and PD), and (c) symptomatic but content (i.e., average school-related wellbeing, test anxiety, GAD, and PD). We concluded that test anxiety was distinct from, rather than a manifestation of, GAD and PD. We found support for the Dual Factor Model, albeit not unequivocal, using test anxiety as an additional indicator of psychopathology to that of GAD and PD.

The landscape of advocacy in public schools: The role of school psychologists.

Advocacy has been a core function and expectation of school psychologists for over 40 years. However, there is little empirical research and guidance around the role and function of a school psychologist as an advocate within public schools. Advocacy can include speaking up on matters that promote student well-being at both the individual student level and the broader systems level. The current article seeks to provide guidance to school psychologists as to the various levels of advocacy and how school psychologists can promote both individual- and systems-level advocacy. This includes a careful examination of relevant case studies to address barriers in order to help public service professionals increase advocacy efforts. Finally, calls to action are provided to inspire and strengthen school psychologists who want to impact change at the student and systems level. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and validation of the Intervention Skills Profile-Skills: A brief measure of student social-emotional and academic enabling skills.

The purpose of this study was to support the development and initial validation of the Intervention Selection Profile (ISP)-Skills, a brief 14-item teacher rating scale intended to inform the selection and delivery of instructional interventions at Tier 2. Teacher participants (n = 196) rated five students from their classroom across four measures (total student n = 877). These measures included the ISP-Skills and three criterion tools: Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS), Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA), and Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES). Diagnostic classification modeling (DCM) suggested an expert-created Q-matrix, which specified relations between ISP-Skills items and hypothesized latent attributes, provided good fit to item data. DCM also indicated ISP-Skills items functioned as intended, with the magnitude of item ratings corresponding to the model-implied probability of attribute mastery. DCM was then used to generate skill profiles for each student, which included scores representing the probability of students mastering each of eight skills. Correlational analyses revealed large convergent relations between ISP-Skills probability scores and theoretically-aligned subscales from the criterion measures. Discriminant validity was not supported, as ISP-Skills scores were also highly related to all other criterion subscales. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses informed the selection of cut scores from each ISP-Skills scale. Review of classification accuracy statistics associated with these cut scores (e.g., sensitivity and specificity) suggested they reliably differentiated students with below average, average, and above average skills. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed, including those related to the examination of ISP-Skills treatment utility.

Building a better behavior progress monitoring tool using maximally efficient items.

This study used item response theory (IRT) to derive sets of maximally efficient items (SMI) for a brief behavior rating scale (BBRS) from a common universal screening tool (i.e., the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener-Student Rating Scale [mySAEBRS]). We also evaluated the change sensitivity of these items for potential use in progress monitoring. Data from over 24,000 students (47% female; 40% White; 17% African American; 7% Hispanic) in Kindergarten through 12th grades were included in the first phase of analyses. A subsample of 774 students (43% female; 33% White; 3% African American; 0.5% Hispanic) was included in the change sensitivity analyses. Results suggested 3 items from each of the SAEBRS subscales (Social Behavior, Academic Behavior, and Emotional Behavior) could be considered maximally efficient and psychometrically informative. Additionally, change sensitivity analyses across the SMIs offered some evidence for the development of brief, 3-item standard BBRSs for use in progress monitoring students with social, academic, and emotional behavioral challenges. More research is needed to examine whether using BBRSs result in meaningful behavioral and social emotional change, particularly for specific demographic subgroups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Multi-informant universal screening: Evaluation of rater, item, and construct variance using a trifactor model.

Universal screening is a proactive method for identifying student risk, yet remains under-utilized in school systems. Instead, many schools rely on teacher reports and referrals without accounting for different informant perspectives. In the current study, multi-informant universal screening in evaluated using a trifactor model. The study utilized the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS), specifically the teacher (SAEBRS-TRS) and student (mySAEBRS) self-report forms, with items indicating risk for social, academic, and emotional behavior. Data from a national sample of over 24,000 K-12 teacher-student dyads were used to examine the extent and variance of discrepant reports between students and teachers of common, perspective, and item factors. Results demonstrated that informant perspective factors were a strong predictor for student and teacher emotional behavior item ratings. Whereas age had a positive effect on younger student reports of risk on the behavior items compared to older student reports, teachers showed the opposite effect. The teacherperspective of social and emotional behaviors of students was predicted by gender. Implications and directions for future research are further discussed.

Reliability, validity, and accuracy of the intervention selection profile-Function: A brief functional assessment tool.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and accuracy of scores from the Intervention Selection Profile-Function (ISP-Function): a brief functional assessment tool founded upon Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) methodology. Participants included 34 teacher-student dyads. Using the ISP-Function, teachers rated the extent to which students exhibited disruptive behavior, as well as the frequency with which disruptions were met with four consequences. Ratings were completed across three 10-min sessions, during which a research assistant also collected systematic direct observation (SDO) data regarding the same behavior and consequences. Results indicated adequate temporal reliability (≥.70) was attained for the adult attention and peer attention targets across the three ratings; in contrast, up to 8-18 data points would be needed to achieve adequate reliability across the remaining targets. Findings further suggested that while ISP-Function ratings of disruptive behavior, adult attention, and peer attention were moderately to highly correlated with SDO data, correlations were in the low range for the access to items/activities and escape/avoidance targets. Finally, analysis of difference scores showed that on average, mean ISP-Function scores fell within only 0.33 to 1.81 points of mean SDO scores (on the 0-10 DBR scale). Agreement coefficients indicative of exact score agreement were less consistent, suggesting accuracy ranged from poor to substantial. Results are promising, but future research is necessary to support applied ISP-Function use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Co-occurrence of academic and behavioral risk within elementary schools: Implications for universal screening practices.

The purposes of this study were twofold. The first was to use latent class analysis to identify groupings of students defined by the presence or absence of academic or behavioral risk. The second was to determine whether these groups differed across various dichotomous academic and behavioral outcomes (e.g., suspensions, office discipline referrals, statewide achievement test failure). Students (N = 1,488) were sampled from Grades 3-5. All students were screened for academic risk using AIMSweb Reading Curriculum-Based Measure and AIMSweb Mathematics Computation, and behavioral risk using the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS). Latent class analyses supported the fit of a three-class model, with resulting student classes defined as low-risk academic and behavior (Class 1), at-risk academic and high-risk behavior (Class 2), and at-risk math and behavior (Class 3). Logistic regression analyses indicated the classes demonstrated statistically significant differences statewide achievement scores, as well as suspensions. Further analysis indicated that the odds of all considered negative outcomes were higher for both groups characterized by risk (i.e., Classes 2 and 3). Negative outcomes were particularly likely for Class 2, with the odds of negative behavioral and academic outcomes being 6-15 and 112-169 times more likely, respectively. Results were taken to support an integrated approach to universal screening in schools, defined by the evaluation of both academic and behavioral risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Test anxiety effects, predictors, and correlates: A 30-year meta-analytic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since the 1988 publication of Hembree's seminal meta-analysis on test anxiety, much has changed in the theoretical conceptualization of test anxiety, as well as the influences on test performance. The present study examined the influence of test anxiety on a variety of educational outcomes, in addition to demographic and intrapersonal correlates. DESIGN AND METHODS: Results of 238 studies from 1988 to the present, were synthesized via a meta-analytic framework to explicate predictors, correlates, and relationships with the test anxiety construct. Pooled effect sizes were calculated. RESULTS: Results indicated that test anxiety was significantly and negatively related to a wide range of educational performance outcomes, including standardized tests, university entrance exams, and grade point average. Results were most pronounced at the middle grades level. Self-esteem was a significant and strong predictor of test anxiety. Perceived difficulty of the test and the high-stakes nature or consequences of the test was also related to higher test anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of the relationship of test anxiety across a number of variables was in the small to moderate range. Implications for researchers and educators are discussed including the use of evidence-based assessment and interventions when warranted.

Screening for behavioral risk: Identification of high risk cut scores within the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS).

The purpose of this study was to support the identification of Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) cut scores that could be used to detect high-risk students. Teachers rated students across two time points (Time 1 n = 1,242 students; Time 2 n = 704) using the SAEBRS and the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS), the latter of which served as the criterion measure. Exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses of Time 1 data detected cut scores evidencing optimal levels of specificity and borderline-to-optimal levels of sensitivity. Cross-validation analyses of Time 2 data confirmed the performance of these cut scores, with all but one scale evidencing similar performance. Findings are considered particularly promising for the SAEBRS Total Behavior scale in detecting high-risk students. (PsycINFO Database Record