Browsing by Author "Zakszeski, Brittany N."
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Item Informant Discrepancies in Universal Screening as a Function of Student and Teacher Characteristics(School Psychology Review, 2023-10-02) Zakszeski, Brittany N.; Ormiston, Heather E.; Nygaard, Malena A.; Carlock, KaneDespite the widespread use of school-based universal screening systems for social, emotional, and behavioral risk, limited research has examined discrepancies in ratings provided by teachers and their secondary students. Using the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS; teacher report) and mySAEBRS (student report) scores from a middle school sample, we examined the magnitudes and prevalence of informant discrepancies as well as associated student and teacher factors. Analyses revealed discrepancies consistently in the direction of teachers reporting lower levels of risk than students and were starkest for the Emotional Behavior Risk subscale. Across subscales, multiple student and teacher factors significantly predicted variance in discrepancies. We discuss these findings in the context of implications for selecting screening informants at the secondary level and opportunities to advance practical guidance in this area. Impact Statement Middle school students and their teachers provide discrepant ratings within universal screenings of students’ social, emotional, and behavioral risk. In this sample, students self-reported higher levels of risk than their teachers reported for them. This was especially true for risk in the Emotional Behavior domain and for students and teachers with certain demographic characteristics.Item Targeted Intervention for Elementary Students With Internalizing Behaviors: A Pilot Evaluation(School Psychology Review, 2023-05-16) Zakszeski, Brittany N.; Banks, Elizabeth; Parks, TimothyThe Calm Cat Program was developed in response to the need for intervention approaches that target internalizing symptoms, are developmentally appropriate for early elementary students, and are feasible for school-based implementation by staff without specialized training. The Calm Cat Program is a brief Tier 2 intervention combining behavioral skills training and mentor-based coaching. In this initial study, the Calm Cat Program was evaluated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial of 72 student participants in nine elementary schools. Over a 5-week period, school counselors implemented small-group skills training sessions, and classroom teachers provided daily coaching on targeted relaxation skills. Overall, program participation was associated with small- to medium-sized gains in relaxation skill knowledge and reductions in self-reported anxiety symptoms. In addition, both staff implementers and student participants reported generally positive perceptions of the program’s usability. Additional research is needed to ensure the program’s efficiency and effectiveness as an early intervention approach within multitiered frameworks. Impact Statement School-based interventions are needed to support young students at risk for developing emotional disorders. The Calm Cat Program is an intervention that combines behavioral skills training and mentor-based coaching. In this pilot study, the Calm Cat Program demonstrated small- to medium-sized effects in increasing students’ knowledge of relaxation skills and decreasing their self-reported anxiety symptoms.