Using the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool (TPOT) to Support Implementation of Social–Emotional Teaching Practices

The emphasis on social–emotional competence and its importance to positive academic and nonacademic outcomes has led to a focus on identifying and implementing effective practices for supporting young children’s social–emotional competence. Our work to identify, validate, and support the fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices to promote young children’s social–emotional competence and to address challenging behavior has focused on the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social–Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children framework (Fox et al. in Infants Young Child 23:3–14, 2010; Hemmeter et al. in Sch Psychol Rev 35:583–601, 2006; Hemmeter et al., in: Buysse, Peisner-Feinberg (eds) Handbook of response-to-intervention in early childhood, Brookes, Baltimore, 2013). The implementation of the Pyramid Model practices to provide effective intervention that leads to meaningful child outcomes will require that practitioners are able to implement the practices with fidelity. Implementation science provides guidance on the “drivers” or key components that must be in place within a system to ensure the use of evidence-practices or interventions (Blase et al. in stages of implementation analysis: where are we? FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 2013; Metz et al. in an integrated stage-based framework for implementation of early childhood programs and systems. OPRE Research Brief OPRE 201548, 2015). In this paper, we address competency drivers by describing an instrument that has been developed, validated, and used to measure the fidelity with which practitioners implement Pyramid Model practices. In addition, we describe the professional development intervention we have used to support teachers to implement the practices with fidelity. We focus on how a fidelity tool can be used to measure practice implementation as well as to guide professional development focused on the practices.     

Implementing Trauma—Informed Practices in the School Setting: A Pilot Study

There is a proven link between healthy socioemotional development and academic success (SAMHSA in SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, 2014; Alisic et al. in J Clin Psychiatry 69:1455–1461, 2008; Landolt et al. in J Trauma Stress 26:209–216, 2013). In order to achieve academic success, school systems serving children who have been exposed to trauma must deal with the unique challenge that come with resultant activation of the brain’s stress response (Perry in J Calif Alliance Ment III 11(1):48–51, 2000; Ford in Treatment of complex trauma: a sequenced, relationship-based approach. Guilford Press, New York, 2013; Schore in Infant Mental Health J 22(1&2):7–66, 2001). This warrants an alteration in how our educational system understands and responds to the needs of youth exposed to trauma (Bailey in I love you rituals. Harper Collins, New York, 2000; Stein and Kendall in Psychological trauma and the developing brain. Haworth Press, Binghamton, 2004; Badenoch in Being a brain-wise therapist: a practical guide to interpersonal neurobiology. WW Norton & Company, Inc., New York, 2008). Within the City of New Haven, the pressure to meet national expectations coupled with the reality that many schools within the city are impacted by the ripple effects of community-wide chronic stress creates added challenges. The New Haven Trauma Coalition was created to address the negative mental health and social effects of adversity, trauma, and chronic stress on families and school-aged children in the New Haven area. This paper reviews the process of implementing a trio of Direct Services in one public pilot school in the City of New Haven. It provides recommendations on how to successfully implement trauma-informed practices during the first year of implementation and utilizes a mixed-methods approach to outline findings obtained during implementation of three separate Direct Service components: Services Professional Development, Care Coordination, and Clinical Services.     

Mentalisieren durch psychodramatisches Spiel in der Kindertherapie

The author explains psychodramatic group therapy with children with the help of the mentalization theory of Fonagy et al. (2004) and the theory of role development by Schacht (2009). The article also explores similarities and differences to creativity-centred children’s psychodrama, developed by Aichinger and Holl (2010), and role-centred psychodrama according to Pruckner (2001) and Biegler-Vitek and Wicher (2014).     

A Review of Studies on the System-Wide Implementation of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the Veterans Health Administration

Since 2006, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has instituted policy changes and training programs to support system-wide implementation of two evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To assess lessons learned from this unprecedented effort, we used PubMed and the PILOTS databases and networking with researchers to identify 32 reports on contextual influences on implementation or sustainment of EBPs for PTSD in VHA settings. Findings were initially organized using the exploration, planning, implementation, and sustainment framework (EPIS; Aarons et al. in Adm Policy Ment Health Health Serv Res 38:4–23, 2011). Results that could not be adequately captured within the EPIS framework, such as implementation outcomes and adopter beliefs about the innovation, were coded using constructs from the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework (Glasgow et al. in Am J Public Health 89:1322–1327, 1999) and Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR; Damschroder et al. in Implement Sci 4(1):50, 2009). We highlight key areas of progress in implementation, identify continuing challenges and research questions, and discuss implications for future efforts to promote EBPs in large health care systems.     

Study of the anti-seizure effects of low-frequency stimulation following kindling (a review of the cellular mechanism related to the anti-seizure effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation)

Epilepsy affects about 1–2 % of world population as a chronic neurological disease that is manifested by repeated and consecutive seizures (Grone and Baraban, Nat Neurosci 18(3):339–343, 2015). There is no definitive therapy for epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs cannot offer a permanent and definitive cure for epilepsy, and most epileptic patients become drug resistant (Sasa, J Pharmacol Sci 100(5):487–494, 2006). Surgery and removal of the epileptic focus is a substitute method for treating drug-resistant patients and epilepsy surgery of either side of the brain improves seizure control. Temporal lobectomy is the most common epilepsy surgery and is associated with high success rates. Other studies have reported higher success rates for carefully selected temporal lobe seizure patients. Some physicians still consider temporal lobectomy an extreme procedure, citing the risks of side effects, including loss of memory, visual disturbances, and emotional change, associated with the removal of brain tissue (Spencer, Lancet Neurol 1(6):375–382, 2002; Wiebe et al., N Engl J Med 345(5):311–318, 2001; Yasargil et al., J Neurosurg 112(1):168–185, 2010). Nowadays, direct electrical stimulation (in the form of low- or high-frequency stimulation) in the location involved in seizures is used as a potentially suitable treatment method for this destructive disease in both laboratory animals and humans (Goodman et al., Epilepsia 46(1):1–7, 2005; Richardson et al., Epilepsia 44(6):768–777, 2003; Velasco et al., Epilepsia 41(2):158–169, 2000). Low-frequency stimulation causes less damage to the epileptic area and surrounding neuronal structures compared to high-frequency stimulation, and it can be a suitable option for patients suffering from epilepsy (Goodman et al., Epilepsia 46(1):1–7, 2005). Since the cellular mechanism of this stimulation is not clearly known, the purpose of this review research was to investigate the anticonvulsive effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation and the probable cellular mechanism involved in it.     

ASD Traits Among Youth with Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder

Research has shown high rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders among samples of youth with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) (Farrell et al., Psychiatry Res 199(2):115–123, 2012; Lewin et al., Psychiatry Res 178(2):317–322, 2010; POTS Team, J Am Med Assoc 292(16):1969–1976, 2004). Autism and autistic traits co-occur at high rates within clinical samples of youth with OCD (Ivarsson and Melin in J Anxiety Disord 22(6):969–978, 2008; Stewart et al. in Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 1–9, 2016). This study extends the literature by examining the relationship between ASD traits, family accommodation, and functional impairment in a sample of youth with OCD across a wide age range (n?=?80; aged 7–17 years). Results indicated that autistic traits, as measured by the social responsiveness scale (SRS), were elevated in 32.5% of youth (based on a T-score of 66T and above) relative to typically developing youth, as well as youth with non-autism-related psychiatric disorders (Constantino and Gruber in Social responsiveness scale, Western Psychogical Services, Torrance, 2012). Furthermore, 27.5% of youth scored within a moderate range (66T–75T) and 5% of youth scored within a severe range (76T or higher) on the SRS, typical of children with ASD (Constantino and Gruber in Social responsiveness scale, Western Psychogical Services, Torrance, 2012). Additionally, ASD traits were associated with greater functional impairment above OCD severity. Furthermore, family accommodation mediated the relationship between ASD traits and functional impairment. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of clinical assessment and direction for further research.     

Clinical considerations and surgical approaches for low-grade gliomas in deep hemispheric locations: thalamic lesions

Background

Tumors with epicenter in the thalamus occur in about 4 % of pediatric brain tumors. The histological diagnosis is mainly gliomas. Among them, low-grade glioma (LGG) constituted of a significant entity of the tumors (Cuccia et al., Childs Nerv Syst 13:514–521, 1997; Puget et al., J Neurosurg 106:354–362, 2007; Bernstein et al., J Neurosurg 61:649–656, 1984; Bilginer et al., Childs Nerv Syst 30:1493–1498, 2014). Since Kelly’s report in 1989, >90 % resection of thalamic tumors were achieved in reported series (Ozek and Ture, Childs Nerv Syst 18:450–6, 2002; Villarejo et al., Childs Nerv Syst 10:111–114, 1994; Moshel et al., Neurosurgery 61:66–75, 2007; Albright, J Neurosurg 100(5 Suppl Pediatrics): 468–472, 2004; Kelly, Neurosurgery 25:185–195, 1989; Drake et al., Neurosurgery 29: 27–33, 1991).

Materials and methods

Sixty-nine cases of thalamic tumors in children were retrospectively reviewed. There were 25 cases of LGGs. We analyzed our experience and correlated it with reported series.

Results

Summing up of 4 reported series and the present series, there were 267 cases of thalamic tumors in children. Among these tumors, 107 (40.1 %) were LGGs and 91 (34.1 %) were low-grade astrocytomas (LGAs). In the present series, all of the 25 LGGs were LGAs that consisted of 11 pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) and 14 diffuse astrocytomas (DAs). Six cases received biopsy sampling only. The remaining 19 cases received different degrees of surgical resection via several approaches. Radical (>90 %) resection was achieved better in PAs comparing with DAs. There was no operative mortality. Two patients had increased neurological deficits. In a mean follow-up period of 11.9 years, three patients died of tumor progression and one patient died of anaplastic change. The 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) was 87.1 and 87.1 %, respectively.

Conclusion

Thalamic LGGs are mainly LGAs and are indolent. The rate of >90 % resection was relatively low in the present series. By applying contemporary diagnostic MRI studies, surgical facilities, and appropriate approaches in selective cases, we may try maximum neuroprotective radical (>90 %) resection.

     

Piloting a Short Form of the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales

A growing body of research indicates that noncognitive factors are important predictors of students’ academic and life success (e.g., Garcia, The need to address noncognitive skills in the education policy agenda (Briefing Paper No. 386), http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED558126.pdf, 2014). Despite this evidence base, there are few psychometrically sound measures of such factors appropriate for use in research and practice. One currently available measure is the Academic Competence Evaluation Scales (ACES; DiPerna and Elliott, Academic Competence Evaluation Scales, The Psychological Corporation, San Antonio, TX, 2000) which assesses the skills, attitudes, and behaviors of students that contribute to school success. The length of the ACES (73 items) may limit its use at the primary and secondary levels within a multi-tiered service delivery system or for large-scale educational research. To address this need, the current study piloted a short form of the ACES (ASF) with a sample of 301 elementary students. Results provided initial evidence for the reliability and validity of scores from the ASF.     

The Relationship Between Severe Mental Disorders and Recidivism in a Sample of Women Released from Prison

Women are one of the fastest growing sectors of the prison population, and have different pathways into prison and differing needs during the reentry process when compared to men (Cloyes et al. J Forensic Nurs; 6:3-14, 2010b; Herrschaft et al. J Offender Rehabil; 48:463-482, 2009). Women report higher levels of mental health problems overall, and report more severe symptomatology (Cloyes et al. J Forensic Nurs; 6:3-14, 2010a; Hyde 2012; Lynch et al. 2014). The current study focuses on the role of severe mental disorders for women released from prison. Data collected from the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice were used to analyze the specific role of severe mental disorders in women’s recidivism at eight years post-release (n?=?2311). Approximately 20% of women in this sample met the criteria for diagnosis with a severe mental disorder (SMD). Logistic regression analysis indicated that there was an association between SMDs and recidivism for this sample only (p?=?.11). Cox regression analyses indicated that women diagnosed with SMDs were 16% more likely to have recidivated at eight years post-release compared with women who were not diagnosed with an SMD (p?<?.05). Implications for the recognition, role, and treatment of SMDs during reentry are discussed.     

Supporting Social and Emotional Skills After a Disaster: Findings from a Mixed Methods Study

Disasters can affect a youth’s physical and emotional well-being. They disrupt everyday life by displacing individuals and families, destroying homes, and splintering communities (Gewirtz et al. in J Marital Fam Ther 34(2):177–192, 2008; La Greca and Silverman in Child Dev Perspect 3(1):4–10, 2009). School-based interventions are one approach to mitigate emotional distress in youth who have experienced a disaster, as schools are one of the most common venues for youth to receive mental health services (Greenberg et al. in Am Psychol 58:466–474, 2003). This paper explores the impact of a school-based psychosocial curriculum entitled Journey of Hope (JoH). This eight-session intervention attempts to reduce the impact of a disaster by enhancing protective factors such as social support, coping, and psycho-education. The evaluation study was conducted in the 2014–2015 school year after an EF5 tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma. As a result of the tornado, 24 people were killed, 377 injured, and two schools were destroyed (National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, 2014). This mixed methods study employed quantitative and qualitative measures to examine the impact of the JoH intervention. Quantitative measures examined coping, general self-efficacy, prosocial behaviors, and overall distress. Qualitative data were obtained through interviews with N = 16 students after participation in the JoH. Semi-structured interview guides were used to determine what children learned, liked, and felt was beneficial from taking part in the JoH. A two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the differences between the experimental and control group at baseline and posttest. Results indicated a significant increase in positive coping skills including communication and tension management and prosocial behaviors from baseline to posttest for the Journey of Hope group. No significant differences were found on self-efficacy or overall distress. Content analysis was conducted to determine qualitative results. Themes that emerged from the qualitative interviews suggested participation in the Journey of Hope enhanced peer relationships and helped participants identify how to manage emotions such as anger, anxiety, and grief. Findings from this evaluation study suggest that participation in a broadly accessible psycho-educational program may help children cope with traumatic events such as a natural disaster. Further research should be conducted to assess whether the Journey of Hope is transferrable across disaster contexts.     

Predictors of Informant Discrepancies Between Mother and Middle School Teacher ADHD Ratings

A diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition (DSM-5) is assessed in youth using ratings from both a parent and a teacher. However, individual and contextual differences between informants may lead to discrepancies in these ratings (De Los Reyes and Kazdin in Psychol Bull 131(4):483, 2005). The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of discrepancies between mother and middle school teacher reports of ADHD symptoms and related impairment. In an ethnically diverse sample of middle school students with well-diagnosed DSM-IV-TR ADHD (N = 112), we examined a range of mother and school setting characteristics that may contribute to informant discrepancies in this population. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses suggested that mothers with higher levels of education and psychopathology (i.e., ADHD symptom severity, parenting stress) may be most likely to report adolescent ADHD symptom severity that is higher than reported by teachers. Reports from general education teachers (vs. special education) were associated with lower symptom severity compared to mothers. Finally, a documented diagnosis of ADHD in the school was predictive of more severe reports from mothers. We discuss explanations for these findings and implications for assessment of middle school students with ADHD.     

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Parents for Italian School-Aged Children: Psychometric Properties and Norms

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ; (1)] is a multi-informant instrument for screening developmental psychopathology. This study contributes to the validation of the Italian SDQ-Parent version (SDQ-P), analyzing its factorial structure, providing norms and investigating cross-informant agreement (parents-teachers). The SDQ-P and the SDQ-Teacher version (SDQ-T) were completed for 1917 primary and middle school students. Confirmatory factor analyses were performed to compare two factorial structures: the original five-factor model and the structure obtained in a past Italian study (2). The original model showed the best fit. Significant differences by gender and school grade were found; norms were provided separately for males and females attending 1st–2nd, 3rd–5th and 6th–8th grades. Finally, the analysis of parent-teacher agreement showed correlations ranging from small (prosocial behavior) to large (hyperactivity-inattention). This study offers some reflections on the best way to use this instrument in a community sample.     

Relationship Between Perceived Social Support and Psychological Well-Being Among Students Based On Mediating Role of Academic Motivation

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between perceived social support and psychological well-being among students based on mediating role of academic motivation. Participants were 371 female high school students from second and third-grade students who were randomly selected by applying a multi-stage cluster sampling technique in Tehran, Iran. To examine the research variables, Psychological Well-being Questionnaire of Ryff (1989). Social Support Appraisals Scale of Vaux et al. (1986). and Academic Motivation Measure of Harter (1981) were used. Data analysis was done by calculating correlation coefficients and path analysis. The findings showed that the perceived social support directly and positively influence significant psychological well-being and academic motivation. The path analysis revealed that perceived social support might indirectly have an effect on psychological well-being through mediating role of academic motivation. The perceived social support explained 13 % of the academic motivation variation, and academic motivation predicted 37 % of variation in psychological well-being.     

The Mechanisms Underlying the ASD Advantage in Visual Search

A number of studies have demonstrated that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are faster or more successful than typically developing control participants at various visual-attentional tasks (for reviews, see Dakin and Frith in Neuron 48:497–507, 2005; Simmons et al. in Vis Res 49:2705–2739, 2009). This “ASD advantage” was first identified in the domain of visual search by Plaisted et al. (J Child Psychol Psychiatry 39:777–783, 1998). Here we survey the findings of visual search studies from the past 15 years that contrasted the performance of individuals with and without ASD. Although there are some minor caveats, the overall consensus is that—across development and a broad range of symptom severity—individuals with ASD reliably outperform controls on visual search. The etiology of the ASD advantage has not been formally specified, but has been commonly attributed to ‘enhanced perceptual discrimination’, a superior ability to visually discriminate between targets and distractors in such tasks (e.g. O’Riordan in Cognition 77:81–96, 2000). As well, there is considerable evidence for impairments of the attentional network in ASD (for a review, see Keehn et al. in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 37:164–183, 2013). We discuss some recent results from our laboratory that support an attentional, rather than perceptual explanation for the ASD advantage in visual search. We speculate that this new conceptualization may offer a better understanding of some of the behavioral symptoms associated with ASD, such as over-focusing and restricted interests.     

Depression,Internet Gaming Disorder,and the Moderating Effect of the Gamer-Avatar Relationship: an Exploratory Longitudinal Study

Research into Internet gaming disorder (IGD) literature largely uses cross-sectional designs and seldom examines gaming context-related factors. Therefore, the present study combined a cross-sectional and longitudinal design to examine depression and the gamer-avatar relationship (GAR) as risk factors in the development of IGD among emerging adults. IGD behaviors of 125 gamers (64 online gamers, M_age = 23.3 years, SD = 3.4; 61 offline gamers, M_age = 23.0 years, SD = 3.4) were assessed using the nine-item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale Short Form (IGDS-SF9; Pontes and Griffiths Revista Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento, 7, 102–118, 2015a; Computers in Human Behavior, 45, 137–143, 2015b). The Self-Presence Scale (Ratan and Dawson Communication Research, 2015) and the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck et al. 1996) were also used to assess gamers’ levels of GAR and depressive symptoms, respectively. Regression and moderation analyses revealed that depression and the GAR act as individual risk factors in the development of IGD over time. Furthermore, the GAR exacerbates the IGD risk effect of depression.     

A college credit model of in-school consultation: A functional behavioral training program

Classes and workshops for teachers in mental health principles and techniques are abundant but rarely have they been taken directly to the teachers' school or classroom. The program discussed is a pilot study combining the didactic structure and credit of a college seminar with the immediate relevance, support, and training of a traditional in-school consultation. Teachers were trained in the implementation of functional-behavioral intervention skills. Evaluative data collected from attitudinal questionnaires received from the teachers and records obtained from teacher implemented interventions support the effectiveness of this model in training teachers as therapeutic change agents in their classrooms.     

Establishing Computer-Assisted Instruction to Teach Academics to Students with Autism as an Evidence-Based Practice

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is growing in popularity and has demonstrated positive effects for students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this review, criteria for group experimental and single case studies were used to determine quality (Horner et al., Exceptional Children 71:165–179, 2005; Gersten et al., Exceptional Children 71:149–164, 2005; National Technical Assistance Center on Transition Center 2015). Included studies of high and adequate quality were further analyzed in terms of content, context, and specific instructional practices. Based on the NTACT criteria, this systematic review has established CAI as an evidence-based practice for teaching academics to students with ASD with support from 10 single-case and two group design studies of high or adequate quality. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.     

Screening for Social,Emotional, and Behavioral Problems at Kindergarten Entry: The Utility of Two Teacher Rating Scales

We examined (a) the utility of teacher ratings on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman in J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 40:1337–1345, 2001. doi: 10.1097/00004583-200111000-00015) and BASC-2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BESS; Kamphaus and Reynolds in Behavior assessment system for children-second edition: behavioral and emotional screening system. Pearson, Bloomington, 2007), completed at kindergarten entry, in identifying risk status as defined by important criterion variables (teacher ratings of impairment, daily behavioral performance, and quarterly grades in kindergarten and first grade), and (b) the incremental validity of scores on each of these rating scales in predicting criterion variables beyond that predicted by the school district’s academic screening tool. The participants were 248 kindergarten students (91 % response rate) from one school district. Receiver operating characteristic analyses and area under the curve values indicate that both measures have moderate to high utility (AUCs ≥ .78) in identifying children demonstrating at-risk academic performance, problematic classroom behavior, and impairment in social and emotional functioning. Regression analyses indicate that both measures account for incremental variance (between 6.69 and 45.84 %) in kindergarten outcomes beyond that accounted for by the school district’s academic screening tool. The BESS was a slightly stronger predictor of academic outcomes, and the SDQ was a slightly stronger predictor of peer outcomes. Implications for selecting a teacher measure for universal screening of social, emotional, and behavioral problems at kindergarten entry are discussed.     

Emotional Intelligence and Callous–Unemotional Traits in Incarcerated Adolescents

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, manage, and reason about emotions and to use this information to guide thinking and behavior adaptively. Youth with callous–unemotional (CU) traits demonstrate a variety of affective deficits, including impairment in recognition of emotion and reduced emotional responsiveness to distress or pain in others. We examined the association between ability EI and CU traits in a sample of incarcerated adolescents (n = 141) using an expert-rater device (Psychopathy Checklist Youth Version (PCL-YV; Manual for the Hare psychopathy checklist: Youth version. Multi-Health Systems, Toronto, 2003) and self-report assessments of CU traits. EI was assessed using the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test-Youth Version, Research Version (MSCEIT-YV-R; MSCEIT YV: Mayer–Salovey–Caruso emotional intelligence test: Youth version, research version 1.0. Multi-Health Systems, Toronto, Ontario, 2005). Similar to findings in adult forensic populations, high levels of CU traits in incarcerated adolescents were associated with lower EI, particularly higher order EI skills. Identifying impairment on EI abilities may have important implications for emerging treatment and intervention developments for youth with high levels of CU traits.