Adolescents' mental health and academic performance are subjects of paramount interest. Previous studies have revealed a strong association between these constructs during school years. However, there is little evidence about the dual-factor model of mental health, which includes a combination of psychological well-being and distress indicators,…

The Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Form (BESS) is a universal screening measure designed to identify social, emotional, and behavioral risks in students. A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were conducted to examine the extent to which the…

Universal mental health screening is a proactive approach to identify students who may benefit from prevention or early intervention services. Despite known benefits, few schools are engaging in screening efforts, and it is critical to examine factors that may impede or enhance implementation. Following implementation of a universal screening…

The prevalence of student mental health concerns has increased the need for universal mental health screening to promote access to services. Some screeners determine risk status by comparing student scores to norming samples based on age (i.e., combined-gender) or on age and gender (i.e., separate-gender). This study examined scores on the…

Universal screening of students is increasing as programs are implemented for improving social emotional learning (SEL) skills. Assessments used to conduct SEL screenings focus on social emotional strengths; however, such assessments can provide a broader characterization of students' wellbeing by concurrently screening for emotional behavior…

The novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) originated in December 2019, shifting our familiar way of life and creating a lengthy isolation period to mitigate further transmission. Over time, it has become clear that COVID-19 has exacerbated behavioral, emotional, financial, and physical stressors for many individuals. The impact of the pandemic on youth…

Although numerous studies have focused on understanding the utility of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) across multiple populations, many of the studies that focus on the use of this measure with the college population have used the previous edition (BASC-2). Given the rising rates of anxiety and…

We report findings from a 40 middle school randomized controlled trial of an adapted version of Coping Power (Lochman & Wells, 2002a) for middle schoolers, called the Early Adolescent Coping Power (EACP) Program (Bradshaw et al., 2019) to determine the impact of EACP on adolescents' mental health outcomes, as indicated by student self-reported…

Early adolescence represents a critical developmental period for the identification, prevention, and early intervention of mental health concerns. The Early Identification System--Student Report (EIS-SR) was developed as a user-friendly, accessible, and cost-efficient method for identifying youth at risk for mental health concerns. The present…

Mental health during childhood is a growing social challenge with important implications for optimal development. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) interventions have been shown to prevent problems related to psychological maladjustment, as well as promote emotional well-being. This article aims to provide evidence for the impact of RULER…

Exposure to community adversities and violence can be associated with a cascade of neurocognitive, mental health, and behavioral challenges among urban adolescents. Influenced by the bio-ecological framework, this study examines if problems with executive functioning (EF) exacerbate the relation between exposure to community adversity and violence…

Objective: Examine how executive functioning (EF), healthcare management, and self-efficacy relate to college students' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Participants: Undergraduates completed questionnaires at baseline (Time 1; n = 387) and 18-24 months later (Time 2; n = 102). Methods: Participants reported on their EF and healthcare…

This article describes efforts to adapt an adolescent version of the Coping Power program, called Coping Power in the City, for use with high school students attending an urban school district with high concentrations of students exposed to community violence and challenges related to elevated tensions between youth and police. The goal of this…

Universal screening continues to be a missed opportunity for addressing mental health in schools. The current study compared three separate self-report screening tools: the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Third Edition: Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (BASC-3 BESS), Youth Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Screener (YIEPS),…

Developing the ability to summarize written text is a critical literacy skill set for adolescent students with disabilities. Four female students at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders in a U.S. juvenile justice facility were taught the TRAP+IDEAS mnemonic using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instructional approach to…