School psychologists familiar with the autism evaluation process have an awareness of the complexity of this school-based process. This paper provides school clinicians with an introduction to a visual framework and descriptive language to think and talk about the complex students they evaluate in positive, nuanced, and accessible terms. This…

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a group of disorders directly caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. This spectrum of disorders cause neurodevelopmental, neurobehavioral, and mental health effects. The consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure are permanent, leaving children and adults with behavioral and learning difficulties throughout…

Spina bifida (SB) refers to a subgroup of congenital defects where the neural tube fails to fuse, often resulting in a protruding spinal cord. This is often due to a defect or absence of vertebral arches resulting from a failure of the mesoderm to organize over the region of the defect. SB occurs during gestation between the third and sixth week…

The emotional and behavioral problems of students in the classroom are a major concern for teachers, parents, and administrators. Fifty years of scientific research supports the efficacy of behavioral interventions in the classroom, yet school psychologists and teachers are often unaware of this evidence or of how to apply it. As diagnoses of…

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), as defined by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), refers to difficulties in the perceptual processing of auditory information in the central nervous system and the neurobiological activity that underlies that processing and gives rise to electrophysiologic auditory potentials (ASHA,…

Tic disorders, including Tourette syndrome, can significantly impact student functioning in the school setting. As professionals on the front line, school psychologists are in a unique position to guide students with tics. With proper education about tics and a collaborative approach, they can ensure that students with tics are maximally supported…

Though schools have become the default mental health providers for children and adolescents, they are poorly equipped to meet the mental health needs of their students. "Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health" differs from other books that address child and adolescent psychopathology by focusing on how to help students with…

The focus of this article is to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of ADHD and to provide evidence-based training interventions for school counselors. An overview of basic information about ADHD will be provided, including diagnosis, presentation, causes, prevalence, and common misconceptions. Evidence-based training…

Enuresis, one of the most prevalent and chronic childhood disorders, imposes serious financial, physical, and emotional burdens on the child and the family affected by it. This article provides counselors with an overview of the complex etiologies, diagnostic criteria, and current treatment options for the disorder, as well as assessment tools and…

This article discusses the Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), also known as "factitious disorder by proxy" (FDBP) and fabricated and/or induced illness, which is a mental illness in which a person lies about the physical or mental well-being of a person he/she is responsible for. Most often the dynamic transpires between a mother and her child.…

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is 1 of several possible outcomes of child sexual victimization. There is a growing body of literature regarding the prevalence of PTSD among children who have been sexually victimized. Using specific case examples, this article looks at the nature and scope of the problem, diagnostic criteria according to the…

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that results in brain wasting and eventual death. With its increasing diagnosis rate, counselors will likely acquire clients with Alzheimer's disease or their caregivers. Important background information and several practical counseling methods are provided that may assist counselors working with this…

Assessing a student for emotional disturbance is a serious and complex task given the stigma of the label and the ambiguities of the federal definition. One way that school psychologists can be more confident in their assessment results is to cross validate data from different sources using the RIOT approach (Review, Interview, Observe, Test).…

The paper offers guidelines for counseling parents of children diagnosed as autistic. Initial sections urge caution on the establishment of such a diagnosis, noting widespread careless use of the term. Changes in thinking about autism are traced from its consideration as a psychogenic emotional disorder to a developmental disorder with cognitive…

Depression is considered a significant affective disorder in children and adolescents. This article provides school psychologists with information concerning the current status of depression in this population. Epidemiological data on depression is provided with phenomenology and diagnostic criteria, review of assessment measures, and…