The purpose of this study was to examine how to restore a child's social-emotional well being. As an administrator in a middle school, I have the opportunity to see the natural state that our children are in on a daily basis. I have observed over time, more specifically since COVID-19, that children are struggling to balance their emotions, their…

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the parent-report Short Form Positive Family Support Strengths and Needs Assessment (PFS-SaNA). The PFS-SaNA is designed to reduce the time and burden of collaborative mental health screening. Parents of 245 students in the Northwest completed the screener at third, fourth,…

The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with family adjustment, heightened adolescent mental health symptomology, and increased caregiver stress. The current study used a diverse sample of caregivers and early adolescents to examine the association between pandemic-related experiences, caregiver perceived stress, and adolescent mental health. Two…

The normal lives of schools were significantly affected by the recent global pandemic. Some countries closed all schools nationally, others such as the USA closed at a local level according to state law. Much of the focus of research in this area is on the effect on children and learning loss, but this paper uses secondary analysis of data from a…

Perceived social support is an important predictor of school mental health outcomes of students. However, more research is needed on the indirect effects in this association. The present study aimed to investigate the direct and indirect effects (via mental toughness) of parent-classmate-teacher support on early adolescents' school mental health.…

The FRIENDS Resilience programs provide cognitive-behavioral skills across the developmental spectrum and can be applied as a universal or selective prevention program. In the current study, we assessed whether, relative to the schools' existing counseling curriculum ("guidance"), FRIENDS improved social skills, problem behaviors, and…

Objective: While a link between strength-based parenting and social-emotional wellbeing has been previously established, little is known about the role that school belonging plays in moderating this relationship. The present study examined the mediating and moderating role of school belonging in the association of strength-based parenting with…

The names of the participants and the school district used in this program evaluation are pseudonyms to protect the participant's identity. This program evaluation was from the perceptions of the parent/guardian and faculty of the Garnett County School District (GCSD) K-8 Alternative Learning Program. The study focused on the middle school…

Due to COVID-19, 2020 was a strange and different school year for many students around the world. Based on a survey of primary school students (N = 2665) conducted in December 2020, this article examines students' well-being and stress levels one year after the first COVID-19 outbreak. It also examines how students emotionally relate to the…

This study addresses a knowledge gap in the literature about early adolescent cyberbullying victimization and the related positive and negative emotional wellbeing and academic achievement outcomes experienced over time. The study examines 9139 South Australian students (aged 10-13 years) who reported on cyberbullying status in Grade 6, and…

An alarming number of early adolescents in the United States (i.e., youth ages 10 to 14 in middle school) are experiencing forms of victimization. Adolescents are increasingly using smartphones and various social media platforms, which has made many adolescents more vulnerable to victimization in cyberspaces. This "cyber-victimization"…

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),…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused schools to shift to virtual or hybrid instruction, thrusting young adolescents into a very different educational environment. Stage-environment fit theory outlines ways in which educational contexts may, or may not, meet the developmental needs of young adolescents. Yet little is known about how virtual environments…

Separate lines of research have linked negative parenting practices, victimization, and negative affectivity--separately--with internalizing symptoms in children. However, no previous studies have connected these lines of research to examine internalizing pathology in children. The current study tested complex moderated-mediation models to…

Adolescents in the urban public school system experience childhood trauma that sometimes makes it difficult to focus on learning. Even more so, sometimes trauma experienced by youth manifests in disruptive behaviors in the school setting. Traditionally, urban public schools have focused on teaching and learning academics, generally neglecting the…