This article delves into the pivotal role of Christian Athlete Circles as a new religious counter-space designed to foster inclusive spiritual growth for student-athletes, contrasting this organization with existing athlete ministries. Drawing from scholarly literature and informed by autoethnographic methods, the article highlights the necessity…

Social validity refers to the extent to which applied behavior analytic (ABA) treatment goals, methods, and/or outcomes are acceptable and meaningful to stakeholders. The aim of this conceptual paper is to suggest how social validity may be promoted during behavioral consultation in school systems and how the assessment of various aspects of…

Many scholars have documented the critical importance of youth having access to spaces of joy and homeplaces in which they learn to matter. Research has shown that Black LGBTQ+ youth often struggle to locate homeplaces and spaces of joy in K-12 schooling contexts due to societal beliefs flowing from anti-blackness, (hetero)sexism, homophobia,…

The concept of #BlackGirlMagic has resonated with Black women and Black girls across the world. Black Girl Magic is as unique as a fingerprint and serves as an invitation for Black girls to be present as their true, most powerful selves. In reflecting on the power of Black Girl Magic for Black girls as 5 Black women in psychological science and…

Guided by a love politic and centrifugal intersectionality we demonstrate how whiteness, homonormative whiteness, and white heteronormativity alienates racialized queer students in both 2SLGBTQ + and racialized counterspaces within the university. The tensions experienced by racialized queer students, do not stem from the existence of these…

In this student analysis, Ryan Brown examines two critical themes from the global migration literature found throughout Leila Abdelrazaq's graphic novel "Baddawi," including the "geographical lens" and "citizenship and belonging." The author intertwines these themes throughout her story by depicting her father Ahmad's…

Using examples of gifted students in specialized programs, the author discusses the phenomenon called "code switching." Code switching is the name given to the process of alternating between one linguistic code and another. The author learned early on that most gifted students feel different from their nongifted peers, mostly about being…

In this article, we provide definitional clarity for the construct of social withdrawal as it was originally construed, and review the original theoretical and conceptual bases that led to the first research program dedicated to the developmental study of social withdrawal (the Waterloo Longitudinal Project). We also describe correlates (e.g.,…

Belonging is personal and political. As a fundamental human need, belonging is about self-acceptance and about feeling "accepted" by others. And yet, this process of acceptance is inextricably tied to structures of power that work to include and exclude. Structures of whiteness within higher education systems, for example, relegate…

To truly thrive, LGBTQ educators need to feel a sense of belonging. "Education Week" blogger Peter DeWitt shares how, as a gay teacher and principal, he struggled to be himself. But that changed with the help of a supportive network of colleagues.

Friendship is a developmentally significant relationship in childhood and adolescence that contributes to socioemotional, social-cognitive, and psychological development and well-being. It is a dyadic relationship based on mutual affection, with both friends thinking of each other as friends. Despite this definitional understanding of the dyadic…

Higher education students with dyslexia are generally under enormous emotional pressure. The fear of getting exposed as "stupid" leads many of them to isolate themselves and avoid social contact with their peers. In consequence, a lot of dyslexic college students suffer from feelings of loneliness or even depression and anxiety. One…

In addition to psychomotor and cognitive learning, social development is one of the three pillars of the national standards for physical education instruction. Though a plethora of research has exhibited the benefits social inclusion can have for students with and without disabilities, inclusion cannot be successful unless physical educators are…

Research indicates that social isolation among youth is on the rise and not only impacts a child's self-esteem, but also plays a key role in health and academic performance. A 2013 study published in the American Journal of Public Health linked social isolation with depression, loss of sleep, eating disorders, and poor cardiovascular health. In…

Teenager anxiety can be fueled by the online social interactions of today's youth. Comparing one's life with others, coping with bullying behaviour, seeking acceptance from peers, and digital addiction can all have a role in the rising anxiety today's teenagers are experiencing. Educators and parents have an important role to play in teaching…