The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of social media on adolescent mental health. The study was intentional in examining the effects of social media usage on depression, self-esteem, and academic achievement. The research was completed during the fall and spring of 2020 and 2021 with 136 ninth grade students within a large…

In the State of Arkansas students, grades three through ten, take the ACT Aspire in order to provide a measure of student academic achievement to school districts and the Arkansas Division of Elementary and Secondary Education. These scores are also used to determine school grades that are released each year and may determine student placement in…

Anxiety and depression symptoms in school-aged children are highly prevalent and can be comorbid. Mental health interventions are promising in decreasing anxiety and depression symptoms as well as learning healthy coping techniques. MATCH-ADTC is a transdiagnostic intervention grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy and designed for children ages…

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…

Adolescence is a time when individuals are forced to deal with the stress of moving from being a teenager to an adult (Spear, 2000). As a result, this difficult developmental period is often characterized by adolescents engaging in risky behavior and potentially dangerous experimentation (Golden & Turner, 2005). The importance of understanding how…