The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an emergency response to close businesses, shut down schools, and mandate lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the virus creating an unprecedented worldwide disruption in the family and educational environment. The problem to be addressed in this study is the unknown subjective lived experience of vulnerable…

This study utilized a qualitative constructivist grounded theory methodology to explore the social and friendship experiences of adolescent girls with developmental disabilities (DD). Participants included 12 adolescent girls with DD and 13 parents of adolescent girls with DD. In-depth interviews were conducted with each participant to better…

This applied dissertation was designed to better understand the experience of having a sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Research has historically focused primarily on parents of individuals with ASD and their perceptions of how siblings were impacted; however, there was a lack of adequate research where information was obtained from…

This research seeks to understand the relationship between marginalized identities and trauma in adolescents in relation to classroom outcomes, both behavioral and academic, through an intersectional framework. A synthesized review of literature as well as a quantitative study using the HSLS:09 data was conducted to discern how marginalized…

The climate crisis is an environmental issue that affects people of all walks of life but has disproportionate effects on those living in impoverished communities. The climate crisis therefore is not only an issue of environmental justice, but also social justice. However, incorporating environmental issues within education has typically been left…

An estimated 50,000 autistic young adults in the United States transition out of high school each year, and more than a third of them do not engage in any form of employment or formal education in their twenties. Daily living skills (DLS)?are one key?predictor of?autistic adults attending post-secondary education, obtaining employment, and living…

Ableist microaggressions are often subtle and covert negative attributions and behaviors towards people with dis/abilities that perpetuate stereotypes and inequities (Conover et al., 2021). Although limited research exists that has explored the impact of ableist microaggressions, some scholars have noted similar findings to studies to that have…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with comorbid disorders like anxiety. However, special education teachers may lack the training to implement specific interventions in the classroom setting for adolescents with ASD and anxiety. This qualitative action research study was conducted to examine how special education…

Children and adolescents spend the majority of their day engaged in sedentary behaviors (SB), while also not meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations. The failure to develop and maintain health enhancing behaviors from a young age may impact an individual throughout their life. With children and adolescents spending a large proportion of…

The evolving role of the school counselor reflects a commitment to supporting the holistic development and well-being of all students, addressing the complex challenges they face, and creating learning environments where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. School-based mental health programs and strategies are…

The middle school years are marked by a critical interplay of biological, cognitive, and social development, which collectively shape adolescents' experiences and developmental trajectories. Recognizing the complexity of these processes is crucial for creating nurturing environments that support adolescents' academic, social, and emotional…

Previous research has shown that Black males do not find schools to be safe spaces or places where they feel a sense of belonging. Instead, they do not feel welcomed (Brooms, 2019a). If students must spend 8 to 9 hours in a place daily, we will want that space to be somewhere they want to be. Findings from research conducted by Collins et al.…

Purpose and Method of Study: The study used Berry's (1997) theory of acculturation and adaptation as the theoretical framework and a qualitative descriptive research design to investigate the experiences of 11 Chinese international students who have studied at least one year of high school at one of two private Christian schools in Oklahoma.…

The overall aim of this grounded theory multiple-case study was to better understand how K-12 independent schools ("schools") in the United States cultivate a connection between children and adolescents ("students") and the natural world ("environment") by exploring the interplay between this connection and (a) the…

Social capital is an under investigated resource that many students access to increase their human capital. Within disadvantaged communities, social capital is not readily available to African American male adolescents. This narrative inquiry study explored how social capital impacted the academic achievement of young African-American males during…