In 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General declared a children's mental health crisis, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported an increase in the prevalence of youth mental health needs stating that adolescents are in crisis (Reinert et al., 2021). Since 2021, a significant amount of literature has been published, indicating that,…

Parental tolerance has previously been defined as the function of how annoyed a parent becomes by their child's defiant or disruptive behavior. However, there has been little research on parental tolerance as a construct and its relationships with other potentially theoretically related constructs, such as parenting style and parent report of…

The goal of the study was to understand factors contributing to life satisfaction of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from the perspective of positive psychology. The challenges of parenting a child with ASD have been documented extensively, with these parents experiencing higher levels of stress, depression, and lower…

This phenomenological study provides a comprehensive approach to unmasking the artist to understand the potential effects of enhanced learning through an integration of the arts, mental health, and education. This research aims to discover a new method to enhance learning through storytelling and counter-unmasking through multicultural children's…

The prevalence of mental health issues among children is a pressing concern, with many cases going untreated and leading to long-term challenges. Teachers play a vital role in identifying and supporting children with mental health problems, but they often lack the necessary training and confidence. To address this gap, Research Informed Skills for…

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting children's well-being. It is a pervasive disorder observed globally, transcending racial and socioeconomic boundaries. Many children experience the challenges of undiagnosed ADHD, leading to the development of additional mental health conditions, including…

This dissertation project highlights the rising rates of and effects of child anxiety. This was done through a literature review of relevant topics. Child anxiety treatment is explored and best practices highlighted. By using a top-to-bottom approach to the literature, a program/resource was developed that is intended for use by school…

Caregivers of children with developmental delay (DD) or disabilities are at a higher risk of developing mental health problems like depression when compared to caregivers of children who are typically developing. Several factors, including child diagnosis and child challenging behavior, have been known to exacerbate caregiver risk for mental…

Previous research indicates that screening for parental Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is a significant tool for identifying children at risk for maltreatment, in order to intervene and prevent the long-term effects of ACEs. Pediatricians have been tasked with screening for parental ACEs at well child visits, as first line of defense.…

Mental health care in the United States is both important and expensive. In many instances, those with the least amount of access to quality mental health care services also face other social inequities. The government has addressed this issue in a myriad of ways, some effective, others not. The outpatient development model creates a barrier to…

As the number of children and adolescents diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) increases, the need for mental health services for this population will increase. As a result, counselors in clinical practice and school must be prepared to provide those mental health services. ASD can be inherently difficult to work with due to core…

Parenting stress not only correlates with child behavioral and emotional problems, it is also a risk factor for child abuse, child psychopathology, and students dropping out of school. Although in-person mindfulness programs have shown significant effects in decreasing parenting stress, the time and cost demands for participants may serve as…

"Yogatise" is a home-based, online yoga program that was specifically developed for children and youth with disabilities between 6 and 17 years of age to create a meaningful occupation outside of school and to increase their social, emotional and physical well-being. It has been found that children and youth with disabilities experience…

The Office of the Surgeon General (2000) reports that many children currently in need of mental health services are not receiving them. Given the impact of depressive disorders on functioning, identification of these in children is particularly important (Cicchetti & Toth, 1998; Herman, Reinke, Parkin, Traylor, & Agarwal, 2009). Such…

Although evidence-based practices (EBPs) exist to support emotional and behavioral health for children and their families, their adoption in community settings remains startlingly low. While therapist training is a promising method to promote the successful adoption of EBPs, there is often a lack of agreement on the foundational skills therapists…