A number of circumstances challenge the very notion of the provision of mental health services that are effective, accessible, and sustainable in the most impoverished urban settings. These circumstances pose significant challenges to conducting research on alternative mental health practices of sufficient quality and rigor necessary to pass…

There are critical challenges for the design of effective school-based mental health delivery systems. Atkins et al. (2003) provide illustrative examples of how these challenges can be addressed in ways that can significantly increase children's access to empirically supported interventions, integrate programming into existing school leadership…

Ringeisen, Henderson, and Hoagwood have provided an important discussion of the significance of school context to children's mental health, particularly in relation to empirically supported interventions. They have outlined the influence of context on treatment integrity, and have emphasized appropriately the significant gap between…

Investigates the effect of a school-based early mental health intervention program on school adjustment, using a wait-control design, for elementary grade students. The intervention was found to significantly lessen teachers' perception of student shyness, anxiety, and learning problems. It also increased perceived assertive social skills, task…

The article by Fantuzzo, McWayne, and Bulotsky (2003), presenting their conceptualization of a paradigm for conducting applied research in children's mental health, is an intriguing fusion of key principles and recommendations. Their model comes close to meeting the profile of a new research paradigm in children's mental health. The author…

Describes principles of rational-emotive education (REE), emotional education program based on rational-emotive therapy which has been shown to be effective with school-age children who present variety of problems. Discusses role of school psychologist in introducing REE to teachers interested in employing mental health prevention programs.…

Recent changes in federal policy and the proliferation of empirically based interventions (EBIs) designed to prevent problems and promote student academic and behavioral success have created an unprecedented opportunity for schools to expand their use of comprehensive strategies to meet the academic and behavioral health needs of all students. The…

A program of research related to school-based models for urban children's mental health is described, with a particular focus on improving access to services, promoting children's functioning, and providing for program sustainability. The first study in this series responded to the urgent need to engage more families in mental health services, and…

Tempermant provides a framework for appreciating and supporting individual differences of children while prompting ways to skillfully handle their behavior. The science of temperament and its applications also assists clinicians in exploring and improving the transactional patterns that occur between children and their environment. Article…

Explores the type of shifts in perspective, policy, practice, and research that can help schools move forward in addressing mental health and psychosocial concerns. Specifically discusses strengths and limitations of prevailing practices, the need to broaden current perspectives to improve efficacy for those served, and implications and directions…

Describes findings of a NASP-funded survey designed to identify and document exemplary mental health programs in which school psychologists were involved in program design, implementation, and/or evaluation. Results suggest school psychologists can assume a crucial role in providing mental health services for schools and communities. (Author/JDM)

The work of Atkins and his colleagues (2003) have provided a wonderful beginning to the development of models that broaden the role of community and school psychology as well as the role of intervention research in the schools. Unfortunately, this work is not easily supported by institutions of academic psychology where more control of extraneous…

This study explored the possibility that bullies, victims of bullying, and bully-victims (i.e., youth who both perpetrate and are victims of bullying) are at increased risk for victimization in four other domains: conventional crime, child maltreatment, sexual victimization, and witnessing or indirect victimization. It also evaluated the extent to…

Seven topic areas which may be variously combined to comprise a workshop in personal stress reduction are outlined. They include definitions and types of stress, life style planning, nutrition, exercise, networking/social support system, relaxation and other trophotropic interventions, and communication skills. Suggestions are included for…

An alternate approach in delivering mental health service to school systems is introduced. Rooted in preventive and community based principles, it switches the emphasis to primary preventive interventions as well as examining environmental and social system influences on children's development and adjustment. (Author/PN)