Showing papers in "Psychology in the Schools in 2021"

Considerations for educators in supporting student learning in the midst of COVID-19.

Abstract: COVID-19 has presented a period of unprecedented challenge for schools in the United States. Thousands of school buildings across the country were closed in the spring of 2020 through the end of the school year to slow the spread of the global pandemic. Plans to reopen schools in many states remain uncertain as the virus continues to spread across communities. Current and future challenges are complex, with significant impacts on the global economy, health care system, and overall well-being. When schools reopen, students will present with a wide variety of academic and social-emotional needs, and schools will need to mindfully adjust systems and practices to meet the needs of their unique student population. This paper provides educators with suggestions on how to adapt existing multitiered systems of support using a trauma-informed lens to support students during this unusual time.

Returning to teaching during COVID‐19: An empirical study on elementary teachers' self‐efficacy

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore how the new teaching approaches and requirements because of COVID-19 impacted elementary teachers' self-efficacy, specifically instructional and engagement efficacy. The current study included 329 participants from across the United States who completed the Teacher Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES) subsections of instructional and engagement. The results found the average teacher efficacy scores for both instructional and engagement were lower than TSES scores of instructional and engagement in previous studies. The results also indicated teachers who were teaching virtually had the lowest instructional efficacy scores compared to teachers teaching in a hybrid or all in-person model. However, the results suggested no difference in engagement efficacy score based on the instructional approach. There was also no difference in both instructional and engagement efficacy based on previous accolades or teacher location.

Beyond the four walls: The evolution of school psychological services during the COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract: The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in early 2020 led to the sudden temporary closure of K-12 schools across the United States. Schools were tasked with providing remote instruction to students, and many of these children continued to require mental and behavioral health services provided by school psychologists. In this study, 675 school psychologists were surveyed across the United States to examine how their roles and responsibilities changed as a result of COVID-19. Participants reported the perceived impact of COVID-19 on students? mental health and difficulty serving students and families, as well as their concerns and recommendations pertaining to school reentry. Overall, respondents in this study reported that their roles and responsibilities notably changed because of COVID-19. Participants noted their belief that children and educators will need increased mental health support upon returning to school. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.

An Investigation of Increased Rates of Autism in U.S. Public Schools

Abstract: Funding information The Thompson Policy Institute on Disability Abstract This study is intended to enhance our understanding of the dramatic increase in autism prevalence rates across the United States. A robust national and multistate sample of children and youth (5–22 years of age) was gathered and analyzed, using visual and statistical analysis of autism eligibility over a 15‐ to 17‐year period. Although the impact of environmental or genetic influences cannot be entirely ruled out, we identified significant shifts in eligibility trends that substantially contribute to the remarkable increase in autism prevalence. Assessment procedures and criteria for autism have sustained an indelible influence from this diagnostic migration, which has had a lasting impact on public schools. We use this information to provide meaningful implications for practicing psychology in the schools.