Related Posts

• Social/Emotional Evaluations: Unraveling the ED/SM Dilemma Part 2

  Last week, we presented the first part of a two-part series on unraveling the ED/SM dilemma. This week, we talk to the experts on how to use various assessments to evaluate emotional disturbance and social maladjustment. Catch up on last week's blog here. School staff members often have difficulties when it comes to assessing a student who may have emotional disturbance (ED), and getting hard data to back up the decision can be just as difficult. PAR spoke with experts in the field about the use of various instruments that have proven to be useful in gathering the hard data needed in order to make an informed decision about ED eligibility. Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2) Peter K. Isquith, PhD, is a practicing developmental school neuropsychologist and instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He’s the coauthor of the BRIEF2, the new BRIEF2 Interpretive Guide, and the Tasks of Executive Control (TEC). PAR: Why would it be helpful to include a measure of executive functioning in the assessment of a student being evaluated for an ED eligibility? PI: In general, ...

• Social/Emotional Evaluations: Unraveling the ED/SM Dilemma

  This is the first part in a two-part series. Come back next week to learn more from our experts and authors. Katherine is an 8 year old who attends public school. Following a traumatic event, she began to insist on wearing a helmet to school and during class. When school personnel requested she remove the helmet, she adamantly refused, expressing fear that the ceiling would fall and they would all be killed. Her grades have dropped considerably, and she is having problems socializing with peers. Her mother reports similar disruptions at home. Katherine’s grades have dropped to Ds and Fs, and her behavior has become disruptive in class. She cries frequently and has most recently expressed a desire to stay home from school. Jeremy is a fifth grader who currently receives special education services under the category of emotional disturbance (ED) and other health impaired (OHI). One year after his initial ED diagnosis, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His original ED eligibility was based on violent behavior in kindergarten and first grade. Once it became evident that his ...

• New research on the SEARS available

  

  The Social Emotional Assets and Resilience Scales (SEARS) assesses positive social–emotional attributes in children and adolescents. New research published in the June issue of Assessment provides further data to support its clinical use. The authors studied the factor structure, measurement invariance, internal consistency, and validity of the SEAR-Adolescent (SEARS-A) Report in individuals ages 8 to 20 years. The study focused on 225 childhood cancer survivors and 122 students without a history of significant health problems in the control group. They were all administered the SEARS-A, finding it to have an adequate factor structure and model fit and demonstrated invariance across domains of age, health status, gender, race, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, the researchers found the SEARS-A to have excellent internal reliability, criterion validity, and current validity when compared with another similar instrument. The researchers concluded that the SEARS-A has the potential to be a sound tool to assess and predict social–emotional outcomes among at-risk youth between the ages of 8 and 20 years. Learn more about this research or learn more about the SEARS.

• Celebrating School Social Work Week

  

  School social workers have always played a pivotal role in our schools and communities. Their important role has really come into the spotlight this year, more than ever. With National School Social Work Week occurring this week, we at PAR would like to publicly express our gratitude and thanks for everything school social workers are doing to make our schools better places for all. The theme of this year’s awareness week is “Beacon of Hope: School Social Workers—Lighting the Way.” Thank you to our school social workers for being that beacon of hope during this very unusual time. The work of school social workers goes beyond students, helping administrators, teachers, educators, parents, and the greater community to thrive. Resources to promote National School Social Work Week The School Social Work Association of America provides members resources, including posters, images, downloadable materials, and more. Need some ideas on how to celebrate and acknowledge school social workers? The Illinois Association of School Social Workers provides a downloadable list of fun suggestions as well as a list of ways school social workers can increase ...

• Upcoming Webinar Explores Social and Emotional Intelligence, Healthy Relationships, and Mindsight

  PAR author Dr. Lisa Firestone and PsychAlive are proud to host a free Webinar this summer with Dr. Dan Siegel, award-winning UCLA clinical professor and executive director of the Mindsight Institute. Mindsight: Learning a New Science of Personal Transformation    A free Webinar for the general public with Dr. Dan Siegel Tuesday, June 14, 2011, 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EST Seeing the inner world more clearly and learning to shape it toward health are the fundamental health-promoting capacities of “mindsight.” Mindsight underlies both social and emotional intelligence. This webinar will offer an overview and practical interventions regarding mindsight and its application to strengthening the mind, the brain, and human relationships. To learn more, visit www.glendon.org and click on Upcoming Webinars; to register now, click on https://www1.gotomeeting.com/island/webinar/registration.tmpl?id=220778937

• Get expert advice on emotional disturbance

  

  Students with an emotional disturbance (ED) can be difficult to assess and identify due to the unique and diverse nature of the disorder. A new white paper discusses social–emotional evaluations with experts in the field, helping you to identify emotional disturbance using a variety of PAR products. The white paper will help you make more confident and informed decisions about eligibility for an ED diagnosis. This free white paper discusses the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, 2nd Ed. (BRIEF2), the Pediatric Behavior Rating Scale (PBRS), the Adolescent Anger Rating Scale (AARS), and the Emotional Disturbance Decision Tree (EDDT). Download your copy today!