Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2014, Curriculum and Instruction: Special Education

Elementary students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often exhibit aggressive behavior, causing disruption of the classroom-learning environment. Disruptive students are at risk of being removed from the classroom and being excluded from valuable class time. Remediating and reducing aggression in students with ASD requires intervention strategies to address social, communication, and anger management skills. The study examined the effectiveness of the Aggression Replacement Training (ART) (Glick & Gibbs, 2011) in reducing verbal and physical aggression for nine students with ASD. ART teaches students to use effective communication and anger management techniques to prevent conflicts, maintain self-control, and manage stressful situations in an appropriate manner. ART is a 10-week program, and was implemented with three groups of students with ASD using a multiple baseline across groups study design. The study used visual inspection of data to determine if the ART program decreases levels of aggression in students with ASD. The purpose of the study was to decrease frequency of verbal and physical aggression and increase prosocial skills. Results of the study found ART to be an effective intervention for reducing verbal and physical aggression in elementary students with Autism. All participants also demonstrated acquisition and increased use of social skills.

Committee: Edward Cancio PhD (Committee Chair); Laurie Dinnebeil PhD (Committee Member); William McInerney PhD (Committee Member); Ronald David PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Cognitive Psychology; Early Childhood Education; Educational Psychology; Elementary Education; Neurosciences; Psychological Tests; Psychology; Special Education; Teacher Education

Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) applies principles of learning to problems of social significance. As a therapy, ABA is a treatment of choice for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with several decades of research demonstrating ABA's effectiveness. However, the effectiveness of ABA for another common neurodevelopmental disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is less well known. Understanding the effectiveness of ABA for ADHD would be important for practitioners, especially for those working with individuals who have a comorbid diagnosis of ASD and ADHD. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of ABA to treat symptoms of ADHD for individuals who are 6-17 years of age using a structured literature review. Using specific keywords, several public databases were searched for articles describing the use of ABA interventions to treat symptoms of ADHD. In total, fourteen articles were found that described the use of ABA to treat symptoms of ADHD. In general, 12 of 14 articles found indicated ABA was effective for treating symptoms of ADHD in children who are 6-17 years of age. Results are discussed for practitioners and consumers looking to make treatment decisions.

Committee: Kristopher Brown PsyD, BCBA-D, COBA, LP (Advisor); Joseph Corpa MS, BCBA, COBA (Committee Chair); Cara Colucci MS, BCBA, COBA (Committee Chair) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2012, Social Welfare

Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Pre-adoption Placement on School-age Functioning of Intercountry-Adopted Children Abstract by FELICIA J. FAGO The current study assessed the relationship between prenatal alcohol exposure risk and pre-adoption placement risk on the social-emotional behavior, academic functioning, and adaptive functioning of school-age intercountry-adopted children. Participants included 60 children from six to 13 years of age who were adopted into the United States from foreign countries. This group was divided into high risk of prenatal alcohol exposure (HPAE = 28) and low risk of prenatal alcohol exposure (LPAE = 32) by using the 4-Digit Diagnostic Code. Linear regression, logistic regression models, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to investigate the separate and cumulative effects of prenatal alcohol exposure risk and pre-adoption placement risk on school-age outcomes. After controlling for potential confounding variables, high risk of prenatal alcohol exposure was found to be the only variable that had a significant effect on overall social-emotional behavior (β = .366, p = .004), academic functioning (β = -.528, p = .000), and adaptive functioning (β = -.385, p = .002). There was no differential effect of HPAE versus LPAE on internalizing social-emotional behavior but participants with HPAE were more likely to exhibit externalizing social-emotional behaviors. Additional research is needed for both the identification of prenatal alcohol exposure in this population, as well as interventions that effectively mitigate the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on social-emotional, academic, and adaptive behavior functioning.

Committee: Victor Groza PhD (Committee Chair); Anna Mandalakas MD (Committee Member); Sonia Minnes PhD (Committee Member); David Miller PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Developmental Psychology; Families and Family Life; Individual and Family Studies; Mental Health; Social Psychology; Social Work; Sociology; Special Education; Teaching; Toxicology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2007, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

PHD, Kent State University, 0, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

This study aims to understand special education teachers' lived experience of encountering Disruptive Classroom Behavior (DCB) among middle school students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in self-contained classrooms. Employing an interpretative phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight teachers who self-identified as having lived experience with DCB. Through rich descriptions provided by participants, the study aims to understand the significance they attribute to these encounters and the realization of their roles as educators in such settings. Using a purposive and subsequent snowball recruitment approach, ten participants were identified, of whom eight in-depth interviews were conducted via Zoom, each lasting 45 to 60 minutes. Excluding one interview not classroom-based, the final analytic sample included seven participants' lived experience encountering DCB in self-contained classrooms for students with EBD. Following transcription, participant feedback was sought to ensure accuracy. Data analysis adhered to methodologies outlined by Peoples (2020) and Larsen & Adu (2021). The findings present seven individual narratives alongside a collective narrative, elucidating the delicate balance between professionalism and empathy, the importance of understanding the origins of DCB, and the resilience required for effective management. The study underscores the necessity for tailored professional development, collaborative support, and empathetic teaching approaches for students with EBD. It emphasizes the profound impact of teachers on students' lives and the evolving demands within the teaching profession.

Committee: Brian Barber (Advisor) Subjects: Special Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Social Work

Background: Approximately 50% of individuals seeking treatment for substance use and mental health conditions in behavioral healthcare settings have a lifetime history of TBI affecting their ability to engage in behavioral health treatment. Identifying lifetime history of TBI using validated screening methods can optimize interventions for these individuals, however, TBI screening adoption has failed in these settings. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Diffusion of Innovations Theory, this explanatory sequential mixed methods study aimed to improve our understanding about how provider characteristics (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), intentions), innovation-level factors (acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness), and contextual determinants affect TBI screening adoption in behavioral healthcare settings. Methods: In Phase I, 215 behavioral health providers in the United States completed a training introducing the OSU TBI-ID, followed by a web-based survey assessing attitudes, PBC, subjective norms, and intentions to screen for TBI (Time 1). After one-month, providers completed a second survey assessing the number of TBI screens conducted, and the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of TBI screening (Time 2). Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling with logistic regressions (SEM) and logistic regression with moderation effects. Results informed development of a qualitative interview guide. In Phase II, 20 providers from Phase I participated in interviews to build upon the quantitative results. Data were analyzed thematically and integrated with the quantitative results. Barriers to adoption were also identified and linked to constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Results: Approximately 25% of providers adopted TBI screening, which was driven by motivations to trial the innovation. SEM demonstrated that more favorable attitudes toward TBI screening were (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Alicia Bunger (Advisor); Alan Davis (Committee Member); Jennifer Bogner (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Health Care; Public Health; Social Research; Social Work

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

This dissertation is comprised of five distinct chapters. The first chapter is an introduction to performance feedback and goal setting as well as an explanation of the challenges facing teachers and pre-service teachers. The next three chapters serve as standalone papers. Chapter 2 is a systematic literature review aimed at determining the evidence base for performance feedback with goal setting on teacher performance. Chapter 3 is a completed manuscript containing the study conducted for this dissertation. Chapter 4 is a practitioner paper that provides teachers with strategies for setting and achieving ambitious performance goals. Finally, Chapter 5 addresses future career and research aspirations.

Committee: Moira Konrad Dr. (Advisor); Sheila Morgan Dr. (Advisor); Matthew Brock Dr. (Committee Member); Hea-Jin Lee Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Special Education; Teacher Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2018, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

Research suggests group contingencies are an effective way to both prevent and address problem behavior in the classroom, especially for students who are specifically at risk for displaying disruptive behavior; however, less is known about the impact on behavior in other settings where the intervention is not implemented (i.e., setting generalization). Using a multiple baseline design across three groups of students, this study assessed the setting generalization of the effects of an interdependent group contingency with randomized components on decreasing off-task behavior and increasing engagement in elementary students with emotional and behavioral disorders. The study assessed the setting generalization of the intervention effects with and without the inclusion of specific strategies to facilitate generalization. The generalization strategies used included a combination of the following: teaching a range of relevant stimulus conditions and responses, making the instructional setting more closely match the generalization setting, maximizing the behavior's contact with reinforcement in the generalization setting, and mediating generalization. Results showed that the interdependent group contingency decreased off-task behavior and increased engagement in the setting in which it was implemented. Intervention effects did not significantly transfer to other class periods until the generalization strategies were implemented. With the addition of these strategies, the degree of behavior change from baseline to intervention was the same in the intervention setting and the generalization setting, indicating the generalization tactics were successful in transferring the intervention effects. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Committee: Renee Hawkins Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Tai Collins Ph.D. (Committee Member); Todd Haydon Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

A multiple baseline design across classrooms with an embedded reversal design (ABCACB) was used to analyze the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) + Video Modeling with randomized components in comparison to Video Modeling Alone. This study was implemented in three alternative school classrooms for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Video modeling within the Good Behavior Game (GBG) may be advantageous because students in alternative school settings may need more explicit instruction on expected classroom behaviors. The videos were created in each of the participating classrooms and showed students following the rules of the GBG, as identified by the teacher, and were approximately 1.5 min long. The results indicated an increase in engagement and a decrease in off-task behavior for all three classrooms during both the GBG + Video Modeling and Video Modeling alone phases of the intervention, with the GBG + Video Modeling demonstrating more positive effects than Video Modeling Alone. In addition, formal teacher and student social validity data were collected in order to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions. The majority of the teachers and students preferred the GBG + Video Modeling intervention in comparison to the video modeling intervention due to the reward component; however, teachers found both interventions feasible to implement in their classrooms. Future research should examine the impact of the GBG + Video Modeling, and each component individually, on both teacher and student behaviors.

Committee: Tai Collins Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Renee Oliver Hawkins Ph.D. (Committee Member); Laura Nabors Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1987, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2015, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: School Psychology

Evidence-based classroom management procedures that effectively promote student engagement and decrease disruptive behavior are essential in classrooms serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). A withdrawal design replicated across two classrooms was used to analyze the influence of a self-monitoring intervention component on the overall effectiveness of a randomized interdependent group contingency on the classroom behavior of students with EBD. Target behaviors included student engagement and disruptive behavior and teacher positive and negative statements. This study was implemented in an alternative school setting and 11 students participated. Visual analysis of data indicated an increase in student engagement and a decrease in disruptive behaviors upon introduction of interdependent group contingency procedures, though there was no observable impact on student behavior following the addition of self-monitoring procedures. No functional relationship was demonstrated between intervention procedures and teacher positive and negative statements. Discussion focuses on the contributions of this study to the current literature, limitations, the implications for school psychology practice, and recommendations for future research.

Committee: Renee Oliver Hawkins Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Janet Lee Graden Ph.D. (Committee Member); Todd Haydon Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2014, Arts and Sciences: Psychology

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in childhood. Although research suggests strong associations between the disorder and deficits in hot and cool executive functions (EFs) at a group level, deficits among individual children with ADHD are not universal. One potential moderator of executive dysfunction may be the presence of a comorbid disruptive behavior disorder (DBD; oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder). This study examined the association between EFs and comorbid DBDs in children with ADHD. It was hypothesized that all participants with ADHD would perform more poorly on cool EF tasks than controls, but that only those with a comorbid DBD would perform more poorly on hot EF tasks. One-hundred, thirty-one children (7-12 years old) participated in the study: 67 with ADHD - DBD, 34 with ADHD+DBD, and 30 controls. Cool EF scores included correct trials on a spatial span task and correct responses and perseverative errors on a card sorting test. Hot EF scores included discounting gradients from a delay discounting task and net scores on a gambling task. Primary analyses examined group differences in these variables. Several secondary analyses were also conducted. First, the effects of intellectual functioning and academic achievement scores on group differences were examined. In addition, ADHD subtype was examined as a moderator of group differences in cool and hot EF performance. Lastly, the continuous relationship between oppositional defiant symptoms, ADHD symptoms, and executive performance was explored. Results indicated that the ADHD - DBD and ADHD+ DBD groups performed more poorly on cool EF tasks than controls, but did not differ from each other. There was no significant Group effect for either hot EF score. Secondary analyses indicated that many differences in cool EFs were not significant after controlling for intellectual functioning or academic achievement. In addition, ADHD subtype di (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jeffery Epstein Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Chung-Yiu Chiu Ph.D. (Committee Member); Paula Shear Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

EdD, University of Cincinnati, 2011, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Special Education

Previous research has demonstrated that Number Heads Together (NHT), a peer-mediated intervention, is more effective than the traditional teacher-led instruction in academic areas such as language arts, social studies, and science. The current study compared the effects of two NHT strategies during a middle school math lesson. Four middle school students with emotional behavioral disorders participated in the study. An alternating treatment design was used to determine the effectiveness of NHT upon the participating students' on-task behavior, total percentage of quiz scores, correct answer percentage on administrated quizzes, and accurate completion percentage of multiplication algorithms. The current study extended the previous studies through the incorporation of a preference stimulus assessment to determine the effectiveness of Number Heads Together +Incentives (NHT+I) and included the participating students' Woodcock Johnson III math (WJ-III) computation scores to determine and develop the pre-test and post-test. Results of this study suggest that Number Heads Together + Incentives is a more effective intervention than NHT without the Incentives in terms of increasing on-task percentage and academic quiz scores. Results from this study replicates and extend which authors found for similar on-task behavior and academic quiz scores. Social validity assessments for the participating teacher and students are included with the results. Future research should compare the effects of NHT and NHT+I for students with EBD in a full inclusive environment and in a different academic content area such as social studies. A discussion on study limitations, implications, and future research directions is included.

Committee: Todd Haydon PhD (Committee Chair); Christina Carnahan EdD (Committee Member); Roger Collins PhD (Committee Member); Stephen Kroeger EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Special Education

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2011, Curriculum and Instruction: Special Education

This study was performed with 4 male students enrolled in a specialized public school for students with emotional/behavior disorders (E/BD). All of the students participated in a 16-week, one-to-one, multisensory reading intervention. The study was a single subject, multiple baseline design. The independent variable was an Orton-Gillingham-based reading intervention for 45 minute sessions. The dependent variable was the students' performance on daily probes of words read correctly and the use of pre- and post-test measures on the Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The intervention consisted of 6 different parts: (a) visual, (b) auditory, (c) blending, (d) introduction of a new skill, (e) oral reading, and (f) 10-point probe. Student behavior was monitored and scored throughout the lessons to compare the relationship between behavior and the number of words read correctly. The results of this study indicate a moderate positive effect on the decoding skills for 3 of the 4 students on raw scores. The greatest improvement in decoding skills was evident in the students' performance on the Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) task as measured by DIBELS. The researcher was unable to detect a direct correlation between behavior and the number of words read correctly. Patterns suggest, however, that higher behavior scores tended to result in higher numbers of words read correctly. Students and teachers were given questionnaires to measure satisfaction with the intervention. Three of the 4 students who participated in the study reported that they enjoyed working with the researcher, and 3 of the 4 teachers reported an increase in decoding skills transferred across academic areas, although none of the teachers reported any change in the students' disruptive behaviors. The results of this study indicate that some students with E/BD and reading difficulties may benefit from the use of an Orton-Gillingham-based reading intervention. Finally, the researcher presen (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Richard Welsch PhD (Committee Chair); Laurie Dinnebeil PhD (Committee Member); Edward Cancio PhD (Committee Member); Lynn Hamer PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2004, Curriculum and Instruction: Special Education

The purpose of the study was to collect and compile the best behavioral interventions used by licensed classroom teachers and publish the results. The results will be available to future educators, social workers, adult caregivers, and any other professionals working with the difficult population, known best as Severe Behavior Disorder (SBD), Severe Behavior Handicapped (SBH), Emotionally Impaired (EI) or Emotional Behavior Disordered (EBD) adolescents in most states. The interventions discussed in the research apply foremost to situations arising in the classroom, however most of the behavior interventions and strategies have direct application outside of the classroom as well, in other areas of a students life, such as the home and the community. The interventions discussed herein are applicable to behavioral students previously diagnosed. The strategies and interventions also apply to regular education students exhibiting poor behavior and not previously identified as having a particular disorder or have not yet been diagnosed. Subjects consisted of one hundred and thirteen licensed teachers in the United States, having access to a computer with an Internet connection and the capability to answer the questionnaire on-line, inputting responses directly into advancedsurvey.com software or through WGTE, a public television station web site made available to classroom teachers. The research highlights sound, tested classroom behavior interventions and current curriculum used to improve adolescent behavior in the classroom, home, and community. Results from a national survey of the most effective behavioral interventions used by classroom teachers is included and available to new and existing teaching professionals, social workers, parents, and community supporters of education.

Committee: Marion Boss (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2009, College of Education and Human Services

This study investigated student outcomes by analyzing archival PEP client data from the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS; Hodges, 2000). Participants were students with severe emotional and behavioral problems, being served by the Positive Education Program's (PEP) Day Treatment Centers in a midwestern urban center. The CAFAS is a multidimensional rating scale that measures degree of behavioral and emotional impairment across domains in children and adolescents. In addition to subscale and total score analysis, the CAFAS permits analysis of subscale score results in terms of CAFAS Tiers that represent different client types (Hodges, 2004). Hodges (2004) indicated that CAFAS Tiers are a research-based way of assigning clients to diagnostic groups based on the level of impairment in their functioning. CAFAS Tiers have multiple potential utilities which include screening clients for serious problems (i.e., self-harm potential), linking research-based treatments to specific client needs, and assisting agencies with staff training needs and cost allocation decisions (Hodges, 2003a, 2004). This study investigated the utility of the CAFAS in identifying outcomes for PEP students (aka: children, clients, youths) as a function of their CAFAS Tier type. PEP clients' CAFAS Tier type and change in CAFAS scores were compared over a one year period. Results showed that four out of five Tier types demonstrated significant score reduction between first and last CAFAS. Tier groups with highest impairment (i.e., highest overall CAFAS scores at intake) showed the greatest amount of score reduction from first to last CAFAS. The Thought Problems and Delinquency Tiers remained significantly impaired on the Thinking and Community subscales. Lastly, the membership in the severe Tiers' groups at intake decreased by last CAFAS - except for the Thought Problems Tier. Potential benefits of this study include (a) a means to more closely analyze PEP students' outcomes, ( (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kathryn MacCluskie EdD (Committee Chair); Ann Bauer PhD (Committee Member); Ronald Beebe PhD (Committee Member); Kathleen McNamara PhD (Committee Member); Sarah Toman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Psychology/Clinical

While mental disorders are prevalent in primary health care settings, they often go undetected and untreated. There are no records to be found on studies of the effectiveness of Icelandic primary care physicians in diagnosing and treating mental illness. However, it is likely that the Icelandic primary health care system is not significantly different from systems in other countries that show poor detection and treatment of mental illness. The present study is the first study aimed at evaluating Icelandic primary care physicians' experience with mental health problems and perceived competence in detection and treatment of behavior disorders. Furthermore, it is the first empirical attempt to assess the need for improved primary mental health care in Iceland. This exploratory study was designed to assess primary care physician's perception of: 1) Prevalence and significance of different behavior disorders in the primary health care clinics, 2) their ability to detect and treat behavior disorders within the primary health care system, 3) the physician's access to mental health services as well as quality of communication with mental health professionals, and 4) barriers to adequate mental health care within the Icelandic primary health care system. Main results suggest that Icelandic primary care physicians correctly identify that they, among all health care workers, are the ones seeing the highest proportion of people in the community suffering from mental health problems. They also correctly identify that depression and anxiety are the most prevalent groups of behavior disorders in primary care. However, while they seem to be quite confident in their ability to treat and detect mental illness, extensive amount of research from around the world show extremely poor detection and treatment of behavior disorders in primary care. Most Icelandic primary care physicians view the detection and treatment of mental illness in their clinic as adequate or good. However, most agr (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: William O'Brien (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2013, Clinical Psychology (Arts and Sciences)

School-based interventions for students with Disruptive Behavior Disorders (DBDs) are available, but are often not adopted. This study examines the relative effects of four training and consultation conditions (TCC) on teachers' self-reported ratings and rankings of the likelihood of adoption of an intervention for students with DBDs. Teacher factors, including gender, teacher experience, and teacher burnout are evaluated as predictors of adoption ratings. Teachers (N = 157) read descriptions of a boy with symptoms typical of DBDs, a daily report card (DRC) intervention, and four TCCs (consultation with key opinion leaders, consultation with observation and performance feedback, consultation with motivational interviewing, TCC as usual). Consultation with key opinion leaders was rated more highly than consultation with motivational interviewing or TCC as usual, and ranked higher than all other conditions. Women with fewer years of teaching experience reported a higher adoption likelihood rating for the key opinion leader condition than did men and those with more experience. Teachers with a higher sense of personal accomplishment and fewer years of teaching experience rated the observation and performance feedback condition more highly than those low in personal accomplishment or with more experience. Implications and recommendations regarding the use of TCCs and future studies are discussed.

Committee: Julie Owens (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology; Teacher Education