As early as school-entry, children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face academic disadvantage and are at risk for cumulative and long-term academic difficulties. It is important to identify factors that contribute to better school functioning in these at-risk children, particularly during the foundational academic years, in order to inform early prevention and intervention efforts. Theory and research highlight the important role of parents in children’s overall early academic functioning. The current line of research examined parents’ belief in their ability to help their child learn, i.e., self-efficacy, as a relevant and potentially robust and malleable correlate to children’s early academic functioning. Chapter 1 outlines self-efficacy theory and previous research on parental self-efficacy and child outcomes to provide rationale for this proposed relationship. Next, the two studies in this line of research are presented. Study 1 (Chapter 2) examines the relationship of parental self-efficacy, when considered alongside child inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, to kindergarten teacher ratings of children’s academic enabler skills. Study 2 (Chapter 3) examines the relationship of parental self-efficacy and child inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms to parental involvement and the quality of the parent-teacher relationship in kindergarten. Chapter 4 discusses implications of findings in terms of the potential multi-system level benefit of having a parent that believes in their capacity to help their child learn as their child transitions into school. Finding suggest that inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms are negatively related to parental self-efficacy in this young, non-clinical sample. Findings also suggest that parental self-efficacy, when considered along with child inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms contributes to variance in some indicators of early school functioning (e.g., academic enablers, home-based parental involvement, perceived quality of the parent-teacher relationship). Limitations and future directions are also discussed.

The present study sought to examine the relationship between victimization by peers in middle school and academic outcomes. it was expected that an association between the experience of victimization and diminished academic performance would be mediated by poor psychological outcomes, as measured by moodiness, depression, anxiety, and anger. additionally, it was hypothesized that academic outcomes could be divided into two distinct constructs, motivation and achievement, with motivation and academic goal-orientation variables preceding the adequate attainment of school grades and standardized test scores. therefore, the present mediated model was tested using a structural equation modeling technique: victimization-psychological functioning-academic motivation-academic achievement. additionally, it was hypothesized that certain factors (friendship, prosocial activities and influences, school climate, aggression, and teacher-reported difficulties) would moderate the victimization-psychological functioning pathway. victimized middle school boys and girls were expected to have varying psychological and emotional outcomes depending on proposed risk and protective factors. approximately equal numbers of males and females (n=145 and 181, respectively) were randomly selected from classrooms in 11 middle schools across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. Students completed questionnaires that assessed hypothesized mediator and moderator variables. In addition, teachers of the selected classrooms completed a brief rating scale on each of the students, which assessed student moodiness, behavioral difficulties, and learning problems. Achievement and discipline records data were obtained. Results revealed that Psychological Functioning mediated the relationship between Victimization and Academic Motivation, which was then related directly to Academic Achievement. Only the Aggression and Climate constructs moderated the Victimization-Psychological Functioning pathway, with Climate factors additionally significant for boys. These results suggest that victimization is associated with poor motivation to achieve if victimized students also experience psychological difficulties. Limited motivation is then associated with poorer academic performance. Contrary to hypothesized associations, endorsing aggressive beliefs and behaviors and experiencing low levels of intervention and support at school against bullying, particularly for boys, were related to better emotional outcomes for students who are highly victimized. While statistically significant, these findings have limited effect sizes. Implications for future research and the development of school-based programming are discussed.

There has been an increase in grandparents raising their grandchildren due to parental absence. This family structure has affected urban, single, low income African Americans at a higher rate than any other racial group. Research on grandchildren reared in grandparent-headed families (GHF) states these children are at risk for significant emotional, behavioral, physical problems, and learning disabilities than children living with their biological parents. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of African American grandchildren raised in GHF. Both quantitative and qualitative methodology was used, including individual interviews with 14 African American grandchildren ages 10-16 and their 6 grandparent caregivers, and the completion of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), which is a standard psychological measure. Results indicated that although the majority of the grandchildren were content living with their grandparents, they experienced challenges at school, including behavioral issues, low academic performance, and suspensions. Family factors that might affect grandchildren’s adjustment to living in a GHF are discussed, as well as implications for therapists and recommendations for future research with grandchildren from GHF.

This study investigated the mental health of high school students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate (IB) High School Diploma Program (n =139) in a large, southeastern high school. Mental health was assessed using both positive indicators (life satisfaction, academic achievement, academic self-efficacy) and negative indicators (psychopathology) indicators of adolescent social-emotional and school functioning. Findings from this study include that IB students perceive more stress than their general education peers, yet maintain mental health that is equivalent or superior to that of their general education peers. The role of coping in predicting mental health outcomes in IB students was also investigated. Findings indicate that specific coping styles are differentially related to mental health outcomes in this sub-population of adolescents. Furthermore, coping styles moderate the influence of stress on global life satisfaction and internalizing psychopathology. These findings suggest that participation in the academically rigorous and time-intensive IB program is not harmful to the mental health of high school students, and in fact may be beneficial, as evidenced by the superior academic functioning of students in the IB program.

The aim of the current pilot trial was to evaluate the effects of the group-based FRIENDS for Life (FFL) program on school and social functioning in children with elevated levels of anxiety. Participants were 15 children aged eight to 12 identified by their parents as experiencing elevated levels of anxiety. Children attended six two-hour sessions of the FFL program and completed measures of anxiety, school functioning, and social functioning at pre- and post-treatment. Results indicated nonsignificant reductions from pre- to post-treatment in both child- and parent-report anxiety with large and medium effect sizes, respectively. Working memory scores increased significantly and there was a trend toward a significant increase in academic performance; large within group effects were found for both increases. The increase in academic functioning scores was significant with a moderate effect size only for child-report scores. A significant improvement with a large effect size was found for child-report peer relations scores and significant decreases were found for parent-report asocial behaviour and relational aggression scores, both with moderate effect sizes. Overall, children in this study demonstrated improvements in anxiety, school functioning, and social functioning. While reduction in anxiety is the primary focus of the FFL program additional benefits include improvements in school and social functioning. Though results are encouraging it is important to note that this was an uncontrolled pilot study with a small sample size. Thus results should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, the generally positive findings of this trial suggest a larger controlled trial is warranted. If these findings are replicated in a larger trial, the FFL may be a cost-effective, easily implemented, and versatile anxiety prevention program that can help change the trajectory of anxious children’s school and social functioning.

The purpose of this study was to identify school-based practices that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth endorse as ways for high schools to provide social, emotional, and academic support to LGBTQ youth. A diverse sample of LGBTQ high school students (N = 18) from one large urban school district in a southeastern state participated in individual semi-structured interviews and/or small group brainstorming sessions. Eleven individual interviews were conducted to gather detailed accounts of a) supportive behaviors and policies that youth had experienced in their schools, as well as b) supportive behaviors and policies that were suggested as desired supports that had not actually been experienced. Participants' sentiments were coded based on the source of support (i.e., teachers, school mental health providers, administrators, policies, resources), nature of support (i.e., proactive, reactive), and social context of the support (i.e., impacting single students through one-on-one setting, impacting more than one student or groups of students). Three brainstorming sessions that included a total of 13 students were conducted to gather additional ideas from youth on ways for schools and school staff to provide support. Frequency counts of individual interview data indicated that teachers provided more experienced and desired supports than any other school-based source of support. Of the desired supports that participants had not actually experienced, Proactive Supports Impacting Groups were the most frequently described Support Type for teachers, school mental health providers, and administrators. Content Themes emerged within Support Types (e.g., Proactive Support Impacting Individuals, Reactive Support Impacting Groups) capture sentiments that were shared across multiple participants' responses. Data from interviews and brainstorming sessions were also analyzed together through a constant-comparative reduction process, resulting in 162 Specific Educator Behaviors/Policies corresponding to 8 Big Ideas of school-based supports for LGBTQ high school students: (1) Using Respectful Language and Interactions with Students; (2) Providing Comfort, Assistance, and Advice Matched to Student Needs; (3) Facilitating Connections with Community Supports; (4) Providing LGBTQ-Related Materials and Information; (5) Allowing and Supporting School-Based GSA and Pride Activities; (6) Addressing Professional Development, Human Resources, and School Culture Related Issues; (7) Implementing Policies that Address Bullying and Harassment of LGBTQ Students; and (8) Implementing Policies that Respectfully Account for Students' Diversity.) Pragmatic implications for teachers, school mental health providers, and administrators are discussed.

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