xiv, 110 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Many youth under the age of 18 experience high levels of mental health problems, and very few of those youth receive the necessary services to combat those problems. Historically, assessment of behavior and social and emotional functioning and subsequent design of interventions occur using deficit-based measures and tools. Another method of assessing behavior and social and emotional functioning that is receiving more attention over the last decade is strength-based assessment and service delivery. The Social Emotional Assets and Resiliency Scales (SEARS) is a new multi-informant strength- based behavior-rating system currently being developed and researched at the University of Oregon. To assess the factor structure, psychometric properties, and cross-informant correlation of the teacher version of the SEARS, data were gathered from elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the United States. Teachers ( n = 1673) were asked to rate students in their classes in several domains of social and emotional functioning (e.g., problem solving, social skills, empathy, and self-regulation). Results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the SEARS-T is made up of four strong factors--Responsibility, Self-Regulation, Social Competence, and Empathy. Analysis of reliability of total scores reflects very strong internal consistency (α = .98) and test-retest reliability ( r = .94). Reliability of factor scores also reflects strong internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Cross-informant reliability with the SEARS-T indicates relatively weak correlations between teacher reports and child self-reports based on the Pearson-product moment correlation ( r = .37). Analyses of group differences were carried out for grade, student gender, rater gender, disability status, ethnicity, rater setting, and teacher categorization of academic performance. Results indicate teacher ratings differed based on student gender, disability status, rater setting, and academic performance. Results from this study indicate the SEARS-T is a psychometrically sound measure with a solid factor structure. With an understanding of the need for continued research, the SEARS-T appears to be culturally valid and useful for research and applied purposes. / Committee in charge: Kenneth Merrell, Chairperson, Special Education and Clinical Sciences; Krista Chronister, Member, Counseling Psychology and Human Services; Deanne UnrUh, Member, Special Education and Clinical Sciences; Philip Fisher, Outside Member, Psychology

Social-emotional competence has received increased attention as being critical to a student's success in the classroom. Social-emotional strengths are multidimensional and include assets such as social competence, self-regulation, empathy, and responsibility; however, previous research has not investigated which of these strengths contribute most to a student's academic success. Additionally, limited research has investigated the use of multiple informants (e.g., parents and teachers) to determine whose perceptions are more predictive of academic achievement in kindergarten students. This study examined the relationship between social-emotional strengths, as rated by parents and teachers on the SEARS (Merrell, 2011), and academic outcomes, using the AIMSweb Tests of Early Literacy (Shinn & Shinn, 2008) and Missing Number Fluency (Clarke & Shinn, 2004b), in kindergarten students (n = 154). A moderate, positive relationship between parent and teacher ratings of social-emotional strengths was obtained. When prior achievement was removed from the regression equation, social competence, as measured by parents, was the only significant predictor of current achievement in early literacy. No social-emotional strength, as rated by parents, was a significant predictor of early math achievement regardless of including or removing prior achievement from the regression equation. Additionally, teacher-rated total strengths were predictive of current achievement in reading, when controlling for prior achievement, and for math, when prior achievement was removed from the equation. Teacher ratings of total strengths were thus found to be more predictive than parent ratings of academic achievement in reading, but not math. Implications of findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

This study examined the utility of a brief, strength-based approach to mental health screening. A strength-based based approach to mental health screening focuses on the social and emotional competencies taught and supported by the school context. As such, a strength-based approach to mental health screening is aligned with a three-tiered response to intervention model aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of universal supports and early detection of students who may benefit from additional intervention.

The growing strength-based approach to the assessment and intervention of students' social and emotional learning competencies has significant implications for the practice of behavioral consultation in school settings (Zins & Elias, 2007). The current research study utilized four separate multiple baseline case studies across students in order to evaluate the effects of behavioral interventions developed in accordance with either a traditional model of behavioral consultation (Bergen & Kratochwill, 1990), or a proposed strength-based model of behavioral consultation, developed in accordance with the tenets of strength-based assessment as described in Epstein et al. (2003). Dependent variables of interest across both models of consultation included direct observations of student on-task behavior and frequency counts of teachers' use of general praise, behavior specific praise and reprimand statements during specified observational periods. Estimates of social validity regarding teachers' perceptions of the acceptability, effectiveness and feasibility of the interventions developed through both types of consultation were also obtained at the conclusion of each intervention. Results indicated that while behavioral interventions implemented across both models of consultation led to positive improvements in student on-task behaviors and increases in teachers' use of general praise and behavior specific praise statements, teachers engaged in interventions developed through the strength-based model of behavioral consultation had significantly higher rates of behavior specific praise than they did when implementing interventions through the traditional behavioral model. This study adds to the existing literature by providing a detailed description and theoretical blueprint for future researchers regarding how to integrate the growing strength-based movement of assessment and intervention with school-based behavioral consultation initiatives in order to improve the social, emotional and behavioral competencies of individual students, as well as facilitate the establishment and maintenance of positive teacher-student interactions in the classroom setting. / School Psychology