The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a culturally adapted version of the Strong Start intervention program on the social-emotional outcomes of African American male students. Externalizing behavior problems of children, specifically African American males, are of great concern for schools. Punitive discipline polices such as expulsion and suspension have proved to be ineffective and harmful. Consequently, school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions have been proposed to teach children coping skills that can help them increase positive social behaviors and emotional regulation. Sixty-one African American male students enrolled in an urban elementary school participated in this intervention. This study employed a randomized delayed treatment control design. Results indicated positive effects in the areas of self-regulation and self-competence. However the intervention did not have an impact on student's empathy, responsibility, or externalizing behavior. Implications are discussed in terms of developing culturally relevant school-based interventions for African American males. (PsycINFO Database Record

This study investigates Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) students' and faculties' knowledge related to school psychology. A total of 165 students and 14 faculty members completed inventories that assessed the understanding and views of various psychological disciplines. Results indicated that HBCU students rated their perceived knowledge of school psychology significantly lower than all psychological disciplines. In addition, these students have significantly fewer sources of information for school psychology than comparable disciplines. Although more than 90% of students stated that they would attend graduate school, the majority was only somewhat interested in school psychology as a career choice.

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Drawing from the National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL) Multi-State Study of Prekindergarten and the State-Wide Early Education Programs Study (SWEEP), this study examined the effects of classroom and teacher variables on social-emotional development in prekindergarten. Results indicated that prekindergarten teachers rated males significantly higher in behavioral problems and lower in social competence than females. However, when teacher-child ethnic match was taken into consideration these differences were not present. In contrast to existing evidence, African American males in particular were no more likely to have teachers who report behavior problems than their Latino and White male peers. Implications for the prevention of behavioral problems are discussed.

An empirical focus on the perspectives and experiences of practitioners who work in urban school districts is lacking in the school psychology literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the professional roles and practices of school psychologists who serve students, families, and schools located in urban school districts. School psychologists who practice in five racially and ethnically diverse urban districts were surveyed regarding their demographic profiles, professional practices, and current professional needs. In comparison to data reported in demographic surveys conducted by the National Association of School Psychologists, there were significant differences in demographics, practices, and issues that face school psychologists in urban settings. Implications are discussed in terms of improving services for urban populations. C 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Racially and ethnically diverse populations, high population density, and economic disadvantages have been associated with urban schools (Boutte, 2012; Moore & Lewis, 2012). These issues impact the schooling process and child development, creating potentially complex conditions under which educators, including school psychologists, work. Yet, studies on the experiences of school psychology practitioners who serve urban schools have been limited.In this study, we seek to understand (a) the roles and daily employment experiences of school psychologists who practice in urban schools and (b) their views regarding graduate preparation, professional organizations, and issues associated with urban school psychological practice. This information will be beneficial to school psychology and other stakeholders in urban education by highlighting data regarding the current status of psychological services in urban schools, as well as helping us understand professional challenges that impact school-based psychological service delivery to children and families living in urban areas. Issues Relevant to Urban SchoolsAccording to the American Psychological Association (APA) task force on urban psychology (APA, 2005), one of the most important issues for urban psychology is developing an understanding of how the distinctive characteristics of people and places that make up urban environments give rise to particular types of experiences and behaviors. Two salient characteristics of urban environments is the general tendency for urban youth, in comparison to their rural and suburban peers, to live in unsafe conditions and attend failing schools that lack resources (Blanchett, 2010;Frankenberg, 2009). From a classroom perspective, teachers in urban schools spend more time responding to individual student behavior problems, classroom-wide discipline issues, and weapons possession than their colleagues in rural and suburban schools (Lewis & Moore, 2008). These teachers face additional professional challenges due to the early and persistent achievement gaps (relative to White