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Traumatized youth are at an increased risk of a host of negative academic and psychoeducational outcomes. Screening and identification of students who experience potentially traumatic events may help schools provide support to at-risk students. In light of this, the current study examines the availability and use of trauma screening measures to detect early indicators of risk among youth in schools. A systematic review was conducted to identify measures available to screen children and youth for trauma exposure and/or symptoms, as well as the associated psychometric properties to support each instrument's applied use in schools. Eighteen measures met inclusion criteria, which consisted primarily of student self-report rating scales and clinical interviews. While many instruments measure the symptomology or exposure to trauma among children and youth, very little psychometric evidence was available to support the use of these measures in schools. Additional research is needed to endorse and expand the use of trauma screening measures in schools. (PsycINFO Database Record

Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments for youth with ADHD allow for thorough consideration of co-occurring disorders and provide targeted recommendations for treating ADHD and comorbid conditions. This study offers a preliminary evaluation of the added value (compared to routine care) associated with neuropsychological assessment in the identification and treatment of ADHD in youth ages 3-17 years. First, we describe a novel measure developed to evaluate broad-based outcomes for youth with ADHD following neuropsychological assessment. Next, we compare parent ratings of child symptoms and quality of life between two groups of youth with ADHD: those who have recently received neuropsychological assessments (NP+), and those who have not (NP−). Participants were surveyed again 5 months after baseline to assess changes in symptoms, quality of life, and service utilization. While both groups experienced significant improvements in behavioral/emotional symptoms, the NP+ group had greater initiation of parent behavior management training and special education services and greater initiation of medication management over the follow-up period, compared with the NP− group. Satisfaction with neuropsychological assessment was high overall but slightly decreased over the course of the follow-up period. The findings offer preliminary support for the incremental efficacy of neuropsychological evaluation in the diagnosis and management of ADHD.

A large body of research supports the efficacy of small group reading interventions for students in Grades K through 3. However, there are few studies evaluating the effects of supplemental Tier-2 intervention implemented within a response to intervention (RTI) or multitiered systems of support (MTSS) framework. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of providing Tier-2 supplemental intervention to students in Grades 1 through 3 identified as experiencing reading difficulties ( n = 318) in four elementary schools across four different school districts that were selected to participate in a state MTSS initiative. The supplemental intervention was evaluated using a regression discontinuity design, and results indicated statistically significant overall effects on measures of phonemic awareness and word decoding and no discernable effects on reading fluency and comprehension. Results suggest that supplemental reading intervention implemented within MTSS frameworks can impact key reading outcomes when intervention significantly increases instructional intensity.

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