Introduction to the special issue: Cognitive‐behavioral therapy in the school setting—Expanding the school psychologist's toolkit

Abstract

The majority of students with mental health problems receive services in the school setting rather than the community setting. The field of school psychology has advocated for the use of evidenced‐based interventions to address mental health problems. The purpose of this special issue is to refine the school psychologist's role through the use of cognitive‐behavioral interventions. This issue includes articles that address specific disorders (e.g., conduct problems, anxiety) providing research evidence for cognitive‐behavioral interventions and discussing solutions to implementation issues that arise in the school setting. In addition, the issue includes articles that (a) discuss implementation models for cognitive‐behavioral interventions in the school, (b) provide a case study, and (c) review methods to enhance parent consultation. In this article, the issue is introduced by reviewing the impact of mental health problems on the school system, the role of the school psychologist, and the implementation of cognitive‐behavioral interventions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Co‐creating a school‐based Facing Your Fears anxiety treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder: A model for school psychology

“…To date, no published studies have examined the effects of an anxiety intervention delivered simultaneously to both students with ASD and students without ASD. There is, however, a large body of research on universal prevention programs delivered in schools that have yielded improvements in emotional, behavioral, social, and academic functioning for students without ASD (Allen, ).…”

“…There is, however, a large body of research on universal prevention programs delivered in schools that have yielded improvements in emotional, behavioral, social, and academic functioning for students without ASD (Allen, 2011).…”

“…A prominent concern among school psychologists is the rise of prevalence rates in child and youth mental health and psychosocial impairments (Allen, ). Among children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), this influx of mental health concerns, specifically anxiety, appears even greater (Hebron & Humphrey, ).…”

“…Over the past decade, the field of school psychology has advocated for greater access to mental health services for children and youth (Allen, ). Despite this pressure, the majority of students who present with mental health problems never receive services (Mychailyszyn, ).…”

Practitioner Review: School‐based interventions in child mental health

“…School‐based psychological services are focused on satisfying immediate concerns (Allen, ). Therefore, usually no long‐term effects are expected.…”