JMU Scholarly Commons is the home for electronic Educational Specialist projects from 2009 to 2019
Current students: Click here to submit your project.
Theses/Dissertations from 2019
Beyond words: Expressive arts therapy in individual and group process in recovery from trauma, Agnes Carbrey
Development of a school boredom proneness scale for children, Taylor Carrington
School psychologists’ current practice, training, and interest in the integration of substance abuse training as part of the mental health profession, Margaret Dassira
Addressing anxiety in college: A mindfulness group for use in college counseling centers, Sarah Deprey-Severance
Traumatic brain injury and the transition to college, Kaylor Duncan
Parental acceptance project: Affirming gender variant youth, Shelley Faulkner
An initial development of a hardiness scale for elementary school students, Stephen Ferrara
High school teachers’ roles and needs in addressing students experiencing trauma, Katherine Flemister
Educators' perceptions of the process and implementation of a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS): A case study, Lyndsay Greene
Student teachers perceptions and knowledge of school psychology, Ryan Harting
School-based mindfulness intervention for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Richard Krogmann
Inter-professional collaboration between local departments of Social Services and schools for children in foster care: Current practices and needs, Stephanie McGrew
Bridging the gap: The collaboration of mental health services and the juvenile justice system, Gregory Medley
Current practices and opinions of school psychologists: Early childhood psychological assessment, Sarah Stout
Expanding instruction of human sexuality in counselor education, Rachel Willard
Theses/Dissertations from 2018
The application of the specific learning disability exclusionary clause as practiced by Virginia school psychologists, Kaitlynn Carter
Gratitude in relationships: A study on gratitude, attachment, and relationship satisfaction, Brittany D. Dioszeghy
Evaluating the benefits of art therapy interventions with grieving children, Meagan Dye
Seminar in paraphilic disorders, Kim E. Hall
The kids are (going to be) alright: Authorship of a post-divorce narrative, Caroline Hamby
Hell on Earth: An exploration into what drives evil, Samuel Taylor Hogan
Understanding truancy as a precursor to dropout in a rural environment, Katelyn Hughes
The school psychologist’s role in the problem solving process: How assessment can inform intervention, Rachel Larkin
Diverse students’ perceptions of the proactive circle process in a restorative practice intervention, Shana M. Little
Rapport during the assessment process: A survey of school psychologists, Ebony Mason
Mental health literacy: Investigating adolescents’ knowledge of depression and professional sources of help, Jessica A. Meeks
Developing college transition supports using student perceptions: Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Arsenio Moss
Neuro-cognitive factors in adolescent psychotherapy, Jean F. Ndzana
Constant connection: College students’ smartphones attachment and close relationship attachments across domains, Angela M. Pezzella
Mental health care for the homeless, John D. Rogers
The cost of caring: Emergency department nurses, compassion fatigue, and the need for resilience training, Amelia Walton
Theses/Dissertations from 2017
Exploring students' perceptions of academic strengths and weaknesses, John S. Brookbank IV
Children's understanding of kindness, Elizabeth R. Coalter
Views toward mental health: An adolescents' perspective, Breonna L. Davis
The effect of educational modules on attitudes towards disabilities, Hunter W. Greer
The dialogical principle in counseling and psychotherapy: An exploration of Martin Buber's "I and Thou", Matthew Martin
Bites: Psychoeducational handouts on nutrition for students in a depression group, Caitlin P. Powell
The effect of a font intervention for 4th and 5th graders with dyslexia, Steven L. Powell
A novel approach: Fictional prose as imagined contact for counselors-in-training working with cultural others, Bryant Logan Satterlee
Mentalization in counseling processes, Matthew J. Swartzentruber
The effect of font type on sight word reading performance of 4th and 5th grade students with reading disabilities, Denton S. Warburton
Fostering hope in alternative education students through goal setting, Ginger Wayland
Effects of executive function skills instruction on classroom behavior, Michelle Whitham
Theses/Dissertations from 2016
A change of heart: Understanding spirituality following a shift in values or beliefs in young adults, Aaron Boggs
Creative counseling techniques for elementary-aged children, Brian C. Caperton
More than meets the eye: Taking a look at EMDR in trauma-focused therapy, Karen M. Engelhard
The development of a school psychology relevant parent survey, Alexa Futcher
Protecting the protectors: Enhancing emotional well-being in law enforcement, Olivia Gillies
Primer on perspectives and practices of trauma, Trevor P. Haase
Cultivating empathy in middle school students through narrative fiction, Kane M. Hamilton
Parents’ perceptions of school multidisciplinary team meetings and collaboration, Brittany R. Jones
Analysis of African American and White American cognitive profiles for language and cultural influences, Nicole Jones
An examination of the feasibility and impact of a mindfulness and nature based intervention For at-risk middle school students, Nahal L. Khalatbari
Healing body, healing mind, Hayley O'Brien
Counseling refugees of Middle Eastern descent in the United States, Jennifer Semaan
The evaluation of family-school collaboration with culturally and linguistically diverse families, Samantha Silver
The experience of reading: What elementary children think of reading, Francesca Simpson
High risk drinking concerns across college campuses and a look at JMU programming, Rachel C. Tysinger
Theses/Dissertations from 2015
Prescription for critical thinking: A discussion of psychotropic medication and counseling, Barton W. Biggs
Academic advising: Helping promote the success of college students with college students with psychiatric disabilities, Jamie P. Claytor
Digital natives: The nature of technology on college student mental health, Nicole Crump
The effects of mindfulness techniques on empathy and emotional control, Courtney M. Dameron
Being left behind, not staying behind: A look at college-aged African American males, Lauren Fortune
Transition services in the public school system for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Krista M. Gieseke-Smith
The evaluation of a dual language reading club for English language learner students, Sandra M. Gonzalez
Military families’ reintegration and resiliency: An examination of programs and civilian counselor training, Jaime Grove
Addressing the mental health needs of women in rural communities: A women’s wellness group, Andriana Hench
The evolution of Disney princesses and their effect on body image, gender roles, and the portrayal of love, Rachael Michelle Johnson
Finding the resilient teacher within: A workshop to address K-12 teacher well-being, Laura Jones
Satisfaction of students with visual impairment within different school settings, Jeremiah Jordan
Advocacy in action: A framework for implementation of the American Counselors Association Advocacy Competencies on a local level, Jeffrey M. Lown
How does perfectionism influence anxiety in gifted middle school students?, Kelsey Owens
Investigating school psychologists' role in informing students about their learning disabilities, Caitlin J. Reddy
Impacts of mindfulness on disruptive behaviors associated with characteristics of ADHD, Joseph L. Sims
Emerging adulthood: Defining the life stage and its developmental tasks, Hannah B. Trible
After-school programming as intervention for students with disabilities, Edward D. Tynan
Suicidal behavior among elementary school students and current needs in prevention practices: A survey of Virginia school counselors, Maranda K. D. VanDyke
Theses/Dissertations from 2014
Self-reported practices of and attitudes toward reading among elementary-aged English language learners, Sarah M. Akers
Cracking invisible barriers: A focus on mental health service use among immigrant Latinos in the United States, Evenor Alfonso Aleman
Sense of belonging among middle school students, Alexis Carson
Weighing in: Therapeutic benefits of online communities for individuals with eating disorders, Cheri L. Greenfield
The effects of a social-emotional skills training program on optimism in elementary students, Jessica Sheree Harris
Serving those who served: Understanding the needs of student veterans, Jessica Catherine Hayden
Identifying academic protective factors in gifted minority students, Janei Kimberly Jackson
Embracing counseling and psychotherapy in Kenya, Faith Mueni Masambia
Back to nature: The impact of nature relatedness on empathy and narcissism in the millennial generation, Anne Loyer Metz
Psychosocial needs of children coping with parental terminal cancer in a hospital setting, Meredith Reed
Healthy living skills education: A 12-module group intervention for individuals with serious mental illness, Brette Marie Stephenson
Those who laugh, last: Exploring the use of humor as a vehicle of healing through personal reflection, theory, and practice, Eleanor Barham Whitehurst
Theses/Dissertations from 2013
Hypnosis and mindfulness for the treatment of anxiety disorders: Empirical and applied perspectives, John Lawrence Clarke
The initial development of a measure of cultural competence in school psychology: The Madison Assessment of Cultural Competence in School Psychology (MACCS), Nicholas Anthony Curtis
Current needs and response to suicidal behavior at the elementary school level: A survey of Virginia school psychologists, Kelsey R. Cutchins
Supporting the well being of university student survivors of cancer, Janice Lewis
Cries of the world and joys of the heart: A primer for new counselors in community mental health clinics, Patrick Lincoln
Small steps and long strides: Personal reflections and insights on becoming multiculturally competent, Sharon D. Lockaby
Developing competency in counseling survivors of sexual assault, Grace Meyer
