Cynthia A. Plotts

A Review of Assessment Tools for Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Implications for School Practice

This paper provides a review of widely used measures for assessing Autism Spectrum Disorders, including the Autism Diagnostic Interview–Revised, Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Psychoeducational Profile–Third Edition, Gilliam Autism Rating Scale–Second Edition, and Childhood Autism Rating Scale–Second Edition. Each measure is evaluated in terms of its usefulness for diagnosis and screening with respect to IDEA eligibility criteria, clinical diagnostic criteria, and current understanding of best practices.

Exploring Sandplay Therapy: Application to Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury

Estimates of the incidence of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) indicate that it is a major cause of physical, emotional, social, and learning problems among children. In any one year, an estimated 250 in 100,000 children in the United States experience traumatic brain injury (Anderson, Northam, Hendy, & Wrennall, 2001). As many as 15% of individuals with mild TBI continue to have significant problems after the injury, even though physicians, parents, and teachers may not anticipate complications from mild head injuries (Hibbard, Gordon, Martin, Raskin, & Brown, 2001). Of particular concern is the dynamic nature of brain development during childhood and adolescence. The impact of TBI on social and emotional adjustment varies greatly, in part as a function of age at injury, nature and severity of injury, premorbid functioning, and the psychosocial

Russell-Silver Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disability: A Case Study

Russell-Silver Syndrome (RSS) is a rare genetic developmental disorder characterized by prenatal and postnatal growth delays and other physical abnormalities. Neuropsychological screening was completed with LP, a 20-year-old college male diagnosed at one year of age with Russell-Silver Syndrome. LPs history and test findings yielded a profile consistent with a nonverbal learning disability, with significantly higher verbal compared to nonverbal intelligence, deficient visual-spatial memory, fine motor coordination and motor planning problems, relatively greater difficulty in math compared to other achievement areas, decreased writing fluency, and social behavior impediments. LP also experienced attention and concentration problems along with a ruminative cognitive-emotional style and mild depression. His pattern of processing weaknesses indicated a need for academic accommodations to complete his college-level academic work, along with counseling to address emotional issues. Further studies of individuals with RSS should consider neuropsychological assessment to address patterns of cognitive processing and possible need for educational and psychosocial intervention.

Global Migration: The Need for Culturally Competent School Psychologists.

Never before have more children lived away from their home countries. Given the unique social, emotional, and academic needs of children who have migrated, school psychologists must be well prepared to meet these growing demands. Consequently, school psychology training programs must invest in the preparation of culturally competent future school psychologists. In this article, we review relevant literature regarding children, migration, and school psychology and then describe a model training program that was developed to prepare school psychologists in Texas, where there are a significant number of migrant children from Mexico and South America. Broader implications for training school psychologist in the areas of cultural and linguistic diversity are discussed.

Recognizing LD, ADHD and TBI in Adults.

Many adults have learning problems that interfere with success in educational or vocational endeavors. Learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) share features and may occur together in some individuals. Difficulty in differentiating these disorders may be exacerbated in adulthood, when developmental history is more remote. Basic knowledge of the characteristics of LD, ADHD and TBI can help adult educators to recognize symptoms, make appropriate referrals and individualize instruction and accommodations. Frameworks for Identification Operational definitions of LD and TBI are provided in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which applies to individuals only from birth through age 22. Children identified under IDEA as having a handicapping condition are eligible for special education services if need is established. ADHD is not specifically identified as an eligibility category under IDEA; however, children with ADHD may be eligible for special education services under the category of Other Health Impaired (OHI). While IDEA does not apply to adult learners who have graduated from high school, if services were obtained during school-age years, documentation of a disability may exist in school records. The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) is an international organization supporting full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities. AHEAD has published guidelines for adult LD evaluation (Brinckerhoff et al., 1997). Guidelines for ADHD and TBI have not been published. The LD guidelines address qualifications of evaluators, recency of documentation, appropriate clinical documentation of LD, and evidence to establish the rationale to support recommended accommodations. While quite detailed, they do not provide diagnostic criteria. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR, American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2000) provides a clinical framework for the diagnosis of developmental disorders, including LD and ADHD. In the DSM-IV-TR framework, TBI is not a distinct mental disorder, although psychological problems resulting from or associated with brain injury may be diagnosed and the associated brain injury reported. In the DSM-IV-TR, learning disabilities are referred to as disorders, for example, Reading Disorder or Disorder of Written Expression. Both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protect the civil rights of individuals who have disabilities. A disability is described in Section 504 as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Persons with disabilities who have appropriate documentation are eligible for accommodations, modifications, or auxiliary aids, which will enable them to participate and benefit from all postsecondary educational programs and activities. While diagnostic criteria for LD, ADHD, and TBI are not provided in these laws, these disorders clearly fall under the umbrella of disability as described in Section 504 and ADA. While assessment and diagnosis might come from a variety of professionals using different terminology, it is clear that both ADA and Section 504 apply to adults with LD, ADHD or TBI. Descriptive Features The nature and definition of learning disabilities have long been debated (Lyon, 1994). However, most discussions refer to a lack of expected achievement in one or more academic areas in the face of apparently normal intelligence, sensory function, educational and cultural opportunity and motivation. LD is a developmental disorder, with features present from early childhood, although diagnosis may occur much later. IDEA and the DSM-IV-TR refer to determination of a significant discrepancy between general intelligence and achievement in one or more academic areas as a criterion; however, the methodology for determining significant discrepancy is not specified and in practice varies across settings (Lyon, 1994). …

Latino immigration: preparing school psychologists to meet students' needs

As the population of immigrant Latino students continues to rise, school psychologists serving Latino children and families must develop the knowledge and skills necessary to provide high-quality psychological services to culturally and linguistically diverse students from immigrant families. Following a review of the relevant literature on the educational, social, and emotional needs of immigrant Latino children, we describe Project SUPERB (Scholars Using Psychology and Education to Reach Bilinguals), a grant-funded initiative to address the shortage of bilingual (Spanish-English) school psychologists. We discuss important issues regarding training and preparation to develop the competencies necessary for effective assessment, intervention, and collaboration in the context of school settings to help immigrant children achieve success. Finally, we identify ways in which school psychologists may adopt a leadership role in working with schools and families to promote positive outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record

Participants’ evaluation of consultation: implications for training in school psychology

Evaluation of graduate students’ consultation skills is essential to competent practice in school settings. Congruence of evaluation of the consultation experience has been shown as an important factor in the development of competent consultants in other, related disciplines. The current study analysed student consultant and teacher consultee perspectives on several dimensions, including school system entry, knowledge gaps, territorial concerns, role ambivalence, and problems inherent in student–staff member interaction. Results of tests for congruence of ratings of providers and recipients of consultation services suggest a number of concerns regarding the preparation of graduate student consultants for successful practise in school settings, including inadequate preparation for systems entry, conflict over shared problem solving and the need to balance expertise with collaboration, and graduate student’s lack of knowledge of instructional practices. Implications for training graduate students in school-based consultation are discussed.

The Role of Developmental Histories in the Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders

The incidence of diagnosed cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased dramatically over the past decade. This may indicate a larger population of individuals with ASD, and may also be the result of better diagnostic definitions and procedures. Early accurate diagnosis is particularly important for children with ASD because of the documented benefits of early educational interventions. One very important component of an ASD screening and diagnostic process is a developmental history. Not only can this type of information assist with diagnosis, but the process of interviewing parents and primary caretakers can provide opportunities for establishing a working alliance with the family, inform further assessment decisions, and facilitate treatment and intervention for coexisting and comorbid disorders. Both structured and semi-structured formats are available for obtaining developmental histories. Personnel who are assigned to obtain developmental histories need strong interviewing skills and extensive knowledge about the diagnostic indicators of ASD.