This article reports findings from a national web-based survey of 250 members of the School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA). This study examines the types of violent events reported by school social workers and the practitioner's perception of the problem of interpersonal violence in the school context. It identifies interventions being…

Poor transition outcomes for youths with emotional and behavioral disabilities beg for the development of effective intervention models. After reviewing the limited empirical support for seven current intervention models, a critique is conducted that can serve as the foundation for modifying current practices toward building successful…

Students who are deaf and hard of hearing are being mainstreamed in their neighborhood schools more frequently, and many school social workers feel unprepared to deal with the unique needs of this low-incidence population. This article describes the various social/emotional issues impacting students who are deaf or hard of hearing and provides…

As the classroom is an influential setting for students, new models for collaboration between teachers and school social workers are essential for meeting student needs. This article discusses the literature and model for one such intervention, classroom solutions: working on what works. Through pilot data presented from nine classrooms and two…

This study examines early adolescent self-reported intentions about having sex during the next year. A total of 114 variables are investigated for possible associations with lower versus higher levels of intention about having sex. The sample consists of 306 early adolescents from several middle schools in a predominantly white, rural community in…

In all settings, the social work profession thrives on multilevel (macro, mezzo, and micro practice), however recent data from a benchmark study of school social work professionals (Kelly, Berzin, Frey, Alvarez, Shaffer & O'Brien, 2010a) asserts that school social workers do not frequently practice macro level practice in the form of capacity…

School social workers are regularly in a position of information sharing and treatment planning with parents whose child has attention difficulties. A better understanding by the social worker of a parent's experience can lead to improved communication, strengthened relationships and trust, and improved treatment planning. This qualitative study…

This article provides current information relevant to school social workers who serve students with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), including how OCD is defined in children and adolescents, the impact of OCD on schooling, issues in identifying students with OCD, and effective interventions. The authors offer suggestions for collaboration…

This article highlights the potential for service learning as a pedagogy and intervention for students with disabilities. The article also conceptualizes the role of a school social worker in contributing to the development and implementation of an inclusive service-learning program. Findings are based on a qualitative study involving nineteen…

School social work interventions that address social and emotional learning are often confined to micro-level practice. Yet the social work profession thrives on multilevel practice in all settings (micro, as well as macro). School social workers can play a pivotal role in engaging youth to become prosocial participants of their school and…

This article reviews literature describing truancy and its correlates, and it analyzes the current research on truancy prevention programs. Few truancy prevention programs exist in elementary school settings. This article describes Truancy Assessment and Service Centers, a theory-driven program providing case management services to children in 85…

This article describes a bullying/conflict intervention system termed the student support system, which has been implemented in a suburban high school in the northeastern United States. The system is part of a concerted effort to improve school social climate, improve the quality of students' social interactions, and reduce bullying. It is based…

The aim of this study is to provide school social workers with an outline of the indicators common to school fire setters regarding their experiences of bullying and victimization by bullies. A sample of juvenile fire setters (N = 379) between the ages of five and seventeen years attending a fire-setter intervention program completed a modified…

School social workers often conduct their business behind closed doors because much of their work is confidential. Even when they are not working in their offices, school social workers often blend into the fabric of the school culture, typically working behind the scenes and rarely taking credit for the valuable work they perform. However, if…

While research has shown that social workers can have positive impacts on students' school adjustment, evaluations of overall practice models continue to be limited. This article evaluates a model of community-school social work practice by examining its effect on problem behaviors and concerns identified by teachers and parents at referral. As…