Childhood disadvantage is associated with psychological distress throughout the lifespan. Poor children are alleged to give up more often than their more privileged peers when facing challenges. Yet little research has examined the role of task persistence in poverty and mental health. We test whether poverty-related deficits in persistence…

Poverty is a pressing yet overlooked sociopolitical issue in the United States. Poverty experiences include social and economic barriers limiting access and increasing mental health illnesses (Hodgkinson et al., 2017). Poverty is problematic due to the impact on society-at-large, including physical and social implications, such as lack of…

It is well understood that when students are experiencing hunger, their ability to learn suffers. What is less understood is why this is the case and the role of the learning environment. Using Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 data, this brief examines how student hunger is correlated with how disorderly the…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of implementing Open Educational Resources (OER) course materials on student engagement and achievement in a 10th grade English Language Arts (ELA) classroom at a high-poverty, rural school district. Research suggests that the implementation of OER materials in a K-12 setting can positively impact student…

The degree to which international immersion programs affect participants can be influenced by and attributed to their experiences in the host country or community. Embedded critical experiences allow participants to immerse themselves within the breadth and depth of humanity, thus fostering connections and relationships. Further, critical…

Introduction: Poverty is a central concept in many fields of psychology, yet poorly designed activities regarding wealth inequality may backfire or cause students to become defensive. Statement of the Problem: Many students hold misperceptions about class mobility and lack an understanding of how systemic barriers perpetuate poverty across the…

Extant literature suggests a positive correlation between social trust (also called generalized trust) and life satisfaction. However, the psychological pathways underlying this relationship can be complex. Using the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF), we examined the influence of social trust in a high-violence environment. Employing Bayesian…

Poverty continues to be a significant public health crisis across the United States, and its impact is particularly prevalent among school-aged youth and their families. Many K-12 educators do not fully understand the realities associated with living in poverty. Such a lack of understanding impacts teachers' ability to meet the unique educational…

Adult siblings are potentially important sources of care, support, advocacy, and friendship for their brothers and sisters with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Drawing on data about 851 adult siblings who completed an online national survey, we examined predictors and potential key moderators of siblings' mental distress,…

Purpose: As US suburbs experience profound demographic shifts, scholars have expressed concern of rising segregation among suburban public schools. We extend this work by examining exposure to poverty by race and racial differences in exposure to economic disadvantage in the wake of the Great Recession across a typology of suburban neighborhoods…

Research is growing on the ways K-12 schools can address immigration policy and assist in mediating its impact on students and families. Community schools are poised to address these issues through integrated student supports by taking an asset-based perspective that views community members and organizations as powerful constituents in the…

Previous research has demonstrated initiation of alcohol during adolescence has a negative effect on both school attendance and missed instruction due to behavior. Utilizing longitudinal data comprised of primarily Black American youth between ages 11 and 18 (N = 931), both the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol initiation were analyzed…

The purpose of the study was to examine if a relationship exists between productive giftedness and social justice leadership in leaders of high-poverty schools. The following research question guided this study: Is there a relationship between productive giftedness and social justice leadership in leaders of high-poverty schools? In the study, 113…

Causal factors such as peer pressure and socioeconomic status have been linked to African Americans dropping out of high school. Little research has been done to examine the impact school funding inequity has on African Americans dropping out of a high school. In response, this quantitative research study examined the association between school…

The demands placed on principals have increased exponentially in the aftermath of the global COVID-19 pandemic, especially for principals who lead high-needs schools. Given that principals are the primary problem solvers, it is critical to better understand their preferred decision-making styles. Decision-making is influenced by perceptions of…