2017 News Stories
School Psychology Professor develops new tools to help educators inform behavioral interventions
Nathaniel von der Embse, PhD
TAMPA, Fla. (November 28, 2017) — To assist educators in selecting evidence-based emotional and behavioral interventions for their students, College of Education Assistant Professor Nathaniel von der Embse, PhD, is part of a grant-supported research team developing brief and efficient assessment tools.
In collaboration with researchers from the University of Missouri, Dr. von der Embse is the Co-Principal Investigator of a $1.4 million Institute of Educational Sciences grant (2018-2022) entitled “Development and Validation of Measures Supporting the Selection and Modification of Tier 2 Emotional and Behavioral Interventions.”
The project, conducted is in collaboration with schools in Pasco and Hillsborough counties and a partner site in Missouri, will support the development and validation of the Intervention Selection Profile, a suite of brief problem identification tools. The primary purpose of this research is to develop these tools to assist schools in matching intervention strategies to their student’s individualized needs.
For students in need of support, the Intervention Selection Profile will allow educators to quickly and easily collect problem identification data indicative of each student’s concerns, including the function of problem behaviors and deficits in positive skills, and select and adapt appropriate interventions in response.
“The primary focus of this project is to develop brief and efficient assessment tools. These tools are efficient and will facilitate early intervention and prevent more severe problems,” Dr. von der Embse said.
Dr. von der Embse joined the College of Education in August 2017 as an assistant professor of School Psychology. His research utilizes a social justice framework to examine the intersection of education policy and school mental health, and has resulted in 37 peer reviewed publications and total grant funding of more than $5 million dollars.
The research grant was awarded in May and the project will continue through June 2021. To learn more about the grant, visit the Institute for Educational Sciences website.