School shootings have generated national concern about school safety. Government responses have emphasized the use of target-hardening security measures with comparatively little attention to student support needs and preventive interventions. One promising prevention strategy, behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM), has become widely used in U.S. and Canadian schools. However, critics on both the left and right have raised objections to BTAM because of its linkages to politically controversial topics such as the role of law enforcement in schools and the use of nonpunitive, supportive practices. Previous reviews of research cautiously supported the practice of BTAM in schools but noted the need to study schools outside of Virginia and to further examine the effectiveness and fairness of BTAM. This article summarizes 20 studies, published since 2022, which provide substantial new evidence that both counter political objections and fill gaps in prior research. This research, conducted across multiple states, provides evidence on typical referral rates for schools using BTAM, the low level of violence after a threat assessment, and the kinds of support services students received. Most notably, the recent studies found low levels of school exclusion and arrests associated with BTAM and confirm previous research finding little or no disparities associated with race/ethnicity, family income, or disability status. Overall, these studies support conclusions that BTAM is a safe, fair, and effective practice and they reinforce the value of preventive approaches to school safety. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Guided by the job demands-resources model and dual-factor model of mental health, this study used a mixed method survey to examine principals' experiences with job demands, resources, and their compassion fatigue and satisfaction in the context of postpandemic recovery based on a survey study conducted among 247 principals in California. Quantitative and qualitative analyses on survey responses suggested that staffing shortages, the spillover effect of COVID-19, the school community's needs, and workload were identified as top stressors. Regression and path analyses demonstrated a significant and positive association between stressors and compassion fatigue, while self-efficacy and professional support were significantly associated with increased compassion satisfaction among principals. Although district-level connectedness was not strongly associated with compassion fatigue and satisfaction, the positive association between stressors and compassion fatigue was intensified among principals who perceived a stronger sense of district connectedness. Moreover, qualitative analyses revealed that promoting connectedness at district levels via community of practices is one critical aspect of principals' needed professional support. The findings highlight the interactive and multifaceted nature of the association between principal's job demands and resources and their well-being. Practical and policy implications for improving the well-being and mental health of principals and stabilizing principal workforce during the postpandemic recovery were also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Addressing gaps in student belonging has been increasingly crucial in U.S. secondary schools. Students' sense of school belonging, which reflects how connected and integrated they feel into their school community, is vital for their mental health, learning, and academic outcomes. Studies on school climates that foster school belonging can inform what an inclusive and equitable school environment constitutes, guiding school-level interventions and advocacy initiatives. The present study aims to investigate relational and cultural components of inclusive school climate associated with student belonging. This study also explores whether cultural beliefs shared among teachers moderate the relationship between student race and their perception of school belonging. Based on a multilevel modeling approach, this study analyzed a sample of 4,838 15-year-old students from 164 U.S. schools, derived from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 data. Results indicated that student belonging was positively associated with peer cooperativeness and teachers' adaptive instructional efforts and support for student learning needs. Asian students reported the lowest level of school belonging in this sample. Black students reported higher belonging when teachers were perceived by school principals to support greater multicultural understanding and egalitarian values. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
Cultural-specific interventions often outperform standard protocols because they align with the identities and lived experiences of the youth they serve. For Black students, African-centered approaches have demonstrated improvements in social-emotional functioning, mental health, and school engagement. At the same time, growing public dissatisfaction with PK-12 education has fueled policy efforts to dismantle DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives, threatening access to culturally responsive interventions in schools. Given that schools remain the most common setting for youth mental health services, understanding the state of African-centered school-based interventions is essential. This systematic review identified nine school-based African-centered intervention studies published between 1970 and December 2024. Results indicate meaningful progress in program structure and documentation, including manualized interventions demonstrating consistent benefits for Black youth. However, variability in study design and measurement strategies limits conclusions regarding overall effect and magnitude. Findings indicate the need for stronger implementation of research, standardized outcome evaluation, and wider practitioner training. African-centered interventions represent a research-supported and culturally affirming avenue for advancing equity and well-being for Black students, particularly as DEI-related supports face increasing political restriction in U.S. schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
There has been a call to establish a nationally consistent school psychology workforce in Australia in response to the growing psychological needs of children and young people. Despite educational settings being the dominant practice setting for Australian psychologists after private practice, there is limited research focused on the specific skills and challenges of the school psychology role in the Australian context, especially in regional and remote areas. This qualitative study aimed to explore what specialist competencies are inherent to the school psychologist role and the challenges associated. Thirteen school psychologists with experience in urban, regional, and remote Australian locations participated in the study. Reflexive thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) system symbiosis, (b) pressure, and (c) adapt for longevity. These themes captured the experiences shared by psychologists as they enter the school psychology context and face unique challenges to which to adapt. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
