Submission deadline October 15, 2015
About the Special Section
The goal of this special topic section is to feature science that advances understanding of the school experiences and effective support services at school for students with Autism, with an emphasis on contemporary methodological and analytical strategies. Authors are encouraged to submit papers that will make contributions to advance science, practice, and/or policy relevant to school psychology. Papers focused on diverse populations of students with Autism, empirical investigations of specific intervention strategies to support students with Autism within the school context, and research addressing optimal assessment strategies are encouraged. As with all articles featured in School Psychology Quarterly, it is essential to clearly articulate the methods, analyses, results, and implications for science, practice, and/or policy relevant to school psychology.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by: a) persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts; b) restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities; c) symptoms must be present in the early developmental period (typically recognized in the first two years of life); and, d) symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). The term “spectrum” refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills, and levels of impairment or disability that children with ASD can have. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that while ASD varies significantly in character and severity, it occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, and is almost five times more common among boys than among girls. The CDC indicates that in the United States 1 out of 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, it is clear that school professionals need to be prepared to identify and support students with ASD at school.
The submission deadline is October 15, 2015. All manuscripts submitted to School Psychology Quarterly will be subject to the typical peer-review process. Please specify in the cover letter that you are submitting your manuscript for consideration for publication in this special topic section. Additional information about the journal, guidance for authors, and links to the electronic submissions webpage are available at http://www.apa.org/pubs/
About the Journal
School Psychology Quarterly is Edited by Dr. Shane Jimerson and is published by the American Psychological Association and is the official journal of the APA Division 16 (School Psychology). School Psychology Quarterly is part of Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science and has an ISI impact factor of 2.182, ranking 12th out of 55 journals in “Psychology—Education” category. Every article published in SPQ is included in PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and MEDLINE, the world’s most comprehensive and widely used psychological databases.
School Psychology Quarterly publishes empirical studies and literature reviews of the psychology of education and services for children in school settings, encompassing a full range of methodologies and orientations, including educational, cognitive, social, cognitive behavioral, preventive, cross-cultural, and developmental perspectives. Focusing primarily on children, youth, and the adults who serve them, School Psychology Quarterly publishes international research advancing science, practice, and policy pertaining to the education of populations across the life span. (see recent brief article about SPQ in APA Monitor http://www.apa.org/monitor/
Recent special topic sections featured in SPQ include:
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.
Assessment of General Education Teachers’ Tier 1 Classroom Practices: Current Science and Practice
(published Volume 28 issue 4, 2013)
School Climate, Aggression, Peer Victimization, and Bully Perpetration
(published Volume 29 issue 3, 2014)
Assessing, Understanding, and Supporting Students with ADHD at School
(published Volume 29 issue 4, 2014)
Mental Health Service Delivery within a Multi-Tiered Problem-Solving Framework
(published Volume 30, issue 2, 2015)
Immigrants, Schooling, and School Psychology Practice
(in progress, Volume 31, 2016)
Diversification of School Psychology: Developing an Evidence-Base from Current Research and Practice
(in progress, Volume 31, 2016)
Assessing, Understanding, and Supporting Students with Autism at School
(in progress, Volume 31, 2016)