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‘Homegrown’ training program fills need for rural mental health professionals

Beth Doll and Matthew Gormley are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

For small towns scattered throughout Nebraska, mental health professionals are hard to come by. Recruiting and retaining such professionals is crucial to ensuring these rural populations have access to quality mental health care.

Because mental health trainees are more likely to remain and work in the rural communities where they live, Beth Doll, professor of educational psychology, and Matthew Gormley, assistant professor of educational psychology are leading a virtual training program that can be accessible to anyone interested in a career in school psychology, no matter where they reside. Full Article

Study reveals many American atheists hide their non-belief

Research by Dena Abbott, assistant professor of counseling psychology, reveals that because American atheists continue to experience a variety of social challenges, many are uncomfortable about disclosing their non-belief. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

The religiously unaffiliated, including atheists, are the fastest-growing (non)religious population in the United States. But the social stigma associated with atheism leaves this population vulnerable to isolation and poor mental health outcomes.

Dena Abbott, assistant professor of counseling psychology, recently completed a yearlong study to investigate the psychological well-being of two groups of atheists — rural-residing and woman-identified atheists — in the context of anti-atheist discrimination in the U.S. Full Article

Get SET Nebraska addresses special education teacher shortage

From left, HyeonJin Yoon, Pam Brezenski, Kris Elmshaeuser and Amanda Witte are leading the Get SET project to help retain special education teachers in Nebraska. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

As in other states, Nebraska’s ability to deliver high-quality instruction to students served in special education depends on the availability of qualified teachers.

Unfortunately, shortages of special education teachers — both statewide and nationally — leave many students in individualized education programs at further risk for compromised educational outcomes. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 49 states and the District of Columbia reported shortages of special education teachers in 2021. Full Article

Project affirms voices of Indigenous LGBTQ and two-spirit youth

A recent study found that although Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth experience a wide range of challenges, they also possess moderate to high levels of strength and resilience. Learn more about this project in the CYFS Research Network.

Indigenous youth with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S) identities experience high rates of violence, which may lead to harmful outcomes, such as mental health problems and substance abuse.

But despite the issues faced by Indigenous LGBTQ2S youth, a recent study suggests reasons for optimism. Full Article

Child care study examines whether kids eat healthier when mealtimes are positive

Jasmin Smith, graduate student in Human Sciences–Child Development/Early Childhood Education at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is working with Dipti Dev, associate professor of child, youth and family studies and Nebraska Extension specialist, to explore the impact of mealtime emotional climate on child care providers’ feeding practices and children’s dietary outcomes. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

As any parent knows, children and vegetables aren’t always a natural match. Research shows preschool-aged children are not meeting dietary recommendations, particularly when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables.

Dietary preferences are set early in life and carry throughout the lifespan, and poor diet is a risk factor for obesity, cancer, type II diabetes and other chronic diseases. Full Article

Study explores pathways to atheism among communities of color, LGBTQ+

Dena Abbott, assistant professor of counseling psychology, is exploring pathways to atheism by examining commonly held notions of what causes unbelief among demographic groups that are underrepresented in atheism studies. Learn more in the CYFS Research Network.

Nonreligious people are a fast-growing demographic in the United States. For some atheists, the stigma of their unbelief is compounded by other factors.

Adopting an “unbelieving” worldview is a complex process for people of color, members of the lesbian, gay or bisexual community, and the gender-diverse, such as transgender or nonbinary individuals. Full Article

Nebraska education researchers work to build statewide consensus on equity

Taeyeon Kim, assistant professor of educational administration, and Ted Hamann, professor of teaching, learning and teaching education, are building a strong research team to conduct large-scale research on equity-driven accountability systems in K-12 education in Nebraska. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research Network.

Researchers in Lincoln and Kearney are working to bridge the distance between two University of Nebraska campuses and converge their shared interests on the state’s accountability system to ensure all students have equal opportunities to succeed.

The 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act brought greater attention to the need for equity to reduce opportunity gaps in K-12 education, prompting Nebraska policymakers to redesign the state’s school accountability system with an emphasis on education equity for all students. Full Article

Online sexual assault resistance program trains first-year female college students

Nebraska researchers are part of an international pilot project to determine the effectiveness of an online sexual assault resistance program. Learn more about the project in the CYFS Research network.

Sexual assault remains a serious and growing problem at universities throughout the U.S. Studies show as many as one in four college women experience rape or attempted rape before graduation.

On top of its incalculable physical, mental and emotional cost to its victims — disproportionately, young women — sexual assault costs North Americans at least $265 million annually in health care and other expenses. Full Article