This engaging, authoritative introductory text comprehensively describes the role of the school psychologist in promoting positive educational and mental health outcomes for all students in today's schools. The book emphasizes a data-driven, problem-solving-based approach to prevention and intervention with diverse children, youth, and their families. The reader is equipped with vital tools for becoming a competent, ethical practitioner; effectively addressing students' emotional, behavioral, and academic needs; facilitating systems-level change; and using research as the basis for informed decision making. Special features include helpful vignettes, discussion questions, activities, and resources.

Kenneth W. Merrell, PhD, is Professor and Director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Oregon, where he teaches courses in school psychology and leads the Oregon Resiliency Project. Earlier in his career he worked for 3 years full-time as a school psychologist, and he has worked as a consulting school psychologist in three states while working as a university educator. Dr. Merrell’s teaching and research interests are focused on social-emotional assessment and intervention for at-risk children and adolescents, as well as social-emotional learning in schools. He has a long list of publications, including five books and five nationally normed assessment instruments related to these areas. He is a Fellow in both the Division of School Psychology (Division 16) and the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Division 53) of the American Psychological Association. Having previously served as an editorial board member or consulting editor for several professional and scientific journals, Dr. Merrell currently serves as an editorial board member for School Psychology Review, and is the series editor for The Guilford Practical Intervention in the Schools Series.

Ruth A. Ervin, PhD, is Associate Professor of School Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Her professional teaching and research interests lie within the domains of promoting systems-level change to address research-to-practice gaps in school settings; collaborative consultation with school personnel, parents, and other service providers for the prevention and treatment of emotional and/or behavioral disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional defiant disorder via a data-driven, solution-oriented problem-solving approach; and linking assessment to intervention to promote academic performance and socially significant outcomes for school-age children. Emphasis in Dr. Ervin’s work has been placed on systems-level change and the merging of research and practice agendas to support school personnel in the timely provision of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention efforts to address student needs.

Gretchen A. Gimpel, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at Utah State University, where she coordinates the National Association of School Psychologists-approved master’s degree program in school psychology and is on the program faculty of the combined (school/clinical/counseling) American Psychological Association-accredited PhD program. Dr. Gimpel is a licensed psychologist and certified school psychologist. She teaches core child therapy and behavioral assessment courses for psychology graduate students and is the faculty internship supervisor for school psychology students. Dr. Gimpel also coordinates child therapy services within the Psychology Department’s Community Clinic and supervises graduate students who provide services in this clinic. Her publications and professional presentations are in the area of child behavior problems and family issues as related to child behaviors. Dr. Gimpel currently serves on the editorial advisory boards of several school psychology-related journals.