Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Psychology (Ph.D.)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dawn P Flanagan

Second Advisor

Samuel Ortiz

Third Advisor

Marlene Sotelo-Dynega

Abstract

Specific learning disability (SLD) is the most identified disability category for students across the United States. In light of its prevalence and implications for the allocation of resources in schools, identification accuracy is critical. However, previous research has remained mixed on school psychologists’ skills regarding identification accuracy, particularly when assessing students who are English Learners (ELs). This is especially problematic considering the historical overidentification of these students, such that many ELs with cognitive and academic scores that resemble SLD are classified as SLD without proper consideration of exclusionary factors that should have precluded the classification. This study aimed to build upon previous research suggesting that school psychologists do not consider exclusionary factors, especially when scores are consistent with SLD. This study investigated the impact of the X-BASS Exclusionary Factors Form (EFF) on SLD identification accuracy. It also analyzed school psychologists’ judgement and decision-making in considering various types of information that influence SLD status. Lastly, this study explored participants’ reported use and perceived ease of use and overall helpfulness of the EFF in SLD identification decisions. One hundred and ten school psychologists across the country participated in a survey that required them to read vignettes of hypothetical students and make a decision about SLD status with or without the EFF. Results indicated that school psychologists were often able to differentiate the importance of qualitative and quantitative information for their hypothetical case, with statistical significance. Results also indicated a positive trend for the impact of the EFF for improving participants’ SLD identification accuracy for a hypothetical EL student, although not statistically significant. Overall, this study highlights that school psychologists may be better able to recognize important information that informs SLD status than previously suggested. It also demonstrates that the EFF may be a helpful tool for school psychologists in recognizing exclusionary factors that influence decision accuracy. Results suggest that it may be worthwhile for future research to further investigate this topic with a larger and more representative sample size.

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Psychology Commons

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