Melissa Bray, Ph.D., and Thomas Kehle, Ph.D., published The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology in February, one of 13 handbooks that constitute the Oxford University Press’ Library of Psychology.

At the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education, Bray, a professor of educational psychology, and Kehle, professor and director of school psychology, have concentrated their research on interventions. Their book focuses on these developments and scientific findings through historical and theoretical information, research analysis, assessments, treatments, consultations and medical issues.

A topic both are specifically interested in is the advancement of video self-modeling, which provides the individual with edited footage of adaptive behavior. “Video self-modeling is a very powerful intervention. Basically, what is done is editing the video to depict the desired exemplary behavior. The self-modeling video is viewed by the individual on four to six sessions over a period of several weeks. This edited video using oneself as a model is very potent,”  Kehle says.

Bray and Kehle have had considerable success in using this intervention to address a variety of dysfunctional behaviors, including selective mutism, stuttering, depression, autism spectrum disorders and classroom disruptive behaviors. They, along with their students, have also employed the technique to enhance free-throw and three-point shooting abilities by college basketball athletes.  Kehle says current studies are investigating how the use of video self-modeling appears to be replacing maladaptive memories of behavior with adaptive memories.

The Oxford Handbook of School Psychology is tailored to school psychologists, educators and parents, along with mental health counselors and practitioners. For more information, contact Bray at melissa.bray@uconn.edu or Kehle at thomas.kehle@uconn.edu.