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Paul D. Flaspohler, Assistant Professor of Psychology
102G PSYC
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
(513) 529-2469 Voice
flaspopd@muohio.edu
Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs
Education
Ph.D. University of South Carolina Clinical-Community Psychology, May 2004
Internship in Clinical-Community Psychology Yale University 2003-2004
M.A. Xavier University Clinical Psychology 2000
Theoretical Orientation
I am a clinical-community psychologist. Community psychology focuses research and action on understanding people within their environments and contexts and using this information to promote health and well-being (Orford, 1992). The community theoretical orientation begins with a systems perspective and emphasizes consideration of multiple points of intervention (e.g., prevention and promotion of health and wellness, as well as individual treatment).
Recently Taught Undergraduate Courses
Abnormal Psychology
Childhood Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities
Senior Capstone – Psychology and the Environment
Recently Taught Graduate Courses
Advanced Seminar in Clinical Psychology: Community Psychology
Intervention Modules: Expanded School Mental Health Consultation
Multicultural Module
Research Interests
There is a gap between the development and dissemination of evidence-based practices and capacity and infrastructure necessary to implement these practices in schools and communities. In research and practice, we attempt to address this gap by connecting the approaches of community science to the field of expanded school mental health. Community science seeks to enhance theoretical and practical understanding of human behavior in community contexts; promote the competence, resilience, and well-being of individuals and communities; and prevent problem behaviors and other harmful outcomes at the individual and community level (Tebes, 2006). Expanded school mental health is a framework for promoting mental health and wellness through partnerships between schools and community services. This framework addresses a full continuum of mental health promotion, prevention, early intervention and treatment for all youth (Weist, 1997). In research and practice, efforts out of the center for school-based mental health programs focus on facilitating school and community-based participatory research projects. Current projects include efforts to:
- Synthesize, translate, and validate the products of empirical research for use in practice settings e.g., the Effective Practice Integration Council (funding from SAMHSA)
- Develop and implement strategies for supporting the promotion of evidence based and effective practices e.g., Evidence-Based Practices for School-Wide Prevention Programs (funding from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati)
- Build organizational capacities to plan, implement, evaluate, improve, and sustain innovation and effective practice e.g., The Ohio Community Collaboration Model for School Improvement (funding from the Ohio Department of Education)
- Identify methods and processes for integrating efforts of school-employed mental health and educational staff e.g., the Mental Health-Education Integration Consortium
- Strengthen training and technical assistance to ensure competencies needed to collaborate successfully and deliver effective services e.g., Supplemental Technical Assistance for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (through braided federal, state, and local funding)
Please see the CSBMHP website for more details.
Opportunities for Graduate Students
Graduate students working on the School-Community Research and Action Team are engaged in multiple school- and community-based participatory action research projects. Current projects include:
- Supplemental technical assistance to support the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
- Consultation to support expanded school improvement processes
- Evaluation and consultation to Head Start centers
- Program development and evaluation to alternative education settings
- Design and implementation of positive youth development projects for middle and high school students
- Needs and resource assessment, program planning, evaluation, and other forms of consultation with schools and communities
- Students collaborating with me on their research are encouraged to operate from a community-based participatory action research framework. In doing so, they focus both on addressing research questions and on understanding the benefits and impacts of their research and practice on the community and on themselves.
Recent Publications
Connell, C. M., Vanderploeg, J. J., Flaspohler, P., Katz, K. H., Saunders, L., & Tebes, J. K. (2006). Changes in placement among children in foster care: A longitudinal study of child and case influences. Social Service Review, 80, 398-418.
Flaspohler, P., Anderson-Butcher, D. A., Paternite, C. E., Weist, M. D., & Wandersman, A. (2006). Community science and expanded school mental health: Bridging the research to practice gap to promote child well being and academic success. Educational and Child Psychology, 23(1), 27-41.
Flaspohler, P. D., Anderson-Butcher, D. A., Bean, J., Burke, R. W., & Paternite, C. E. (2006). Readiness and school improvement: Strategies for enhancing the dissemination and adoption of innovation in expanded school-based mental health. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Wandersman, A., Snell-Johns, J., Lentz, B., Fetterman, D., Keener, D., Livet, M., Imm, P., & Flaspohler, P. (2005). The principles of empowerment evaluation. In D. Fetterman & A. Wandersman (Eds.), Empowerment evaluation: Principles in practice (pp. 27-41). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Flaspohler, P. (2004). Peace corps volunteer to community psychologist: Moving forward and looking back to west africa. The Community Psychologist, 37(3), 23-26.
Mendez, J., Stillman, L., LaForette, D. R., Wandersman, A., & Flaspohler, P. (2004). Neighborhood and community influences favoring the growth and development of young children. In E. Chesebrough, P. King, T. Gullotta & M. Bloom (Eds.), A blueprint for the promotion of prosocial behavior in early childhood. New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.