Stephen Kilgus
Professor, School Psychology Area
1025 West Johnson St
Madison, WI 53706-1706
Download CV   https://smhcollaborative.org/
Dr. Kilgus’ research is in the area of school mental health. His first research line is focused on the development and testing of interventions for students with mental health concerns. Dr. Kilgus co-authored the Resilience Education Program (REP), a brief intervention for students at risk for internalizing concerns (e.g., depression and anxiety). He has also conducted multiple studies examining Check In/Check Out (CICO), an intervention for students with social behavioral concerns. Dr. Kilgus’ second research line is focused on the development of assessments that can be used to determine (a) which students need support, (b) how to best help them, and (c) if students are responding to these supports. Through this work, he co-authored the Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS), a widely used school-based universal screening tool.
Education
- PhD Educational Psychology (APA Accredited, NASP Approved), University of Connecticut, 2011
- Sixth-Year Diploma Professional Education, University of Connecticut, 2011
- MA Education, University of Connecticut, 2007
- BA Psychology, University of Connecticut, 2006
Select Publications
- Kilgus, S., Bonifay, W. E., Eklund, K., von der Embse, N. P., Peet, C., Izumi, J., Shim, H., & Meyer, L. N. (2020). Development and validation of the Intervention Skills Profile–Skills: A brief measure of student social-emotional and academic enabling skills. Journal of School Psychology, 83(66-88) Online Publication/Abstract.
- Allen, A. N., Kilgus, S., & Eklund, K. (2019). An initial investigation of the effectiveness of the Resilience Education Program (REP). School Mental Health, 11, 163-178.
- McLean, D., Eklund, K., Kilgus, S., & Burns, M. K. (2019). Influence of teacher burnout and self-efficacy on teacher-related variance in social-emotional and behavioral screening scores.. School Psychology, 34, 503-511.
- Kilgus, S., von der Embse, N. P., Eklund, K., Izumi, J., Peet, C., Meyer, L. N., & Taylor, C. N. (2019). Reliability, validity, and accuracy of the Intervention Selection Profile–Function: A brief functional assessment tool. School Psychology, 34, 531-540.
- Eklund, K., Kilpatrick, K., Kilgus, S., & Haider, A. (2018). A systematic review of state- level social emotional learning standards: Implications for practice and research.. School Psychology Review, 47, 316-326.
- Kilgus, S., Bonifay, W., von der Embse, N. P., Allen, A. N., & Eklund, K. (2018). Evidence for the interpretation of Social, Academic, and Emotional, Behavior Risk Screener (SAEBRS) scores: An argument-based approach to screener validation.. Journal of School Psychology, 68, 129-141.
- Kilgus, S., von der Embse, N. P., Allen, A. N., Taylor, C. N., & Eklund, K. (2018). Examining SAEBRS technical adequacy and the moderating influence of criterion type on cut score performance.. Remedial and Special Education, 39, 377-388.
- Pendergast, L., von der Embse, N. P., Kilgus, S., & Eklund, K. (2017). Measurement equivalence in school psychology research: A primer and illustrated example of multi-group confirmatory factor analysis for non-statisticians. Journal of School Psychology, 60, 65-82.
- Kilgus, S., Methe, S. A., Maggin, D. M., & Tomasula, J. L. (2014). Curriculum-based measurement oral reading (R-CBM): A diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis of evidence supporting use in universal screening.. Journal of School Psychology, 52, 377-405.
Select Presentations
- Willenbrink, J., Eklund, K., Kilgus, S., Garbacz, S. A., Barber, A., & Dubose, K. (2020, October). A Tier 2 intervention for children at-risk for internalizing problems. Paper presented at the Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health.
- Kilgus, S., Eklund, K., & von der Embse, N. (2020, March). Assessment to inform selection of tier 2 social emotional and behavioral interventions. Paper presented at the International Conference on Positive Behavior Support, Miami, FL.
- Kilgus, S., Eklund, K., von der Embse, N. P., Dart, E. H., Zahn, M. R., & Radley, K. (2020, February). Assessment to intervention: Enhancing the effectiveness of tier 2 supports. Symposium presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD.
- Van Norman, E. R., Klingbeil, D. A., Kilgus, S., Briesch, A., & Eckert, T. L. (2020, February). Methods matter: The promise of empirical research to inform practice. Symposium presented at the National Association of School Psychologists Annual Convention, Baltimore, MD.
- Kilgus, S., Eklund, K., Furlong, M., Briesch, A., & von der Embse, N. (2020, January). Overcoming barriers to the implementation of social-emotional and behavioral measures within school settings. Paper presented at the Annual Principal Investigators Meeting, Washington, DC.
- von der Embse, N., Romer, N., Eklund, K., Kilgus, S., Perales, K., Splett, J., Suldo, S., & Wheeler, D. (2019, November). Best practices in social, emotional, and behavioral universal screening. Symposium presented at the Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Austin, TX.
- Kilgus, S., & von der Embse, N. (2019, November). Brief tools to inform Tier 2 intervention selection. Paper presented at the Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health, Austin, TX.
- Allen, A., Kilgus, S., & Eklund, K. (2018, August). Resilience Education Program: An initial investigation of effectiveness. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA.
- Gandhi, A., Lane, K. L., & Kilgus, S. (2018, March). The role of behavior screening in tiered systems of support. Paper presented at the 14th International Conference on Positive Behavior Support, San Diego, CA.
- Yager, H., Embse, N. P., & Kilgus, S. (2018, February). A multitiered decision-making framework for emotional and behavioral health. Oral Presentation presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologist, Chicago, IL.
Select Awards and Honors
- Invited Member, Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP), 2020
- Invited Participant, School Mental Health Research Summit, National Center for School Mental Health, (2019, 2020)
- Top Faculty Achiever, University of Missouri, 2017
- Lightner Witmer Award, American Psychological Association (APA), 2016
- Article of the Year, Journal of School Psychology, “Curriculum-based measurement oral reading (R-CBM): A diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis of evidence supporting use in universal screening”, 2014
- Selected Participant, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Summer Research Training Institute on Single-Case Research Design, 2014
- Early Career Scholar, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference, Society for the Study of School Psychology, 2013
- Outstanding Dissertation Award, American Psychological Association (APA), 2012
- Outstanding Doctoral Student Researcher Award, Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, 2012
- Award for Outstanding Student Scholarship, American Psychological Association (APA), 2009