Current Position:

Director, School Psychology Graduate Training Program

Associate Professor

Description:

If you are interested in applying to the School Psychology program, please visit our website for further details. If you still have questions, feel free to inquire using the above contact information.

Field Of Study:

School Psychology is my primary specialization. My general research interests are in school bullying, as well as the assessment of reading disabilities.

In terms of assessing reading disabilities, I am specifically interested in the k-12 practicing school psychologist's perspective on the role of cognitive assessment within a reading disability assessment model, the role of RtI within that model, and whether the two can or should co-exist.

Concerning bullying, one area of inquiry has to do with the perceived function that bullying serves from the point of view of school personnel . Specifically, I am interested in whether these perceived functions a) coincide with presumed functions found in the extant literature and, b) whether the functions have utility within a Functional Behavior Assessment/Behavior Intervention Plan paradigm. Additionally, I am interested in the social cognitions of all that are privy to incidents of school bullying (bullies, assistants to the bullies, victims, defenders of victims, bystanders, etc.). Most recently, I have employed an attribution model that will assist in understanding how emotional responses to viewing incidents of bullying may mediate attributions of culpability and possible help-giving behavior. Further, the model is interested in what possible variables moderate the above sequence, including gender, type of bullying action, and the participant role of the respondent.

Courses:

Psyx345 - Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

Psyx536 - Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

Psyx525 - Psychological Assessment (Cognitive Assessment)

Psyx582 - Behavioral Assessment & Interventions

Education:

PhD Indiana University, 2004
BA Kenyon College, 1990

Selected Publications:

Barraclough, C. & Machek, G. R. (In Press). School psychologists’ role with chronically ill children in schools. Journal of Applied School Psychology.

 Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J.M. (In Press). School psychologists’ perceptions regarding the practice of identifying reading disabilities: Cognitive and RTI considerations. Psychology in the Schools.

Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J.M. (2007). How should reading disabilities be operationalized?: A national survey of school psychologists. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 22, 147-157.

Nelson, J.M., & Machek, G.R. (2007). A survey of training, practice, and competence in reading assessment and intervention. School Psychology Review, 36, 311-327.

Cummings, J., Hoida, J., Machek, G., & Nelson, J. (2003). Visual-motor assessment of children. In C. Reynolds & R. Kamphaus (Eds.), Handbook of Psychological and Educational Assessment of Children (2nd ed., pp. 498-518). New York: Guilford Press.

Machek, G. R. & Plucker, J. P. (2003). Intelligence testing and giftedness: A primer for parents. Parenting for High Potential, March.

 

Recent Presentations:'

Bushard, C., & Machek, G. R. (2011, February). Gender Differences in Helping Victims of Bullying. Accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Francisco, CA.

Machek, G. R. & Bushard, C., Fiorillo, J., & Lindquist, L., (2011, February). Joining in Bullying Behavior: An Attribution Analysis. Accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Francisco, CA.

Stephens, I. & Machek, G. R. (2011, February). Peer Attitudes of Giftedness.  Accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Francisco, CA.

Lindquist, L., Heck, N., Machek, G. R., & Cochran, B. (2011, February). The Impact of School Climate on Sexual Minority Adolescents. Accepted for presentation at the annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, San Francisco, CA.

Machek, G. R. & Bushard, C. (2010, April). Attitudes Toward Bullying by Participant Role and Nature of Victimization. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Chicago, IL

Bushard, C., & Machek, G. R. (2010, April). A Retrospective Exploration of Helping Behaviors in Bullying Situations. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Chicago, IL

Bushard, C., & Machek, G. R. (2009, April). Exploring Helping Behaviors in Observers of Bullying Episodes. 89th Annual Convention of the Western Psychological Association

Machek, G. R. (2009, February). The Perceived Function of Bullying Behavior. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Boston, MA.

Machek, G. R. & Bushard, C. (2009, February). Judgments of Responsibility Toward Victims of Bullying: Measuring Attitudes by Participant Role. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Boston, MA.

Machek, G. R. (2008, February). School Psychologist’s Opinions Regarding the Practice of Identifying Reading Disabilities. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, New Orleans, LA.

Barraclough, C. & Machek, G. R. (2008, February). School Psychologist’s Role with Chronically Ill Children. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, New Orleans, LA.

Machek, G. R. (2007, November). Beyond “Bully”: Factors that Further our Understanding of Bullies & Bully-Victims. The Bully Free Zone Conference. Hamilton, MT

Machek, G. R. , Foster-Wolferman. A., Otten. M. (2007, November). Solutions to Bullying: Looking at Functions of Behavior. The Bully Free Zone Conference. Hamilton, MT.

Machek, G. R., & Nelson, J. M. (2006, April). Identifying reading disabilities: A survey of past and proposed practices. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA.

Nelson, J. M., & Machek, G. R. (2006, April). Are we ready for RTI?: A survey of reading practices. Annual meeting of the National Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA.

Machek, G. (2003, August). Anxiety in the bullied child. In T. Huberty (Chair), Multiple Manifestations of Comorbidity of Anxiety in Children. Symposium conducted at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention, Toronto, ON.