Doctoral Qualifying Examination Niara Savage (U85709542) Summer 2026 Day 2 (School Psychology Specialization Area) Please read the following scenario and respond to each of the questions below it.    William is a 5-year-old Black student in kindergarten at Tampa Elementary School. He has recently been referred to the school psychologist (you) by his classroom teacher, who has reported that William’s behaviors and academic skill development are a significant concern. Specifically, William’s teacher reported that he is often off task, out of his seat/assigned area (sometimes also disrupting other children from doing their work), and generally struggles with classroom routines and expectations (e.g., sitting on the carpet for a mini-lesson, talks when he is supposed to be quiet). Academically, his teacher is concerned about his early literacy and math skill development. His teacher believes William would be best served in a more restrictive, individualized setting.   A review of William’s student file reveals he has missed 10% of school days and is late to school 2-3 times per week. William did not attend PreK or VPK. His fall kindergarten screening results indicates that he was below benchmark (10th percentile) in literacy and math. William does not have an individualized education program (IEP) and there is no record of any office discipline referrals or medical issues. You interview William’s kindergarten teacher who reiterated concerns about his behavior and academic skills. She also has questions about his social-emotional development given that he does not seem to talk much to his peers and generally stays to himself. She has tried to provide additional academic supports but has a hard time getting him to sit down and focus on the task at hand.   In an interview with William’s mother, she shared that she kept him at home until kindergarten because she has a flexible remote work schedule and did not need childcare. During this time, he often was at home playing with toys or playing with educational games on his iPad. His mom reported that she also sometimes took him to parks and playgrounds where he had the opportunity to play with other children. She reported that sometimes he played with other children, and sometimes by himself. She reported that he when he is absent from school or late, it is because he does not want to go. Before school and after school, he typically plays with the iPad. He typically goes to bed around 9 or 10pm. William has one sibling, age three, with whom he plays with at home. Mom reported no concerns with their interactions. William’s mom is surprised that he is having difficulty academically at school, because he seems to be good at the educational games he plays on his iPad. With William’s dad gone often and her being busy with his younger sibling, mom finds it easier to avoid setting schedules and go with the flow. She expresses concern that he does not seem to enjoy school and wants to know how she can help.   —– Day #2 (School Psychology Specialization Area) —-   In your role at Tampa Elementary School, you have the opportunity to support William, his teacher, and his family. Your response today should consider the affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social aspects of behavior relevant to conceptualizing William’s current behavior (hypotheses developed in Day 1), and ultimately supporting William through clinical services. Today, you need to decide how to which interventions are appropriate for William. Please cite empirical literature (author only, no date needed) to support your response.   What data would you collect in a clinical intake, using which methods? What is your preliminary case conceptualization? What treatment approach(es) would you use with William? Why? What would you include in the treatment plan with regard to structure and content? Who besides William will you include in the treatment plan (e.g., caregivers, peers, school staff) and in what ways? What ethical issues do you anticipate that could potentially arise in this case? How would you monitor response to intervention and treatment outcomes, including his quality of life?      

Doctoral Qualifying Examination Niara Savage (U85709542) Summer 2026 Day 1 (Cognate in Psychology) Please read the following scenario and respond to each of the questions below it.    William is a 5-year-old Black student in kindergarten at Tampa Elementary School. He has recently been referred to the school psychologist (you) by his classroom teacher, who has reported that William’s behaviors and academic skill development are a significant concern. Specifically, William’s teacher reported that he is often off task, out of his seat/assigned area (sometimes also disrupting other children from doing their work), and generally struggles with classroom routines and expectations (e.g., sitting on the carpet for a mini-lesson, talks when he is supposed to be quiet). Academically, his teacher is concerned about his early literacy and math skill development. His teacher believes William would be best served in a more restrictive, individualized setting.   A review of William’s student file reveals he has missed 10% of school days and is late to school 2-3 times per week. William did not attend PreK or VPK. His fall kindergarten screening results indicates that he was below benchmark (10th percentile) in literacy and math. William does not have an individualized education program (IEP) and there is no record of any office discipline referrals or medical issues. You interview William’s kindergarten teacher who reiterated concerns about his behavior and academic skills. She also has questions about his social-emotional development given that he does not seem to talk much to his peers and generally stays to himself. She has tried to provide additional academic supports but has a hard time getting him to sit down and focus on the task at hand.   In an interview with William’s mother, she shared that she kept him at home until kindergarten because she has a flexible remote work schedule and did not need childcare. During this time, he often was at home playing with toys or playing with educational games on his iPad. His mom reported that she also sometimes took him to parks and playgrounds where he had the opportunity to play with other children. She reported that sometimes he played with other children, and sometimes by himself. She reported that he when he is absent from school or late, it is because he does not want to go. Before school and after school, he typically plays with the iPad. He typically goes to bed around 9 or 10pm. William has one sibling, age three, with whom he plays with at home. Mom reported no concerns with their interactions. William’s mom is surprised that he is having difficulty academically at school, because he seems to be good at the educational games he plays on his iPad. With William’s dad gone often and her being busy with his younger sibling, mom finds it easier to avoid setting schedules and go with the flow. She expresses concern that he does not seem to enjoy school and wants to know how she can help.   —– Day #1 (Cognate in Psychology) —-   In your role at Tampa Elementary School, you have the opportunity to support William, his teacher, and his family. Your response today should demonstrate your understanding of the affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social aspects of behavior relevant to conceptualizing William’s current behavior, and ultimately supporting William indirectly through consultation with school staff. Please cite empirical literature (author only, no date needed) to support your responses.   Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of theories of affective aspects of behavior, describe examples of developmental pathways that may relate to William’s current behavioral and academic challenges. Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of theories of biological aspects of behavior, describe examples of neural, physiological, and/or genetic influences that may relate to William’s current behavioral and academic challenges; what risk factors are present? Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of cognitive aspects of behavior, describe theories of learning, memory, thought processes and/or decision-making that may relate to William’s current behavioral and academic challenges; what instructional content would be relevant for William? Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of developmental aspects of behavior, describe theories and concepts related to transitions, growth, and development across an individual’s life that may help to better understand Williams current behavioral and academic challenges? Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of social aspects of behavior, describe theories and concepts related to group processes, attitudes, attributions, cultural diversity, and/or discrimination that may help to better understand William’s current behavioral and academic challenges? Based on the case study, provide two examples of how his current behavioral and academic challenges likely result from the interplay of different bases of behavior referenced in parts 1-5 above (e.g., concepts that are particularly salient to his developmental stage)? Based on your responses from 1-6 above, how would you consult with William’s teacher?    

Problem C: Coordinate Mapping for Variable Shapes Task: An image is composed of N square boxes placed corner-to-corner along a diagonal. The first box is 10 X 10 pixels. Every subsequent box increases its side length by exactly 10 pixels compared to the previous one.  MATLAB Grader Before we can generate the image, you must calculate the exact coordinate boundaries. Write a script that: Takes an input N (number of boxes). Calculates two vectors: start_idx and end_idx, both of length N. start_idx(i) must store the starting pixel index for the ith box. end_idx(i) must store the ending pixel index for the ith box. Constraints: Do not use the cumsum function; use a for loop to calculate the positions. The starting index of Box 1 is always 1. Example for N = 3: Box 1: Size 10 –> start_idx(1)=1, end_idx(1)=10 Box 2: Size 20 –> start_idx(2)=11, end_idx(2)=30 Box 3: Size 30 –> start_idx(3)=31, end_idx(3)=60

Doctoral Qualifying Examination Aileen Kangavary (U81507955) Summer 2026 Day 1 (Cognate in Psychology) Please read the following scenario and respond to each of the questions below it. Leah is a 5-year-old student in Pre-Kindergarten at Sunshine Early Learning Center, a public preschool program she has attended since she was 3 years old. She has recently been referred to the school psychologist (you) by her Pre-K teacher, who reports that Leah’s behaviors have begun to impact her ability to participate in classroom routines and engage with peers. Specifically, Leah’s teacher reported that Leah experiences frequent, intense emotional outbursts several times per day, often triggered by transitions (e.g., moving from free play to circle time), sharing materials, or being told “no” or “wait.” During these outbursts, Leah may cry loudly, scream, throw objects, hit or kick nearby peers or adults, and attempt to run out of the classroom. These episodes can last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes and often result in Leah being removed from the classroom to the director’s office. Between outbursts, Leah is described as generally bright and engaged, but her teacher notes that she has difficulty calming down independently and frequently seeks reassurance from adults. Her teacher would like you to follow up on these behavioral and social-emotional concerns. Since this is your first year at Sunshine Early Learning Center, you are not very familiar with Leah but know that she does not have an individualized education program (IEP) or a medical diagnosis. A review of Leah’s cumulative folder reveals no record of developmental delays or prior academic concerns. You interview Leah’s Pre-K teacher for additional information. She reports that Leah’s outbursts are most likely to occur during free choice time when peers are using preferred toys, during transitions, and when Leah is asked to complete a non-preferred activity (e.g., putting on her coat, cleaning up). The teacher notes that Leah has very few positive peer interactions and often responds to peer initiations with pushing or grabbing. You interview the previous Pre-K teacher (from Leah’s 4-year-old classroom), who reports similar behaviors but notes they have increased in frequency and intensity this year. You decide to meet with Leah to follow-up on her teacher’s referral. In your meeting, Leah plays quietly with a dollhouse while you ask her questions. When asked about school, Leah says she likes “playing with blocks” but does not like “when kids take my stuff.” When asked what happens when she gets upset, Leah states, “I get so mad, my body feels like a volcano.” She reports that her teacher sometimes takes her to the office where she sits with the director until she feels “calm.” She did not report any experiences of teasing or bullying but said she does not know how to ask peers to play with her.   Leah’s mother reports that Leah is her only child and that she and Leah’s father are recently separated but share custody, with Leah spending weekdays with her mother and every other weekend with her father. Leah’s mother describes Leah as “strong-willed” and “dramatic” and reports that similar outbursts occur at home, particularly during transitions (e.g., bedtime, leaving the park, turning off the television). She notes that she often gives in to Leah’s demands to avoid a meltdown because she is exhausted after work. Leah’s mother also reports that Leah has difficulty falling asleep at night and frequently wakes up during the night, leading to morning irritability. Leah has not been evaluated by a mental health professional, but her mother endorses a family history of “anger problems” on her father’s side, though no specific diagnoses have been made. Leah lives at home with her mother and maternal grandmother, both of whom work full-time, and spends limited time with her father due to his work schedule. Her mother reports that she would like Leah to be able to “handle being told no” and to “play nicely with other kids without losing control.”   —– Day #1 (Cognate in Psychology) —-   In your role at Sunshine Early Learning Center, you have the opportunity to support Leah, her teaching staff, and her parents. Your responses today should demonstrate your understanding of the affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social aspects of behavior relevant to conceptualizing Leah’s current behavior, and ultimately supporting Leah indirectly through consultation with center staff. (A discussion of how to support Leah directly through clinical services is not expected in this Day 1 response, but rather will be addressed in Day 2 of qualifying exams). Please cite empirical literature (author only, no date needed) to support your responses.   Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of theories of affective aspects of behavior, describe examples of developmental pathways that may relate to Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges. Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of theories of biological aspects of behavior, describe examples of neural, physiological, and/or genetic influences that may relate to Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges. Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of cognitive aspects of behavior, describe theories of learning, memory, thought processes and/or decision-making that may relate to Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges; what instructional content would be most relevant for Leah? Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of developmental aspects of behavior, describe theories and concepts related to transitions, growth, and development across an individual’s life that may help to better understand Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges? Based on the case study presented and your knowledge of social aspects of behavior, describe theories and concepts related to cultural diversity, group processes, attributions, and/or discrimination that may help to better understand Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges? Based on the case study, provide two examples of how Leah’s current academic, social-emotional, and behavioral challenges likely result from the interplay of different bases of behavior referenced in parts 1-5 above (e.g., social concepts that are particularly salient to his developmental stage)? Based on your responses from 1-6 above, how would you consult with Leah’s teachers and school staff members?  

Doctoral Qualifying Examination Bria Ferera (U62782167) Summer 2026 Day 2 (School Psychology Specialization Area) Please read the following scenario and respond to each of the questions below it.  Sophia is a 5-year-old child who will soon transition to kindergarten at Sunshine Elementary School. She lives with her mother, a 32-year-old single parent who works full-time. Sophia’s father has not been consistently involved in her life since infancy. Sophia attended a small in-home preschool program for the past two years where the provider was familiar with her medical needs and maintained close communication with her mom. Since infancy, Sophia has been diagnosed with severe allergies to peanuts and tree nuts. Her allergist has described her condition as life-threatening due to a history of anaphylaxis. Sophia experienced her first severe allergic reaction at 11 months old after accidental exposure to peanut butter at a family gathering. Since then, she has had two additional emergency room visits related to accidental exposure, including one incident at age four when another child at preschool shared a snack that contained traces of nuts. Sophia carries an epinephrine auto-injector at all times. Sophia is described as bright, verbal, and academically ready for kindergarten. There is no history of behavioral problems at preschool. She enjoys books, drawing, and imaginative play. However, her mom reports that Sophia has become increasingly aware of her allergy and sometimes expresses fear around food and eating in public settings. At birthday parties or school events, Sophia often asks repeatedly whether foods are “safe” and becomes upset if adults cannot immediately reassure her. Sophia has also begun expressing worries about going to “big school,” including fears that “someone might make a mistake” or that she “could die from bad food.” During her kindergarten screening, Sophia appeared shy initially but warmed up after several minutes. She followed directions well and demonstrated age-appropriate early literacy and social communication skills. Staff observed that Sophia repeatedly asked whether snacks in the classroom were safe for her and seemed unusually vigilant about food-related materials. Sophia’s mom describes significant emotional stress related to managing her daughter’s allergy. She reports chronic anxiety and persistent fears about Sophia’s safety when she is not under her direct supervision. She also worries about whether school staff will recognize symptoms of an allergic reaction quickly enough and whether other children will understand the seriousness of Sophia’s allergy. She has already contacted the school multiple times regarding allergy procedures and has requested meetings with the principal, teacher, school nurse, and cafeteria staff before school begins. She has asked whether the classroom can be designated peanut-free and whether an aide can supervise Sophia during lunch. Although school personnel have reassured her that procedures are in place, Sophia’s mom continues to express concern that public school may not provide the same level of individualized monitoring that Sophia received in preschool. Sophia’s mom reports a family history of anxiety on her side of the family and acknowledges that Sophia may “pick up” on her stress. She wants Sophia to become more independent and confident but struggles with balancing safety concerns and allowing age-appropriate autonomy. —– Day #2 (School Psychology Specialization Area) —- In your role as a Pediatric School Psychologist at Sunshine Elementary School, you have the opportunity to assist with Sophia’s transition to kindergarten, address her social-emotional concerns, and support collaboration between home and school regarding Sophia’s medical and emotional needs. Your response today should consider the affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social aspects of behavior relevant to conceptualizing Sophia’s current behavior (hypotheses developed in Day 1) and ultimately supporting Sophia directly through clinical services. Today, you need to decide how to treat Sophia through comprehensive school-based psychotherapy. *Please cite empirical literature (author only, no date needed) to support your responses. What data would you collect in a clinical intake, using which methods? What is your preliminary case conceptualization? What treatment approach/approaches would you use with Sophia? Why? What would you include in the treatment plan with regard to structure and content? Who besides Sophia will you include in the treatment plan (e.g., parent, peers, teacher, school nurse, allergist) and in what ways? How would you interface with her allergist? What ethical issues do you anticipate that would potentially arise in this case? How would you monitor response to intervention and treatment outcomes, including Sophia’s quality of life?

A 5.0-kg blob of clay moving at 2.0 m/s slams into a 4.0-kg blob of clay at rest. The speed of the two blobs stuck together after colliding is about

Compared with the force that brings a small car to a stop, the force required to bring a heavy truck traveling at the same speed to a stop

A 7.0-kg bowling ball experiences a net force of 5.0 N. What will be its acceleration?

Which of the following is an example of the type of force that acts at a distance?

A rock is rolled in the sand. It starts at 5.0 m/s, moves in a straight line for a distance of 3.0 m, and then stops. What is the magnitude of the average acceleration?