About

Stephen W. Smith is a Professor in the Special Education program at the University of Florida (UF). Dr. Smith teaches graduate level courses in special education research, emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD), and principles of prevention science in education. His research focuses on effective behavioral prevention strategies in educational settings, executive function, and the self-regulation of behavior (goal directed effortful control of thought, action, emotion), issues related to aggression and violence in schools, and understanding verbal aggression of students with EBD. During his time at UF, Dr. Smith and colleagues have received over $17 million dollars to conduct research and development projects related to the prevention of and effective interventions for maladaptive student behavior in school settings. Dr. Smith has also obtained over $1.5 million dollars to train pre-service students to work in special education.

Dr. Smith has been Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator of 13 federally-funded research/development grants and he is currently serving as a Principal Investigator of a four-year efficacy study of a self-regulation curriculum for middle school students who exhibit emotional and behavioral disorders (I Control) and is Co-Principal Investigator of a four-year, federally-funded research grant to study the efficacy of a theoretically based curriculum to improve self-regulatory functions of students at risk for behavior problems. He is the author of 14 professional books and book chapters, and he has presented his findings and recommendations at many state, regional, national, and international professional conferences. He has been invited to speak about educational issues in Ireland, Australia, and Taiwan. While at UF, Dr. Smith has received three teaching awards, a University Research Award, and has served twice as a UF Distinguished Research Professor. For 2013-2014, he was one of 6 recipients of a university-wide Doctoral Mentoring Award for outstanding work with doctoral students. He was the Irving & Rose Fein Endowed Professor from 2012-2015. Most recently, Dr. Smith was awarded the 2018 Distinguished Researcher Award from the American Education Research Association, Special Education special interest group. Dr. Smith is a Panel Scientist for the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, and is on the Editorial Board of numerous professional journals in education and special education. Prior to receiving his Ph.D. in special education from the University of Kansas, he was a teacher of special education students for eight years.

Research Interests

At Risk and Related Issues, Behavior, Child and Adolescent, Classroom Management, Cognition, Conflict / Aggression, Counseling Issues, Intervention, Middle School / Jr. High, Primary / Elementary, Psychological Studies, School Curriculum Areas and Issues, Secondary / High School Transition, Socialization Issues / Social Competence, Student / Client Issues

Education

• Ph.D. - University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 1989
• M.S. - Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, 1978
• B.S. - Missouri State University, Springfield, Missouri, 1975

Professional Appointments

• Irving & Rose Fien Endowed Professor 2012 - 2015
• Professor - University of Florida 2000 - Present
• Panel Scientist - US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences 2008 - Present
• Social and Behavioral Education Scientific Review Panel
• Principal Investigator/Co-Principal Investigator 1990 - Present
• 12 Federally-Funded Research/Development Grants
• Research Fellow - Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice 2000 - 2006
• The American Institutes for Research. Washington, DC

Activities and Honors

• University of Florida Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award 2013 - 2014
• University of Florida Research Foundation Professorship 2000 & 2007
• Performance Incentive Award 1998
• Teacher of the Year 1992 & 1997 -- University of Florida, College of Education
• UF Teaching Improvement Program Award 1993
• National Award for Outstanding Scholarship on Teacher Education 1993
• Association of Colleges and Schools of Education in State Universities and Land Grant Colleges Research Achievement Award (Top 100 UF Researchers) 1992 - 1993

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

• Barnes, T. N., Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., & Leite, W. L. (2016). Do student characteristics influence the effectiveness of the Tools for Getting Along curriculum? An examination using a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Education and Treatment of Children, 39, 569-592.
• Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., Algina, J., Pitts, D. L., Merrill, K. L., Cumming, M. M., & Allen, C. (in press). Self-regulation for students with emotional and behavioral disorders: Preliminary effects of the I Control curriculum. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.
• Merrill. K. L., Smith, S. W., Cumming, M. M., & Daunic, A. P. (in press). A review of social problem-solving interventions: Past findings, current status, and future directions. Review of Educational Research.
• Barnes, T. N., Leite, W., & Smith, S. W. (in press). A quasi-experimental analysis of school-wide violence prevention programs. Journal of School Violence.
• Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., Aydin, B., Van Loan, C. L., Barber, B. R., & Taylor, G. G. (in press). Effect of Tools for Getting Along on student risk for emotional and behavioral problems in upper elementary classrooms: A replication study. School Psychology Review.
• Barnes, T. N., Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., & Leite, W. L. (2016). Do student characteristics influence the effectiveness of the Tools for Getting Along curriculum?: An examination using a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Education and Treatment of Children, 39, 569-592.
• Smith, S. W., Cumming, M. M., Merrill, K. L., Daunic, A. P. (2015). Teaching self-regulation skills to students with behavior problems: Essential instructional components. Beyond Behavior, 24(3), 4-13.
• Santiago-Poventud, L., Corbett, N., Daunic, A., Aydin, B., Lane, H., & Smith S. W. (2015). Developing social-emotional vocabulary to support self-regulation for young children at risk for emotional and behavioral problems. International Journal of School & Cognitive Psychology, 2 (3), 2-9.
• Barnes, T. N., Smith, S. W., & Miller, M. D. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral interventions in the treatment of aggression in schools in the United States: A meta-analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior 19, 311-321.
• Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P., Barber, B. R., Aydin, B., Van Loan, C. L., & Taylor, G. G. (2014). Preventing risk for significant behavior problems through a cognitive-behavioral intervention: Effects of the Tools for Getting Along curriculum at one-year follow-up. Journal of Primary Prevention, 35, 371-387.
• Peters, C. D., Kranzler, J., Algina, J., Smith, S. W., Daunic, A. P. (2014). Understanding disproportionate representation in special education by examining group differences in behavior ratings. Psychology in the Schools, 51, 452-465.
• Daunic, A. P., Corbett, N. L., Smith, S. W., Barnes, T. N., Santiago-Poventud, L., Chalfant, P., Pitts, D. L., & Gleaton, J. (2013). Integrating social-emotional learning with literacy instruction: An intervention for children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders 39, 43-51.
• Daunic, A. P., Smith, S. W., Garvan, C. W., Barber, B. R., Becker, M. K., Peters, C. D., Taylor, G. G., Van Loan, C. L., Li, W., & Naranjo, A. H. (2012). Reducing developmental risk for emotional/behavioral problems: A randomized controlled trial examining the Tools for Getting Along curriculum. Journal of School Psychology, 50, 149-166.
• Peters, C., Algina, J., Smith, S. W., & Daunic, A. P. (2012). Factorial validity of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) Teacher Form. Child Neuropsychology, 18, 168-181.
• Yacco, S., & Smith, S. W. (2011). Getting along in middle school: Understanding multiparty student conflict. Counseling and Human Development, 42, 1-11.
• Leko, M., & Smith, S. W. (2010). Retaining beginning special educators: What should administrators know and do? Intervention in School and Clinic, 45, 321-325.
• Wylie, L. E., Gibson, C. L., Brank, E. M., Fondacaro, M., Smith, S. W., Brown, V. E., & Miller, S. A. (2010). The context of who tells: Assessing school and student-level predictors of weapons reporting. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 8, 351-372.
• Smith, S. W., & Yell, M. (2013). A teacher's guide to preventing behavior problems in the elementary classroom. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon.
• Algozzine, R., Daunic, A. P., & Smith, S. W. (Eds.). (2010). Preventing problem behaviors: A handbook of successful prevention strategies (2nd edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Smith, S. W., & Daunic, A. P. (2010). Cognitive-behavioral interventions in school settings. In R. Algozzine, A. P. Daunic, & S. W. Smith (Eds.). Preventing problem behaviors: A handbook of successful prevention strategies (2nd edition, pp. 53-70). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Daunic, A. P., & Smith, S. W. (2010). Conflict resolution, peer mediation, and bullying prevention. In R. Algozzine, A. P. Daunic, & S. W. Smith (Eds.). Preventing problem behaviors: A handbook of successful prevention strategies (2nd edition, pp. 113-132). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Daunic, A. P., Smith, S. W., & Algozzine, R. (2010). Building and sustaining effective prevention practices. In R. Algozzine, A. P. Daunic, & S. W. Smith (Eds.). Preventing problem behaviors: A handbook of successful prevention strategies (2nd edition, pp. 213-221). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
• Smith, S. W., & Taylor, G. (2010). Education of children with special needs: Emotional and behavioral disorders. In E. Baker, B. McGaw, & P. Peterson (Eds.) International Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford: Elsevier.
• Smith, S. W., Graber, J., & Daunic, A. P. (2009) Cognitive-behavioral interventions for anger/aggression: Review of research and research-to-practice issues. In M. Mayer, R. Van Acker, J. Lochman, & F. Gresham (Eds.). Cognitive-behavioral interventions for emotional and behavioral disorders: School-based practice (pp. 111-142). New York: Guilford.
• Smith, S. W., & Robinson, T. R. (2007). Emotional or behavioral disorders. In Meyen, E & Bui, Y. (Eds.) Exceptional children in today's schools: What teachers need to know. Denver, CO: Love.
• Smith, S. W., & Daunic, A. P. (2006). Managing difficult behavior through problem solving instruction: Strategies for the elementary classroom. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Polsgrove, L., & Smith, S.W. (2004). Informed practice in teaching self-control to children with emotional and behavioral disorders. In R. B. Rutherford, M. M. Quinn, & S. R. Mathur (Eds.) Handbook of research in emotional and behavioral disorders (pp. 399-425). New York: Guilford.
• Smith, S. W. (2003). Conflict resolution. In Watson, T. S., & Skinner, C. H. (Eds.) Encyclopedia of school psychology. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.

Selected Links

• https://education.ufl.edu/cognitive-behavioral-research-group/
• https://education.ufl.edu/behavior-management-resource-guide/