Thomas Schanding

(he/him)
PhD

Investigator, BC Children's Hospital
Head, UBC Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education

Dr. Schanding’s research interests center around social and emotional learning (SEL) and behavioural/mental health (B/MH). His work seeks to promote and enhance the academic, social-emotional, and behavioural/mental health of youth, their families, school, and community. Specific areas of interest include 1) the assessment of SEL and B/MH, 2) interventions to promote/enhance SEL and/or B/MH, and 3) advancing the understanding, inclusion, and promotion of cultural and linguistic considerations for SEL and/or B/MH for youth and families in schools and communities. Clinically, Dr. Schanding has expertise in working with individual with Autism Spectrum Disorders, social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. He is also very interested in the school experiences of youth identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+.

Academic Affiliations

  • Associate Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia
  • Research Theme: Brain, Behaviour & Development
  • Research Group(s): Mental Health and Behaviour

Contact Information

Location

2514-2125 Main Mall, The University of British Columbia, Neville Scarfe Building, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T 1Z4

Training and maintaining self-care: Recommendations, values, and mental health.

Training and Education in Professional Psychology

Steven L. Bistricky and Paige Klein and Bailey Pascuzzi and Sophie Oliver and Malena Gimenez-Zapiola and G. Thomas Schanding

DOI: 10.1037/tep0000513

08 / 2025

A Systematic Review of Early Writing Assessment Tools

Early Childhood Education Journal

Katherine L. Buchanan and Milena Keller-Margulis and Amanda Hut and Weihua Fan and Sarah S. Mire and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr

DOI: 10.1007/s10643-024-01697-7

08 / 2025

A School Psychology for All: Realizing Evidence-Based Practice Through Social Justice

Canadian Journal of School Psychology

G. Thomas Schanding, Jr.

DOI: 10.1177/08295735231224047

12 / 2024

Perceived Parental Rejection as a Predictor of Psychological Distress in LGBQ + Adults and the Moderating Effects of Self-Acceptance of Sexuality

LGBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal

MacKenzie Enderwitz and Valerie R. Morgan and Anthony J. Roberson and G. Thomas Schanding Jr.

DOI: 10.1080/27703371.2024.2306305

05 / 2024

Sexual Orientation, Mental Health Characteristics, and Self-Care in Professional Psychology Training and Employment

Journal of Bisexuality

Malena Gimenez-Zapiola and Bailey Pascuzzi and Shivani Bathla and Tarryn Pollard and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr and Steven L. Bistricky

DOI: 10.1080/15299716.2023.2248136

10 / 2023

Whos Included? Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of Students in School Psychology Literature Over the Last Decade

School Psychology Review

G. Thomas Schanding, Jr. and Gerald G. Strait and Valerie R. Morgan and Rick Jay Short and MacKenzie Enderwitz and Jeeva Babu and Melissa A. Templeton

DOI: 10.1080/2372966X.2021.1927831

07 / 2023

Too Much of a Good Thing? Associations among Parenting Profiles and Helicopter Parenting

The Family Journal

Karina A. Turner and Sara R. Elkins and Christine A. P. Walther and Mary B. Short and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr.

DOI: 10.1177/10664807221123554

04 / 2023

A Comparison of Reading Screeners in Kindergarten: The Texas Primary Reading Inventory and Acadience Reading With English Learners and Monolingual English Speakers

Assessment for Effective Intervention

Keller-Margulis, M.A. and Matta, M. and Landry Pierce, L. and Zopatti, K. and Reid, E.K. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.1177/15345084221133559

Long-Term Validity and Diagnostic Accuracy of Kindergarten Acadience Reading with English Learners

School Psychology Review

Lindsey N. Landry and Milena Keller-Margulis and Michael Matta and Hanjoe Kim and Jorge E. Gonzalez and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr

DOI: 10.1080/2372966X.2021.1984170

07 / 2022

Due Process Case Issues for Students With Emotional Disturbance

Sage Open

Gomez, M.M. and Morgan, V.R. and Schanding, G.T. and Cheramie, G.M.

DOI: 10.1177/21582440221085274

Helicopter Parenting Style and Parental Accommodations: The Moderating Role of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptomatology

The Family Journal

Laurel M. Casillas and Sara R. Elkins and Christine A. P. Walther and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr. and Mary B. Short

DOI: 10.1177/1066480720961496

04 / 2021

Evaluating Family-School Collaboration: A Preliminary Examination of the Family-School Collaboration Inventory

Contemporary School Psychology

Samantha E. Malchar and Sarah E. Praytor and Aston C. Wallin and Steven L. Bistricky and G. Thomas Schanding, Jr

DOI: 10.1007/s40688-019-00227-2

06 / 2020

Book Review: Publishing in school psychology and related fields: An insiders guide

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment

G. Thomas Schanding, Jr. and Amy N. Gorniak

DOI: 10.1177/0734282918821480

10 / 2019

Predicting kindergarten writing achievement using early written expression and behavior screening

Journal of Applied School Psychology

Reid, E.K. and Keller-Margulis, M.A. and Schanding, G.T. and Tolar, T.D.

DOI: 10.1080/15377903.2019.1568333

Validity and Diagnostic Accuracy of Early Written Expression Screeners in Kindergarten

Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment

Keller-Margulis, M.A. and Ochs, S. and Reid, E.K. and Faith, E.L. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.1177/0734282918769978

Analysis of Special Education Due Process Hearings in Texas

Sage Open

Schanding, G.T. and Cheramie, G.M. and Hyatt, H. and Praytor, S.E. and Yellen, J.R.

DOI: 10.1177/2158244017715057

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A study of the age of attaining daytime dryness

Consultant

Faulkner, V.J. and Schanding, G.T. and Fan, W. and Harris, G.E.

Cognitive Profiles in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation of Base Rate Discrepancies using the Differential Ability Scales"Second Edition

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Nowell, K.P. and Schanding, G.T. and Kanne, S.M. and Goin-Kochel, R.P.

DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2356-7

Universal Screening for Emotional and Behavioral Problems: Fitting a Population-Based Model

Journal of Applied School Psychology

Schanding, G.T. and Nowell, K.P.

DOI: 10.1080/15377903.2013.751479

Exploratory structural equation modeling, bifactor models, and standard confirmatory factor analysis models: Application to the BASC-2 Behavioral and Emotional Screening System Teacher Form

Journal of School Psychology

Wiesner, M. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2013.09.001

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: A Practical Guide to Evidence-Based, Multi-Tiered Service Delivery

Early Childhood Education A Practical Guide to Evidence Based Multi Tiered Service Delivery

Coffee, G. and Ray-Subramanian, C.E. and Schanding, G.T. and Feeney-Kettler, K.A.

DOI: 10.4324/9780203126875

Educators' Perceptions in Addressing Bullying of LGBTQ/Gender Nonconforming Youth

Journal of School Violence

Perez, E.R. and Schanding, G.T. and Dao, T.K.

DOI: 10.1080/15388220.2012.731663

Creating and Maintaining Safe and Responsive Schools for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Youths: Introduction to the Special Issue

Journal of School Violence

Savage, T.A. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.1080/15388220.2012.724357

Promoting Resilience in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth

Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Environments A Guide for Working with Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Questioning Youth and Families

Komosa-Hawkins, K. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.4324/9780203807637-5

Utility of the Social Communication Questionnaire-Current and Social Responsiveness Scale as teacher-report screening tools for autism spectrum disorders

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Schanding Jr., G.T. and Nowell, K.P. and Goin-Kochel, R.P.

DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1412-9

Evidence on Multicultural Training in School Psychology: Recommendations for Future Directions

School Psychology Quarterly

Newell, M.L. and Nastasi, B.K. and Hatzichristou, C. and Jones, J.M. and Schanding, G.T. and Yetter, G.

DOI: 10.1037/a0021542

Use of the mystery motivator for a high school class

Journal of Applied School Psychology

Schanding Jr., G.T. and Sterling-Turner, H.E.

DOI: 10.1080/15377900903379448

Evaluation of stimulus preference assessment methods with general education students

Psychology in the Schools

Schanding Jr., G.T. and Tingstrom, D.H. and Sterling-Turner, H.E.

DOI: 10.1002/pits.20356

Curriculum-based measures of computational skills: A comparison of group performance in novel, reward, and neutral conditions

School Psychology Review

Christ, T.J. and Schanding, G.T.

DOI: 10.1080/02796015.2007.12087957

A School Psychology for All: Realizing Evidence-based Practice Through Social Justice

Generally, psychology (as well as school psychology) aligns with medicine in establishing and utilizing evidence-based practices (EBP). More recently, strong calls have been made and advanced to ensure that psychology evolves and incorporates social justice principles to safeguard equity, diversity, and inclusion to benefit all. This essay explores some of the issues surrounding EBP and social justice within school psychology, noting some of the tensions that play out in research and practice. Ultimately, it is the opinion of the author that social justice practices will only enhance EBP, and the field has much work to do.

Acceptability of Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Screeners in Schools

Examined the acceptability of three types of social, emotional, and behavioural screeners for use in schools. Parents, teachers, school administrators (principals, vice principals, etc.), and school-based mental health professionals (e.g., school psychologists, school counselors, school social workers, etc.) rated three potential screeners – 1) the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (mental health screener), 2) the Social-Emotional Learning Skills Inventory Screener (social and emotional learning screener), and 3) the Center for Youth Wellness Adverse Childhood Events screener (trauma screener).

Parental Influence: Exploring the Role of Intergenerational Autism on the Mental Health and Identity of Autistic Adolescents

Autistic adolescents experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than their neurotypical peers, which impacts their social, emotional, and educational functioning. Camouflaging, or masking autistic traits to fit neurotypical norms, is a common coping strategy linked to negative mental health outcomes such as increased anxiety and depression. Emerging research suggests that having other neurodivergent individuals, like autistic parents, in one’s social environment may serve as a protective factor, promoting mental well-being by fostering a sense of belonging and authenticity.

Honours & Awards

2020 - President’s Distinguished Faculty Research Award, University of Houston – Clear Lake

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