Dr. Reesha M. Adamson

Biography

Dr. Reesha Adamson is associate dean in the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies. Her research focuses on behavioral interventions and special education.

She has worked for public schools in Kirksville and Columbia, Missouri. She was one of the lead developers of the Center for Adolescent Research in Schools Classroom-Based Interventions Manual.

Details

Education

• PhD, Special Education, Behavioral Disorders, 2013, University of Missouri 
• MAE, Special Education, Mild/Moderate Cross Categorical, Elementary Education, 2007, Truman State University
• BA, Psychology, 2005, Truman State University

Teaching

• SPE 519/619 Methods I: Cognitive and Behavioral Teaching Approaches for Exceptional Learners
• SPE 520 Practicum-Teaching Individuals with Learning and Behavioral Disorders
• SPE 784 Advanced Procedures in Teaching Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities
• SPE 789 Practicum-The Exceptional Child
• SPE 780 Impact of Contemporary Issues and Diversity in Special Education
• SPE 715 Foundations in Special Education

Professional experience

• Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Leadership and Special Education, Missouri State University, August 2013 to present
• District Behavior Support Specialist for Elementary Schools-Columbia Public Schools, August 2012 to August 2016
• Missouri Site Project Coordinator, Center for Adolescent Research in Schools, Institute for Educational Science, U.S. Department of Education (R324C08006), August 2010 to August 2012 (End of Funding)
• Missouri Site Data Coordinator, Center for Adolescent Research in Schools, Institute for Educational Science, U.S. Department of Education (R324C08006), August 2009 to August 2010
• Self-Contained Special Education Teacher for Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disturbances, Parkade Elementary School, August 2006 to May 2009
• Academic Instructor, Boone County Juvenile Justice Center, May 2007 to August 2007

Research and professional interests

• Adamson, R. M., McKenna, J. W., & Mitchell, B. S. (2018). Supporting all students: Creating a tiered continuum of behavior support at the classroom level. Preventing School Failure.
• McKenna, J. W., Solis, M., Brigham, F., & Adamson, R. M. (2018). The responsible inclusion of students receiving special education services for emotional disturbance: Unraveling the practice to research gap. Behavior Modification, 1-25.
• McKenna, J. W., Flower, A., Falcomata, T., & Adamson, R. M. (2017). Function-based replacement behavior interventions for students with challenging behavior. Behavioral Interventions, 32(4), 379-398.
• Gage, N. A., Adamson, R., MacSuga-Gage, A. S., & Lewis, T. J. (2017). The relation between the academic achievement of students with emotional and behavioral disorders and teacher characteristics. Behavioral Disorders, 43(1), 213-222.
• Adamson, R., & Lewis, T. (2017). A comparison of three opportunity-to-respond strategies on the academic engaged time among high schools students who present challenging behavior.  Behavioral Disorders, 42(2), 41-51.
• Boyle, M., & Adamson, R. (2017). Recent trends in the assessment and treatment of elopement. Behavior Analysis and Practice, 10(4), 375-385.
• Mitchell, B. S., Adamson, R. M., & McKenna, J. W. (2016). Curbing our enthusiasm: An analysis of the check-in/check-out literature using the Council for Exceptional Children’s evidence based practice standards. Behavior Modification, 41(3), 343-367.
• McKenna, J., Flower, A., & Adamson, R. (2016). A systematic review of function-based replacement behavior interventions for Students with and at-risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavior Modification, 40(5), 678-712.
• Adamson, R., Kilpatrick, K., Smith, P., & DePaepe, P. A. (2015). Understanding positive reinforcement and replacement behaviors within the classroom. Council for Learning Disabilities, 1-6.
• Adamson, R. M., & Wachsmuth, S. (2014). A review of direct observation research and problem behavior within the past decade in the field of emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 39(4), 181-189.
• Gage, N. A., Adamson, R. M., Mitchell, B. S., Lierheimer, K., O’Connor, K. V., Bailey, N., Jones, S. (2010). Promise and possibility in special education services for students with emotional or behavioral disorders: Peacock Hill revisited. Behavioral Disorders, 35(4), 294-307.
• Gage, N. A., Lewis, T. J., & Adamson, R. M. (2010). An examination of 35 years of behavioral disorders: What, how, and who has been published. Behavioral Disorders, 35(4), 280-293.

Other interests

• Continuum of Interventions of Supports
• Academic and Behavior Supports for Students with EBD
• Translating Research to Practice within Applied Settings

Awards and honors

Additional resources

• Mind's Eye Research - Rethinking education

Area of expertise

Media appearances

How de-escalation strategies can reduce disruptive classroom behaviors
K-12 Dive
01/19/2022
Special education expert Dr. Reesha Adamson talks about using de-escalation strategies to combat classroom behaviors.

Special Education Careers Interview
Best Colleges
09/01/2019
Special education expert Dr. Reesha Adamson shares more about careers in special education.

One Size Fits All Doesn't Work in the Classroom
KSMU
06/07/2016
Special education expert Dr. Reesha Adamson explains why more one-on-one instruction is needed for children with behavioral disorders.