Abstract
The March 2012 (Vol. 20, No. 1) issue of Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (JEBD) marked the close of Dr. Krista Kutash and Dr. Doug Cheney’s tenure as editors of the journal. It takes a great deal of time and effort to edit a journal such as JEBD, so it is certainly understandable that they wished to resign to devote more time to other professional endeavors.
During their 5-year tenure, Doug and Krista provided readers with articles from research and application perspectives. Covering diverse topics and issues related to the assessment and management of individuals with emotional or behavioral problems and their families. They excelled at addressing the many aspects of emotional and behavioral disabilities and presented topics of interest to individuals representing a wide range of disciplines. Doug and Krista’s experience and scholarship ensured that the content they presented was balanced and representative of the diverse opinions of professionals interested in the direct application of current research to providing quality services to individuals with EBD.
We at the Institute are appreciative of Doug and Krista’s efforts and contributions in maintaining the high quality and influence of the journal; they will be missed as editors of JEBD. I am certain, however, that their future research and writing will be found in upcoming issues of the Institute’s journals.
With this June 2012 (Vol. 20, No. 2) issue of JEBD, I would like to introduce readers to the new editors, Dr. Elizabeth Farmer and Dr. Thomas Farmer, who begin their tenure with this issue. Betsy and Tom have a long history of conducting research and working in interdisciplinary settings. Their combined professional experience of more than 50 years spans two primary disciplines (mental health services and special education) and gives them a broad perspective of the field.
Betsy is a professor of health policy and administration at the Penn State University. She obtained her PhD in sociology from Duke University. Her research interests include children’s mental health services, effectiveness of mental health interventions, mental health in life course trajectories, community-based services for youth, and the role of schools in children’s mental health services.
Tom is an associate professor of education at Penn State University and earned his doctorate in special education at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill. Tom’s research interests include the prevention and treatment of aggression and antisocial behavior, the social development of students with disabilities, bullying and classroom social dynamics, and rural education.
Tom and Betsy are prolific researchers whose combined expertise in special education and mental health will facilitate JEBD’s continued focus on collaborative, multiagency, and multidisciplinary perspectives in EBD. Although space constraints allow only a partial listing of their accomplishments, it is clear that Betsy and Tom are highly qualified scholars who will bring complementary experiences and perspectives to their editorship of JEBD. We at the Hammill Institute welcome them and look forward to the issues prepared under their leadership.