International Affiliates

Michael Grosche, Ph.D. (University of Wuppertal, Germany)

is an expert in the development and evaluation of assessment tools in German schools (e.g., the Second Steps Knowledge Interview of the German version of the Direct Behavior Rating). His research focuses on assessment and intervention for students with learning and behavior problems. Dr. Grosche has authored or co-authored 34 publications, and is editorial board member of Assessment for Effective Intervention, International Journal of Research on Learning Disabilities, and two German peer reviewed journals. Recently, he received a grant funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany) focusing on evaluation, optimization, and standardization of assessment tools in schools.

Thomas Hennemann, Ph.D. (University of Cologne, Germany)

is an expert in the prevention of behavioral disorders at schools. He is Professor for Social and Emotional Development in Schools. Dr. Hennemann is commissioned by the Ministry of Education in North Rhine Westphalia to train teachers for inclusive schooling. He has authored or co-authored over 50 journal articles and book chapters. He developed and published three school-based programs for enhancing students’ social and emotional competencies (e.g. ‘Lubo from the Universe’).

Gino Casale, PhD. (University of Cologne, Germany)

Gino received his Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Wuppertal. His research interests involve the school-based assessment and intervention of students with behavioral problems and the implementation of evidence based practices in schools.

DIDASKALOU ELENI (B.A., M.Ed., and Ph.D.)

is currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Special Education of Thessaly University of Greece. She has completed her Master’s (M.Ed), Doctoral (Ph.D) and Postdoctoral studies at the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in England. The area of her specialization relates to students with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBDs). Her research interests unfold around educational policy issues for students with SEBDs, school-based interventions for combating bullying and aggressiveness in schools, as well as educational responses for promoting students’ wellbeing. She has built an international academic profile and has been a visiting scholar in the School of Education at Boston University, U.S.A., (2015), the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University, U.S.A. (2018) and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Flinders University (School of Education, Psychology & Social work), Australia (2015-2022). Recently, she has also been awarded the Visiting International Fellowship to Flinders University for 2018. She has participated in numerous international and local research projects and published widely in the field.

Songpoom Benyakorn, MD (Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand)

is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who is interested in School Mental Health and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). His research interests center around the implementation of school-based  universal screening for Autism and ADHD.