7 M – N

Micrographia

This refers to extremely small handwriting. Micrographia presumably denotes a simplification of writing by students lacking adequate fine-motor and graphomotor control. The example below is a written response after a student has read a story. Note the use of miniaturized manuscript letters.

Mindfulness

School psychologists are sometimes encouraged to apply mindfulness principles to help students on their campuses. Mindfulness is conceptualized as learning ways to self-regulate attention by focusing on certain stimuli but not others (without giving up inquisitiveness and acceptance as one does so). When students learn mindfulness techniques a host of benefits are hypothesized to follow. Thus, practices range from intensive interventions for targeted groups or individual students to school-wide development of mindfulness skills (see Felver, Doerner, Jones, Kaye, & Merrell, 2013).

Mnemonic devices

When rote material is to be learned, this technique can help by providing memory aids. Thus, mnemonic devices (techniques) are designed to facilitate acquisition and support retention. The trick is making associations between more easily-remembered aids and the target material to be remembered. This is commonly done by inventing meaning (rhymes) or kinesthetic (movement) or a single acronym that prompts recall. Because mnemonic techniques invoke higher-level strategies to support lower-level tasks, they are considered “meta-cognitive” in nature.

For example, a fifth-grade student must learn the names of the names of the five Great Lakes. Rather than relying on rote memorization she uses the acronym HOMES. When needed, she merely recalls HOMES, which in turn, reminds her of the name of each associated lake. Obviously, remembering HOMES is simpler than remembering each lake individually.

Mood stabilizers and anti-convulsants (to treat social-emotional conditions)

This group of medications is principally used for symptoms of mania and/or depression seen in bipolar disorder. Such medications are also sometimes used to target explosiveness, aggression, or severe impulsiveness, especially with documented or suspected mood problems. Although it is obvious that anti-convulsants are also used to treat epilepsy, their use in the situations above does not imply that seizures are present or that the youngster has a diagnosis of epilepsy.

For more information see the following link from the National Institutes of Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications/index.shtml

Additional information is also available from a user-friendly site provided by Ohio Minds Matter: http://ohiomindsmatter.org/about

Mosaicism

There are a few genetic disorders that arise from an abnormal number of chromosomes. The most common example is Down syndrome, characterized by an extra #23 chromosome. This means that among individuals with Down syndrome there are a total of 47 chromosomes present rather than the standard 46 found in virtually all humans. Rarely an individual with Down syndrome has inconsistent numbers of chromosomes present among the cells found in their body. This represents mosaicism. Specifically, mosaicism in Down syndrome means that some, perhaps nearly all, cells have 47 chromosomes but some cells retain the normal 46 for individuals in this uncommon (mosaicism) subset. Not surprisingly, the presence of mosaicism means that any physical and cognitive impairments may be less distinct and less severe than those associated with the standard disorder. In addition to Down syndrome, mosaicism appears some sex-linked disorders, such as Turner syndrome (a missing X chromosome) and Klinefelter syndrome (an extra Y chromosome).

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

MRI is a non-invasive medical procedure used to investigate possible disease or damage. Practically speaking, school psychologists reviewing case records may see mention of an MRI that has been performed to rule out brain lesions (e.g., when neurological signs or symptoms are present) or to assess potential structural changes that might be associated with a head injury. MRI uses strong magnetic current, not x-rays, to image distribution of high fat and water content areas. The three-dimensional images generated often provide a degree of detail superior to techniques using x-ray technology (e.g., CT [computed tomography] scan).

Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS)

MTSS concerns a broad, general framework for providing levels of school services and supports. Tier 1 concerns entire schools by creating a nurturing environment in which effective practices are provided to all students. Tier 2 concerns additional (or different) supports and services for fewer students. Students provided Tier 2 services might be, for example, those identified with early reading problems (in a RTI approach) or those with suggestions of behavioral problems (in a PBIS approach). Tier 3 concerns yet more intensive, specialized interventions or services provided to even fewer students. Tier 3 services, for example, might involve delivery of quite specific interventions for students with social skill deficits or intractable reading problems. Detailed information is available in the following source (Jimerson, Burns & VanDerHeyden, 2015).

Munchausen by Proxy (see factitious)

Mystery Motivator (see group contingency interventions)

Nardil (see anti-depressant medications)

Narrowband scales (also see broadband scales)

In contrast to broadband scales, these scales cast a narrow net that concerns specific aspects of psychopathology. Narrowband scales are not used on every student being assessed. Rather they are selected for use based on a student’s presenting problem or a school psychologist’s emergent hypotheses about the nature of a student’s difficulties. Examples of narrowband scales include those for childhood depression (e.g., Reynolds Childhood Depression Scale-Second Edition; Reynolds, 2010) or for ADHD (ADHD-5 Rating Scale; DuPaul, Power, Anastopoulos, & Reid, 2016). Also see broadband scales.

NASP (see National Association of School Psychologists)

National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP)

As its name implies, NAEP is a nationwide testing program. To monitor the nation’s progress on core academic skills among its children, the federal government routinely collects reading and math data for students from fourth to eighth grade (and occasionally 12th graders). This is sometimes referred to as the “Nation’s Report Card.”

Voluminous information is provided on the accompanying website that addresses proficiency levels differentiated by many demographic variables:

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/reading_math_2015/#?grade=4

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

NASP is a professional organization devoted to the practice of school psychology. It concerns diverse aspects of school psychology training, scholarship, and professionalism. To accomplish its mission, NASP publishes a scholarly journal (the School Psychology Review) as well as a more practitioner-oriented newsletter (the Communiqué). It provides its own professional practice standards and ethics code that are specific to school psychology. Further, NASP accredits training programs in school psychology and offers a practice credential (i.e., “Nationally Certified School Psychologist;” NCSP).

Some important NASP links are as follows:

• Home page: http://www.nasponline.org/
• Principles of Professional Ethics: http://www.nasponline.org/standards-and-certification/professional-ethics
• Membership: (http://www.nasponline.org/membership-and-community/rates-and-categories

Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP)

NCSP is a practice credential offered by the National Association of School Psychologists. Possession of this credential denotes a level of preparation and competence. NCSP designation may also enable streamlined credentialing in various states and expedite certification portability from one jurisdiction (state) to another. School psychologists who hold this credential often place “NCSP” after their name and degree when they sign documents.

For more information see the following link: http://www.nasponline.org/standards-and-certification/national-certification

Navane® (see anti-psychotic medications)

NCSP (see Nationally Certified School Psychologist)

Negative predictive value (see diagnostic utility statistics)

Negative reinforcement

Often confused with punishment, negative reinforcement involves increasing the frequency of a behavior by removal of an aversive stimulus. Examples are a student sensing anxiety on the playground who leaves for the nurse’s office. Her reduced anxiety may negatively reinforce avoidance and strengthen its subsequent occurrence in similar situations. Negative reinforcement is involved in many unwanted behaviors for which teachers and parents consult school psychologists.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

As its name implies, this is an intensive hospital unit where infants born with prematurity or high risk may be placed after birth. Most stay a few days, but some stay weeks or evens months. Extensive, high-technology monitoring and growing treatment options executed by neonatologists and neonatal staff members have enabled enormous advances in understanding the causes of neonatal death and subsequent developmental problems among survivors.

Neurofeedback (see EEG)

Neurofibromatosis, type I (NF1)

NF1 is a genetic disorder characterized by lesions of the skin and brain (like tuberous sclerosis, this is a neurocutaneous disorder). Although it is considered autosomal dominant in nature, which means an affected parent has a 50% risk of passing on the condition to his/her offspring, about one-half of cases result from a spontaneous mutation. NF1 is important to school psychologists because it appears to be disproportionately associated with specific learning disabilities, ADHD, and (rarely) intellectual disability.

Neurontin® (see anti-anxiety medications)

Neurotransmitter

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that operate at a synapse (the spot where nerve cells [neurons] meet). Neurotransmitters served to facilitate or inhibit electrical activity conveyed among neurons. Neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, play crucial roles in psychological and behavioral functioning. Consequently, many psychiatric and neurological medications alter the balance of and availability of neurotransmitters. For example, stimulant medications like Ritalin® transiently increases the availability of dopamine and norepinephrine, which may account for their role in diminishing symptoms of impulsiveness and inattention.

NICU (see neonatal intensive care unit)

Nomogram (see Bayesian [probability] nomogram)

Nomothetic

Nomothetic research strategies rely on study of groups of people and, often group level statistical analysis. Similarly, this approach is concerned with interindividual variation. More important regarding practice, a nomothetic assessment approach seeks information about a specific child that so that he/she can be understood by what is already known about large numbers of children. Standardized assessment tools are inherently nomothetic. This approach can be contrasted, regarding both research and practice, with the idiographic approach.

Nonverbal learning disability (NLD)

NLD represents a relatively homogeneous set of signs and symptoms rather than a specific diagnosis. First identified by Byron Rourke (1989), NLD is presumed to arise from right hemisphere dysfunction. NLD is somewhat controversial and it does not appear in DSM-5. Nonetheless, it is argued that children with the condition have difficulty on psychometric tasks that require visual-spatial processing while enjoying preserved (sometimes advanced) rote linguistic capability. Consequently, WISC-5 test patterns may appear as low Perceptual Reasoning Index scores coupled with much higher Verbal Reasoning Index scores. Additionally, visual-perceptual deficits are often apparent on design copying tasks as are deficits in social skills, such as lack of appreciation of social cues. Motor clumsiness and tactile-perceptual problems may exist. Coping with novel situations is said to be an additional hallmark of the condition. Academically, problems are most apparent in computational arithmetic and later in reading comprehension. NLD case studies are available in Wodrich and Schmitt (2008).