Job Satisfaction among American School Psychologists

Abstract

Job satisfaction has been associated with a variety of personal, social and work related variables, all of which have potential implications for practising school psychologists. The present study utilized a modified form of the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and a demographic data form to investigate overall levels of job satisfaction among practising school psychologists in the State of Virginia (USA), the degree of satisfaction expressed with each of twenty subfactors of job satisfaction, and the relationship between job satisfaction scores and selected demographic variables. A response rate of 87.36 percent was achieved, and responses from 267 practitioners were analysed. Results indicated that 84.27 percent of the respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs. Of the twenty job subfactors measured, school psychologists expressed dissatisfaction wit1} only two: school system policies and practices, and advancement opportunities. Three significant predictors of job satisfaction emerged: membership in the Virginia Association of School Psychologists (positively related), membership in the National Education Association (negatively related), and contract length (negatively related). Four other variables were found to be significant correlates of job satisfaction: tendency to remain in current position (positively related), tendency to remain in the profession of school psychology (positively related), membership in the Virginia Education Association (negatively related), and membership in the National Association of School Psychologists (positively related).