Perceptions and Realities: The Role of School Psychologists in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

This article investigates the degree to which a consistent understanding of what psychologists do is present in a group of teachers and parents, and compares this with the job functions reported by psychologists themselves. Research on the role of school psychologists has focused on the perceptions of school staff in relation to ideal services, and has given little acknowledgment to the expectations of other clients of school psychologists, such as parents. Common understanding of the range and focus of services available from school psychologists would facilitate effective and appropriate referrals. Services are considered according to models of service delivery from systemic service to an individual case-based model. The current study involved 138 school psychologists, 107 parents, and 100 teachers from government, Catholic, and independent schools across Melbourne, Australia. Participants completed a number of measures, and significant differences between groups were found on 20 of the 30 items relating to school psychologists’ responsibilities (p < .001). Associations were also established between student–psychologist ratios and the work practices of school psychologists, specifically the frequency with which assessment (r = .35, p < .001) and counselling (r =−.25, p < .01) tasks were undertaken. It is concluded that service delivery would benefit by enhancing community understanding of the work of school psychologists. Analysis of work practices reflects that demand for assessment services tends to limit the development of systemic and preventative practices in the work of school psychologists.