School Psychologists' Collaborations with Families: An Exploratory Study of the Interrelationships of Their Perceptions of Professional Efficacy and School Climate, and Demographic and Training Variables

Abstract

Extending the knowledge derived from investigations with teachers, this study explores of the interrelationship of school psychologists’ professional efficacy and perceived school climate for promoting family collaboration and salient aspects of their training and practice. The Perceptions of Capacity for Family Collaboration (PCFC) rating scale was developed and completed by a national sample of 544 school psychologists. Psychometric evaluation of the PCFC indicated two reliable dimensions: Professional Efficacy and School Climate. Relationships between these two dimensions and aspects of school psychologists’ graduate training, professional development, and current practices were examined. Results show important connections between school psychologists’ perceptions of professional efficacy and school climate, as relevant for formulating family partnerships, are related to the extensiveness of their training and aspects of their employment for interfacing with families. Implications of this study for the training and practice of school psychologists are discussed.