School Psychologists in the Political Maelstrom

Abstract

This article explores, first, the roles that school psychologists theoretically might adopt as change agent: non-change, technician, the social broker and the social interventionist. Then, we analyse data from a sample of practising school psychologists to see the extent to which these roles are actually manifest in their orientations toward serving as change agent. To serve as successful change agents, though, school psychologists must understand the political context, since their stance toward change almost automatically injects them into the political arena. We use examples drawn from the politics of planning literature to note how the role adopted by a change agent interacts with political structures to shape the odds of successful change efforts. Techniques for the school psychologist to learn to better adapt to political circumstances are outlined.