The continued development and practice of school psychology in Singapore: Using REACH as an Illustration

Abstract

School psychology in Singapore gained greater prominence with the development of the National Mental Health Blueprint in 2007 that included a focus on children and adolescents. A partnership between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education was formed to develop a community mental health pilot program called ‘Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health for Students’ (REACH). Disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) are among the most common disorders seen in schools and child psychiatric clinics in Singapore. Children with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) often exhibit deficits in social cognition and behavior, thereby influencing their cognitive appraisal processes and interpersonal problem-solving skills. This in turn affects their processing and interpretation of social cues in ambiguous situations, and mars subsequent production of socially competent behavior. This article describes a potential framework based on the cognitive-behavioral approach for working with children with disruptive behaviors and aggression in the school system. By combining REACH, a national collaborative framework, and evidence-based treatment programs, we provide a promising model of care to support children and their families in Singapore.