School Psychological Service Delivery Research Articles

Autism disparities for Black children: Acknowledging and addressing the problem through culturally responsive and socially just assessment practices

AbstractHistorically, Black children with autism have faced diagnostic and treatment disparities across clinical and school samples despite nationally growing autism prevalence rates. Delays in receiving an accurate diagnosis impacts treatment and overall outcomes. Black autistic children are at‐risk of facing multiple barriers to receiving a timely diagnosis; however, many family factors serve as facilitators for improved daily functioning and quality of life. In light of that, it is imperative to critically assess current school‐based assessment practices for Black children to improve diagnostic accuracy for those with autism. School psychologists are well‐positioned to address these disparities through both culturally responsive service delivery and the incorporation of social justice into their practices. The following article will briefly review the current literature in this area and offer recommendations for culturally responsive and socially just school psychology service delivery as it pertains to autism assessment for Black children.

Expanding notions of equity: Body diversity and social justice

AbstractDespite their negative effects on the emotional, physical, and social wellbeing of students, weight stigma and anti‐fat attitudes are rarely systematically addressed in schools or within school psychology. Weight‐based oppression is regarded differently than other domains of prejudice. Therefore, implicit and explicit bias continue unimpeded, even when practitioners are attentive to other areas of social injustice. Mental health providers serving schools must acknowledge the prevalence of weight stigma and fatphobia to reduce their deleterious and oppressive effects. This conceptual paper outlines the underpinnings of weight stigma, overviews the necessity of addressing it and body image in educational settings, incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives, and proposes a justice‐oriented shift in the conceptualization of weight status within school psychological service delivery.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports: An Ecological Approach to School Psychology Service Delivery

Introduction: School psychologists work to support the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional well-being of students in schools. Their roles have become increasingly diverse in recent years due to the implementation of Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS) frameworks in schools throughout the United States. Statement of the Problem: Despite a national shortage of school psychologists, psychology students are often unaware of the profession or may have an outdated understanding of the role of school psychologists. Psychology students may also be unfamiliar with the MTSS framework, which promotes research-based, data-driven, equitable, and culturally responsive practices through a systemic, ecological approach to service delivery in schools. Literature Review: We review the main components of a typical MTSS prevention and intervention framework and describe the various roles of school psychologists and other key stakeholders within this model. Teaching Implications: This review and supporting resources can be used to introduce the field of school psychology to students. Additionally, it can be used to generate discussions regarding the provision of evidence-based and equitable academic and psychological services to students in the school through an ecological model. Conclusion: This article will help students gain an understanding of school psychologists’ roles within a current MTSS educational service delivery model.

School stakeholders do not “just leave their religious beliefs at home”: An exploratory study of school psychologists’ professional experiences

ABSTRACT Psychology scholars developed sixteen religious/spiritual practice competencies to guide psychologists’ professional endeavors. Though school psychology is a relatively unique subfield of practice, scholars have not examined the practical application of the competencies within school psychological service delivery. We explored how the practice competencies were reflected in school psychologists’ professional experiences by examining archival data from a larger qualitative study. Fifteen school psychologists were interviewed for the larger study. However, we analyzed the experiences of the ten school psychologists who referenced religion/spirituality during their individual interviews using secondary data analysis. Given that the original study was centered on school-based consultation, we also used elements of the Multicultural School Consultation framework to understand aspects of the participants’ professional experiences that were not aligned with the sixteen religious/spiritual competencies. Findings show that several competencies were reflected in the participants’ descriptions of their interactions with spiritual/religious students, whereas some of their experiences (e.g., consulting with religious teachers) were less connected to the established competencies and more connected to Ingraham’s MSC framework. Hence, we discuss the utility of the current competencies in the field of school psychology and provide directions for future research.

An Examination Of The Roles Of State School Psychology Consultants

With the increasing visibility of state school psychology consultants (SSPCs) across the nation, there is a pressing need to understand their roles and functions relative to serving their stakeholders. In addition, it is unclear whether current SSPC job responsibilities are aligned with the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) practice model, which can help ensure the quality of school psychological service delivery. A qualitative case study design was conducted with interviews to examine the job responsibilities of SSPCs (e.g., provision of consultation, policy guidance, professional development, coordination of professional resources and services). The qualitative analysis revealed three main themes: (a) service provision, (b) collaborative roles and efforts, and (c) systems improvement across the state, which were aligned with different levels of domains in the NASP practice model. The findings can help inform the roles and responsibilities of SSPCs and the development of new SSPC functions. Implications for conceptualization of the SSPC initiative in relation to the NASP practice model for future practice are discussed.

Expanding School Psychology Service Delivery Within the Context of National Health and Mental Health Reform

As a result of comprehensive health care reform, most recently the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; 2010), there has been an increase in health and mental health services available ...

Using Consultee-Centered Consultation with Teachers in a Contemporary School Setting to Inform Culturally Responsive Practice

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) describes consultation as a practice that permeates all aspects of school psychological service delivery, and school consultation is increasingly recognized as a central and essential feature of practice in school-based problem-solving paradigms. This research examined teachers’ experiences with and perceptions of consultation with graduate school psychology student consultants and utilized a hybrid model methodology that combined qualitative interviews and single-case research within a single investigation allowing insight into the complexity of schools (Kratochwill and Stoiber, School Psychology Review, 29(4): 591–603, 2000). This research examined the cultural and contextual factors that bear on consultation processes, intervention implementation, and student academic and behavioral outcomes in a contemporary school setting. A second aim was to study the effectiveness of and reported satisfaction with consultee-centered consultation (CCC). Teacher voices suggest a need for an expanded solution-focused consultation model with enhanced focus on teacher perceived need and relationships. AB case data provide preliminary support for CCC approaches as culturally responsive in a contemporary school setting.

Bilingual School Psychology: Challenges and Opportunities

National demographics clearly demonstrate that children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds are on the rise. Many regions in the United States are experiencing unprecedented growth in English language learner (ELL) populations without adequately trained personnel to serve this unique population. Unfortunately, the demographic makeup of school psychologists has not kept up. There is a documented shortage of bilingual school psychologists. This shortage has created a gap in service delivery for children and families that are not native English speakers. With the increased demand in bilingual school psychology service delivery, challenges in training standards, recruitment, definitions in bilingualism, and certification/licensing have become evident. Although scholarship and research are limited, this article reviews the literature on bilingual school psychology, implications for practice, and highlights the challenges and opportunities in solidifying this unique specialty.

Privileged communication in the school psychologist–client relationship

AbstractIn the years since the 1996 Supreme Court Jaffee v. Redmond decision, many states broadened the scope of their laws governing privilege to include non‐doctoral school psychologists. This article addresses the meaning of the term privileged communication and identifies common exceptions to privilege. Findings from a computerized search of the status of privileged communication between school psychologists and their clients in all states are reported. Implications of privilege communication laws for the delivery of school psychological services are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Family-School Partnership: An Opportunity to Promote the Learning Competence of All Students.

Abstract. In this article, family--school partnerships are discussed as a viable and essential way to increase the opportunities and supports for all students to enhance their learning progress and meet the recent demands of schooling inherent in accountability systems and most notably of Title I No Child Left Behind legislation. School psychologists are encouraged to make the family--school partnership a priority by collaborating with school personnel to (a) apply principles from systems-ecological theory to children's learning; (b) maintain an opportunity-oriented, persistent focus when working with youth and families living in challenging situations; and (c) attend to the process of partnering with families. Example opportunities for school psychologists to make this partnership a priority for children's academic, social, and emotional learning are delineated. ********** As I reflect on the past two decades of research and practices with respect to family involvement in education, I am reminded of a Charles Dickens (1859) phrase from A Tale of Two Cities, was the of times, it was the of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ... (p. 1). The best of times is reflected in an increased awareness of the (a) effect of family influences on and contributions by families to children's educational outcomes; (b) conceptual models for family involvement; (c) importance of establishing shared goals and monitoring child success; (d) characteristics of constructive, collaborative relationships; and (e) variety of home- and school-based activities to engage families in education (Chen, 2001; Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Comer, Haynes, Joyner, & Ben-Avie, 1996; Epstein, 1995; Henderson & Mapp, 2002; Nord & West, 2001; Sheridan, Kratochwill, & Bergan, 1996; Swap, 1993). It is noteworthy that previous efforts to examine school psychological service delivery at invited conferences (Brown, Cardon, Coulter, & Meyers, 1982; Ysseldyke & Weinberg, 1981) and publications (Talley, Kubiszyn, Brassard, & Short, 1996) have highlighted the seminal role of parents for students' school success. At the beginning of the 21st century, our myriad efforts as a discipline--researchers, trainers, and practitioners--have resulted in the family--school partnership being recognized as salient for positive developmental and learning outcomes of children and youth. (1) The worst of times is evident in the disconnect of the two primary socializing agents for educational success. This disconnect is seen daily across our schools in (a) predominant use of the school-to-home transmission model (Swap, 1993); (b) the extreme social and physical distance between some educators and families; (c) diminished resources for implementing family--school programs; (d) challenges reaching all families; (e) challenges related to addressing the needs of non-English speaking families and children identified as English Language Learners (ELL); and (f) too little focus on the interaction process that yields a strong relationship as various interventions are implemented (Christenson & Sheridan, 2001; Liontos, 1992). Although shared responsibility across home and school for educational outcomes is the rhetoric, school policies and practices are not always aligned with this notion. I suspect an analysis of current assessment and intervention practices would reveal infrequent use of those that focus on home and school as contexts for children's development and learning. Our Challenge as a Discipline Educators often ask: How can schools get families to support their values and practices? Coincidentally, families often ask: How can families get schools to be responsive to their needs and aspirations for their children? Less often educators and families ask: How can we work together to promote the educational experiences and performance of students or this student? …

A contextual and methodological perspective on the evidence-based intervention movement within school psychology in the United States

AbstractIn this article, we consider contextual and methodological issues for moving the profession of educational and school psychology toward embracing evidence-based interventions. We specifically examine how the context of schools relates to issues in advancing research that enable educational and school psychologists to enhance critical outcomes for children and families in the areas of prevention and intervention. Following a contextual perspective on the application of evidence-based approaches, we discuss a conceptual schema for evaluating current research. We also illustrate how this framework can be used for guiding future prevention and intervention research. In addition, we examine the need for embracing evidence-based practices as a means to improve school psychology service delivery in the US. The article concludes by summarising important issues for developing a meaningful evidence-based framework that both reflects sound methodology and the context of school-based prevention and intervention research.

Considerations of Multiculturalism and Diversity in Behavioral Consultation with Parents and Teachers

Behavioral consultation and its variants (including conjoint behavioral consultation; CBC) represent common school psychological service delivery options. Although much research has been conducted supporting their efficacy, there is no empirical base supporting their use in multicultural situations or when one or more participants represent diversity. In this article, a working definition of multicultural CBC is offered. Furthermore, structural and relational issues that may develop when working with culturally diverse students and their families are explored.

The Evolution of Behavior Consultation

The traditional characteristics and evolution of the behavioral consultation model in terms of research, theory, and practice are discussed. A description of how the model has been utilized in schools, within the context of school psychological service delivery, is also provided. Finally, current conceptualizations of the model are provided to demonstrate how it might be used to meet current challenges in the school-family-community context of consultation services.

Psychological Consultation and Head Start

Head Start programs do not necessarily provide psychological consultation services, but Denver, Colorado, programs do offer such services. This study considered the nature and extent of the Denver Head Start preschool psychological services by examining 510 psychological service case records. Research questions focused on discerning the average age at which children in this population are referred for psychological services, the referral questions most frequently posed, the similarities and differences in the concerns of the family and Head Start staff, psychological service actions initiated, and the goals/progress of the consultation. The results reveal the nature and extent of psychological consultation with this population. Implications are drawn for school psychological service delivery and training school psychologists.

Impact of a district-wide behavioral consultation prereferral intervention service on patterns of school psychological service delivery.

Impact of a district-wide behavioral consultation prereferral intervention service on patterns of school psychological service delivery.

Engineering new designs for school psychological service delivery: A commentary on School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice..

Engineering new designs for school psychological service delivery: A commentary on School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice..

Toward an interfacing of Hispanic cultural variables with school psychology service delivery systems.

Toward an interfacing of Hispanic cultural variables with school psychology service delivery systems.

Toward an interfacing of Hispanic cultural variables with school psychology service delivery systems.

Toward an interfacing of Hispanic cultural variables with school psychology service delivery systems.

Sources for the Delivery of School Psychological Services During 1890 - 1930

(1985). Sources for the Delivery of School Psychological Services During 1890 - 1930. School Psychology Review: Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 378-382.

A Case Study Method of Assessing Consumer Satisfaction with School Psychology Services

Regular education, elementary level teachers (N=73) in a midwestern state completed a 22-item questionnaire assessing teacher satisfaction with school psychology service delivery in five areas: con...