Role Of Paraprofessionals Research Articles

The modern role of paraprofessionals in delivering brief psychological interventions

AbstractThe increasing global demand for mental health services, compounded by the COVID‐19 pandemic, has spurred innovative approaches. Among these, the utilisation of paraprofessionals for delivering brief psychological interventions (BPIs) is gaining significant traction across diverse settings and populations. Paraprofessionals (individuals equipped with specialised mental health training but lacking formal qualifications) have emerged as a valuable resource. They have the potential to offer cost‐effective, culturally sensitive and readily accessible support. The integration of paraprofessionals into various healthcare settings, such as inpatient psychiatric units and primary care clinics, underscores their potential to enhance holistic well‐being and early intervention. This integration not only lightens the load on licensed therapists but also broadens access to services while reducing treatment costs. At a global scale, paraprofessionals, armed with local knowledge and community connections, play a pivotal role in improving mental health outcomes among underserved populations. Furthermore, the rise of telemental health, an increasingly crucial aspect of mental healthcare, presents new avenues for paraprofessionals to deliver psychological care. Despite their potential, paraprofessionals encounter challenges related to work‐life balance, boundary‐setting and the stigma attached to their roles. Their integration into healthcare systems requires clear roles and responsibilities, along with continuous support to ensure effective intervention and the well‐being of both providers and recipients. Further research and development are necessary to harness their full potential and meet the increasing demand for accessible mental health services.

Military behavioral health technicians: Multiple relationship dilemmas and recommendations for supervision.

Enlisted behavioral health technicians (BHTs) in the military provide behavioral health care to service members worldwide under the supervision of licensed providers. Given their paraprofessional role, BHTs serve in close social and personal proximity to their patient population and may be at risk for engaging in multiple relationships. In order to guide supervision of BHTs, a framework should be leveraged that examines power differentials, the duration of treatment, the nature of termination, the compatibility of multiple roles, supervisor consultation, and informed consent. Several illustrative scenarios are provided to demonstrate the utilization of this model in a manner that is sensitive to the unique nature of BHTs serving in the military cultural setting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Professional Development and Use of Evidence-Based Practice in Autism Early Intervention

We investigated the experiences of Australian autism early intervention service providers, including the professional development they receive on the job and how they translate research evidence into their practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 providers drawn from three locations. Participants described the crucial role of paraprofessionals in early intervention services, and indicated that, within multidisciplinary teams, allied health professionals, and teachers are the ones who select intervention practices and upskill paraprofessionals. Furthermore, participants reported using practices supported by research evidence, but also some emerging and unsupported practices. The use of unsupported practices is examined in light of the daily challenges faced by centers. Results may inform further professional development in early intervention services for children on the autism spectrum, to support the best possible outcomes for this population. The findings highlight the potential need for job-embedded hands-on professional development conducted in real time.

Diverging Discourses: Animal Health Challenges and Veterinary Care in Northern Uganda.

People in northern Uganda are currently rebuilding their lives after a lengthy period of conflict. To facilitate this, the Ugandan government and donors have promoted investment in pigs as an important strategy for generating income quickly and ensuring livelihood security. In this context, animal health issues are an acknowledged challenge, creating uncertainty for animal owners who risk losing both their animals and income. This paper draws on policy documents guiding the veterinary sector, interviews with faculty staff at Makerere University and with veterinarians and paraprofessionals in northern Uganda, and ethnographic fieldwork in smallholder communities. The aims of this study were to contribute to an understanding of the structure of veterinary support and its dominant development narratives in policy and veterinary education and of the way in which dominant discourses and practices affect smallholders' ability to treat sick animals. Particular attention was paid to the role of paraprofessionals, here referring to actors with varied levels of training who provide animal health services mainly in rural areas. The results suggest that veterinary researchers, field veterinarians and government officials in agricultural policy share a common discourse in which making smallholders more business-minded and commercializing smallholder production are important elements in reducing rural poverty in Uganda. This way of framing smallholder livestock production overlooks other important challenges faced by smallholders in their livestock production, as well as alternative views of agricultural development. The public veterinary sector is massively under-resourced; thus while inadequately trained paraprofessionals and insufficient veterinary support currently present a risks to animal health, paraprofessionals fulfill an important role for smallholders unable to access the public veterinary sector. The dominant discourse framing paraprofessionals as “quacks” tends to downplay how important they are to smallholders by mainly highlighting the negative outcomes for animal healthcare resulting from their lack of formalized training. The conclusions of this study are that both animal health and smallholders' livelihoods would benefit from closer collaboration between veterinarians and paraprofessionals and from a better understanding of smallholders' needs.

Tips for Special Education Teachers to Create Effective Partnerships With Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals are often assigned to work one-on-one with students with disabilities and are often assigned to support students with extensive support needs in general education classrooms. Paraprofessionals have been found to enact effective practices only when given clearly defined roles and provided with direction around enacting these roles. We describe tangible ways special education teachers can create more effective partnerships with paraprofessionals to better support students. Specifically, we discuss ways to clearly define roles and responsibilities, how to embed training and support, ideas to engage in proactive scheduling to better support students, and ways to purposefully collaborate and build capacity to maximize the role of paraprofessionals.

Deskilling of Teaching and the Case for Intelligent Tutoring Systems

This essay describes trends in the organization of work that have laid the groundwork for the adoption of interactive AI-driven instruction tools, and the technological innovations that will make intelligent tutoring systems truly competitive with human teachers. Since the origin of occupational specialization, the collection and transmission of knowledge have been tied to individual careers and job roles, specifically doctors, teachers, clergy, and lawyers, the paradigmatic knowledge professionals. But these roles have also been tied to texts and organizations that can disseminate knowledge independently from professionals. Professionals and organizations turn knowledge into texts and tools that enable lay people to access knowledge without the intermediation of professionals or organizations. In the 21st century, one emerging tool for transmitting knowledge is the intelligent tutoring system. This paper examines how technological, epistemic, and economic trends in education are supporting the routinization, proletarianization, and automation of the occupation of teaching, leading to the increasing substitution of intelligent tutoring systems for human instruction.
 Some trends, such as standardized curricula and testing, both restrict teachers’ professional autonomy and facilitate the creation of pedagogical tools. Other trends reduce teachers’ ability to resist automation. The growth of adjunct teaching and paraprofessional roles in higher education allows organizations to take over and rationalize parts of the traditional teacher role. Faculty evaluations and learning outcomes assessment weaken professional claims to be the sole arbiters of instructional quality and student learning. The widespread use of intelligent tutoring systems also depends on the sophistication of software capable of performing the social-emotional and cognitive roles that educators perform. Eventually, pedagogical software will be able to interactively individualize curricula to the needs and interests of every learner, more cheaply, quickly, and accurately than any human teacher. Assessment of learning will be continuous, and certification of learning will be for specific skills instead of broad area competencies. Intelligent tutoring systems will help transition education from its medieval and industrial-era model to more accessible and flexible continuing education for employment and life enrichment.

A mixed‐method study of paraprofessional roles, professional development, and needs for training in elementary schools

AbstractParaprofessionals are critical school staff often responsible for students with or at risk for academic, behavioral, and social impairments. However, research on paraprofessional roles, professional development, and training needs is very limited. The present mixed‐method study seeks to fill this gap by examining the student populations served, paraprofessionals' reported work setting, available professional development, and training needs. In a sample of 215 paraprofessionals from 62 schools, results indicated that paraprofessionals deliver interventions and supports to individual and small groups of students, often serve students who exhibit disruptive classroom behavior, and students who are eligible for special education services. Work setting consists primarily of a single classroom (general or special education) with multiple students. Paraprofessionals reported receiving 1–2 h of workshop‐based professional development per year which is not job‐embedded in the classroom settings. Nearly all participants reported the need for additional training in one or more topic areas with behavior management strategies, the most frequently identified are of training need. Implications for practice are discussed.

Enhancing significant role of paraprofessionals in enabling Samagra Shisha Abhiyan Scheme among of students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive classroom settings in Idukki district of Kerala

Enhancing significant role of paraprofessionals in enabling Samagra Shisha Abhiyan Scheme among of students with intellectual disabilities in inclusive classroom settings in Idukki district of Kerala

Exploring the workforce experiences of autistic librarians through accessible and participatory approaches

Understanding job seeking and workforce experiences of autistic adults in librarianship may help to create more inclusive practices in the field. However, the topic largely remains unexplored. This may be in part due to traditional research practices that do little to encourage meaningful participation from autistic adults. Ten interviews were conducted with autistic librarians in professional and paraprofessional roles about their workforce experiences, using inclusive, accessible measures and providing options for communication and participation. Findings reveal common themes for autistic librarians in the workforce, and also lead to implications for research involving members of the population. Based on findings, guidelines for future research are presented. By moving toward a more accessible, participatory research approach, qualitative studies can gain a better understanding of participants' lived experiences while producing work with practical implications for members of the population itself.

In between special needs teachers and students: paraprofessionals work in self-contained classrooms for students with intellectual disabilities in Sweden

ABSTRACT Based on street-level bureaucracy, this study investigates the paraprofessional role and assignments in self-contained classrooms for students with intellectual disabilities in Sweden. The research design contains a mixed method approach using a digital questionnaire for paraprofessionals (N = 60) and semi-structured interviews with four special teachers and five paraprofessionals. The results demonstrate that paraprofessionals cooperate with special needs teachers and have a supportive role working with students throughout the day. A lack of support for paraprofessionals’ professional development and few opportunities for them to co-plan, co-teach and co-assess with special needs teachers is said to hinder this advancement. The complexity of being both an educator in the classroom and a caregiver taking the responsibility for students’ wellbeing, peer-to-peer relations and care orientated work tasks are discussed.

An inquiry into the blurring boundaries between professionals and paraprofessionals in Dutch courts and the public prosecution service

AbstractThe autonomous position of legal professionals is no longer self-evident. Professionals are under increased pressure to reform. This phenomenon is not only true for legal professionals. A broader trend – which is recognised for the medical profession, academic profession and alike – is that paraprofessionals are gaining a more prominent position. In this paper, we focus on the developments in the Dutch public justice system. We conduct a case-study on the role of paraprofessionals in courts and in the public prosecution service – two understudied legal institutions in this regard. By drawing on empirical data unfolding the working routine of the judiciary and the prosecution service, we find two paradigms that define the thinking about professionalism: a traditional ‘pure professional’ paradigm and a new, more hybrid paradigm that includes (policy-based) managerial thinking. The latter appears to be enhanced by a New Public Management (NPM) approach within these institutions. Although we observe resistance among (para)professionals towards professional changes and ambiguity in the relationships between professionals and paraprofessionals, we also observe that managerialism has changed the work processes and the division of labour between professionals and paraprofessionals.

A Community-Based Organization Model to Promote Latinx Immigrant Mental Health Through Advocacy Skills and Universal Parenting Supports.

The unique mental health context of children in Latinx immigrant families calls for innovative community-based intervention strategies. We use an ecological public health approach to highlight the importance of community-based organization (CBO) settings, the critical role of community-based paraprofessionals (i.e., non-clinicians, near-peers) and capacity-building, and the expansion of mental health promotion strategies to include realistic, day-to-day supports for Latinx immigrant parents and families. This realigns mental health with the goals and mission of trusted spaces, like CBOs, that can offer more equitable and non-stigmatized access for Latinx immigrant families. We draw upon two strength-based and empowerment-focused interventions that utilize community-based workforces to promote positive parenting skills (Partners Achieving Student Success-PASS; Mehta et al., 2019) and self-advocacy skills (Community Advocacy Project-CAP; Sullivan & Bybee, 1999) to provide the conceptual framework for Family Mental Health Advocacy (FMHA). FMHA aligns mental health promotion with the advocacy mission of CBOs, engages CBO staff with feasible mental health "messages," and empowers immigrant parents as critical change agents in the lives of their children. We acknowledge the challenges associated with implementing mental health promotion strategies and providing workforce support, as well as the importance of local and national policy influences.

EDUCATIONAL PARAPROFESSIONALS: UNDERPAID, UNDERVALUED AND NOW OVER HERE

ABSTRACT Educational paraprofessionals have had an increased presence in English state schools since the first decade of the 21st century, but research has been limited in terms of who undertakes paraprofessional roles, what they entail and how such work is perceived by others. This paper compares one such paraprofessional role, the learning mentor, with the ‘community agent’, found in the United States of America during the 1960 s. It identifies a number of similarities around the lived experience of this work in terms of status, career progression and policy assumptions about the efficacy of these roles. It argues that a historical analysis is invaluable in gaining a more complete understanding of how such roles have an air of impermanency, are subject to the vagaries of policy but nevertheless continue to be recycled as a limited and partial response to deepening social and educational inequalities.

Policy, Preparation, and Practice . . . Oh My! Current Policy Regarding the Paraprofessional Role and Preparation for Working With Students With Disabilities

Over the past two decades, the paraprofessional role has expanded to include a variety of support roles in both general and special education. Although the most recent 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) addressed the necessity of paraprofessional preparation, training, and supervision, the field of education continues to struggle with incorporating these necessary components. In this article, we summarize current policies and standards, both state and federal, for training paraprofessionals in special education. Next, we provide possible recommendations for policy, practice, and future research to ensure the preparation of paraprofessionals and ultimately, the success of students who have disabilities.

Training paraprofessionals who work with students with intellectual and developmental disabilities: What does the research say?

AbstractFederal law allows for paraprofessionals to provide instruction to students with developmental disabilities if they are adequately trained and supervised, but how to best provide this training and support remains unclear. In this paper, we update a systematic review of experimental studies that test the efficacy of paraprofessional‐implemented interventions for students with developmental disabilities. We identified 36 studies published 2012–2019. An exciting development is that some researchers are shifting to testing teacher‐implemented training, therefore beginning to address important questions about the feasibility of widespread implementation under real‐world conditions. Based on findings across studies, recommendations for practice include that (a) paraprofessional roles be well‐defined and focused on the implementation of evidence‐based practices; (b) paraprofessional training should feature modeling, an implementation checklist, and performance feedback that is sustained over time; and (c) administrators should ensure that teachers have the time and support that are required for effective paraprofessional training and supervision.

Leadership Development in Paraprofessional Roles.

Paraprofessional leadership development is essential to prepare students for success in their future careers. Utilizing two extensive case studies, this chapter serves as a guide for practitioners to consider when redesigning the experiences of paraprofessional students.

A Scoping Review of the Role and Training of Para-professionals Delivering Psychological Interventions for Adults with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Background: The delivery of interventions for traumatic stress disorders by paraprofessionals is of interest across mental health systems as decision-makers work to meet growing need for services and demand for evidence-based care. Given the need for any system change to reflect scientific evidence, our scoping review aimed to identify and summarize the research on paraprofessional-delivered trauma-focused psychological interventions for adults, with a particular focus on the role and training of paraprofessionals. Method: We searched seven databases for peerreviewed published studies that employed controlled trial designs to evaluate paraprofessional-led interventions for traumatic stress. Using Covidence software, we completed iterative eligibility screening and extracted study data. Descriptive statistics were used to identify trends and gaps in the literature and inform synthesis of findings. Results: Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. The majority of studies (71%; 10/14) evaluated interventions that were delivered face-to-face across a diverse patient populations and clinical contexts. Training of paraprofessionals ranged in length from two training sessions (approx. 16 hours) to a 6-week full day, in-person course. Ongoing supervision of paraprofessionals during the intervention was reported in 64% (9/14) of the studies, but few details of supervision processes were reported. Conclusion: Paraprofessionals are taking on therapeutic roles in the delivery of trauma-focused psychological interventions but there are significant knowledge gaps around training and supervision they require. Lack of consensus on the defining characteristics of a “paraprofessional” makes synthesizing this literature particularly challenging.

PPR control and eradication programme in Afghanistan: The role of veterinary para-professionals in successful implementation

PPR control and eradication programme in Afghanistan: The role of veterinary para-professionals in successful implementation

Residence Life, Men, and Masculinities: Recruitment, Training, and Administrative Processes

AbstractAuthors examine how interrogating hegemonic gender roles can enhance recruitment, training, and engagement practices for residence life staff in leadership positions. Under specific focus are issues of gendered expectations of the men as paraprofessional role, dynamics in supervision, recruitment and training of staff, and bystander intervention in the residential community.

A qualitative study to explore paraprofessionals' role in school-based prevention and early intervention mental health services.

This study explored the role of paraprofessionals within a school-based prevention and early intervention program to promote children's engagement in learning and positive parenting practices. Study aims were designed to understand how paraprofessionals perceive their role in high-need communities and how they define their work within schools. Two focus groups were conducted with school family liaisons (SFLs) during the 2015-2016 school year. Transcribed audio recordings were coded using thematic analysis wherein 2 authors coded independently, followed by audited discussion and final consensus codes. SFLs acknowledged the importance of serving high-need communities and relationship building was central to their role. They leveraged contextual knowledge (culture, language, and neighborhood) to engage parents, allowing them to serve as effective advocates for parents/families in the school setting. Findings support the importance of paraprofessionals in prevention-focused services and highlight how leveraging shared experiences and prioritizing relationship building facilitates their work as advocates within schools.