School Psychology Practice Research Articles

Incorporating physical activity in mental health intervention service delivery: School psychologists’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Literature continues to suggest that physical activity is a viable modality in promoting positive mental health outcomes among youth. School psychologists may be well-positioned to incorporate physical activity within school-based mental health intervention service delivery. This study explores school psychologists’ perspectives of using physical activity as a mechanism to support the mental health of students. Twenty practicing school psychologists participated in semi-structured focus groups and shared their perspectives on facilitators and barriers of promoting physical activity in schools to enhance mental health outcomes. Analytically, this study employed a grounded theory approach to yield themes that provide insight into the intersection of school psychology and physical activity. Results suggest that when school and district leaders prioritize using physical activity to promote mental health, this can in turn foster the development of (a) structures to foster such initiatives, (b) data collection and data-based decision-making efforts, and, in turn (c) effective and targeted interventions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

The School Psychology Shortage and its Impact on Family-Based Programming

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) emphasizes the role of school psychologists across a variety of domains, including engaging with families across multiple tiers of support (NASP, 2010a). However, the national school psychology shortage, leading school psychologists to work across various schools, may play a large role in the ability to work with families successfully and provide them with appropriate supports in the school setting. This study investigated the relationship between the current number of schools served by school psychologists, the availability of family-based engagement and intervention programs, and those responsible for implementing such programs. Survey results from 232 practicing school psychologists indicated 75% serve multiple schools. The number of schools served significantly related to the availability of parent education programs in schools, as well as those responsible for implementing parent education, parent involvement, and parent training programs. Other school-based professionals, such as teachers, school counselors, school social workers, and practicum students, were responsible for implementation when school psychologists were serving multiple campuses. Implications for training and future research are discussed.

Supporting Muslim refugee youth during displacement: Implications for international school psychologists

School psychologists around the world have an important role in advocating for refugee youth, including Muslim refugees who experience increased risk for mental health issues due to discrimination. There are few studies, however, that have examined the resiliency factors that impact Muslim refugee youth’s well-being. This qualitative research study investigated these factors through the voices of humanitarian workers who are the primary source of support for these youth during displacement. Humanitarian workers ( N = 28 ) were recruited using snowball sampling through organizations that serve refugee youth and families during displacement. Using a recursive thematic process, we identified four main themes associated with risk factors: (1) gender norm expectations, (2) challenges in help-seeking, (3) unsafe climate and limited resources, and (4) challenges in collaborating with family. We also identified two main themes of protective factors: (1) faith and culture, and (2) family, peer, and community connections. We discussed these themes in the context of school psychological practice and provided specific recommendations for international school psychologists who support Muslim refugee students.

Lost Sleep: the Lack of Sleep Education and Training in School Psychology

Insufficient sleep is common among school-attending youth and has been associated with academic, cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioral functioning. Despite these associations, it is believed that few school psychologists are prepared to identify, assess, or treat sleep problems manifested in the K-12 setting. However, no published research has explored the prevalence of behavioral sleep medicine training in the field of school psychology. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the current prevalence of behavioral sleep medicine training in school psychology graduate programs, including the prevalence of school psychologists who screen for sleep problems and assess or treat youth sleep disorders in the K-12 setting. Practicing school psychologists (n = 100) were recruited via state school psychology associations and school psychology graduate educators (n = 59; 29.4% response rate) were recruited via e-mail by the primary author. Those who self-selected to participate completed an online survey via Qualtrics. Findings show that 8.5% of surveyed graduate programs offer formal training in behavioral sleep medicine with 80% of surveyed school psychologists never receiving any classroom instruction in behavioral sleep medicine. Additionally, 77% of school psychologists reported never screening for sleep disorders, 79% reported not assessing for sleep disorders during special education evaluations, and 88% reported not treating sleep disorders in the school setting. The majority of school psychologists reported absent or minimal knowledge about how to assess or treat sleep disorders. Findings suggest minimal training in, and practice of, behavioral sleep medicine in the field of school psychology. Opportunities for greater integration are discussed.

Knowledge of Trauma-Informed Care Among Graduate Students in School Psychology

Current research highlights the need for trauma-informed care within schools, yet the literature suggests that many practicing school psychologists feel underprepared to engage in such practices. Very few studies have examined the preparedness of school psychology graduate students to engage in trauma-informed care practices. This is unfortunate, as school psychologists are uniquely prepared to play a central role in trauma-informed school-based practices. In the current study, graduate students in school psychology programs in the Northeastern United States completed an online survey examining their knowledge, beliefs, competencies, and anticipated preparedness and willingness to engage in trauma-informed practices within the schools. Most participants felt minimal to adequate preparedness to engage in trauma-informed care practices. Implications for graduate training and field-based work are discussed.

Contributing to an Evidence-Based Practice in Canadian School Psychology

The Canadian Journal of School Psychology has established itself as one of the leading scholarly journals in the profession of school psychology. In addition to promoting a Canada-wide version of professional school psychology, CJSP will continue to be an international leader for innovation and contributions to creating an evidence-based profession. CJSP will continue to publish the highest quality research and scholarship that contributes to the practice of school psychology, supports professionals working in schools and clinics, and presents new approaches to support the mental health, learning, and development of children and adolescents. The accomplishments and contents from 2020 are reviewed and a roadmap is described for the future of CJSP.

Critical Issues in the Training of Bilingual School Psychologists

There are over five million bilingual learners in the US public school system as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (2020) and this number has increased dramatically over the past several decades. Shortages of well-trained bilingual school psychologists (BSP) can negatively influence the provision of culturally and linguistically responsive services, contribute to potential misidentification or delayed special education identification of bilingual learners, and reduce home-school collaboration among bilingual families. The training of BSPs is complex, and there are currently no professional standards for competencies required for this specialized profession. This article provides a research-based review of recommended training components for BSPs. Most importantly, a foundational training in cultural responsiveness, advocacy, and equity must permeate all training. BSPs must also have advanced language proficiency in another language that aligns with the provision of school psychology practice. Recommended competencies for BSPs in the areas of assessment, counseling, intervention, and consultation are provided as well as suggestions for supervision and field-based experiences. Implications for the field of bilingual school psychology are provided as well as areas for future research.

Special Education Evaluation Practices and Procedures: Implications for Referral and Eligibility Decision-making

Special education service provision depends upon referral for evaluation, corresponding evaluation procedures, and resulting eligibility decisions. However, how school districts and decision-makers (e.g., school psychologists) apply special education evaluation procedural rules is largely unknown. Through a survey of practicing school psychologists, the current study examined the most common special education referral concerns, multidisciplinary team (MDT) members’ roles in eligibility decision-making, the value of various assessment data sources in determining special education eligibility, and differences in those variables across participants’ years of experience, degree level, and geographic region. Participants reported that reading was the most common special education referral, school psychologists primarily made special education eligibility decisions with some input from other MDT members, and test scores were the most valued source of assessment data in determining special education eligibility. There were no reported differences in these variables across degree or US geographic region, but there were differences in reported perceptions of the most important sources of assessment data across years of experience. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

How the history of American Psychological Association Division 16 can shape the future of school psychology: Demonstrating organizational transformation.

Over the past 75 years, the history of Division 16 (School Psychology) has been integral to the science and practice of school psychology. As a constituent body of the American Psychological Association (APA), the division has advocated for role definitions and professional boundaries within APA and has represented the specialty of school psychology within the larger community of psychology. Since the convening of school psychology's Thayer Conference in 1955, the division has remained steadfastly committed to promoting the well-being of children. Toward this end, Division 16 has negotiated entry level debates between APA and the broad specialty of school psychology, sustained partnerships within and among APA and other organizations representing school mental health, elevated the place of technology in the profession of school psychology, and promoted the central importance of cultural competence and diversity within the discipline. The past contributions of Division 16 shape the future of the profession and the division in ways that are consistent with and add to Conoley, Power, and Gutkin's (2020) recommendations for strengthening school psychology's contributions to psychological health promotion and risk reduction in schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction to special issue on the history of the future of proactive school psychology: Transcending the past, excelling in the present, and transforming the future.

This Special Issue celebrates the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association. As part of this milestone celebration, we envisioned a field that could be changed by transcending the past, excelling in the present, and transforming the future. We identified a seminal article written by Conoley and Gutkin (1995) that advocated for the implementation of a systemic, prevention-oriented, ecological framework that would allow school psychology to realize its promise. Conoley, Powers, and Gutkin (2020) provided a synopsis of progress and stagnation in a new paper that served as the nexus from which invited authors were asked to respond, each representing a different aspect of school psychology practice, science, and training. In light of the division anniversary, authors described the historical context of their domain, reflected on the present, and shared recommendations for the future of school psychology. Collectively these contributions discussed school psychology's achievement to date, identify its shortfalls, and offer actionable suggestions for future school psychologists. Transformation is critical now more than ever in light of current health and world concerns and school psychology training and practice issues related to social justice and psychological and educational change. School psychologists are called to become proactive agents of change if we are to help heal our fractured and wounded world. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

From traditional practice to tiered comprehensive services for all: Developing a responsive school culture for the future.

In this article, we reflect on the evolution of school psychology practice from the past to the present, and share some thoughts about the future. Although school psychology programs provide training in consultation, prevention, social emotional development, counseling, and mental health interventions, school psychology practice is still dominated by assessment, and the specialty has yet to live up to its promise to address the multiple needs of an increasingly diverse student population. Today's practitioners need to be skilled in systems-level programing that is informed by cultural awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary to responsibly work toward the best outcomes for students and families from all cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds. As the demand for mental health and other services in schools continues to increase, we argue for a wholescale adoption of culturally adapted evidence-based practices to address the expanding role of school-based practice. Finally, we offer considerations from the social psychology literature that will help school psychologists prioritize behavioral health while also reducing disparities in educational attainment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Infusing global and intercultural perspectives to transform school psychology and school psychologists.

School psychology has been criticized for limited attention to and limited evidence-based resources for diverse populations in domestic and international settings, in part because of its foundations on psychological knowledge generated primarily in North America and Western Europe. Moreover, in the past 25 years, the profession has made insufficient progress in changing its focus toward an ecological systems perspective as initially envisioned by Conoley and Gutkin in 1995 and revisited in this issue. In this article, we embrace and expand that vision to include the infusion of global and intercultural perspectives into school psychology research, training, practice, policy, and advocacy as a means to address cultural diversity within local contexts across the globe, with a particular focus on school psychology within the United States. We begin with a discussion of terminology that addresses international and cross-cultural issues related to diversity. We then examine past and present perspectives and approaches to cultural diversity and globalization within school psychology and propose future directions for research, training, practice, policy, and advocacy within a global-intercultural perspective. We conclude with our reflections about transforming school psychology and school psychologists. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

How is school psychology doing: Why hasn't school psychology realized its promise?

We take a look back to 1995 when Conoley and Gutkin shared their vision for an adult-focused practice of school psychology with a primary focus on developing health-promoting systems for schoolage children. We then look to the present to what has happened and not happened to substantiate their vision. We found very encouraging developments and continuing challenges in the research targets and practice roles of school psychologists. There is no shortage of evidence-based strategies to improve the school experience of all children. The opportunities offered by, for example, the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support paradigm are promising, but it is unclear whether school psychologists are assuming leadership roles in this work. Furthermore, incorporating postdoctoral specialties is a promising role expansion for school psychologists, but most of the specialties keep the psychologists' focus on individual child assessment and treatment. School psychology is a very large professional tent with room for many approaches to preventing childhood disorders and promoting behavioral and academic success. Graduate education and current practice seem to reflect the traditional test and place roles for psychologists that Conoley and Gutkin hoped to expand beyond 25 years ago. Research efforts and national organization supports are hopeful, however, for a reimagined practice of psychology that makes use of the powerful ecosystems that affect children's well-being. Much work is yet to be done. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Progress will come in the balancing of needs: Professional desires, consumer demand, and why we have to specialize.

Conoley, Powers, and Gutkin (2020) have provided an assessment of the progress and lack thereof of school psychology as a profession toward school reformation, especially as related to their various earlier calls for changes in training and practice. Conoley and Gutkin especially (and I have been colleagues of both) have called for decades for an emphasis on working with teachers, other adults in the school system, and the school system itself to alter the delivery of education. In some earlier work, they have characterized this as adult school psychology. In many ways this is a reconceptualization of earlier mental health consultation models of school psychology practice that were not widely adopted for reasons Conoley et al. (2020) explain. School psychology has a long history of wanting to be seen and to practice differently from in a primary role of test and place, and indeed I would characterize the primary organizations that represent the profession (the National Association of Psychologists and the American Psychological Association's Division of School Psychology) as being in many ways antagonistic toward psychological testing. Yet, it is what most school psychologists are in fact hired to do as their primary role, and training in psychological testing and assessment is one of the key skills that sets us apart and distinguishes us from others in the schools. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Considerations for school psychology to realize its promise: Commentary on the special issue from early career school psychologists.

As early career scholars, we have benefitted from the recommendations made by Conoley and Gutkin nearly 25 years ago. Our training and applied experiences were closely aligned with Conoley and Gutkin's view of school psychology practice. Namely, the content of our courses and our practice of psychology in practicum and internship were reflective of an applied ecological orientation within a prevention framework rather than focused solely on individual level services. As we reflected on the articles in the special issue, and the state of the field moving forward, we identified 2 broad recommendations we believe are integral to realizing the promise of school psychology, the applied use of an implementation science lens and the explicit centering of equity and social justice in school psychology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The contributions of behavioral psychology to the theory and practice of school psychology

ABSTRACT IS AVAILABLE IN THE PDF

Narrowing the Research to Practice Gap: A Primer to Self-Regulated Learning Application in School Psychology

Self-regulated learning (SRL) entails a series of processes, such as goal-setting, planning, using strategies, observing, and reflecting, as well as motivational beliefs. SRL is a prominent academic enabler for the diverse students that school psychologists serve including students in general education, special education, and gifted programming. Although important, research indicates that SRL practices are not regularly and systematically embedded within the practices of school psychologists. This manuscript describes how SRL can be fused to the current roles fulfilled by school psychologists including assessment, intervention, and consultation. To support these goals, we provide a definition of SRL, identify overlaps and contrasts among related constructs, and unpack the research-to-practice gap within SRL. We then turn to identifying feasible and targeted recommendations to translate SRL supportive practices to school psychologist roles. We identify how multiple types of SRL assessments can be integrated into school psychologists’ roles in assessment, how data captured from these assessments could inform intervention, and how school psychologists could consult with teachers to enhance SRL supportive practices in classroom settings. The manuscript concludes with a discussion of SRL training within graduate education, conferences, and professional workshops.

The Development of School Psychology in Taiwan: Status Quo and Future Directions

School psychology as a recent mental health service profession in Taiwan has drawn attention and interest, especially after the Student Guidance and Counseling Act (SGCA) was passed by the Taiwanese government in 2014. This article reviews school psychology’s developmental history in Taiwan, introduces governmental policies’ influences on its current service delivery framework, identifies contemporary challenges, and analyzes potential directions for its future development. To meet the needs of culturally diverse students and their families in Taiwan, the findings suggest adopting an ecological systems perspective for case conceptualization and strengthening cross-disciplinary collaboration in multi-tiered systems of support, which can result in shared work responsibilities and consistent responses to student needs. Also, more comprehensive training is recommended to expand the current scope of school psychological services and facilitate systemic collaboration within the educational system. It is hoped the knowledge presented in this article can contribute to continuous development and policy improvement for school psychological training and practice in Taiwan.

The Role of School Psychologists in Supporting Adolescents With ADHD

This paper integrates the findings from the four studies in this special issue and discusses the implications for school psychology practice. Our research indicates that adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are typically aware of their difficulties and believe that their problem behaviors are pervasive, uncontrollable, and stigmatizing. They are especially concerned about their social relationship problems. In this paper, I argue that school psychologists play an important role in addressing these concerns by conducting assessments in which the adolescent is a partner in the process and by providing evidence-based mental health interventions in the school setting.

Paths 2 the Future College and Career Readiness Curriculum: Recommendations for School Psychologists

School psychologists serve a critical role directly and indirectly in postsecondary transition of adolescents with disabilities, given their expertise and skills in special education and interventions. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Domains of Practice (2010) provide guidelines for school psychologists’ service delivery, which reference activities relevant to building career and college readiness. Paths 2 the Future (P2F) is an evidence-based curriculum that provides instruction for young women with disabilities to support postsecondary career and college readiness. In this article, we propose an alignment of the P2F curriculum to the NASP Domains of Practice to illustrate how P2F can be embedded into school psychology practice to serve the unique needs of young women with disabilities.