Preparation Of School Psychologists Research Articles

International Perspectives on Academic and Professional Preparation of School and Educational Psychologists: Introduction to a Special Issue of the International Journal of School & Educational Psychology

This special issue of the International Journal of School &Educational Psychology is devoted to promoting an understanding of some current features of school psychology programs and to suggest ways to further strengthen preparation. Information summarized in these 12 articles is intended to assist us in determining the relevance of the International School Psychology Association's (ISPA) model program for the preparation of school psychologists (Cunningham & Oakland, 1998) and how it may be improved, in particular in ways to better address multicultural, multinational, or international issues germane to school psychology. This special series begins with a discussion of the academic and professional preparation of school and educational psychologists from seven countries. The content of these articles builds upon and updates information on school psychology preparation found elsewhere (e.g., Jimerson, Oakland, & Farrell, 2007). The roles of accreditation and professional associations in promoting academic and professional preparation also are discussed. A concluding article (Oakland & Hatzichristou, 2014) summarizes salient issues pertaining to professional preparation, including efforts to emphasize multicultural, transnational, and/or international issues.

The Preparation of School Psychologists and Specialists in Educational Psychology in Sweden

School psychologists have a new and stronger position in Sweden's educational system than earlier. For example, as of July 2011, all Swedish students ages 6 through 18 have guaranteed access to school psychology services. The school psychologists' roles are to be active participants and coworkers in the student health service team, working to promote student health in the learning environment. The preparation of school psychologists, licensing, and specialists training in educational psychology are described. Sweden's school psychological services need further expansion at the undergraduate (first cycle) and master's (second cycle) level university courses as well as improved possibilities for professional development and training.

The Preparation of School Psychologists in Greece

The paper describes the preparation of school psychologists in Greece. It discusses the social and cultural contexts that have influenced the evolution of the discipline of psychology, the beginning of training programs in school psychology, and the current status of school psychological services. The structure of the Graduate Program of School Psychology at the University of Athens, one of the two Greek professional training programs in school psychology, then is featured. The international profile of the faculty and the multicultural orientation of many of its academic and professional activities are described. In addition, the paper also underlines the significance of the involvement of students in prevention and intervention programs as well as in teacher training seminars and conferences. Finally, challenges for this program and for the academic and professional preparation of school psychologists in Greece are discussed.

Preparation of School Psychologists in the United States

School psychology in the United States continues to evolve in response to shifts in the country's demographic characteristics, an increasing focus on the importance of child mental health, together with health and education reforms. The landscape of school psychological services in the United States also is shaped through the changing roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments in education. General trends and future directions within the field along with a snapshot of an existing U.S. school psychology program provide further insight into the specialty. Multicultural and international emphases as well as program strengths and weaknesses are discussed.

The National Status of the Preparation of School Psychologists in Estonia

Estonia is a small republic that has undergone several big societal changes (from belonging to the Soviet Union to becoming a free republic, and the process of integrating into the European Union) during the last several decades. Psychology has been taught as a separate discipline starting from 1968, but its content has been changed from very theoretical to more practical. Today, school psychologists are prepared in two universities, in which the length of the studies is five years. The programs take into account best international practices together with content from clinical and organizational psychology. Both university scholars and qualified practitioners participate by providing lectures and seminars and supervising students at their workplaces. Qualification standards for school psychologists were first accepted in 2003, and modified later due to processes in the European Union. Besides educating, university faculty members carry out research on school psychology topics.

Understanding the development of school psychology services in the Republic of Taiwan

School psychology is one of the most important fields within applied psychology, which is closely related to education and as a developing specialty it is important to be considered. Taiwan is an important Western ally and is highly developed in many ways. Taiwan is influenced by both Western and Eastern cultures, and this has inevitably impacted the development of psychology, including school psychology. Due to its complicated relations with Mainland China, most studies on school psychology in China do not include information in Taiwan. In addition, worldwide international studies of school psychology also often neglect Taiwan as a country. In other words, most reviews have not offered a systematic investigation of school psychology in Taiwan. The purpose of this article is to review the development of school psychology in Taiwan. The history and background of school psychology is discussed; the current status and developmental stages of school psychology are presented; the preparation of school psychologists, including the roles, functions, and responsibilities of school psychologists are discussed; and current issues impacting school psychology are examined. Overall, this article provides a means to briefly introduce and evaluate school psychology services in Taiwan.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM SCHOOL‐BASED EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES? IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND PREPARATION IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

The federal definition of emotional disturbance (ED) provides limited guidance to educational professionals charged with making Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act eligibility determinations. Despite calls to revise the definition, the ED category remains largely unchanged nearly four decades after being codified into federal law. To navigate the vague, ambiguous, and outdated eligibility criteria, school psychologists must adhere to comprehensive assessment strategies whenever an ED placement is considered. In this study, we examined the ED assessment practices of 214 school psychologists. The results indicated that respondents all too frequently relied on only select sources of data (e.g., behavior rating scales), rather than taking a multimethod, multisource approach, when evaluating children referred for emotional and behavioral concerns. Implications for both the practice and preparation of school psychologists are discussed.

School Psychology Training for the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities

Training programs will continue to change to meet the needs of consumers of school psychological services in the 21st Century. This article provides information about the factors influencing the preparation of school psychologists whose roles and functions must change to meet these needs. Emphasis is on the overall context of training, the most influential factors on training, and the anticipated changes and challenges in the 21st Century.

School psychologists and school reform: challenges and opportunities

School Psychology is a system of psychological services for schools and a distinctive discipline within psychological sciences. Slovak and Czech Republics educational context are used in order to understand school Psychology within a system of education. Change of the political and economic system present reflections in the status of the school ofthe preparation of school psychologists in order to solve educational needs and problems.

International School Psychology Association Guidelines for the Preparation of School Psychologists

Guidelines for the preparation of school psychologists are described. The guidelines have been approved by the International School Psychology Association. The guidelines emphasize six goals commonly found in the preparation of school psychologists internationally: acquisition of core psychological knowledge, development of professional decision-making abilities, acquisition of research and statistical skills, enhancement of interpersonal skills, knowledge of ethics and establishment of professional values. The basis for these goals is described. An example of a professional preparation program based on these goals is provided.

Preservice Preparation of School Psychologists for Providing Related Services in Early Childhood Intervention: A University-Preschool Partnership

This article describes a model program for preparing school psychologists in the area of early childhood intervention. The implications of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 and the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (P.L. 99–457, amendment to P.L. 94–142) for school psychologists are briefly discussed. The need for formalized training of school psychologists in the area of early childhood education and intervention is reviewed. A training model and preservice training grant to prepare school psychologists to work with culturally diverse preschool children are presented. Finally, challenges faced during the first 2 years of the program, as well as trainees' satisfaction, will be discussed.

Initiatives in Professional Preparation of School Psychologists: Annotated Bibliography

Initiatives in Professional Preparation of School Psychologists: Annotated Bibliography

The Preparation of School Psychologists within the context of Professional Psychology in the United States of America

The writer places psychology in the United States of America in a social, historical, legislative and professional context to show the position that school psychology holds as part of that science. The historical milestones in the development of an increasingly categorized profession are described, as reflected by the growing number of divisions of the American Psychological Association and 'specialties' in the National Association of School Psychologists. Licensing and certification issues, and the practice of school psychology in both public and private settings are considered. University preparation in school psychology is described, with details given about the prerequisites, course content, internship experiences and eventual service patterns.

A Comprehensive Accountability System for School Psychologist Interns and Practitioners

A quality professional field experience is critical to the preparation of school psychologists. On-going supervision by university and field supervisors is necessary if interns are to receive the kinds of experiences considered desirable. In order for this supervision to be meaningful, a system for collecting and utilizing evaluative data needs to be employed. The comprehensive accountability system described in this article is designed to collect evaluative data systematically on interns enrolled in a USA training programme. Factors that need to be considered during the development of the system are discussed and a format for implementing such a system is outlined. An illustrative example shows how procedures, an interactive process and a planning component are employed to collect evaluative data on interns' performance. This system can be easily adapted to suit the needs of practitioners.

Preparation of school psychologists: For what?

Preparation of school psychologists: For what?