Role Of School Psychologist Research Articles

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).

Black Youths' perceptions of school cultural pluralism, school climate and the mediating role of racial identity

Researchers have become interested in the school climate experiences of Black youth given findings of less positive evaluations of school climate in comparison to their other-race peers. School support for cultural pluralism, also referred to as school support for cultural diversity, has been regarded as one aspect of school climate, but is sometimes distinct from Black youth's ratings of general perceptions of school climate. This project sought to understand the relationship between Black students' perceptions of school support for cultural pluralism and perceptions of school climate. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to determine whether previous perceptions of school support for cultural pluralism predicted later perceptions of school climate in a sample of 336 Black adolescents (Mage = 13.74 years). Furthermore, racial identity was explored as the mechanism through which school support for cultural pluralism impacted school climate appraisals, and differences between Black boys (N = 151) and Black girls (N = 185) were tested. Results confirmed that Black youth who rated their school as being supportive of culturally pluralism had more positive ratings of school climate during the following school year after controlling for the previous year's school climate ratings. However, the mediating role of racial identity differed for Black boys and Black girls, underscoring the need for intersectional research for Black youth and the importance of racial identity. We conclude with a discussion regarding the importance of racial/ethnic identity and pluralism within the school context, as well as, the unique role of school psychologists as preventionists and advocates of change within schools.

HIV/AIDS in Kenyan schools: Neuropsychological and psychoeducational implications

ABSTRACT Kenya has the twelfth largest HIV/AIDS epidemic in the world. In 2016, there was an estimated 1.6 million people living with HIV in Kenya. Youth ages 15–24 accounted for over half (51%) of the HIV incidence reported in 2015, a significant increase from 2013 where youth accounted for 29% of all new cases. The purpose of this paper is to review HIV prevalence and incidence among youth and other key populations in Kenya and to discuss the cultural attitudes and practices that impact the HIV epidemic including relevant laws, policies, and initiatives with a focus on the role of school psychologists in neuropsychological interventions for children and adolescents living with HIV. A broad range of biomedical, behavioral, and structural approaches for addressing the HIV-related needs among youth in Kenya are discussed as is the importance of addressing the psychosocial needs of youth living with HIV by acknowledging the relationship between physical health, mental health, and academic outcomes. The critical role of school psychologists and other school professionals in implementing these strategies is highlighted.

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.

The Role of School Psychologists in Employment-Focused Transition Services

Transition services support students with disabilities in accessing post-secondary school opportunities including employment. This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather data on practicing school psychologists’ experiences, attitudes, and training related to the school to employment transition process. Participants’ responses on surveys (n = 38) and interviews (n = 7) indicated that school psychologists see themselves as having skills that would contribute to the transition process but that they experience barriers such as resource allocation, lack of training, and minimal knowledge of the empirical support for transition services that make it difficult to participate. The results also suggest that school psychologists have existing skills that could be applied to the transition process. Recommendations are provided as to how school psychologists can support youth school-to-work transition with minimal adjustment to their existing role.

Curriculum and instruction for the gifted: The role of school psychologists

AbstractThis paper explores the school psychologist's role in the academic and psychosocial development of students identified as gifted and talented via curriculum. Given the school psychologists' assessment expertize, they can inform the identification to service placement process for students, including advocacy for curricular and instructional opportunities that best meet the student's needs. We discuss modern conceptualizations of giftedness and talent development, the function of curriculum and instruction in meeting the needs of students who are gifted and the school psychologist's role in identifying which curricular adaptations are appropriate for students based on learner data. We also discuss how a school psychologist can work with educators to support the needs of twice exceptional learners and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning students and recommend professional learning opportunities for school psychologists to remain abreast of current issues in gifted education.

The landscape of advocacy in public schools: The role of school psychologists.

Advocacy has been a core function and expectation of school psychologists for over 40 years. However, there is little empirical research and guidance around the role and function of a school psychologist as an advocate within public schools. Advocacy can include speaking up on matters that promote student well-being at both the individual student level and the broader systems level. The current article seeks to provide guidance to school psychologists as to the various levels of advocacy and how school psychologists can promote both individual- and systems-level advocacy. This includes a careful examination of relevant case studies to address barriers in order to help public service professionals increase advocacy efforts. Finally, calls to action are provided to inspire and strengthen school psychologists who want to impact change at the student and systems level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Cyberbullying: Roles of school psychologists and school counselors in addressing a pervasive social justice issue

School psychologists and school counselors can act as agents of social justice in schools to prevent cyberbullying, particularly among the most vulnerable populations. Cyberbullying is an emerging form of bullying that has shown an alarming increase in society within the last decade and in schools as microcosms of society. Cyberbullying among K-12 students has adverse social, physical, and emotional impacts for victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Advocacy for prevention, intervention, and more effective policies from school psychologists and counselors is of paramount importance for student and school community well-being and safety. This article provides an overview of cyberbullying in schools as a social justice issue; explores advocacy, ethical, and practitioner roles of both school psychologists and school counselors to address this issue among students in schools; discusses empirically based psychotherapy techniques for intervention and risk assessment; and offers policy and practice options to address cyberbullying.

The role of school psychologists in therapeutic interventions: A systematic literature review

ABSTRACT This systematic literature review establishes evidence for the use of therapeutic interventions delivered by school and educational psychologists in school settings and the extent to which these emulate recent therapeutic practice guidance. Peer-reviewed, empirical studies within the 10-year period 2008–2017 (inclusive) describing recognized targeted and specialist therapeutic interventions were located via systematic searching. Findings revealed that studies included a range of individual and small group therapeutic interventions, involving diverse participants, foci, therapeutic modalities, and formats. Benchmarking against therapeutic practice guidance revealed differences in the quality of the therapeutic interventions. Implications for improving contracting, strengthening effective therapeutic practice and measuring impact are considered.

Examining the role of school psychologists as providers of mental and behavioral health services

AbstractThe school setting represents the most common setting by which youth receive mental and behavioral health (MBH) services (Farmer et al., 2003, Psychiatr Serv, 54, 60–66). Nevertheless, many school psychologists are not providing MBH services despite the high prevalence of need. Additional research is needed to understand factors leading to these deficits, as well as potential solutions to ameliorate these concerns. The current study surveyed 341 school psychologists across seven states and found current ratios are one school psychologist for every 1,500–2,000 students. Study results suggest school psychologists are providing a half to full day of universal, prevention‐oriented MBH services each week whereas more targeted, direct services (e.g., individual or small group counseling) are offered 1–4 hr each week. The school psychologist‐to‐student ratios also demonstrated a statistically significant and inverse association with the provision of targeted MBH services, with higher ratios resulting in fewer MBH services. Respondents provided potential solutions for how to expand the delivery of MBH services within schools, including increased awareness and support among school and district administrators, as well as access to training and professional development related to MBH services.

Roles for school psychologists in the challenging Indian education landscape

ABSTRACTIndia has very few school psychologists and school psychology as a discipline is almost non-existent. Further, the educational system in India, which is in great flux, has many needs that could be met by school psychologists. In this article, we discuss what roles school psychology could serve if the profession continues to develop in India. To provide a context for our proposal, we discuss the current state of education and education reform in India including the demographics of India that provide such a challenge to establishing universal, compulsory education, legislative initiatives for regular and special education, and the structure of schools and schooling.

The Role of School Psychologists in addressing Challenges Facing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Students

LGBT students encounter boundless school-related problems including depression, suicidal tendencies, and drug abuse, among others. LGBT youth in school are subjected to constant bullying and discrimination from students, teachers, and the school’s administration who often fail to defend them against this. Often, LGBT students drop-out of school. Therefore, the LGBT community is socially disadvantage within our society. With this background, this study identified established laws to safeguard LGBT rights. Furthermore, the study examined the role of School Psychologists in reducing challenges faced by LGBT students in the schools based on analysis of the 10 NASP (The National Association of School Psychologists) domains, and made vital recommendations to reduce challenges faced by LGBT students with a view to lessen cases of LGBT stigmatization. The recommendations stipulated include; development of laws prohibiting discrimination and abusive language against LGBT, and the development a curriculum that suits LGBT needs. It is imperative to train teachers to aide LGBT groups attain equal universal access to core learning facilities acts.

Práticas colaborativas dos psicólogos escolares portugueses: Uma análise de tipologias e contextos

A colaboração entre psicólogos escolares e os vários serviços e profissionais da comunidade educativa é essencial para a prestação de serviços compreensivos, integrados e eficazes a alunos e famílias. Tendo por base a resposta de 477 profissionais a um inquérito eletrónico, este estudo investiga as práticas colaborativas intra e interinstitucionais dos psicólogos escolares portugueses. Os resultados encontrados sugerem que estes profissionais colaboram de forma regular, e com uma vasta gama de propósitos, com uma grande diversidade de entidades, serviços e equipas, internos e externos à escola. Entre as práticas colaborativas reportadas com mais frequência, destaca-se a colaboração dos psicólogos escolares com conselhos de turma, equipas de educação especial, comissões de proteção de crianças e jovens, e serviços de saúde. Os objetivos e a natureza das atividades desenvolvidas no contexto destas e de outras colaborações são explicitados, permitindo concretizar e colocar em evidência a natureza multifacetada do papel dos psicólogos escolares e os seus múltiplos contributos para as escolas. Implicações para a prática profissional, o desenvolvimento da profissão e futuras investigações são apresentadas.

The role of school psychologists in the support of grieving children.

School psychologists are in a unique position to both identify and work with grieving students; to provide guidance to schools, families, and peers on approaches to support such children and youth; and to offer training to classroom educators so that they are better prepared to support grieving students. Yet, there has been minimal research published on this topic in professional journals. This special section of School Psychology Quarterly is devoted to grief and loss with the hope of beginning to narrow this gap in the literature. The three articles in this special section add to an evolving evidence-base that grief in children is common and the impact can be profound, that school professionals can and should play a major role in supporting grieving children, and that school psychologists can play a key role in empowering classroom educators and other school professionals so that no child in the future has to grieve alone. (PsycINFO Database Record

Access to gifted education among African-American and Latino males

PurposeAcross the nation, African-American and Latino males have experienced limited access to placement in gifted education programs. This paper aims to pinpoint and describe the factors that frequently influence access to gifted education programming among African-American and Latino males.Design/methodology/approachAfrican-American and Latino males are persistently underrepresented in gifted education for reasons such as teachers’ narrow conceptions of giftedness, teachers’ bias in the nomination process and teachers’ inappropriate usage and interpretation of intelligence measures. When these students qualify for such services, they often experience feelings of isolation and loneliness due to scarce representation of other African-American and Latino male students. A review of extant literature was conducted to identify factors that influence access to gifted education programming among African-American and Latino males.FindingsAfrican-American and Latino males encounter roadblocks in being identified for gifted placement and many also experience implicit biases and stereotypical beliefs about their ability. The need for culturally competent professionals is critical to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of gifted African-American and Latino males.Practical implicationsRecommendations for school psychologists and school counselors are offered to support the needs of gifted African-American and Latino males, assist in increasing their identification and participation in gifted education, and promote academic success.Originality/valueThere is an urgent need for research on access and placement in gifted programming among African-American and Latino males. Moreover, the role of school psychologists and school counselors should be considered in facilitation of gifted identification and placement.

Is the Role of the School Psychologist in Early Childhood Truly Expanding? A National Survey Examining School Psychologists' Practices and Training Experiences

ABSTRACTHistorically, the role of school psychologists in early childhood settings has been limited to the identification and evaluation of children who may be in need of special education services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It has been suggested that the role should reflect a more proactive model; specifically, it should continue to expand to include involvement in school readiness and early intervention for all students. The purpose of this study was to examine the present role of school psychologists in early childhood settings and investigate the graduate-level training provided to school psychology graduate students. Results of the survey found that a significant percentage of school psychologist practitioners continue to spend a substantial portion of their professional time completing special education evaluations. Furthermore, respondents reported minimal to moderate graduate training in the area of early childhood populations. Implications for school psychology practitioners and school psychology graduate training programs are discussed.

Inkluzivno obrazovanje iz perspektive nastavnika - uloge, kompetencije i barijere

The understanding of the teacher's perspective is an important prerequisite for the functional implementation of inclusive education in schools. The research presented in this paper aimed to explore teachers' perceptions of their roles in educating students with developmental disabilities, alongside the roles of school psychologists and education experts, as well as their perceptions of their own competencies for inclusive education, and of possible barriers to implementing inclusive education. The sample consisted of 102 teachers in regular primary schools, 60.8% of whom reported having professional experience with working with children with developmental disabilities. The questionnaire used in the research was developed for this purpose, and its properties were evaluated and subjected to exploratory factor analysis. The findings indicate that teachers believe school psychologists and education experts play a primary role in implementing certain aspects of inclusive education. Teachers' responses also indicate a general sense of lacking the necessary competencies for working with children with developmental disabilities. The greatest barriers to inclusive education identified by teachers are their own initial education and negative school culture. Finally, the research found no significant correlation between teachers' experience of working with students with developmental disabilities and their years of service, on the one hand, and their perception of various aspects of inclusive education, on the other. The concluding discussion emphasizes the need for teachers to accept their roles and to feel competent to work with students with developmental disabilities. The implications of the research relate to the directions in which teachers' initial education and professional training for inclusive education can be improved.

Associations between school climate, suicidal thoughts, and behaviors and ethnicity among middle school students

AbstractThe purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationships between suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs), school climate, and student demographics among middle school students. The study was conducted with a sample of 152,191 middle school students across 607 schools within 182 school districts in a southeastern state. Results support prior research that positive perceptions of school climate are associated with fewer reports of STB. Participants identified family reasons, bullying, peer problems, and “other” as the most common reasons for STB. Further, older students and males were more likely to engage in STB than their counterparts. When examining cross‐sectional interactions, race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between school climate and STB. Findings from the study support the role of school psychologists in advocating for prevention and intervention STB supports for middle school students with particular attention to students who may be at increased risk based on group identification. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

What are the opportunities and challenges for Canadian psychology?

A recent issue of Canadian Psychology was dedicated to the topic of opportunities and challenges for psychology in Canada, and included papers that addressed a number of different issues, including, for example, lobbying, professional identity, ethics, the training of psychologists, the public image of the profession, and the use of new technologies (Counsell, Cribbie, & Harlow, 2016; Drapeau, Holmqvist, & Piotrowski, 2016; Hartman, Fergus, & Reid, 2016; Karesa & McBride, 2016; Campbell et al., 2016; O'Neill, 2016; Roy, 2016; Votta-Bleeker, Tiessen, & Murdoch, 2016).However, Canadian psychologists offer a variety of services to a diverse Canadian population in settings such as academia, the hospital system, and independent practice. This diversity means that psychologists working in different areas, whether they differ by geographical area or area of practice, may have varying needs and concerns. The goal of the current paper was to identify and understand the challenges and opportunities that psychologists across the country and discipline perceive in their field today. Specifically, we were interested in answering the following question: what are the most important challenges and opportunities that exist in Canadian psychology today? Our intention was not to conduct a study addressing this question; rather, we wanted to begin a discussion with colleagues who have leadership roles in psychology in Canada. In order to begin reflecting on possible answers to this question, we contacted the president/director of each provincial/territorial association (n = 10) and provincial/ territorial regulatory body (n = 11), as well as the chair of each CPA section (n = 32), by e-mail, asking them what they considered to be the greatest opportunities and challenges in their province or area of specialisation, respectively. Five provincial/territorial associations, two provincial/territorial regulatory bodies, and 23 CPA section chairs provided responses to our e-mail. Five themes concerning opportunities and five themes concerning challenges were extracted based on similarities across all responses. Here is what these colleagues had to say.What Are the Opportunities for Canadian Psychologists?Interdisciplinary TeamsSeveral of our colleagues noted the growing number of opportunities to work in interdisciplinary For example, Juanita Mureika, Chair of the CPA Section on Educational and School Psychology, indicated that the role of school psychologists expanded dramatically, and emphasis on 'routine assessment,' usually defined by the administration of a few tests, has been replaced by a focus on working on multi-disciplinary teams. This emphasis on working in interdisciplinary teams may provide clients with more comprehensive treatment and assessment. In addition to conferring benefits upon clients, our colleagues noted that collaboration among professionals provides benefits to psychologists themselves. Dr. Deanne Simms, Chair of the CPA Section for Psychologists in Hospitals and Health Centres suggested that:. . . psychologists working in hospitals and health centres are in a setting wherein they share patients with other health care providers. This atmosphere of shared care allows psychologists to derive peer support from colleagues to help guard against isolation, stagnation, and burnout.Preventing burnout through working in interdisciplinary teams may in turn provide clients with improved care, because psychologists will be better able to handle challenges that can arise in their professional and personal lives. Indeed, clinicians were not the only respondents to note the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, Dr. Manuel Riemer (member of the Section for Community Psychology) explained that working in partnership with representatives from the community, industry, and government is no longer an exception but has, in many ways, become the expectation for competitive research grants. …

The school psychologist's role in implementing the principles of positive psychology in the development of the school

The Serbian school system is currently undergoing a transformation process, dealing with important issues of interest to society as a whole. One of the possible directions of this transformation is the development of a positive school as an institution in which value is placed not only on achievement but also on the wellbeing of all parties. This paper considers to what extent the professional potential of school psychologists could be utilized in this process. The analysis presented here aims to reassess the possibilities of applying the principles of positive psychology to defining and implementing the role of school psychologists, and to put forward along these lines certain suggestions for their practical work. For this purpose, we have reviewed the theoretical foundations of positive education and related research findings, analysed regulations and research findings regarding the work of school psychologists in Serbian schools, and discussed prospects for their further engagement from the standpoint of contemporary theories of organizational changes and development. The possibilities for creating a positive school have been corroborated through numerous studies. According to Serbian school regulations, the school psychologist is expected to be engaged in improving all aspects of work in a school, as well as relationships between all participants in that process. Research findings on building a positive school provide a stimulus, while the position of the school psychologist provides the basis for his or her engagement in the process of transforming Serbian schools into positive schools. The conclusion is that school psychologists could contribute to the development of the school as a positive institution provided their professional role is redefined in accordance with the principles of positive psychology.