School Psychology Practitioners Research Articles

The invisible work of persisting: BIWOC students in school psychology doctoral programs.

There are growing calls to diversify the ranks of school psychology practitioners, graduate educators, and researchers by recruiting more students of color in school psychology doctoral programs. Past research on retention across many fields in higher education indicates that Black, Indigenous, and women of color (BIWOC) students entering doctoral programs encounter isolation, lack of support, and microaggressions. Although this literature has illuminated how doctoral programs can push out BIWOC students, it has been critiqued for overlooking the creative and strategic means they use to stay in their programs. We analyzed 12 focus group interviews conducted with 15 BIWOC students in school psychology doctoral programs across the United States. Using the analytical construct of agency, we coded the transcripts to identify agentic actions of BIWOC that went beyond standard graduate school demands. We identified six types of actions that BIWOC carried out to combat the systemic barriers they encountered: teaching, protecting others, self-advocating, organizing, searching for community, and self-editing. Given that these actions were in addition to the basic program requirements, we argue that they are instances of the invisible work that BIWOC students did to persist in their doctoral programs. We discuss the implications of this invisible work and provide various recommendations for school psychology doctoral programs to reduce the burden of invisible work on BIWOC students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction to the Special Issue–School psychology and Indigenous Peoples: Critical Perspectives and Indigenous-led Approaches

This issue of the Canadian Journal of School Psychology is the first of two parts of a special issue devoted to the intersection of school psychology and Indigenous Peoples within the Canadian context. Given the limited existing literature that is squarely focused on this intersection, the articles in these two issues are collectively a substantive academic contribution to school psychology educators, practitioners, researchers, and students. These articles challenge mainstream practice, training, ethics, and intervention approaches within school psychology, while also describing exemplary collaborations with Indigenous communities and advancements in Indigenizing and decolonizing school psychology training and practice.

Teacher Concern During COVID-19: Associations With Classroom Climate

In the fall of 2020, many students and educators returned to school in person, despite the threat of the COVID-19 virus. Though safety measures such as masks and social distancing were put in place, educators remained concerned for their students’ health, well-being, and academic attainment. The current study examined teacher concern for students’ well-being amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to classroom climate. Data were collected from third- to fifth-grade students (N = 1,022) and teachers (N = 52) across 11 elementary schools in the Great Plains region. Students and teachers attended school in person during data collection in the fall of 2020, despite rising COVID-19 numbers in the area. Structural equation modeling was used to determine whether student emotional problems and well-being had indirect effects on the association between teacher concerns and classroom climate. Findings suggest significant indirect effects of teacher concerns and classroom climate through student emotional problems and well-being. The results are important in the context of COVID-19, because teacher concern for students may indicate the overall health of the classroom environment. Impact Statement The current study can assist school psychology practitioners in understanding the need to support teacher and student well-being in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings emphasize the need for school policymakers and administrators to elevate teacher voices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering teacher concern for student well-being may assist in improving classroom climate and supporting students as the pandemic continues.

Impact of COVID-19 on School Psychology Practices in Canada

In March of 2020, COVID-19 forced schools to close across Canada. While school psychologists typically work directly with students, teachers, and families, nearly all services had to be modified to accommodate the new circumstances. The following brief report presents a summary of the survey responses of 214 Canadian school psychology practitioners on their experience of the COVID-19 shutdown. Nearly all respondents indicated their work experiences had significantly changed since the start of the pandemic, notably through decreases in assessments and mental health interventions. Importantly, respondents also indicated significant decreases in their own mental health/well-being as compared to before the pandemic. Implications for professional practice are discussed.

Beyond the Rhetoric of Evidence-Based Assessment: A Framework for Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice

Although the field of school psychology has made progress toward the use of tests and assessment practices with empirical support over the past 20 years, many school psychology practitioners still engage in what can be described as low-value value assessment practices that lack compelling scientific support potentially taking time and resources away from practices that have a demonstrated evidence-base. Why do school psychologists engage in questionable assessment and interpretive practices despite decades of discrediting scientific evidence? This article critically examines several plausible explanations for the perpetuation of low-value practices in school psychology assessment. It also underscores the importance of critical thinking when evaluating assessment and interpretation practices, and discusses practical recommendations to assist in advancing evidence-based assessment in school psychology training and practice as the field progresses well-into the 21st century. Impact Statement Many school psychologists engage in assessment practices that lack compelling scientific support potentially taking time, resources, and energy away from more effective practices. This article critically reviews reasons why these questionable assessment practices persist long after discrediting scientific evidence has been aptly presented. Recommendations are offered to promote the use of evidence-based practices and discourage the use of assessment methods lacking compelling empirical support in training and clinical practice.

A Qualitative Study of School Psychologists’ Perceptions of Social Justice

Social justice is a term that has grown in prominence in school psychology over the past several years. This increased emphasis on social justice heightens the need for empirical research that speaks to the application of social justice principles to school psychology practice. In this study, nine school psychologists across three states were interviewed regarding their views and experiences as related to social justice. Key findings include an emphasis on equity both at the individual and systemic levels. Participants indicated a personal commitment to social justice, but indicated mixed success in translating this practice to their work, noting several barriers both in terms of their own knowledge and skills as well as institutional barriers. Results highlighted: (a) the importance of taking personal responsibility for bringing social justice principles into practice, (b) modeling what one preaches, (c) educating others, (d) navigating political structures within schools, and (e) a call for greater professional development opportunities oriented towards social justice, beginning with graduate studies. IMPACT STATEMENT This is the first known multistate study of what bringing social justice principles into practice might look like from the perspective of school psychology practitioners. This study contributes both to further developing the conceptual underpinnings of social justice in school psychology, as well as articulating applied numerous action steps, such as diversifying the field, a commitment to self-growth, educating others, modeling what one preaches, and using one’s professional toolbox and political savvy to navigate school structures.

Reconceptualizing Mentorship for the 21st Century: A Systematic Mapping of Research in School Psychology

Given school psychology’s longstanding workforce shortages, mentorship may be an invaluable mechanism for supporting current and future school psychologists. To advance the literature in this area, we conducted a systematic review of mentoring research in school psychology. Through a comprehensive search of peer-reviewed scholarship, we identified 16 empirical studies published between 1988 and 2020 that directly examined mentoring. We then performed a qualitative thematic synthesis of their findings. Results indicated several benefits of mentoring, including support for mentees’ career planning and psychosocial well-being. All studies were cross-sectional, and the majority did not consider the intersection of race and ethnicity with mentoring experiences; however, several described barriers to mentoring for individuals with racial, ethnic, sex, and gender minoritized identities. Findings indicate a need for more methodologically diverse research that centers the voices of mentors and protégés from traditionally marginalized backgrounds. Implications for reconceptualizing mentoring research and practice are discussed. Impact Statement Between 1988 and 2020, only 16 published studies examined mentoring experiences and outcomes among school psychology practitioners, faculty, and trainees. A review of these studies revealed a variety of career and psychosocial benefits of mentoring; however, it also indicated racial, ethnic, sex, and gender inequities in mentoring experiences. Findings indicate a need for additional well-designed research that centers the voices of people with traditionally marginalized identities.

A Case Study Exploration into the Benefits of Teaching Self-Care to School Psychology Graduate Students

It has long been established that school psychology practitioners experience high levels of burnout. As a means of preventing burnout among future practitioners, school psychology training programs are frequently encouraged to teach and model self-care to students. This is particularly important as the current generation of graduate students experience high levels of anxiety and depression, but there have been very few examples in the research literature of how training programs should teach self-care and whether it is actually effective. The current study presents results from an exploratory case study, which integrated self-care instruction into graduate school psychology curriculum with a small sample (N = 22) of first-year school psychology students across two separate cohorts. Students created written plans with self-care strategies that they attempted to implement over the course of their first semester in graduate school. A qualitative review of their plans and written reflections revealed that students described many sources of stress upon entry into training, and most needed to revise their strategies for coping as stresses changed during the semester. Overall, student reflections revealed that the self-care activities were helpful to meet the demands of their graduate education.

Evaluating cultural and linguistic load of IQ scores for English language learners

ABSTRACT The assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students, including students who are learning English as a second language (English language learners, ELL), is a challenge for many school psychologists who have limited training and practice opportunities with students from these populations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the percentage of racial/ethnic minority students enrolled in kindergarten through high school in the U.S. was 50% in 2014; and, the percentage of students who were learning English as a second language constituted 9.4% in 2014. Given the diverse demographics in public schools, the provision of state-of-the-art psychological services to children and youth from CLD backgrounds is an increasingly important concern. The present study evaluated the degree to which the Woodcock-Johnson III Cognitive Culture-Language Interpretive Matrix (C-LIM) accurately distinguishes between test scores of English-speakers and English language learners. Prior research has indicated that the C-LIM may not accurately measure the cultural and linguistic demand of standardized tests as intended. Results of the present study indicated that C-LIM individual decisions have low accuracy. Implications for school and educational psychology researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Does use of a decision-making model improve the quality of school psychologists’ ethical decisions?

ABSTRACT School psychologists are frequently confronted with ethically challenging situations arising from the need to balance multiple parties’ competing interests and the challenge of serving as both student advocate and school employee. Use of a systematic decision-making model has been recommended as a way of improving the quality of school psychologists’ ethical decisions. In the present study, school psychology practitioners (N = 74) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: a Critical Evaluative condition (n = 30), requiring the use of a problem-solving approach to resolve an ethical dilemma, or an Intuitive condition (n = 44), which entailed generating a solution based solely on intuition and professional experience/judgment. Use of a formal decision-making model did not result in higher caliber ethical resolutions. Participants’ age and number of years in the field were significantly correlated with raters’ judgments that solutions considered the consequences of a chosen course of action. Most participants reported that they did not utilize an ethical decision-making model during the course of their practice, relying instead on consultation with peers/colleagues and their own professional experience. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of school psychology practice.

Trauma-Informed Knowledge and Practices in School Psychology: A Pilot Study and Review

Growing acknowledgement that adverse childhood experiences are widespread and can threaten healthy development has led to advocacy for schools to systematically incorporate trauma-sensitive practices and policies. While the background and training of school psychologists would seem to make them the ideal professionals to lead such work, little is known regarding their preparedness to engage in these school-based practices. The current pilot study examines the experiences, education and training, confidence and competence, current and desired roles, and perceived barriers and supports of school psychology trainers, trainees, and practitioners to engage in trauma-informed practices within schools. Results indicated that high majorities reported scant knowledge or competencies across domains of professional practice considered essential to trauma-informed care delivery. Findings and implications are discussed.

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.

When Is Teleconsultation Acceptable to School Psychologists?

ABSTRACTSchool psychologists report a desire to increase consultation with teachers but are limited by competing job demands. Consultation via videoconference (i.e., teleconsultation) offers one possible means of increasing consultant availability to teachers, but little is known about the acceptability of this technology in actual practice. In this exploratory study, we conducted an online survey to assess the conditions under which school consultants would use teleconsultation to assist teachers remotely. Sixty-two school psychology practitioners, trainers, and trainees completed a choice-based conjoint survey designed to assess teleconsultation acceptability in the context of varying commute times, consultee comfort levels, and student problem severities. Findings suggest important differences in teleconsultation acceptability in the context of real-world tradeoffs. Implications of these results are discussed, as well as the potential for using conjoint analysis to better understand technology decisions among school consultants.

Job Burnout in School Psychology: How Big Is the Problem?

Job burnout is characterized by feelings of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion within the context of one’s work. Individuals experiencing burnout are at risk for a range of negative outcomes including increased feelings of stress and emotion strain, negative perceptions of work-life balance, and may ultimately lead to exiting one’s current job or field of employment. Given the well-documented shortages of school psychology practitioners across the USA, it is important to understand the extent of feelings of burnout in the field, causes of these feelings, and potentially effective ways of preventing and/or responding to burnout when it occurs. The current study surveyed practitioners in four Southeastern states regarding current and past feelings of burnout, perceptions of causes of burnout, personal strategies used in dealing with burnout when it occurs, and thoughts regarding the role of training programs in preventing burnout among practitioners. Results indicated that most participants noted feeling some level of burnout at some point during their careers. Commonly identified causes of burnout included feelings of role overload and lack of support from administration. Practitioners also reported a range of strategies as particularly helpful in dealing with feelings of burnout including the importance of training programs emphasizing the importance of self-care and presenting a realistic picture of real-world practice. Implications for future research and practice are also discussed.

EVIDENCE FOR THE EXPANDING ROLE OF CONSULTATION IN THE PRACTICE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

In 2010, the National Association of School Psychologists approved the Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services (or the NASP Practice Model), codifying what an expanded role encompasses in the delivery of school‐based psychological services. This study examined the role and function of school psychology practitioners from three Midwestern states with different legal statues and policy initiatives related to the practice of school psychology. A total of 175 practicing school psychologists from Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa reported their actual and preferred practices and completed a self‐assessment on their knowledge of the NASP Practice Model. Results showed participants not only identified problem‐solving consultation as their most knowledgeable domain of practice but also the activity on which they spent the greatest amount of their time. Analysis by state revealed differential levels of practice devoted to consultation and intervention. Study findings are discussed relative to the potential impact and importance of state law and policy initiatives.

Using ethical orientations to explain administrative pressure to practice unethically: A pilot study

The promotion of students’ welfare is one of the central professional and ethical responsibilities of school psychology practitioners. However, some practitioners are subjected to pressure from adm...

Effects of Parental Chronic Illness on Children’s Psychosocial and Educational Functioning: a Literature Review

A good number of children grow up in households where a parent has been diagnosed with medical chronic illness. Parental chronic illness is stressful for children and adolescents and may have some potential impact on children’s adjustment and functioning. Some emerging research conducted in the fields of medicine, nursing, and family studies has suggested that children of chronically ill parents are at an increased risk for adjustment difficulties and emotional and behavioral problems. However, this topic has been neglected in school psychology literature. This review aims to provide an overview on research with respect to the effects of parental chronic illness on children’s psychosocial and educational functioning and help school psychology researchers and practitioners understand the impact of parents’ illness on children’s outcomes and factors (e.g., typology of illness, family functioning, parenting, child cognitive appraisal and coping strategies, etc.) that may moderate and mediate the relationship. Mixed findings in the literature reflect the complex and dynamic nature of this issue. Implications and recommendations for interventions will be discussed.

School Psychologists' Management of Administrative Pressure to Practice Unethically

ABSTRACTIn their role as child advocates, school psychologists strive to promote policies and practices that increase the availability of necessary academic and mental health services and enhance the well-being of children. However, administrative pressure to disregard ethical and legal mandates in favor of decisions that would prioritize the needs of the employing agency creates a serious dilemma for practitioners. This study examined school psychologists' self-reported adoption of strategies for managing administrative pressure to practice unethically, as well as practitioners' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of various approaches. Participants most frequently reported handling administrative pressure by soliciting advice and emotional support from colleagues and educating administrators about ethical and legal mandates governing school-based practice. Similarly, enlightening administrators about ethical guidelines, special education legislation, and best practices was the approach most commonly perceived as effective in resisting unethical administrative directives, followed by maintaining open channels of communication and working towards compromise. The results of this investigation are used to offer recommendations for the successful management of administrative pressure by school psychology practitioners.

Diversification of school psychology: Developing an evidence base from current research and practice.

Why is there a need to increase the racial/ethnic diversity of faculty in school psychology? Chiefly, school psychologists serve the most racially/ethnically diverse population: children in US schools. Therefore, developing a knowledge base that is inclusive of this wide range of perspective as well as growing a workforce that is reflective of this diversity is essential to effective service delivery. To achieve this goal, school psychology trainers must develop evidence-based, purposeful efforts to recruit and retain racial/ethnic minority students in doctoral programs. For these reasons, we called for a special issue on diversifying the field of school psychology. The purpose of this special issue is to advance the evidence-base in school psychology on how to increase diverse scholars and leaders in the profession. Moreover, the goal is to also evaluate the status of the profession in effectively recruiting and retaining racial/ethnic minority graduate students, mentoring racial/ethnic minority students to pursue careers in academia, and promoting faculty development and retention of racially and ethnically diverse faculty. Thus, the articles in this special issue will address critical areas where trainers can improve recruitment and retention strategies that will increase the racial/ethnic diversity of school psychology faculty, leaders, and practitioners. (PsycINFO Database Record

Culturally Responsive School Psychology Practice: a Study of Practitioners’ Self-Reported Skills

The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes cultural competence as a defining feature of psychological practice, education, training, and research (Sue et al. American Psychologist, 49, 792–796, 1999). The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-appraised cultural competence of school psychology practitioners using the Multicultural School Psychology Counseling Competency Scale (MSPCCS; Rogers & Ponterotto Psychology in the Schools, 34(3), 211–217, 1997) as well as to investigate the convergent validity of the scale with the Cross-Cultural Counseling Inventory-Revised (CCCI-R; LaFromboise et al. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 22(5), 380–388, 1991). Social desirability was also investigated to determine if there was a statistically significant correlation with self-report ratings of multicultural competence. A total of 161 participants were part of the sample that was recruited from 11 state professional school psychology associations across the USA. The results revealed that the MSPCCS demonstrates convergent validity with the CCCI-R and that on average school psychology practitioners report moderately high levels of multicultural competence. There was not a statistically significant positive correlation between total scores and social desirability, suggesting respondents gave fair estimates of their self-reported multicultural competence. Implications for research and practice are discussed.