School Psychology Training Research Articles

CHILD MALTREATMENT IDENTIFICATION AND REPORTING BEHAVIOR OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

A majority of substantiated maltreatment reports are made by educators and thus, teacher knowledge of child maltreatment reporting mandates and reporting behavior has been a focus of research. The knowledge and behavior of school psychologists, however, has not received similar attention. This study investigated the child maltreatment reporting behavior and knowledge of school psychologists. Practicing school psychologists (N = 274) responded to scenarios from the Crenshaw Abuse Reporting Survey—Form S (CARS‐S) that required respondents to recognize reportable child maltreatment and answer factual questions regarding the reporting mandate. A significant correlation was found between school psychologists’ accuracy in deciding whether to report and their overall knowledge of the reporting mandate. Results highlight the knowledge and behavior of school psychologists working in varied settings when presented with cases focused on differing types of maltreatment issues. Practical implications for school psychology practice and training are discussed.

From Research to Practice: The Process of Training School Psychologists as Knowledge Transfer Professionals

School psychologists, as scientist-practitioners, work to bring empirically-based approaches to educational settings. Knowledge Transfer (KT), the meaningful translation of research into practical settings, is vital to the profession and encompasses a central role in all areas of clinical competency. Although an integral part of practitioner education, few have explored the process of KT training in detail. This paper reviews the application of KT to the training of and learning process for a class of 8 graduate students in School Psychology at the University of Manitoba in Canada. Students met with classroom teachers to identify training and/or knowledge gaps for handling classroom challenges. Collaboratively, graduate students narrowed down areas of focus and developed a quick reference manual to address these gaps by promoting knowledge about mental health, providing effective and practical classroom strategies, and equipping educators with additional resources for working with children of special populations. The training process involved a needs assessment with teachers, a synthesis of results to identify the most prevalent challenges encountered by new educators, an iterative process of editing and revising multiple drafts to create a refined product, the delivery of a preliminary product to teachers, gathering feedback about the usefulness and value of the product, and the creation of a final product designed to meet identified knowledge needs. KT is integral to the profession of School Psychology and warrants further exploration for both training and practical applications.

Multicultural Supervision: What Difference Does Difference Make?

Multicultural sensitivity and competency represent critical components to contemporary practice and supervision in school psychology. Internship and supervision experiences are a capstone experience for many new school psychologists; however, few receive formal training and supervision in multicultural competencies. As an increased number of students from culturally diverse backgrounds are accepted into school psychology training programs, it is likely students will encounter supervisory experiences in which the supervisor is of a culture other than their own. This paper explores cultural factors impacting supervision, reviews research on cultural match between supervisor and supervisee, as well as highlights best practice considerations for engaging in effective multicultural supervision.

Developing school psychologists as agents of social justice: A qualitative analysis of student understanding across three years

This study employed a cohort-sequential design with four cohorts over 3years to investigate school psychology graduate trainees' (n=37) understanding of social justice. Using consensual qualitative research methods, participants' perspectives on social justice writ large, social justice as it applies to school psychology, and effective aspects of social justice training in their graduate training program were collected through semi-structured focus group interviews. Field-based training though service-learning in diverse communities provided trainees with exposure to experiences that were viewed as instrumental in their understanding of social justice in general and as it applies to school psychology. Trainees described aspects of the training program that were viewed as conducive to educating school psychologists as agents of social justice. Based on findings from the study, a descriptive model of school psychology training for social justice is proposed.

Problem-based learning in professional training: Experiences of school psychology trainers in the United Kingdom.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a method of curriculum delivery that has been widely implemented and evaluated in medical education and other disciplines, with growing interest in its use in training professional psychologists. In this article, a national survey of psychology educators in the United Kingdom is reported, undertaken following the large-scale implementation of PBL within school psychology training. Telephone interviews were conducted with educators in the United Kingdom on 13 of the 16 programs to investigate the purposes that PBL serves and the way it is used. Interview transcripts were analyzed by using a qualitative approach based on thematic analysis procedures and a network of co-occurring codes built to organize the data and develop a thematic map. Two main types of themes were identified (conceptual and operational), and variations in practice were found in relation to dimensions with opposing poles. The main conceptual themes were uniformity of implementation of PBL, extensiveness of PBL coverage, and degree of integration of PBL with other modes of curriculum delivery (exclusiveness of PBL). These were associated with a range of operational features; for example, time devoted to PBL, student and educator preparation, and PBL delivery and assessment. Implications for faculty considering the introduction of PBL as a method of curriculum delivery or an instructional tool in professional psychology training are explored.

GRADUATE STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF TRAINING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAINING MODEL

A school psychology training model that translates social justice from an aspiration to a model of practice for school psychologists will be examined. The strategies used to incorporate principles of social justice into the school psychology graduate training program with the goal of preparing school psychologists as agents of change will be discussed as well as key areas of training that were targeted (i.e., program mission, student body, program courses, community partnering, and community‐based projects). Evaluative data from three cohorts about the impact of their training experiences on integrating social justice into their professional practice will be presented. Graduate student perceptions, implications of the training model, and suggestions for programs that are considering embracing a philosophy of social justice in an explicit way will be discussed.

IDENTIFYING AND CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Though National Association of School Psychologists standards acknowledge the urgent need for leadership skills among school psychologists and loosely define a leadership agenda, a cogent model for the training and practice of this skill set has not yet been explicated. The formulation of a preliminary conceptual framework is a particularly pressing agenda for school psychology practitioners and academicians who, in response to the call for increased accountability in general and special education, must shift curricula from a traditional diagnostic/consultative/intervention framework to include topics related to organizational effectiveness. The objective of this article is to identify key behaviors, skills, dispositions, and contextual variables that will facilitate successful leadership among practicing school psychologists and then to propose considerations for specialist‐level training in school psychology.

Trauma in Children: A Call to Action in School Psychology

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for children or adolescents to be exposed to traumatic events. Experiences such as sexual or physical abuse, severe accidents, cancer or other life threatening illness, natural or man-made disasters, or the sudden death of a relative or peer can all result in maladaptive responses. As all children are in attendance at schools, this location seems the most logical place to meet the needs of children who have experienced these types of events. Therefore, it is imperative that psychologists working in schools have training in meeting the needs of this segment of the population. This manuscript summarizes the incidence of trauma in children, discusses the schools as a prime location for the provision of mental health services, and argues for the need to include training in trauma and trauma interventions in school psychology training programs.

Providing psychological services and counselling in Pacific Rim countries: Where is school psychology in Asia?

School psychology services and the functions of school psychologists providing assessment, consultation, and intervention for children and their families are still greatly underdeveloped in the Pacific Rim countries, particularly those with a Chinese heritage culture. For the most part, school psychology services are provided by educational psychologists, school counsellors, and/or teacher-counsellors with varying levels of training and expertise, while the development of school psychology as a profession has been slow in coming. Nonetheless, Asian countries are gradually accepting the notion that children should be in school and there are efforts to provide psychological services within schools to prevent and solve mental health problems unique to these countries. With an obvious need for systematic mental health services, particularly for children and youth and their families, there is also a critical need to develop programmes that would lead to graduate level training in school psychology while simultaneously acknowledging the diversity of these Asian cultures in the Pacific Rim countries. Given the large populations of these countries, it is essential that we work to develop school psychology programmes in the very near future. If the Asian countries were to develop to their fullest potential, school psychologists would be needed as a critical component in all school systems.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE ISSUES IN THE ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING FOR EDUCATIONAL APPLICATIONS

Research has demonstrated that many children have learning problems related to deficits in specific cognitive processes that are not adequately represented by a single IQ score. The administration of cognitive measures that include narrow abilities is useful in understanding specific learning problems and developing effective interventions. However, school psychology training programs have not readily adopted contemporary assessment practices. This article reviews the historical and legislative factors influencing school psychologists’ use of intellectual measures for identifying children with learning and other high‐incidence disabilities. Distinctions between contemporary cognitive assessment and traditional IQ testing are reviewed. Specific challenges to incorporating evidence‐based assessment practice within school psychology training programs are identified. Guidelines for using alternative research‐based procedures that include the use of cognitive measures to assess a child's strengths and weaknesses are provided. Potential directions for the application of cognitive theory in educational settings, professional training in appropriate interpretive strategies, and ethical guidance for the appropriate use of cognitive measures are also discussed.

Multicultural competency building: Practical solutions for training and evaluating student progress.

Fostering the development of cultural competence and responsiveness among psychology trainees is expected according to the professional standards of national accrediting bodies (Arredondo, Toporek, Brown, & Jones, 1996). However, the guidelines do not provide specifics on how to develop or evaluate such competence in trainees. This review offers information to help address that gap in clinical, counseling, and school psychology training literature. Building on the model of Sue, Arredondo, and McDavis (1992), we summarize multicultural training in the context of four domains of competence: development of multicultural beliefs and attitudes, knowledge, skills, and advocacy. We address these dimensions and provide a quick reference of teaching tools, offer a menu of experiential exercises, and discuss limitations and future directions in terms of student.

EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS TO ENHANCE OUR REMEDIATION PROCEDURE EVIDENCE BASE AS WE APPLY RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION

The success of Response‐to‐Intervention (RTI) and similar models of service delivery is dependent on educators being able to apply effective and efficient remedial procedures. In the process of implementing problem‐solving RTI models, school psychologists have an opportunity to contribute to and enhance the quality of our remedial‐procedure evidence base. In this article, we describe and analyze how the broad‐scale implementation of RTI may allow school psychologists to collaborate with others to apply, develop, adopt, and adapt contextually valid remedial and research design procedures. To capitalize on this opportunity, graduate training in school psychology must be enhanced to focus on the application of repeated measures design in applied settings using more precise and sensitive measurement and evaluation procedures. Such strategies should prevent us from advocating for procedures that cannot be applied in educational contexts and/or are ineffective. This will also encourage comparative effectiveness studies that can be used to determine which procedures remedy problems the quickest.

FUTURE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: TOWARD CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TRAINING IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY

This article argues that school psychology programs must prepare future school psychologists to address the needs of our increasingly diverse society. Providing training and field experiences that are grounded in multicultural practices, research, and advocacy will foster greater competence in addressing diverse schools’, students’, and families’ needs. Following a review of relevant research on training program practices in this area, the authors identify four major program challenges to advancing culturally responsive preparation of school psychologists. These include (a) integrating multicultural perspectives within the philosophical foundation of training programs, (b) adapting multicultural approaches to reframe education and psychological theory in school psychology training, (c) defining the multicultural scope for training, and (d) articulating and implementing multicultural competencies via criteria already sanctioned by our profession through the latest National Association of School Psychologists Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists.

Participants’ evaluation of consultation: implications for training in school psychology

Evaluation of graduate students’ consultation skills is essential to competent practice in school settings. Congruence of evaluation of the consultation experience has been shown as an important factor in the development of competent consultants in other, related disciplines. The current study analysed student consultant and teacher consultee perspectives on several dimensions, including school system entry, knowledge gaps, territorial concerns, role ambivalence, and problems inherent in student–staff member interaction. Results of tests for congruence of ratings of providers and recipients of consultation services suggest a number of concerns regarding the preparation of graduate student consultants for successful practise in school settings, including inadequate preparation for systems entry, conflict over shared problem solving and the need to balance expertise with collaboration, and graduate student’s lack of knowledge of instructional practices. Implications for training graduate students in school-based consultation are discussed.

Personality Assessment for School Psychologists: Considerations and Issues for Contemporary Practice

In-public education school psychologists can provide an invaluable service for children, families, and the community. Tragically, children are coping with an extraordinary range of mental health needs. Such issues as adolescent aggression, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, drug and alcohol addictions, and family dysfunction represent a sampling of problems. While cognitive assessment and behavioral rating has remained a cornerstone of training, many facets of personality assessment have been less of a focus for school psychology training and practice. Unfortunately, the reticence of school districts to allow school psychologists to provide personality assessments and the reluctance of training programs to teach personality assessment has resulted in a dearth in the identification of personality issues. This article reviews key issues impacting children's mental health and considers differing personality assessment models available for implementation in school practice.

Problematic students of NASP‐approved programs: An exploratory study of graduate student views

AbstractThis study reports the findings of an electronic exploratory survey of National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Student Representatives. The purpose of the survey was to gather information about the perspective of graduate students concerning problematic peers and their experiences with them in school psychology training programs. Findings suggest that (a) students are unsure whether or not their training programs have an official procedure in place for dealing with problematic students; (b) the problems they observe most commonly involve poor interpersonal skills; (c) consistent with other mental health programs, school psychology graduate students most often talk with their peers or avoid contact with the problematic peer when they have concerns rather than go to faculty; (d) the majority (49.4%) of the respondents feel that faculty or training directors have the most responsibility for the identification of problematic peers but that students have an ethical duty to provide information to the teaching staff if they feel they have a reason to believe there is a problem of which the faculty is unaware. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A survey of school psychologists' preparation, participation, and perceptions related to positive behavior interventions and supports

AbstractPositive behavior interventions and supports are increasingly utilized in school systems throughout the nation, particularly the school‐wide multi‐tiered support framework. Given such trends, and the basis of these practices in psychological principles and research, it is important to identify how school psychologists are trained to contribute to such efforts, their involvement in intervention activities, and their perceptions of this approach. We surveyed a national sample of 557 school psychologists regarding their training, involvement, and perceptions of positive behavior supports. The results indicate that although most respondents had a variety of training experiences in multiple behavior‐related areas, one quarter did not report receiving any training related to school‐wide positive behavior interventions and supports (SWPBIS). Although 35% of school psychologists reported employment in schools implementing SWPBIS, these schools varied in the SWPBIS elements in place. Implications for school psychology training and practice are addressed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The competencies initiative in American professional psychology: Implications for school psychology preparation

AbstractIn the past decade, American professional psychology has taken significant steps toward a unified statement of the competencies that define the practice of psychology, regardless of specialty. The purpose of this article is to explain the current competency initiative in professional psychology and examine its implications and potential impact on graduate training in school psychology. A brief overview of competency‐based training and the current competencies initiative in psychology is presented. Two significant challenges to implement competency‐based training are then discussed. The first challenge has to do with conceptualizations of training and practice across accreditation agencies. As a part of the discussion, two recently published competency documents from the Assessment of Competencies Benchmark Workgroup of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists are compared in a content analysis. The second challenge discussed is the difficulties associated with operationalizing and measuring competencies. Specifically, the empirical and consequential bases for existing assessment methods are examined. In spite of current pressure by accrediting agencies to implement a competency‐based training model, based on the challenges examined in this article, significant work remains if school psychology trainers want to assure that competency‐based training is done well. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evolving practicum issues in school psychology preparation

AbstractPracticum experiences have been a critical aspect of the education and training of school psychologists at both the specialist and doctoral level. At the specialist level, the National Association of School Psychologists recently updated their standards for practicum, but the content, quality, and length of practicum vary tremendously across training programs. At the doctoral level, recent guidelines from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards allow for the emerging option to include practicum experience together with internship toward licensure requirements. However, this raises a number of questions unique to the context of school psychology training, including what hours and activities count, appropriate credentials for supervisors, appropriate sites for practicum experiences, what competencies are to be gained, and how to assess those competencies. The Council of Directors of School Psychology Programs has organized a task force to address issues of competencies and supervision in practicum experiences to inform recommendations and regulations regarding practicum experiences. This article summarizes the nature and context of these issues, and makes recommendations for school psychology training programs, national professional organizations, and credentialing organizations. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Perspectives on specialization in school psychology training and practice

AbstractSchool psychology is a professional practice specialty in the broader field of the profession of psychology. As such, the discipline of school psychology must meet certain standards and criteria to retain its identity and official designation as a professional specialty. Likewise, practitioners of school psychology are professionals themselves and must meet standards and criteria of preparation and continuing education to maintain their professional status. The growth of knowledge and the demands being made on school psychologists to acquire a broad range of knowledge and skills in sufficient depth to allow competent practice is outstripping the reasonableness of training in the field, which assumes that school psychologists should be competent to practice in all areas of practice demand. Specialization within the field of school psychology, a de facto but officially unrecognized occurrence in many areas for at least several decades, offers a solution to this dilemma of training and practice and should be formally recognized and promoted by the profession. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.