Assessment of severe emotional impairment: Practices and problems

The basic purpose of this study was to determine: (a) how school psychologists operationally define severe emotional disturbance as outlined in PL 94–142 (SED), and (b) the extent to which assessment procedures are in compliance with PL 94–142. A total of 83 school psychologists from two north central states participated in the study. Results indicated that a typical battery for assessing SED consisted of the WISC-R, WRAT, Bender-Gestalt, an incomplete sentences test, a behavior-rating scale, classroom observation, and informal interviews. A high correlation was found between the frequency with which psychologists use a type of data and the importance ascribed to that data source. Psychologists generally relied on only one or two criteria when considering severity of emotional disturbance. Special education placement often was contingent upon program availability. Implications for training and practice were presented.     

Negotiating psychological disturbance in pre-service teacher education

This article describes the results of studies into the intrapsychic disturbance experienced by student teachers. The process of becoming a teacher is explored in terms of transition and the emergence of a teacher identity. Interview data were developed into case study narratives around the theme of an emerging professional teacher self. The study drew on psychoanalytic theory to interpret the potential conflict between the students’ emerging identity and a historical, non-professional self. The fourth and final case study presented here illustrates how one student used an extended piece of personal writing during her pre-service course to explore her emerging teacher identity.     

Factors influencing the decision to administer psychoeducational tests

Ninety-nine NASP members participated in a study designed to investigate bias in the early stages of the referral process (i.e., in the decision to administer psychological tests). Each school psychologist received one of eight case studies, which described a child referred for academic learning problems. The case studies included typical referral information and varied student race (Black, White), socioeconomic status (higher, lower), and group achievement test scores (average, below average). The decision to administer individual psychoeducational tests was not influenced by the student's race or socioeconomic status. School psychologists were influenced by the group achievement test data. Students who showed lower achievement test results were more likely to be recommended for testing than were those who showed average performance levels. Thus, these school psychologists were not biased by knowledge of a child's race or socioeconomic status, but were influenced by instructionally relevant data (i.e., achievement test scores). In addition, when objective test data indicated average achievement levels, the psychologists did not generally recommend subsequent individual psychoeducational testing. The findings suggested that, under certain conditions, testing may not automatically follow receipt of a referral.     

Mandatory voice: Implementation of a district‐led student‐voice program in urban high schools

This qualitative case study explores how urban high schools implement a district‐initiated student‐voice program, referred to as Student Advisory Committees, intended to improve school climate. The study uses an implementation science framework to analyze interview data from principals and advisors in 22 urban high schools. An iterative, top–down thematic analytic procedure was used for analysis and interpretation of the data. The results suggest wide variation in how the program was implemented in terms of fidelity, dosage, quality, program reach, and adaptation, with contextual school factors—namely, principal and school characteristics—that help to explain this variation. In addition, the findings indicate that these contextual factors had a significant influence on how the school district implemented the student advisory committees. The authors discuss the implications for program implementation in the context of urban school districts and for school psychologists.     

Medical diagnostic consultation concerning mental retardation: An analogue study of school psychologists' attitudes

Recent research of relevance to school psychologists suggests that the cause, or etiology, of mental retardation can be established by medical diagnosticians in approximately one‐half of cases. In the current study, 109 practicing school psychologists considered a hypothetical case of an elementary student with mental retardation and indicated their attitudes toward the use of medical consultation. School psychologists were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions defined by the amount of information about medical diagnostic consultations they received: (a) no information, (b) guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) calling for medical consultation in cases of developmental delay, or (c) AAN guidelines plus a concise summary of research on etiology, prevention, and mental retardation. School psychologists with more than 10 years of experience evidenced a more favorable attitude toward medical diagnostic consultation when provided more information, whereas their less experienced colleagues demonstrated no such pattern. This finding, together with others derived from participants' responses, is discussed regarding school psychologists' practice and training. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Consistently inconsistent: An examination of the variability in the identification of emotional disturbance

The federal definition of emotional disturbance (ED) has been heavily criticized as vaguely defined and poorly operationalized yet there has not been a formal analysis of the reliability of the ED criteria. This study examined the reliability of the federal criteria for a special education designation of ED. A total of 179 school psychologists reviewed a mock special education report, made an eligibility determination, and provided information about their eligibility decision. In all, 56 participants found the student met ED eligibility criteria using 16 different combinations of the five criteria. Krippendorff’s α, a statistic preferred for content analysis, was calculated as a measure of criterion reliability. Results indicated extremely poor reliability (α = 0.2011). These findings demonstrate the importance of redefining the existing criteria.     

Grade retention: Current decision‐making practices and involvement of school psychologists working in public schools

Research examining student outcomes (e.g., achievement, adjustment) after grade retention reveals that it does not result in long‐term improvements for students; however, grade retention continues to be used as an intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine retention decision‐making practices, as well as school psychologists' knowledge, beliefs, and opinions regarding retention. Actual and ideal roles of school psychologists in grade retention decisions were also examined. Participants included 250 school psychologists randomly selected from the membership of the National Association of School Psychologists. Results revealed that the decision to retain is a subjective one, typically made by a team. Responding school psychologists did not support retention and found the research moderately applicable to practice. However, most school psychologists indicated that they were not centrally involved in decision making. Findings also revealed a desire among school psychologists for increased involvement in developing and/or implementing programs aimed at improving performance and consulting on the effects of retention. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

THE MEDIATING ROLE OF SOCIO‐MOTIVATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE INTERPLAY OF PERCEIVED STRESS,NEUROTICISM, AND TEST ANXIETY AMONG ADOLESCENT STUDENTS

In this study, we examined whether socio‐motivational relationships, such as student–student relationships (SSR) and teacher–student relationships (TSR), as well as peers as positive motivators (PPM) and teachers as positive motivators (TPM), would mediate the association of both perceived stress and neuroticism with test anxiety in 1,088 German students from grades seven and eight. Results from structural equation modeling revealed that a high quality of SSR mediated the relationship between neuroticism and test anxiety, which was not the case for TSR. Furthermore, both PPM and TPM acted as mediators in all hypothesized associations. Interestingly, although a high quality of SSR mitigated feelings of test anxiety, PPM and TPM intensified test anxiety in neurotic students. The role of social relationships as protective factors as well as risk factors is discussed, as are the implications of the findings for educators, school psychologists, and teachers.     

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ FAMILY–SCHOOL PARTNERING EXPERIENCES WITH LATINOS

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify the beliefs, perceptions, and actions of school psychologists toward family–school partnering (FSP) with Latino families in the public school system. Existing research in this area is extremely limited; therefore, the present study has significant implications for pre‐ and in‐service training to achieve effective FSP with Latino families. Five school psychologists working in school districts with greater than 40% Latino student enrollment participated in this study. Five major themes emerged from data analysis: Attitudes toward FSP, Knowledge and Skills Needed, Expectations for Engagement, Perceived Barriers to FSP, and Engagement Activities. The results of this study will help researchers and educators develop an awareness of the challenges school psychologists face and the actions they take to enhance relationships with Latino families.     

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Acceptability of Teleconsultation

School-based psychological services are typically provided through a triadic model of consultation in which a school psychologist works directly with a teacher or school staff member to address the academic, behavioral, or mental health concerns of a student. With advances in current technology, school psychologists have the capacity to use videoconferencing to engage in their consultative responsibilities. Teleconsultation has the potential to improve the provision of consultative services by increasing school psychologists’ efficiency and providing individuals, especially those in rural areas, access to greater service. The current study evaluated the effectiveness and acceptability of teleconsultation as a means to deliver behavioral consultation services to three teachers and their students. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline across subjects was used. Results showed that consultants could develop a behavioral intervention with a teacher and effectively implement the intervention to improve student outcomes. Teachers also rated teleconsultation as an acceptable means for service delivery.     

TEACHERS’ EXPECTATIONS AND SELF‐EFFICACY FOR WORKING WITH BULLIES AND VICTIMS

Bullying is a significant concern in schools, and both bullies and victims are at risk for negative outcomes. In this study, 239 sixth‐grade teachers completed questionnaires about their perceptions of four components of school climate: high‐risk student behaviors, school‐wide barriers to learning, principal support, and cooperation among teachers. Teachers’ expectations and self‐efficacy for working effectively with both bullies and victims were assessed using case study vignettes. The results indicated that teachers’ perceptions of principal support were significantly related to teachers’ expectations and self‐efficacy for working with bullies. A graduate degree was also related to greater self‐efficacy for working with bullies. Administrators and school psychologists should consider the role of perceived principal support as an important factor in influencing teachers’ expectations and beliefs in working with bullies.     

Personality and Student Teaching Success

The relationship between personality factors of education students and their success in student teaching was explored in relation to the student teacher’s sex and level of pupils taught. The IPAT Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire was administered to all education majors at Florida Atlantic University and the student teaching grade was collected for those students (N = 362) completing the education program.

A 3 × 2 × 2 Manova was employed wherein the level of pupil taught, teacher sex, and student teaching grade served as independent variables and the 16 personality scores as dependent variables. Significant effects were grade achieved in student teaching and sex. Separate discriminant functions were derived to separate both males and females with respect to student teaching grade. The percentage of hits resulting from subsequent classification of a replication sample was found too low to validate the personality discriminant model as a student teaching grade predictor.     

Special education placement decisions as a function of professional role and handicapping condition

The restrictiveness of special education placements was examined by profession (administrators, school psychologists, and special education teacters) and by type of handicapping condition (mental retardation [MR], emotional disturbance [ED], and learning disability [LD]). A total of 66 professionals (22 in each profession) assigned placement scores, using the Rucker-Gable Educational Placement Scale, on the basis of three psychological reports (one MR, ED, and LD case per professional). Results indicated that the average placement scores for the three cases combined did not differ significantly by profession. However, a significant interaction occurred, with administrators assigning the MR and ED cases to more restrictive placements than both the school psychologists and special educators, only to shift to a relatively less restrictive approach with the LD case. Implications of these findings are discussed, including a discussion of the multidisciplinary approach to clinical decision making.     

School psychologists and suicide risk assessment: Role perception and competency

As the second leading cause of death for adolescents, suicide is a major concern for school personnel. School psychologists' training in mental health makes them well-positioned to lead in suicide prevention efforts; however, studies have shown a lack of preparedness in crisis intervention and, more specifically, suicide risk assessment. This study surveyed practicing school psychologists (N = 92) to explore their perception of both their role and competency in suicide risk assessment. Suicide risk assessment was defined as a broad term pertaining to any measures taken in suicide prevention, intervention, or postvention. The majority of school psychologists reported having a primary role at the tertiary level (i.e., intervening with a student identified as needing help). Participants indicated lacking adequate graduate preparation; however, most participants were confident in their knowledge of suicide and suicide risk assessment and were comfortable identifying and intervening with a student who is suicidal. Implications for practice and directions for future research are discussed.     

Student counselling at Utrecht University

The enormous increase in the number of students at Dutch universities in the sixties and seventies made it impossible for professors to deal with the many different questions students confronted them with. New professionals, student counsellors/psychologists and student advisers entered the universities. Three levels of counselling can be distinguished:

Family assessment in K‐12 settings: Understanding family systems to provide effective,collaborative services

Professional school counselors, school psychologists, and other professionals working in K‐12 settings have a complex job of meeting the needs of all students. Often, referral to outside counseling is necessary; however, an effective and comprehensive counseling model advocates for school mental health professionals to employ a wide variety of techniques to ensure equitable distribution of services to all students and their families. This article explores using family assessment tools to support both students' academic achievement and their families within a school context. A case study illustrates how a professional school counselor could employ and collaborate with family assessment tools to support the student, family, and school systems. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Trends and practices in functional behavior assessments completed by school psychologists

Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) utilize direct and indirect methods to collect data on student behavior to generate a functional hypothesis and drive intervention development. School psychologists are trained to conduct FBAs and use them regularly in schools. However, no evidence exists describing the specific practices used by school psychologists when they conduct FBAs. In this study, 199 respondents completed a web‐based survey developed using expert review and cognitive pretesting. Most respondents reported their gender as female (87%), were between 30 and 39 years old (50%), and practiced at the Specialist level (57%). Respondents reported receiving training in FBA across multiple sources and utilizing multi‐method data collection methods when conducting FBAs. A large amount of variability was observed in the specific instruments used by school psychologists, with a substantial proportion using forms that were not standardized or pre‐constructed. Implications for current practitioners, trainers, and researchers are described.     

A study of some factors influencing attitudes to teaching the handicapped among Nigerian student teachers

The main aim of this study is to study the attitudes towards teaching handicapped pupils among a group of Nigerian student teachers. A 13-item Likert-type scale, specially constructed to measure attitudes towards the teaching of handicapped pupils, was administered to 149 Nigerian student teachers, of differing ethnic and educational backgrounds. The respondents were also questioned about their preferences for teaching certain types of handicapped pupils.It was found that female student teachers had a much more favourable attitude towards teaching the handicapped than male student teachers. Student teachers under twenty-five had more favourable attitudes towards teaching the handicapped than older student teachers. Ibo students showed the most favourable attitudes towards teaching the handicapped, and specialist-trained students showed more favourable attitudes towards teaching the handicapped pupils than their counterparts who had not been specially trained.When it came to preferences for teaching certain categories of handicap, a clear sex difference appeared. Almost half of the 101 males nominated teaching the mentally handicapped as their first choice, with only about 10% selecting the visually handicapped as their first choice. The situation was reversed in the case of the females, with over a third selecting visual handicap as their first choice, and only about 10% selecting mental retardation as their first choice.     

Reform: Why? What? By whom?

Benton and Hoyt have surveyed educational psychologists regarding their views on reform of teacher-training programs. Ostensibly based on the results of their survey, Benton and Hoyt have called for a greater role of educational psychologists in shaping the reform of teacher training. The present article questions: (1) whether educational psychologists have skills that would contribute to reform as it is being conceptualized; (2) whether the reform movement is focusing on aspects of the educational system that will result in improved student outcomes; and (3) whether it is the educational system that needs reform or our expectations for the educational system.     

IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS

From its inception as a disability category in the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, serving students under the special education category Emotional Disturbance (ED) has been a challenging task for school psychologists. In particular, the vague and ambiguous federal definition has created an environment in which inconsistent assessment practices and decision making are almost inevitable. In this study, we examined school psychologists’ (N = 214) assessment practices when determining initial eligibility for ED, as well as their perceptions regarding the language contained within the federal ED definition. Findings indicated that although school psychologists recognize the need for a multimethod, multisource assessment model when ED is a classification consideration, in many instances, their actual assessments are missing commonly recommended sources of data for making eligibility decisions, including classroom observations; parent, teacher, and student interviews; and behavior rating scales. The results from the study provide a useful overview of school psychologists’ assessment practices and are couched within the questions and confusion that have surrounded the federal ED definition since its codification into law.