The Blueprint I revisited: Training and practice in school psychology

In 1984, the National School Psychology Inservice Training Network (NSPITN) published School psychology: A blueprint for training and practice (Blueprint I), which recognized that America's public schools were troubled and focused on how school psychology could help with a transformation; the role of school psychologists was divided into 16 practice domains. In 1997, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) published a successor, School psychology: A blueprint for training and practice II (Blueprint II), which credits the first edition with having “driven much of the progress in school psychology.” To better understand the impact of the Blueprint I, this study analyzes responses from Nebraska and Iowa school psychologists about it, finding that doctoral-level respondents believed that they were more competently trained than subdoctoral school psychologists in the research domain; quality of training was rated higher by respondents receiving degrees after 1984 in class management, classroom organization and social structures, interpersonal communication and consultation, legal/ethical and professional issues, multicultural concerns, parental involvement, research, and systems development and planning. Analyses revealed numerous areas of congruence and dissonance between training and practice. Respondents reported a preference to decrease the amount of time spent in assessment and increase the time spent in all other domains (except basic academic skills). The relevance to the Blueprint II and the implications for school psychology training and practices are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

论教师在学校心理辅导中的角色定位

学校心理健康教育中,心理辅导教师和任课教师都有促进学生心理健康的责任,但两者存在着角色间的冲突;任课教师在教学中担负着的多重角色使得他们面临着角色内的冲突。本文从这两种角色冲突的解决策略上论述如何实施学校心理健康教育。     

Continuing education and school psychology: A review of state requirements

Continuing professional education has become increasingly important over the past several years. Recognizing that school psychologists need to update skills on a regular basis, professional organizations in school psychology have developed programs for continuing education. While the interest to participate in such programs seems high, possible conflicts with the requirements of state departments of education may prevent such programs from achieving their potential for success. A survey was conducted to determine present standards for continuing education of school psychologists among state departments of education. The results of this survey are discussed and recommendations are offered to local and state school psychology organizations.     

师生冲突的心理成因分析及其对策

师生冲突是师生交往中不可避免的教育现象,从心理学角度探讨其发生的原因及对策有着重要的理论和实践意义。本文拟从心理学层面分析其产生的潜在根源,并归结为教师修养、学生个体、家庭心理环境和学校管理方式等四个方面的原因。提出了分别由教师、学生、家庭与学校通过不同的方式来解决师生冲突的策略。     

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.     

Mixed methods research in school psychology: A mixed methods investigation of trends in the literature

This article illustrates the utility of mixed methods research (i.e., combining quantitative and qualitative techniques) to the field of school psychology. First, the use of mixed methods approaches in school psychology practice is discussed. Second, the mixed methods research process is described in terms of school psychology research. Third, the current state of affairs with respect to mixed methods designs in school psychology research is illustrated through a mixed methods analysis of the types of empirical studies published in the four leading school psychology journals between 2001 and 2005. Only 13.7% of these studies were classified as representing mixed methods research. We conclude that this relatively small proportion likely reflects the fact that only 3.5% of graduate‐level school psychology programs appear to require that students enroll in one or more qualitative and/or mixed methods research courses, and only 19.3% appear to offer one or more qualitative courses as an elective. Finally, the utility of mixed methods research is illustrated by critiquing select monomethod (i.e., qualitative or quantitative) and mixed methods studies conducted on the increasingly important topic of bullying. We demonstrate how using mixed methods techniques results in richer data being collected, leading to a greater understanding of underlying phenomena. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Preschool Teachers’ Implementation of Vocabulary Strategies During Shared Reading: a Comparative Study

Research Findings: Shared reading is reported to be the single best instructional practice for emergent literacy skills. Vocabulary instruction practices implemented during shared reading by both Head Start (HS) teachers and teachers from more affluent private school settings were compared to determine whether there were differences between the 2 groups of teachers in their implementation of research-based practices. HS teachers implemented vocabulary instruction practices during shared reading more often, and chose different words to instruct, than private school teachers. Whereas 78% of HS teachers provided some vocabulary instruction during shared reading, only 59% of private school teachers did so. Among those teachers who provided vocabulary instruction during shared reading, HS teachers used significantly more contextualization strategies for word instruction than private school teachers. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who work with children from high-needs backgrounds use vocabulary instruction during shared reading as a way to bolster children’s vocabularies more frequently than teachers working in private preschools that serve children from more privileged backgrounds. Extratextual language was also compared, and private school teachers had a higher mean length of utterance and type–token ratio than the HS teachers. Practice or Policy: Professional development is recommended for preschool teachers to increase the implementation of best practices for vocabulary instruction during shared reading.     

Positive psychology goes to school: Are we there yet?

Implicit within a perspective of positive psychology is the assumption that environments can be promoted to foster individual strengths through a preventative focus and the development of positive institutions. Given that the development of positive institutions has direct implications for school psychology, this paper begins to draw attention to the potential of positive psychology within school systems. Throughout the paper, it is suggested that a focus on schools may serve as the nexus between the movement in positive psychology searching to promote positive human development and the institutions that could serve as the vehicle for this development. Historic and emerging trends are examined, with particular attention to how positive psychology could promote the development of positive schools (institutions) that foster success for all students. Specifically, the parallel histories of discontent with deficit‐oriented practice in the fields of mental health and school psychology are reviewed, and precursors to building and maintaining positive institutions that focus on working within the existing system to promote lasting change are explored. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 41: 101–110, 2004.     

A replication of a survey of school psychologists: Congruence between training,practice, preferred role,and competence

The present study is a replication of an earlier effort by Meacham and Peckham (1978) that surveyed practicing school psychologists to obtain their perceptions regarding the congruency between the role functions of assessment, interpretation, remediation, consultation, change agent, and research and training, present job, preferred job, and competence. Overall, results indicate a greater congruency between the training and practice of school psychologists. Other findings are discussed in terms of their implications for the training and practice of school psychology.     

MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: APPLICATIONS FOR INTERVENTION AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Although the use of mindfulness is increasing in other areas of applied psychology, school psychology has yet to embrace it in practice. This article introduces school psychologists to the burgeoning field of mindfulness psychology and to the possibilities that it offers to their discipline. A background on the Western scientific study and application of mindfulness provides a theoretical foundation to those unfamiliar with the topic. We then discuss the application of mindfulness technologies to various forms of service provision in the professional practice of school psychology. The innovative and novel avenues that mindfulness psychology offers to psychological science     

What we know and do not know about supervision in school psychology: A systematic mapping and review of the literature between 2000 and 2017

Supervision is a distinct competency area in professional psychology with a burgeoning research base. Yet it remains unclear to what extent the broad supervision research base generalizes specifically to supervision of psychological services in schools for both preservice trainees and credentialed school psychologists. The purposes of this study were to map and review current evidence regarding supervision in school psychology; consider the evidence in the context of the broader psychology supervision literature; and reflect on next steps for training, practice, and research of supervision in school psychology. A systematic review across school psychology journals and psychological supervision journals found only 37 peer refereed articles (21 empirical and 16 conceptual) published on the topic of supervision in school psychology since the year 2000. The topical coverage of these articles is summarized, including its contributions and limitations. Implications are drawn for future research of supervision in school psychology.     

Providing Consultation About Boundary Dilemmas to Paraprofessional Staff Working With People With Severe Psychiatric Disabilities

ABSTRACT

Social justice has been suggested as a possible global moral framework for school psychology. It is, however, culturally understood and research suggests that the engagement with “social justice” in school psychology has been largely limited to a U.S. context. This project sought to extend international understandings and practices of social justice in school psychology. A thematic analysis of nine interviews with educational psychologists based in England was conducted. Social justice was defined as complex, and participants suggested it is important to educational psychology practice in part because of current cuts to public services and educational reforms. Findings also indicated a role for social justice consultation, building relationships, and engaging with broader macrolevel work to enact a social justice agenda. We discuss these findings in relation to previous literature, concluding that our research begins to document the seeds of a broader social justice agenda in school psychology.     

The role of the school psychologist in the private practice of the developmental optometrist

This article discusses a cooperative effort between developmental optometrists and school psychologists in meeting the total needs of children with learning problems. The private practice of the developmental optometrist would provide the applied psychologist a setting for providing community-based preventive psychology. The role of the applied psychologist in providing psychological and educational assessment, consultation services, direct psychological interventions, and coordination of services is discussed.     

Assessing effectiveness and efficiency of academic interventions in school psychology journals: 1995–2005

This article reviews research in the four major school psychology journals: Journal of School Psychology, Psychology in the Schools, School Psychology Quarterly, and School Psychology Review. The function of the review was to provide school psychologists with a summary of academic interventions published through years 1995–2005, synthesize the commonalities of empirically based interventions, and report on the extent to which each article provides the reader the opportunity to understand the effects of the intervention with regard to the amount of instructional time required to implement it. Results of the review suggest that reading is most heavily investigated followed by math and, to a much lesser degree, written expression. Moreover, studies use a variety of designs including single subject and group designs. Finally, it is clear that a limited number of studies evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention with regard to the amount of instructional time needed to implement the intervention. In light of these findings and in addition to the two major functions of the review, recommendations for practice and future research are presented. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

BRIDGING SOCIAL JUSTICE AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS TO ENHANCE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP AND PRACTICE

This article describes the overlap between the common goals of social justice and children's rights advocates as applied to scholarship and practice in school psychology. We argue that these frameworks overlap a great deal, with a primary distinction being the roots of each approach. Specifically, the origins of social justice movements in school psychology can be traced to multicultural school psychology, whereas the roots of school psychology and children's rights stem more from broader international movements. The potential implications of the similarities and differences are explored through a case study. Finally, recommendations for the next 25 years of social justice and children's rights scholarship and practice are provided.     

Public law 94–142: Practicing school psychologists' perceptions of how this law affects them

A questionnaire regarding PL 94–142 and its effects upon the practice of school psychology was developed and mailed to 389 members of the National Association of School Psychologists. Information regarding professional training, years of experience, and type of service system was obtained for the purpose of various group comparisons. Age, sex, number of years of experience, and type of service system were specifically chosen for statistical analysis. Overall results suggested two relatively divergent views expressed by practitioners. The first was the stated belief that school psychology will become much more closely tied to the field of special education, while an alternative opinion was that the field will remain as diverse as the systems it serves.     

Cognitive behaviour therapy in schools: the role of educational psychology in the dissemination of empirically supported interventions

Educational psychology has recently experienced something of a revival in the provision of psychological therapy. This revival has aligned with general developments in evidence‐based psychology. A product of this has been more frequent delivery of empirically supported therapies in practice settings, for example, anxiety reduction programmes in school classes. This has enriched educational psychology practice and increased its opportunity to participate in therapy services through engagement with multi‐professional teams, coordination of training providers, training of trainers or indeed direct delivery. However, there are concerns that over‐commitment to simple intervention protocols has undermined educational psychologists’ wider role as highly skilled therapist/generalists. This article summarises the terms of debate in which empirically supported research practices have developed. Following an overview of the most common therapies, a series of questions challenging current research practices are posed. This paper finally reconsiders the impact that patterns of research and provision have had on educational psychology in practice.     

Comparison of individual factors in school psychology graduate students: Why do students pursue a degree in school psychology?

The purpose of this study was to investigate what factors influenced students to enter the field of school psychology. Although numerous studies have documented the thoughts and perspectives of practitioners regarding why they have chosen to become school psychologists, attempts to recruit and retain an adequate number of school psychology practitioners and researchers have shown limited success. A national sample of 307 school psychology graduate students responded to a survey designed to measure issues related to the current state of professional practice, the influence of parental education, and professional organization recruitment. Results indicated that working with children and personal experiences within the school system were highly related to participant's decisions to become school psychologists. In addition, doctoral level and nondoctoral level students present similar reasons for entering the field. This research is discussed in terms of its implications for future research and the current shortage of school psychology practitioners and faculty. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 44: 865–872, 2007.     

学校职能的冲突与融合

学校在国家社会层面、社区层面、学校层面、教师层面以及学生层面有着不同的职能,层面内及层面间都存在着职能冲突,主要表现为以选拔职能为重心,其他职能顺便履行,有的甚至被遗忘。实现学校职能的融合,需要从以下几个方面着手:一是观念转变,包括选拔职能与教育职能、工具职能相矛盾观念的转变,校长角色的转变以及管理观念的更新;二是制度变革,包括教育体制改革的深化与学校办学自主权的扩大,评价制度的改革和科学导向机制的形成;三是教师素养的提升。     

国外学校心理学的发展及其对我国特殊教育的启示

本文首先回顾了学校心理学在欧美国家的发展历史,介绍了当前学校心理学在其他发达国家的发展现状及其特点。然后文章简单讨论了学校心理学在我国发展的条件和现状。在我国,学校心理学刚刚进入她的萌芽期,队伍的完善和职业规范也有待于长期的发展和建设。我国特殊教育的现状决定了特殊教育教师还将是特殊教育体系中服务于特殊儿童少年的孤独的主力军。在心理健康服务有待于提高的现状下,笔者对我国特殊教育的未来发展也提出一些参考性的建议。