Research in effective teaching: Implications for school psychologists.

The purpose of this miniseries is to review research on effective instruction and to discuss the contributions of this research knowledge to the practice of school psychology. Effective schooling involves the development of optimal learning environments, sensitivity to the diversity of teacher skills and teaching styles, and the accommodation of instruction to variable characteristics among individual students, all of which lead to the provision of adaptive instruction. Thus, four general areas have been selected as the focus of the articles in this miniseries: teacher behaviors, instructional environments, individual differences among learners, and practices of adaptive education. This miniseries attempts to delineate some of these "lines within which the rules of the art" of teaching fall. Understanding conditions that affect children's learning and knowing how instructional principles and research findings operate in everyday schooling situations are important objectives for all school psychologists. It is with these objectives in mind that the following articles are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of school violence on school personnel: Implications for psychologists.

Each year, approximately 234,000 teachers in the United States are victims of school-related violence. After a violent incident, school-based mental health professionals, psychologists from the community, and administrators appropriately intervene to provide counseling and other services for students. Unfortunately, many school personnel who have been victimized do not receive adequate treatment after such incidents occur. In this article, the authors argue that psychologists, school personnel, and mental health counselors must be aware of the needs of teachers and administrators who have been affected by these events and must, therefore, provide counseling for them as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Promoting emotional competence in children and adolescents: Implications for school psychologists.

This article articulates the central role school psychologists can play in enhancing the emotional competence of students. An overview of the theoretical basis of emotional competence is provided, as well as an exploration of the relevance of emotional competence for positive youth development. Emerging applications for the assessment of emotional competence are presented. In addition, school-based methods of enhancing emotional competence are offered. The article concludes with suggestions for future research on the development of child and adolescent emotional competence in the context of school-related behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interdisciplinary school practice: Implications of the service integration movement for psychologists.

The unmet needs of our nation's children and families have continued to increase, especially for impoverished and minority populations. In response, there has been growing support for a service integration approach that emphasizes interagency and interdisciplinary coordination and collaboration, particularly with respect to the role of schools. The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Comprehensive and Coordinated Psychological Services for Children Ages 0–10 endorsed the service integration model and called for professional psychology to take a leadership role in its development, refinement, implementation, and evaluation. The APA adopted these recommendations as policy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Implications for school psychologists: The challenge of Public Law 94-142.

Public Law 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act; 1975) is challenging the traditional model of school psychology. The child-advocate model at times conflicts with the school psychologist's responsibility for supporting a public school system in its attempts to comply with the law. Based on field experiences in the metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia area, the following training needs in the profession are identified: (a) broadened familiarity with assessment instruments and procedures, (b) increased competencies in remediative advisement, and (c) enlightened understanding of legal issues and due process. School psychologists can assist in clarifying misinterpretations of current federal legislation if provided appropriate professional training. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Certification patterns for school psychologists.

Presents data on certification requirements for school psychologists in 1969, based on a survey of the 50 state superintendents of public instruction in the US. Results revealed different practices in grades of certification according to the state so that an analysis of trends is difficult. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Time management training for school psychologists.

Describes a program for training school psychologists in time management, which was derived from a behavioral problem-solving framework and can be used by a practitioner either alone or with initial assistance from a supervisor. It consists of 4 steps: orientation to time management, time management problem analysis, plan development and implementation, and plan evaluation. Utilization of the program by 2 school psychology practitioners appears to have increased the amount of time devoted to behavioral counseling and to planning and evaluation of individualized education programs, without decreasing quality of assessment services. The program was judged to be socially valid by 10 outside practitioners. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New roles for psychologists in environmental impact assessment.

Comments that efforts described by D. M. Hartsough and J. C. Savitsky (see record 1985-29572-001) to study technological disaster and show links between stress and health are important contributions to psychology and to management of environmental hazards. Roles for psychologists beyond the limits set by the National Environmental Policy Act and by the courts are suggested, based on a discussion of these elements. Within the framework of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (i.e., a clear line is drawn between science and politics), psychologists can contribute by providing new information about the human effects of new technology. (14 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Certification of school psychologists.

Responds to M. Graff and T. N. Clair's (see record 1974-21736-001) article on certification of school psychologists by noting that each of the 10 Canadian provinces has a certification program. In Alberta, master's and doctoral-level training in school psychology are available. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Looking ahead: Preparing psychologists for administrative roles in medical settings.

As psychologists increasingly pursue administrative positions, training in management and business systems becomes a pressing need. In response to this need, a unique rotation in administration offered through a predoctoral internship at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center was formed. This article describes the rotation and its objectives. Although initial results from the rotation suggest it offers promise as a model of administrative training, future research assessing the longitudinal career trajectory of persons completing the rotation is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Victims of crime: The roles of psychologists.

The articles that make up this Psychology in the Public Forum section dramatically portray the pervasiveness of criminal activity and the fact that every criminal act produces at least one victim of crime. The articles further document that victims frequently need the aid of mental health professionals. Unfortunately, psychologists, like other mental health professionals, have traditionally been given little, if any, training in how to work with victims of crime and violence. Psychologists, like members of other disciplines, have focused on the criminal to the neglect of the victim. This Psychology in the Public Forum section is an attempt to inform psychologists about activities initiated by the executive and legislative branches of the federal government and by the APA Task Force on the Victims of Crime and Violence. It will have served its purpose if increasing numbers of psychologists turn their attention and skills to the plight of victims. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

State certification of school psychologists.

"Nine questions… were answered by the responsible departments of all 50 states and the District of Columbia." 23 states and the District of Columbia are reported as having certification requirements. General requirements stipulated by states with explicit certification standards are specified in a table. The "majority of states are certifying psychological personnel mainly to assist in the placement of children for special education… . There are encouraging signs that certification requirements are gradually being improved." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Physician-assisted dying: Review of issues and roles for health psychologists.

The authors review the recent empirical and theoretical literature on physician-assisted dying (PAD) since implementation of the Oregon Death With Dignity Act (ODDA) in 1997. The authors provide a brief overview of end-of-life practices; consider ethical and practical issues regarding PAD; outline governments' acts and health care organizations' current codified principles regarding PAD, including the American Psychological Association's goal to increase the visibility of psychology in end-of-life issues; examine recent data pertinent to ODDA implementation and psychologists' attitudes regarding PAD; and outline potential roles for health psychologists responding to requests for PAD and implementing PAD (where it is legal). Health psychologists can assume at least 4 roles regarding PAD: (a) policy advocates, (b) educators, (c) practitioners, and (d) researchers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using systems theory in school assessment and intervention: A structural model for school psychologists.

Attempts to operationalize the systems theory viewpoint (using a structural model) and to demonstrate the usefulness of structural theory for school psychologists. The complimentarity of a family systems perspective with other assessment and intervention approaches is considered. S. Minuchin's (1974) structural model of the family is believed to provide a theoretical perspective useful for the school psychologist working with children. The components of the family model—matrix of identity, structure, and adaptation—are applied to the family and the classroom resulting in an ecologically valid view of the child's problem. Implications for assessment and intervention are presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job satisfaction among school psychologists: A meta-analysis.

Meta-analytic techniques were used to analyze data from a collection of school psychologist job satisfaction studies that were conducted between 1982 and 1999. Eight studies, all of which used the Modified Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (m-MSQ) to measure job satisfaction among school psychologists, were included in the analysis. Two national studies and six state studies totaling 2,116 participants were analyzed. Results indicated that nearly 85% of school psychologists were satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs. School psychologists were most satisfied with their relationships with coworkers, the opportunity to stay busy on the job, the opportunity to work independently, and the opportunity to be of service to others. School psychologists were least satisfied with compensation, school policies and practices, and advancement. Findings were generally consistent between state and national studies, and between 1980s and 1990s studies. Results offered some evidence that overall job satisfaction may be related to state school psychology organization membership and to the opportunity to expand and influence the role of the school psychologist. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The therapeutic community and new roles for clinical psychologists.

"The psychologist in the therapeutic community, as in many other settings, does formal class teaching with psychology interns, nurses, psychiatric technicians and other student and staff personnel in such subject areas as psychopathology and group psychotherapy and other group techniques. He also provides community education through talks to lay groups." The psychologist may have an administrative role; as a team member he may have the role of assistant team leader, or of acting team leader in the psychiatrist's absence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Toward an identity for school psychologists: Beyond Starkman's professional model.

Comments on S. Starkman's (see record 1967-01982-001) discussion of the dilemma posed by the communicative and decision-making behavior of school psychologists and school superintendents. Starkman contends that paradoxical communication on the part of superintendents inhibits the freedom of school psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Schizophrenia as a brain disease: Implications for psychologists and families.

Explains why families of persons with mental illness and members of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) believe that schizophrenia is a brain disease, and presents evidence for the brain disease model. Etiological models of schizophrenia are discussed and the biopsychosocial model of G. W. Engel (see record 1978-01423-001) was found to be most comprehensive. The merits of different treatments for schizophrenia and rehabilitative models are considered. The concern of NAMI members is to obtain the best treatment possible for mentally ill individuals and that goal can only be achieved with the help of mental health professionals, including psychologists. It is therefore important that psychologists and NAMI members communicate and understand each other. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)