Perceptions of School Psychological Services by Education Professionals: Results from a Multi-State Survey Pilot Study

Abstract. The role and functions of school psychologist have been a topic of much discussion. Reform efforts recommend that school psychology should involve stakeholders, including education professionals (i.e., teachers, administrators) in their advocacy efforts. However, very few recent empirical studies have investigated educators' perceptions of the discipline. In this pilot study, over 1,600 teachers and administrators from school districts in four states completed the School Psychology Perceptions Survey. Responses to questions pertaining to (a) knowledge of school psychology, (b) satisfaction with school psychological services, (c) helpfulness of school psychology services, and (d) future desired roles and functions of school psychologists were analyzed. These responses were compared to school psychologists from the same school districts. Significant between-group differences were found with respect to knowledge, satisfaction, and perceived helpfulness of school psychological services, as well as how serious a problem should be before referral. Additionally, substantial differences regarding the roles and functions that school psychologists are expected to perform existed across groups. Implications of these results are discussed. ********** The roles and functions of the school psychologist have been subject to continued debate, with discussions often focusing on how the profession can expand from its emphasis on assessment-related activities to greater involvement in roles such as designing and implementing academic and behavioral interventions (e.g., Gresham, Beebe-Frankenberger, & MacMillan, 1999; Roberts, Marshall, Nelson, & Albers, 2001), consultation (Sterling-Turner, Watson, & Moore, 2002), and group and individual counseling (Prout, Alexander, Fletcher, Memis, & Miller, 1993). Nevertheless, the fact that these calls continue suggests that school psychology reforms have yet to reach fruition (Sheridan & Gutkin, 2000). Thus, discussions are now beginning to focus on more effective strategies to move reform efforts into actual practice. One specific strategy recommends that school psychologists should directly seek the perspectives of various groups outside of the profession (e.g., teachers, administrators) to help shape the discipline at the macrosystemic level (Adelman & Taylor, 2003; Nastasi, 2000). School psychologists work in concert with teachers, education support personnel, and administrators on a daily basis to identify the mental health and learning needs of students. What is less evident is the extent to which school psychologists actually involve teachers and/or administrators (hereafter referred to as education professionals) in their efforts to understand how the discipline is perceived and utilized by others. Soliciting input from these groups may help school psychologists determine how the functions of practitioners and quality of psychological services are viewed by professionals outside of the field, which could lead to joint advocacy campaigns containing broad ramifications with respect to school psychology reform efforts (Bradley-Johnson & Dean, 2000; Nastasi, 1998). A review of the available research assessing education professionals' perceptions of school psychology reveals that the majority of studies were conducted well over a decade ago. Previous findings indicated that although education professionals viewed school psychologists as primarily assessment experts (Abel & Burke, 1985; Cheramie & Sutter, 1993; Landau & Gerken, 1979), they also expressed a desire for increased involvement in counseling (Hartshorne & Johnson, 1985; Hughes, 1979; Sneft & Snider, 1980), inservice training (Sneft & Snider, 1980), and consultation activities (Cheramie & Sutter, 1993; Hartshorne & Johnson, 1985; Hughes, 1979; Sneft & Snider, 1980). Nevertheless, most studies included either teachers or administrators, which precluded between-group comparisons. …