School psychology: program assumptions

There are ten assumptions that underlie the coursework and applied experiences for a degree in the school psychology program. These assumptions, which are reviewed annually by the faculty, are:

1. Psychology, as a behavioral science, makes important contributions to the educational success of students. The range of school psychology's impact includes, but is not limited to, the application of theory and research in the psycho-social development and learning of children and youth, social interaction processes, prevention and competence enhancement strategies, instructional intervention and program development, delivery of mental health services, and systems change, as well as contributions to the attainability of the national educational goals.

2. School psychologists fill a wide range of positions within the educational enterprise. We train practitioners, trainers of practitioners, and researchers who are committed to translating research and theory into practice. School psychologists are employed in various settings-schools, community mental health, universities, and medical-however, regardless of their employment setting, they are interested in promoting optimal educational success for children and youth.

3. Competencies needed by school psychologists include knowledge in developmental psychology, personality and learning theory, social psychology, and educational processes and methods; assessing individual and systems needs; generating and implementing prevention programs and intervention strategies; collaborative consultation; cultural diversity; and evaluating and redesigning programs.

4. Although different theoretical perspectives are provided in training, the importance of an ecological perspective is emphasized. Individual behavior is best understood within the various environmental contexts in which it naturally occurs. Furthermore, the complex nature of behavior often cannot be accounted for by simple linear cause-and-effect relationships. The explanations are more likely dependent upon multiple causes that have multivariate linkages with observed behavior.

5. A systems and developmental perspective is integral to delivery of effective school psychological services. The school psychologist is the person on the educational team responsible for integrating and explaining information and influences on children's development. School psychologists recognize that: (a) children's cognitive, social, and affective development are inseparable; (b) children bring the totality of their life experience to the classroom; and (c) classrooms have a powerful influence on children's lives. Development results from complex interactions between the individual and his/her worlds (school, home, peers, community). A holistic view of an individual is dependent upon appreciating and understanding the interrelationships of these worlds and their mutual influences and reciprocal effects.

6. Schools, homes, and communities are critically important settings that influence the development and academic, social, behavioral, and emotional competence of children and youth.

7. The interrelatedness of the health-education-welfare triad shapes the "optimal learning environment." A shared responsibility among schools, home, and community for educational outcomes is emphasized. School psychologists must attend to the multiple contexts in which children develop, and work with other professionals to develop school-linked services to address such high-risk factors as poverty, disease, lack of health care, etc. Schools play a primary nurturing and socializing role in an increasingly complex world.

8. Delivery of school psychological services is based on rigorous scientific methods of study and objective, reliable data collection. The scientific credibility of theories, measures, techniques, and intervention strategies must be established prior to their implementation. Science and practice are integrated.

9. Program development, consultation, research, and evaluation are major roles of school psychologists. Assessment and intervention are primary functions of school psychologists. These roles and functions are not to be conceived of as isolated, separate domains of expertise. Rather, links among these areas (e.g., assessment-intervention link, research-intervention) are emphasized in training.

10. Training modalities include the formal curriculum, such as academic coursework, traditional research experiences, and field placements, as well as informal curriculum, including a wide variety of seminars and independent study projects. We assume students have different interests and personal goals, which we strive to foster and develop. A wide range of community resources is available to facilitate goals of the program.