This study sought to understand school counselor advocacy for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students using the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 2015). The authors analyzed data from a non-random sample of 398 school counselors in the United States. Participants completed demographic items and the Attitudes subscale of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS-A), Advocacy Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES), Motivation to Comply Scale (MTCS), LGB Advocacy Intention Scale (LGBAIS), and LGB Advocacy Activity Scale (LGBAAS). School counselors’ attitudes and advocacy self-efficacy significantly predicted LGB advocacy intention. Attitudes, self-efficacy, and LGB advocacy intention significantly predicted LGB advocacy activity. Findings related to motivation to comply were inconclusive, indicating that it did not influence any changes in school counselor LGB advocacy intention or activity. The authors call for more general and LGBT-specific advocacy, training, and research in schools and counselor education programs, and more school counselor involvement in sex education reform.

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This investigation assessed effects of three increasingly inclusive versions of the Behavioral Consultation (BC) model on problem behavior of students in mainstream classrooms in an effort to develop an effective and efficient approach to prereferral intervention. Subjects were 43 general educators, their 43 most difficult-to-teach students (without disabilities), and 12 school consultants, representing seven inner-city middle schools. Teachers and students were assigned to three BC groups, representing least (BC 1), more (BC 2), and most (BC 3) inclusive variants of BC, and one control group. Preintervention, postintervention, and follow-up observations of student behavior indicated that more inclusive BC versions exerted stronger effects than the least inclusive variant in reducing problem behavior. Theoretical and practical implications for consultation-related activity are discussed.

This study examined the practices of school-based intervention teams. Six hundred and eighty professionals, representing 121 intervention teams from Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin, participated in the study. Team members and problem identifiers (who brought at least one case to the team) completed a survey investigating (a) the nature of referrals addressed by the team, (b) perceptions of team effectiveness, (c) identification of professionals who best facilitate team problem-solving via their knowledge and communication skills, and (d) use of quality indices in intervention development and implementation. Findings revealed several positive practices by teams from all states. However, teams from Illinois displayed consistent superiority across several measures. Discussion focuses on implications for practice and educational and legal reform.

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.