Consultation in school psychology: Changes from 1981 to 1984

Smith, Douglas K.; Lyon, Mark A.

doi:10.1002/1520-6807(198510)22:4<404::aid-pits2310220409>3.0.co;2-s

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Will increasing internal and external validity or piecing together the most potent consultation package increase practitioner adoption? Despite slow but steady consultation research advancement since the late 1970s, there has not been a concomitant increase in practitioners using consultation (Bramlett, Murphy, Johnson, Wallingsford, & Hall, 2002;Lacayo et al, 1981;Smith & Lyon, 1985). Clearly research should continue to enhance and document the potency of consultation.…”

Section: Consultation Research: Improvements Over Time?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, the last 25 years of survey research estimates the practice of consultation taking only 16-20% of a school psychologist's time (Bramlett, Murphy, Johnson, Wallingsford, & Hall, 2002;Lacayo, Sherwood, & Morris, 1981;Smith & Lyon, 1985). Further, authors point out how little of the research generated by academics and their students affects professional practice.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Changing a Field of Change

Conoley

Reese

2009

Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation

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Section: Consultation Research: Improvements Over Time?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Changing a Field of Change

Conoley

Reese

2009

Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation

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“…Smith (1984) found practicing school psychologists spending 19% of their time consulting. Results of the Smith and Lyon (1985) study indicated that responding school psychologists spent nearly 24% of their time in consultation.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Despite the initial increase in consultation practices, there is little direct evidence to suggest recent increases in time devoted to consultation. And the gap between time spent and time desired for consultation has widened (Smith & Lyon, 1985). Smith and Lyon did find that the school psychologist to student ratio was significantly reduced in comparison t o earlier surveys.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Although parents, teachers, psychologists, and pupil services personnel seem to agree on the importance of consultation (Hughes, 1979;Senft & Snider, 1980;Smith & Lyon, 1985), the emphasis remains on the provision of direct services. Hartshorne and Johnson (1985) suggested two reasons for this: (a) limited training to provide needed services on the part of school psychologists; (b) the importance assigned to special education regulations.…”

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confidence: 99%

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School consultation: The training needs of teachers and school psychologists

Johnston

1990

Psychol. Schs.

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This paper describes the roles of teachers and school psychologists and presents an overview of current and prospective methods of providing services to special needs children. On the basis of the literature and professional experience, it is suggested that changes are needed in the provision of special education services. The consultative relationship between teachers and school psychologists is viewed as the key to successful classroom intervention for special needs children. Although each profession brings expertise into the consultative relationship, better training is needed for teachers and school psychologists to ensure that effective intervention strategies are developed.As a professional who has functioned in the role of teacher and school psychologist, it has been possible for me to experience the frustrations existing in both professions. A teacher is faced with the task of educating a heterogeneous group of children whose strengths and weaknesses are as diverse as their individual personalities. Unless trained as a special education teacher, a classroom teacher is minimally equipped to provide for the needs of those not responding to group instruction. In addition, time restraints, limited resource availability, and finite energy and patience can undermine individualization efforts.A school psychologist is faced with the task of determining and meeting the needs of those children who are not succeeding in a heterogeneous classroom setting. My experience has shown that often the teacher (and administrator) does not seek classroom interventions when making a referral. The desired intervention is often for removal of the child from the classroom for special education services. Meyers, Parsons, and Martin (1979) have also found this to be the case. They noted that many educators view the psychologist as the one who will remove the problem from the classroom, rather than the one who can help the child succeed in the classroom.The literature and my experiences suggest that the present system is not working. School psychologists are overburdened with traditional caseloads. They receive referrals, evaluate, write up reports with intervention recommendations, make placements as needed, and go onto the next case. Only the most severe cases receive attention, all others fall between the cracks. Classroom interventions, too, are often not carried out, either because the teacher does not have the skill to implement the recommendations, or because the recommendations are not realistic in terms of the classroom structure or curriculum. Ultimately, many children (and teachers) reach maximum frustration levels and give up. Problems that could be dealt with in the early stages, or even prevented, become magnified, and irreversible damage is done.A possible solution to this dilemma has been proposed by consultation advocates. Conoley and Conoley (1982) considered consultation to be an effective and efficient method for use when a situation calls for it. They felt that consultation intervention was often overlooked becau...

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Contemporary practices in school psychology: A national survey of roles and referral problems

Bramlett

Murphy

Johnson

et al. 2002

Psychology in the Schools

159

130

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Eight hundred school psychologists who were members of the National Association of School Psychologists were mailed a survey designed to assess their roles, types of referrals, consultation practices, and crisis team involvement. Three hundred seventy (49%) completed surveys were analyzed. Assessment was the most common role followed distantly by consultation. Academic problems were the most frequent type of referral with reading being the most common concern. Of the behavioral referrals, externalizing problems were more frequent than internalizing concerns. Behavioral consultation was the most common model used but less than half of respondents follow all of the stages. Only forty percent use an evaluative component in consultation. A majority of the informants had some involvement with their schools' crisis team. Implications of these findings for training, professional development, and future roles are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.School psychology needs to maintain an ongoing data base specific to professional practices (Reschly & Wilson, 1995). Periodic updates of this information are essential in planning for training, professional development, research, and role change. Surveys of school psychologists have explored a wide range of professional issues including job satisfaction (Anderson, Hohenshil, & Brown, 1984), preferences for specific job functions (Smith & Lyon, 1985), assessment practices (Stinnett, Havey, & Oehler-Stinnett, 1994), involvement in peer support groups (Zins & Murphy, 1996), participation in various service activities (Ramage, 1979), and actual time engagement in specific roles and functions (Benson & Hughes, 1985;Lacayo, Sherwood, & Morris, 1981;Nastasi, Varjas, Bernstein, & Pluymert, 1998;Reschly & Wilson, 1995;Smith, 1984).The amount of time that school psychologists allocate to different service activities reveal some consistent patterns. Assessment has remained the dominant role of practitioners with approximately half of the school psychologist's time spent in these activities (Benson & Hughes, 1985;Reschly & Wilson, 1995;Stinnett et al. 1994). Despite the prominent role that consultation has been awarded in the professional literature and training of school psychologists (e.g., Bramlett & Murphy, 1998) there does not appear to be substantial evidence reflecting a recent increase in consultation (Reschly & Wilson, 1995). In surveys by Benson and Hughes (1985), Lacayo et al., (1981), Smith (1984, Smith andLyon (1985), andStinnett et al., (1994) school psychologists spent between 18% and 25% of their time engaged in consultation. Although consultation is routinely included in surveys developed to assess professional roles and functions, no information appears to be available on school psychologists' use of specific consultation models (e.g., behavioral, mental health, etc.).Intervention and prevention are two professional roles which have been advocated as important roles of school psychologists as part of the problem-solving process (Gutkin & Curtis, 1999). Reschly and ...

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Consultation in school psychology: Changes from 1981 to 1984

Cited by 13 publications

References 6 publications

Changing a Field of Change

Changing a Field of Change

School consultation: The training needs of teachers and school psychologists

Contemporary practices in school psychology: A national survey of roles and referral problems

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