Role delineation among the guidance professions

Abstract

The problem of role delineation among the various kinds of guidance specialists is no idle question in view of the need for more effective utilization of guidance personnel and also in light of the potentially damaging rivalries involved. It is the purpose of this article to explore the available opinions and, where possible, data, bearing on the question of role delineation among the professions of school psychology, school social work and school counseling.The problem of what constitutes the proper role of each of these groups has received a great deal of attention, but the issues are far from being resolved. Through examination of prevailing opinion it should be possible to pinpoint some of the major issues and to suggest more effective means of resolving them than have yet been utilized. There is no pretense at covering all available materials bearing on the question of role. There is, however, an attempt to include materials representing the most prominent points of view. Each professional group will be considered separately, and an attempt at synthesis made following this.

Educators describe the school psychologist

“…A general, two-pronged hypothesis characterizes theoretical and empirical literature concerned with the school psychologist's role (Bardon, 1963;Fifield, 1967;Mumford, 1970;Shaw, 1967;Wolnian, 1967). In brief, it is suggested that the school psychologist's functioning is affected by his own self-definition (Dansinger, 1969;Gross & Farling, 1969; Knowles & Shertzer, 1968;Roberts, 1970) and by the role functions allocated to him by varied persmnel: state boards of education (Baker, 1965;Lucas & Jones, 1970), university faculty (Barclay, 1965; Rudnick & Berkowitz, 1968), and school administrators and supe-visors (Kitschner, 1971).…”