Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

School psychologists; Educational psychology;

Abstract

The present study surveyed parental perceptions of the role of the school psychologist. In particular, it sought to determine which roles were perceived as available, which roles were perceived as useful, and which populations of children parents perceived school psychologists as being most effective in helping. Ninety-five parents of elementary school age children from an Iowa community of 30,000 responded to a questionnaire developed for the study. Results were processed by the university computer. An item profile analysis which generated a frequency count and percentages for all items was conducted. Results indicated that parents tended to view school psychologists as being most effective in cases involving emotional/behavioral disorders. Individual counseling was perceived as the most available and useful role. Services which directly benefit children were valued more highly than indirect services such as research, educational programming, and prevention. The assessment role was seen as neither available nor useful, contrary to actual school psychological functioning. Finally, respondents expressed a desire for consultation with parents, though this role function was not perceived as readily available. The majority of parents reported an absence of contact with a school psychologist; thus, their perceptions were not reality-based. This investigation revealed a need to inform parents about the range of services available so as to improve the home-school relationship.

Year of Submission

1985

Degree Name

Specialist in Education

Department

Department of Educational Psychology and Foundations

First Advisor

Donald W. Schmits

Second Advisor

Lawrence L. Kavich

Third Advisor

Harley E. Erickson

Comments

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Date Original

1985

Object Description

1 PDF file (100 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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Education Commons

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