In the realm of psychology and related fields, like school psychology, obtaining informed consent from clients or participants who are 18 years old or older is mandatory for researchers. However, if the individuals are below 18 years old or under a conservatorship, their assent is crucial even if their parent or legal guardian has provided formal…

Generally, psychology (as well as school psychology) aligns with medicine in establishing and utilizing evidence-based practices (EBP). More recently, strong calls have been made and advanced to ensure that psychology evolves and incorporates social justice principles to safeguard equity, diversity, and inclusion to benefit all. This essay…

This practical guide to teleconsulting for school psychology professionals demonstrates how rapid advances in the field can help them expand support for educators, administrators, students, and their families by providing online access to consulting services. As schools adapt to teaching in the era of COVID and beyond, educators and school…

In this essay, I explore how cognitive bias, rather than racial or ethnic bias, may inhibit the ability of school psychologists to advance social justice through research and practice. I begin with the argument that tests advance the cause of social justice because they define problems (i.e., disparities among groups) in objective, measurable…

Reviews of the scholarly productivity of school psychologists are useful for informing people who are in positions to review school psychology faculty member work. Normative data can serve as a benchmark to understand how productive school psychology faculty members are. The current research investigates faculty members at universities who have…

In 2022, the author made the decision to transition from a career as a data analyst to pursue training to become a school psychologist. Leaving a stable career not only required careful consideration of academic readiness, but also financial, emotional, and professional adjustments. Despite these obstacles, the journey has been transformative,…

Mental health for preschool students has not always been seen as the purview of school psychology. However, school psychologists can have a powerful impact by supporting the needs of young children. Research has shown that many children are not emotionally, socially, behaviorally, or academically ready for kindergarten. This was further…

This study explored the overall training experiences of the first cohort of school psychology students in China, examining how the program's coursework and initial practicum supported their competency development, as well as the challenges they encountered. Using a culturally adapted competency framework, the study assessed all first-cohort…

After overcoming some skepticism, a school psychologist transitioned from traditional, in-person services to remote telepractice. Along the way, she discovered a fulfilling, flexible way to support students and help address the critical national shortage of school-based mental health providers.

Social justice has become a common goal in school psychology, including in practice guidelines. However, there is a paucity of research reflecting a representative sample of US practitioners providing input on key social justice competency areas and how frequently they employ these competencies. Utilizing a national sample of 145 practitioners,…

The current study reviewed the practice and application of social validity assessments in single-case design (SCD) studies within the field of school psychology. Social validity refers to the acceptability of intervention or program goals, procedures, and outcomes to educators, families, and students. Understanding the ways social validity is…

This paper based on the opening address for the 2023-2024 School Psychology Futures Conference, reflects on contemporary inequities in school psychology practice, research, and graduate education. Challenges as the profession reckons with its oppressive past are highlighted. Drawing on concepts from liberation psychology, critical school…

Noting the popular psychology embrace of "self-care," in this study, we sought to assess the relationship between self-care behaviors and symptoms of depression and anxiety in school psychology graduate students. Participants were recruited from the National Association of School Psychology (NASP) approved graduate training programs. A…

The Executive Functions are a collection of higher order brain functions. Nevertheless, there exists much confusion on what they are and how they function. This dissertation explores the history, theory, and application of the Executive Functions as they apply to school psychologists. Topics such as the current leading theories of the Executive…

School psychology professionals rely on professional literature to access information on scientifically supported practices. Counseling is certainly one of those practices. The purpose of this review was to determine how many articles published in prominent peer-reviewed school psychology journals have addressed providing effective counseling…