The relationship between type of educational institution and the prescription of medication to elementary-aged children with behavioral problems, was examined with questionnaire data obtained from school psychologists, administrators, and mental health professionals. The conclusion discusses how urban systems vary from rural ones in their approach…

Public Law 94-142 denies socially maladjusted students services for the seriously emotionally impaired unless determined these students are seriously emotionally disturbed; thus practitioners must be able to reliably distinguish between these two conditions. Developed a set of items to differentiate between these two groups. Eleven items met the…

This article clarifies basic assumptions, concepts, and practices associated with the structural family therapy approach. The applicability of this approach to school psychology practice is demonstrated through two case studies of families with differing family structures: an intact family and a single-parent family. (Author/LMO)

Research literature is reviewed that shows a relationship between phonemic skills and learning to decode written words. Several tests that can be used to assess phonemic skills are described. The role of the school psychologist in screening and monitoring kindergarten and first grade children for possible deficits in phonemic skills is discussed.…

Recent court decisions concerning the demographics of placement of students in various program tracks are reviewed in three articles. Focus is on special cases involving charges of overrepresentation of minorities in programs for the educably mentally retarded. Implications for school psychology and special education are discussed. (TJH)

The subspecialty of "developmental school psychology" has emerged to identify and treat special needs children of preschool age. This article examines the rationale, tentative definition, attributes and competencies, and role functions for the developing profession. Issues and trends in training and practice are also discussed.…

A five-year follow-up survey was conducted with both rural and urban Tennessee school administrators to ascertain current school psychology human resource characteristics and needs and to determine how these parameters have changed over that period of time. There are implications for overall human resource concerns and Master Teacher-Better…

Problems associated with the school psychologists traditional assessment functions and methodology are identified and contrasted with the need for assessment information that can contribute meaningfully to the formulation and evaluation of educational interventions. (Author/LMO)

This article reviews current literature on the experiences of mothers, fathers, and siblings of developmentally disabled children with an aim to sensitizing the school psychologist to how these factors may impact upon the disabled child's experiences. Parent training in behavioral techniques, counseling, and therapy are suggested as possible…

The influence of a student's background and setting upon school psychologists' diagnostic and program decisions was investigated. Results indicated that psychologists' decisions were not influenced by a student's background, school setting, or the psychologist's work setting. Findings suggested that school psychologists are not biased by these…

Social drug use by adolescents is reviewed and information on school-based prevention programs is provided. Programs which have social skills training as a major component appear effective in reducing use of alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. School psychologists may facilitate school prevention programs, involve parents in prevention, and…

The school psychologist's role in providing case consultation is illustrated for two problems which may be associated with a teacher's lack of objectivity: (1) transference--perception of current situations in light of past experiences; and (2) theme interference--displacement of an unresolved conflict onto current personalities or situations.…

An ecologically-based model is offered to guide the assessment activities of school psychologists at the preschool level. The uniqueness of the preschool population, the multidimensional structure of the assessment process, and the connection between assessment results and the intervention strategies are emphasized. (Author/LMO)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of ethnic minority group members in school psychology training programs in the United States. Results from a survey of school psychology programs suggested that more intensive efforts are needed to attract minorities into the field. (Author/LMO)

Reviewed state implementation plans required by Public Law 94-142 to determine whether psychologists were mentioned as appropriate members of multidisciplinary evaluation teams. Results indicated that even though states' implementation guidelines infrequently identified psychologists for participation on multidisciplinary teams, 81 percent of the…