A needs assessment was conducted within the Toronto (Ontario, Canada) school system. Psychoeducational consultants, social workers, and principals in all elementary and secondary schools were surveyed. A total of 350 questionnaires were returned from 113 schools. In the first section of the survey, respondents were given a list of work-related…

School psychologists as consultants can provide valuable services to the school organization by developing interventions for truancy. Traditionally, truancy has been viewed as a discipline referral rather than a psychological referral, with the consequences predominantly punitive in nature and ineffectual. A variety of approaches to improving…

School psychologists engaged in ecological assessment need to measure the degree to which children's behaviors fit the demands of the school environment. Although no standardized instruments serve that purpose, rating scales and simulation/role plays can be adapted to measure the person-environment (PE) fit. Although most behavior rating scales…

For a counseling psychology training program to be effective, it must keep up with current trends and developments in the field. To evaluate the Counseling Psychology Training Program (CPTP) at the University of Texas at Austin, 74 doctoral level graduates of the program within the decade of 1973-1982 (51 males, 23 females) completed a…

This paper, written for mental health professionals, focuses on learning, teaching, and professional issues in radio talk show psychology. The discussion focuses on the educational aspects of media psychology, including learning about others' behaviors and problems and alternative points of view, the role and behavior of professionals, how to…

Discusses the difficulty of documenting the effectiveness of preschool programs and relates this to measuring instruments used and the type of design selected. Methods are provided to assist psychologists and educators to evaluate preschool programs. Three studies of preschool programs using different designs which involve published…

Twenty-two school psychologists participated in a year long institute designed to test the use of a multiplier effect in the continuing professional development of school psychologists in Michigan. Results indicated that 550 school psychologists attended two in-service meetings with generally favorable reactions. (Author)

Forty-three regular classroom teachers were provided with four one-hour inservice sessions about learning disabilities. Pre- and post-test administrations of the Learning Disabilities Information Inventory were utilized to measure change resulting from these sessions. Results indicate inservice sessions are a viable means of increasing classroom…

The present study investigated number and nature of school psychological referrals in a black, lower socioeconomic, "inner-city" school system. Unlike earlier investigations, this study demonstrated statistically significant sex and/or developmental differences in stated reason for school psychological referrals. (Author)

Rational-emotive therapy (RET) provides school counselors with an effective, comprehensive method of counseling that they can use with a wide variety of clients. (Author)

The high fertility rates among Hispanics and the continuing immigration patterns are making the mental health needs of Hispanics a national concern. The issue of the underutilization of mental health services by Hispanics must become a prominent concern for all Americans. Three main factors in the underutilization of mental health services by…

Although the contributions made by counseling psychologists to nursing homes has been marginal, there are several services that can be provided to long-term care facilities by psychologists. Once familiar with the pattern of nursing home life, the psychologist will be able to provide services indirectly as a consultant or trainer, and directly in…

Psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers (N=132, a 53% response) responded to a mailed questionnaire assessing their beliefs and practices concerning self-help as it is affected by professional source of income, practice arena, and demographic variables. The 20-item questionnaire attempted to tap beliefs about the effectiveness and…

A variety of demographic trends and futurists' expectations are examined for implications for the development of newer roles for educational psychologists. In the future, educational psychologists may be involved in functions dealing with maintenance of health, education of older populations, instruction of personnel to care for chronically ill…