Examining the Training and Practice of School Psychologists: A Survey of Intern Supervisors

• Main Author: Matthews, Christopher
• Format: Others
• Published: TopSCHOLAR® 1998
• Subjects: Psychology
• Online Access: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/345; http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1348&context=theses

A survey was conducted to examine internship supervisors' perceptions of the level of preparation being provided to school psychology interns in the areas of Traditional Assessment, Non-Traditional Assessment, Consultation, Interventions, and Other skill areas. Twenty-five training institutions from 16 states were rated by the supervisors. The responding supervisors' job roles primarily consisted of practicing school psychologists. It was reported that interns spent about half of the total time in internship activities performing Traditional Assessment. Time spent in performing activities in the areas of Consultation, Interventions, and Nontraditional Assessment made up the majority of the other half with close to the same amounts of time being spent performing each. Comparing the time spent in activities by interns and average school psychologists in the respondent's school district or agencies concluded the spend similar amounts of time performing Traditional Assessment, Interventions, Nontraditional Assessment, and Other Areas. However, school psychologists in the respondent's districts or agencies were reported to spend significantly more time performing consultation than interns. Intern supervisors perceived interns to be prepared by training programs at a level between "prepared" and "somewhat prepared" in the areas of Consultation and Interventions. They perceived interns to be closer to "somewhat prepared" in the area of Nontraditional Assessment. In the area of Traditional Assessment, supervisors perceived interns to be closer to being "prepared" in this area. And regarding the category of Other skill areas, they perceived interns to be "somewhat prepared." Overall, intervention was the most frequently reported area in which supervisors felt interns lacked training in. It was also the most frequently reported area by supervisors as having a need for increased emphasis within professional training programs. Approximately 43% of the responses pertaining to whether training institutions are currently training to meet the current needs of the profession indicated that intern supervisors feel that they are. The majority of the responding internship supervisors reported that Traditional Assessment, Consultation, Interventions, or a well rounded global experience were the training program's objectives and about half of the respondents felt that interns met these objectives.