Daniel S. Newman

Training School Psychologists to Identify Specific Learning Disabilities: A Content Analysis of Syllabi

Abstract. Approximately 2.4 million children receive special education services for specific learning disabilities (SLDs), and school psychologists are key contributors to the SLD eligibility decision-making process. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) enabled local education agencies to use response to intervention (RTI) instead of the prevailing ability–achievement (Ab-Ach) discrepancy method for SLD decision making. In this study we examined the degree to which school psychology graduate programs train different methods of SLD decision making by analyzing syllabi (n = 123) from courses in school psychology graduate programs (n = 78). Syllabi were coded by (a) Ab-Ach discrepancy training, (b) RTI training, (c) special education (e.g., law or the referral process), (d) communicating assessment results, (e) ethics, and (f) multicultural assessment considerations. Variations existed between training programs, across courses within training programs, and across regions of the country. Implications for training are discussed and address areas for future training and research.

Consultee-Centered Consultation: Contemporary Perspectives and a Framework for the Future

ABSTRACT Consultee-centered consultation (CCC) is a familiar, but historically understudied, model of consultation. This Special Issue of the Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation summarizes, supplements, and updates the CCC research base; considers the role of CCC in contemporary school and community settings; and calls for and helps guide future CCC research and practice. This introduction to the Special Issue begins with a definition of CCC, individuates the model from its historical roots in mental health consultation, and provides a timeline of significant events in the evolution of the CCC model. Next, each article in the Special Issue is previewed in order to highlight unique contributions made to the CCC literature. Collectively, these articles provide a summary of the current state of CCC, multicultural frameworks for CCC training and practice, and multiple directions for future research.

Training confident school-based consultants: The role of course content, process, and supervision.

Consultation competency is a critical component of health services psychology training, as consultation permeates all aspects of service delivery. Despite the increasing importance of consultation as a form of service delivery, school-based preservice-level consultation training has historically lacked rigor. Many components of training may contribute to psychology graduates’ confidence to consult in schools. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of specific consultation training components (i.e., coursework, competencies included in training, field experiences, supervision, and models) to the development of confidence to consult in early career school psychology practice. Data were collected as part of a larger study on early career school psychologists’ consultation training and practices (n = 262). Bivariate correlations, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and a multiple regression model were estimated to fulfill the purpose of the study. Results indicated (a) exposure to given consultation models were positively correlated with confidence consulting with different types of consultees, (b) respondents had varying levels of confidence consulting with different types of consultees, and (c) quantity of coursework, supervision strategies, and exposure to formal consultation models emerged as significant predictors of confidence to consult at graduation. Recommendations for consultation training include (a) coverage of systems-level consultation and team-based consultative problem solving, increasingly common contexts for consultation in contemporary schools; (b) implementation of applied experiences and supervision in tandem for the development of consulting confidence; and (c) inclusion of formal models of consultation in consultation training. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

A Qualitative Metasynthesis of Consultation Process Research: What We Know and Where to Go

ABSTRACT Qualitative metasynthesis (QM) is a research methodology that permits the meaningful integration and interpretation of qualitative research. This study applies a QM approach combined with constructivist grounded theory methods, bolstered by several features of research credibility, to examine the state of consultee-centered consultation (CCC) and related relational, process-oriented school consultation research. A systematic search and retrieval process including two rounds of appraisal resulted in a final sample of 38 relevant studies from 1995 to 2014. Data analyses included two stages of coding/theme development. Integrated themes suggest a number of considerations regarding consultation implementation including: system-level factors; consultation structure; consultee voice, social-emotional support, and learning; ecological orientation and cultural responsiveness; and consultation training. Future research priorities stemming from these themes are identified and elaborated upon, as are future applications for QM in educational research.

Vertical peer supervision of consultation: A linguistic exploration of relational hierarchy

The language used in consultation supervision by one supervisor-in-training (SIT) and five consultant-in-training (CIT) supervisees during one semester of consultation training in a doctoral-level school psychology program is investigated. Exploratory analyses conducted with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software measured SIT and CIT use of pronouns, and summary variables of Analytical Thinking, Clout, Authenticity, and Emotional Tone. Patterns of language use in sessions and changes in patterns over time suggest a hierarchical supervision dynamic despite supervision being offered by a fellow trainee. Implications for consultation supervision in a vertical training model are offered.

Statement from Journal’s Editorial Leadership: Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation as an Interdisciplinary Outlet for Transformative Consultation Research From Across the Globe

ABSTRACT To aid potential authors, this statement is an overview of the core values and editorial goals of the current editorial leadership of Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. The key pillars are that we value research that (a) supports culturally responsive practice and social justice, (b) reflects varied research methodologies and traditions, (c) originates and investigates consultation topics across multiple professional disciplines, and (d) reflects global practice.

Early-Career School Psychologists’ Perceptions of Consultative Service Delivery: The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

ABSTRACT School consultation is practiced in rapidly changing educational settings, including increasing student diversity and the implementation of a multitiered system of supports. This changing context may shift the boundaries of what it means to consult and how best to achieve change through consultation. The purpose of this study was to explore how early-career school psychologists (ECSPs) defined and implemented consultation and what barriers and facilitators influenced their perceived ability to achieve change through consultation. Triangulated quantitative and qualitative data from a national survey of 262 ECSPs indicated gaps between historical, aspirational views of consultation in school psychology and what these practitioners reported is happening in the field. Tensions in the data are explored with consideration given to implications for consultation practice in current school contexts and in the early career.

Conducting Rigorous Survey Research in the Study of School-Based Consultation.

ABSTRACT The evidence base for school-based consultation practice and training is limited by a small number of studies, possibly due to unique challenges in researching consultation. For example, there are myriad variables to measure and idiosyncratic cultural and contextual factors to account for when investigating what works, for whom, and in what circumstances. Survey methodology offers one means for conducting consultation research. This article proposes a process for rigorous survey research in school-based consultation training and practice, which addresses some potential concerns regarding survey research. Specifically, issues of survey development, survey validation, sampling, and data collection are addressed. These processes are illustrated through the design and administration of an online survey of 262 early career school psychologists; preliminary data analyses suggested strong scale reliability, minimal item response bias, and population representativeness. Recommendations for future consultation survey research are provided.