Effective crisis intervention in the school: The Role of training, experience, and self-efficacy on school psychologists\u27 ability to intervene

School psychologists\u27 graduate and post-graduate preparation, intervention experience, and self-efficacy regarding crisis intervention services were investigated. A national survey was mailed to members of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) that resulted in a return rate of 38%. Demographic statistics indicated that a majority of school psychologists received at least some preservice crisis intervention training; however, 82.6% do not feel that this adequately prepared them to provide crisis intervention. Experience ratings suggested that school psychologists have little to no experience with gangs, weapons, gun control, natural disasters, and dealing with the media during a crisis. Chrildren\u27s dealing with the divorce of their parents is the crisis event that a majority of school psychologists encounter regularly. Self-efficacy ratings suggested that a majority of school psychologists are at least somewhat confident providing crisis intervention services and that they are most confident providing crisis intervention related to individual crises. A significant positive correlation was observed between preparation and self-efficacy and between self-efficacy and experience. Regression analyses revealed that self-efficacy acts as the mediator between preparation and experience. Results support self-efficacy theory and its development through training and experience