Elementary, Middle School, and Special Service Teachers’ Attitudes toward School Psychologists and the Psychological Services They Provide

Teachers\u27 attitudes of school psychologists and the psychological services they provide have been under scrutiny since the inclusion of psychological services into the schools. Investigations of teacher attitudes imply that the working relationships between teachers and school psychologists are of considerable importance. In this study, 207 (elementary, middle school, content area, and special service teachers) from a state in the Midwest were surveyed regarding their attitudes toward school psychologists and the psychological services they provide. The survey used measured several aspects of teachers\u27 perceptions of school psychologists\u27 (a) level of training, (b) their effectiveness, (c) qualifications to perform certain tasks, and (d) their usefulness when performing specific duties, and (e) their general attitude. Analysis of the data showed that middle school teachers reported making significantly fewer referrals than did elementary school teachers reported making. Teachers\u27 gender, grade level taught, and referral group were not found to influence teachers general attitude toward school psychologists, or teachers\u27 perceptions of effectiveness, qualifications, or usefulness of school psychologists. Overall, teachers reported having generally positive attitudes toward school psychologists. These findings may be in part to the particular type of service delivery system known as Renewed Service Delivery System employed by school psychologists in the school district