School psychologists have unique advisory, consultative, interventional, and therapeutic leadership functions within schools. Consequently, they are confronted with increased levels of occupational stress, which test their cognitive appraisal, coping mechanisms, and feelings of self-efficacy. Although studies have included school psychologists, none have examined the moderating effect of psychological hardiness on the relationship between occupational stress and self-efficacy. A cross-sectional, nonexperimental, and quantitative design used convenience, single-stage, and self-administered web-based surveys with 112 Georgia school psychologists. Using a framework structured by the theory of psychological hardiness, self-efficacy theory, and transactional model of stress and coping, sequential multiple linear regression revealed that occupational stress was not related to self-efficacy, psychological hardiness was related to self-efficacy, and psychological hardiness moderated the relationship between occupational stress and self-efficacy. Noting levels of increasing stress for American educators, these findings underscore the importance that school psychologists incorporate self-care techniques into their practice to maintain efficacious service. Future research might investigate other psychological constructs, which affect school psychologists' perceptions of occupational stress, psychological hardiness, and self-efficacy. Given school psychologists' important functions and responsibilities within communities and schools, the study endorsed positive social change with explication of the multidimensional influence of psychological health as a means to ensure the well-being of children, families, and schoolhouse personnel.

This online analogue study examined psychologists' current mental health diagnoses disclosure practices to children. Specifically, this dissertation investigated participants' self reported likelihood to disclose mental health diagnoses in relation to both psychologist (i.e., clinical services provided and years of clinical service) and client (culture, age, cognitive ability) characteristics. Forty-seven certified American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Psychologists were recruited via email listserv for this research. Participants rated their likelihood to disclose mental health diagnoses to vignettes depicting children with varying demographic characteristics: culture, age, and cognitive ability. Participants also responded to open-ended questions exploring their current mental health diagnosis disclosure practices, including the impact of specific diagnoses on disclosure. Analyses of open-ended questions revealed that psychologists consider the following factors in their decision to disclose diagnoses: (1) child characteristics (i.e., age, culture, cognitive ability, maturity, developmental and functioning level), (2) support (family, social, therapeutic relationship), (3) personal beliefs about disclosure, (4) diagnostic characteristics (e.g., prevalence, public familiarity, current biological evidence, stigma), (5) how to provide a supportive disclosure (e.g., kid friendly language), and (6) potential benefits. Combined open-ended and quantitative results provide empirical support suggesting that psychologists, like psychiatrists and pediatricians, are more likely to disclose diagnoses to: (a) children of an American culture than those of a Chinese-American culture, (b) older (16 years old) children rather than younger children (6 years old), and (c) children with an intellectual ability in the Superior Range rather than those with an IQ in the Borderline Range. Psychologists' years of clinical experience also significantly predicted their disclosure practice. Psychologists with between 13-31 years clinical experience reported more diagnosis disclosure to children than did participants with 32 years or more of clinical service when presented with a client who was of an American decent, 16 years old, or had an intellectual ability in the Superior Range. The services that psychologists provide (i.e., counseling, diagnostic evaluations, or both) did not significantly predict disclosure practices. Taken together, the findings of this study may be the first step to facilitate the development of evidenced based guidelines for the disclosure of mental health diagnoses to children.

The negative impact of test anxiety has been well documented in the literature with empirical studies demonstrating the existence of a negative relationship between test anxiety and academic performance (Schwarzer, 1990; Seipp, 1991). In 1967, test anxiety was determined to be a problem for 10% of school aged children (Klondas). A decade later, studies suggested this rate was closer to 25 or 30% (Nottelmann & Hill, 1977). In a study of a Pittsburgh area school district, Beidel (1991) found clinically significant Test Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC) scores in 34% of students in a suburban school district that is predominantly white and has a middle to upper socioeconomic status, and 36% of students in an urban district comprised of mixed racial and socioeconomic groups. This data suggests that the prevalence of test anxiety has increased over time. Teachers are in a unique position to assist students in managing their anxiety through research based intervention and behavioral techniques. The results of this research will determine how much information is beneficial to the teacher in order for them to provide the best services for students who present with test anxiety. The role of the school psychologist will also be examined. / School of Education; / School Psychology / PhD; / Dissertation;

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how the professional and social roles of clinical psychologists are described in Turkey, how clinical psychologists evaluate these roles, and which factors are affecting the role definitions. It was hypothesized that there would be differences between the role definitions of the public, the role definitions of the other professions working with psychologists and the role definitions of psychologists themselves. Also, it was expected that the public would not differentiate the professions &lsquo / psychologist&rsquo / , &lsquo / clinical psychologist&rsquo / , and &lsquo / psychiatrist&rsquo / . Participants were 27 professions working with psychologists, 27 psychologists, and 105 citizens from Ankara, istanbul, Mugla, and Aydin. The data were gathered by administering 3 versions of Perceptions about Psychologists Questionnaires developed by the writer. Content Analyses were done to examine the data. The results indicated that although public had a general idea about the role definitions of clinical psychologists, it was also unable to differentiate the three relate professions. The results also summarized how clinical psychologists were understood in Turkey, and showed the factors related to the comprehension process. The findings, and their implications with suggestions for future research and practice, were discussed in the light of relevant literature.

This study explored the current role of school psychologists in the provision of school-based mental health services, including factors that relate to their provision of such services, by surveying a national sample of practicing school psychologists. Despite an extensive knowledge base regarding which professional services school psychologists provide in general, few studies have focused exclusively on specific modalities of mental health services. Previous lines of research also have not fully identified why school psychologists do not spend as much of their professional time in the provision of mental health services as they would desire. Therefore, a central purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which specific factors are perceived as facilitating or prohibiting practitioners from providing psychotherapeutic interventions, including content/knowledge areas and training experiences that are tied to high perceptions of competence to provide mental health services in the schools. Mail out survey methodology was utilized to allow for data collection from a large, national sample of school psychologists in a timely and cost efficient manner. In total, surveys were completed and returned by 226 out of a possible 600 respondents, representing a 37.7% response rate. School psychologists reported receiving referrals for a variety of student issues (although primarily externalizing student behaviors, academic problems, and interpersonal problems) and providing a wide array of mental health services (e.g., consultation, social-emotional-behavioral assessment, individual counseling). Factors identified as posing significant to moderate potential barriers included caseload constraints, role strain, school-level factors (e.g., inconsistent treatment), and systems-level factors (e.g., insufficient funds for services from district administration). The highest rated facilitators to school-based mental health service provision involved personal characteristics (e.g., personal desire to provide mental health services), having adequate training and confidence, and school-related factors (e.g., availability consult with other mental health professionals). Important training preparation included a variety of didactic content areas (e.g., social-emotional behavioral assessment, consultation with teachers and parents) and many of the applied graduate training activities and professional development activities included in the current survey. Implications for future research and practice are presented, specifically related to the training and professional development needs of school psychologists.

This study explored the current role of school psychologists in the provision of school-based mental health services, including factors that relate to their provision of such services, by surveying a national sample of practicing school psychologists. Despite an extensive knowledge base regarding which professional services school psychologists provide in general, few studies have focused exclusively on specific modalities of mental health services. Previous lines of research also have not fully identified why school psychologists do not spend as much of their professional time in the provision of mental health services as they would desire. Therefore, a central purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which specific factors are perceived as facilitating or prohibiting practitioners from providing psychotherapeutic interventions, including content/knowledge areas and training experiences that are tied to high perceptions of competence to provide mental health services in the schools. Mail out survey methodology was utilized to allow for data collection from a large, national sample of school psychologists in a timely and cost efficient manner. In total, surveys were completed and returned by 226 out of a possible 600 respondents, representing a 37.7% response rate. School psychologists reported receiving referrals for a variety of student issues (although primarily externalizing student behaviors, academic problems, and interpersonal problems) and providing a wide array of mental health services (e.g., consultation, social-emotional-behavioral assessment, individual counseling). Factors identified as posing significant to moderate potential barriers included caseload constraints, role strain, school-level factors (e.g., inconsistent treatment), and systems-level factors (e.g., insufficient funds for services from district administration). The highest rated facilitators to school-based mental health service provision involved personal characteristics (e.g., personal desire to provide mental health services), having adequate training and confidence, and school-related factors (e.g., availability consult with other mental health professionals). Important training preparation included a variety of didactic content areas (e.g., social-emotional behavioral assessment, consultation with teachers and parents) and many of the applied graduate training activities and professional development activities included in the current survey. Implications for future research and practice are presented, specifically related to the training and professional development needs of school psychologists.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Southern Queensland, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 28, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 171-190).

abstract: Over recent decades, euthanasia has been a topic of increasing debate. With legalization of euthanasia in the states of Oregon and Washington and attempted reform in several other U.S. states and nations worldwide, it has become increasingly important to understand the roles and values of helping professionals who might be working with clients considering this option. The current study targeted 85 undergraduate students, 54 doctoral students in counseling psychology, and 53 doctoral-level professionals in psychology to assess both their personal values regarding euthanasia and their willingness to allow a client the autonomy to make a decision about euthanasia. Several factors were analyzed in regards to their relation to client autonomy and attitudes toward euthanasia, including age of client and sex of client. These variables were manipulated in vignettes to create four scenarios: a 24 year old male, 24 year old female, 80 year old male, 80 year old female. Other factors included level of education of the participant, spirituality and strength of religiosity of the participant, and personal experiences with deaths of friends or family members. Results indicated that more education was associated with greater support for euthanasia and that stronger religiosity and spirituality were related to less support for euthanasia. This study also found that participants did not exhibit differential levels of support based solely on the age or the sex of the client depicted in the vignette. Results further indicated that for doctoral students and professionals the loss of a loved one, regardless of cause of death, did not have a significant effect on their attitudes toward euthanasia. It is important for training programs to be aware of these findings in order to monitor trainees in terms of personal biases in the therapy relationship. With objectivity a high priority while working with clients, it is necessary to be aware of outside factors potentially influencing one's work with clients surrounding this value-laden issue. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Counseling Psychology 2011

Submitted by CLÁUDIA MARIA RINHEL SILVA null (claudiarinhel@uol.com.br) on 2016-08-15T18:49:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseFinalClaudia.pdf: 2670080 bytes, checksum: eb825d2cc8bd34d5308ff42541149465 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Grisoto (grisotoana@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-08-16T16:12:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 rinhelsilva_cm_dr_assis.pdf: 2670080 bytes, checksum: eb825d2cc8bd34d5308ff42541149465 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-16T16:12:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rinhelsilva_cm_dr_assis.pdf: 2670080 bytes, checksum: eb825d2cc8bd34d5308ff42541149465 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-07-05 / A Política Nacional da Assistência Social (PNAS) aborda o percurso legal para a constituição da política e a instituição do Sistema Único da Assistência Social (SUAS) por meio da implementação e garantia de direitos promovidos pelas proteções básica e especial, com destaque para o equipamento dos Centros de Referencias da Assistência Social (CRAS) por meio dos serviços do Programa de Atendimento Integral às Famílias (PAIF). A centralidade das políticas públicas sociais no atendimento às famílias se refere à mesma como núcleo social fundamental para a efetividade de todas as ações e serviços da política de assistência social. A política social, especificamente o SUAS, requisitou a participação do profissional de psicologia para compor a equipe multidisciplinar e atribuiu-lhe a responsabilidade, junto com outros profissionais, pelas ações de acolhimento, empoderamento dos membros familiares e, ainda, dirimir as vulnerabilidades diagnosticadas no território de abrangência no qual está atuando. Diante dessas considerações, o objetivo principal da presente pesquisa foi investigar as relações entre a prática dos psicólogos no CRAS e as diretrizes estabelecidas pela Política Pública da Assistência Social. Trata-se de um estudo empírico, de cunho quanti-qualitativo, tendo como participantes oito (8) profissionais da área da Psicologia que atuam nos CRAS da região oeste do Estado de São Paulo. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio da aplicação de questionários individuais, seguidos de entrevistas esclarecedoras e foram tratados em categorias temáticas, conforme a estratégia de Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin (2011). De modo geral, a análise desses dados indicou que os psicólogos sentem dificuldade para colocar totalmente em prática as propostas da PNAS, revelando um descompasso entre a teoria e a prática. Envoltos pelos afazeres burocráticos e excesso de atividades para pouco profissionais, frente a uma grande demanda, condições essas aliadas a uma formação clínica tradicional, com foco no indivíduo, estes psicólogos encontram-se despreparados para desenvolver trabalhos em equipe, que exigem abordagens voltadas para o atendimento de grupos e demandas dos territórios, subsidiadas por uma perspectiva social crítica e comprometida socialmente. / The National Policy for Social Assistance (PNAS) discusses the legal route to the formation of policy and the establishment of the Unified Social Assistance System (SUAS) through the implementation and guarantee of rights promoted by basic and special protections, especially for equipment references of Social assistance centers (CRAS) through the services of Integral Assistance Program for Families (PAIF). The centrality of social policies on family care refers to it as a fundamental social nucleus for the effectiveness of all actions and services of the social welfare policy. Social policy, specifically the SUAS, has requested the participation of professional psychology to form the multidisciplinary team and assigned to it the responsibility, along with other professionals, the actions of acceptance, the empowerment of family members and also to resolve the vulnerabilities diagnosed in coverage territory in which it is acting. Given these considerations, the main objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between the practice of psychologists in CRAS and the guidelines established by the Public Policy for Social Assistance. This is an empirical study of quantitative and qualitative nature, with the eight participants (8) professionals psychology working in CRAS the western region of São Paulo. Data collection was done through the application of individual questionnaires, followed by insightful interviews and were treated in thematic categories, according to the Bardin Content Analysis strategy (2011). Overall, the analysis of these data indicated that psychologists find it difficult to put fully into practice the proposals of the PNAS, revealing a gap between theory and practice. Encircled by bureaucratic chores and an excess of activities designed to a small number of professionals, contrasting to the great demand, these professionals are unprepared to develop teamwork, which require approaches aimed at assisting groups and demands of territories , subsidized by a committed, social and critical perspective, due, perhaps, to a traditional clinical formation with special attention on the individual.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo investigar de que formas o tema da saúde comparece nos cursos de graduação em Psicologia da Universidade de São Paulo (IPUSP) e da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP- Campus Baixada Santista). Através da análise de documentos referentes ao histórico desses cursos, suas disciplinas, atividades de estágio e extensão, projetos pedagógicos, planos de metas e relatórios de avaliação e gestão foi possível traçar um perfil de cada um desses cursos, especialmente no que se refere à abordagem do tema saúde. Constatou-se que no curso do IPUSP tem havido nos últimos anos um aumento significativo no número de disciplinas que incluem o tema da saúde, especialmente segundo a leitura de teóricos da Psicologia Social. No entanto, a ausência de disciplinas obrigatórias sobre saúde mostra que, no curso do IPUSP, este ainda não é um te ma tratado como imprescindível à formação do psicólogo. No curso de Psicologia da UNIFESP, que foi criado tendo a saúde como aspecto principal, constatou-se a busca progressiva por conteúdos específicos da Psicologia que não necessariamente incluem o tema da saúde. As reflexões suscitadas permitiram um olhar sobre a formação do psicólogo e a importância da Psicologia se debruçar sobre a saúde, enquanto campo de conhecimentos e práticas, problematizando esse conceito emblemático / The objective of the present study was to investigate how the subject health appears in the undergraduate Psychology academic programs at the Universidade de São Paulo (IPUSP) and the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP - Baixada Santista Campus). Through the analysis of historical documents related to these courses, its subjects, training and outreach activities, educational projects, goal plans, assessments and management reports, it was possible to draw a profile of each of these courses, especially regarding the approach of the subject health. It was found that in recent years, IPUSP course has had a significant increase in the number of subjects that include the topic, especially under the interpretation of theorists of Social Psychology. However, the absence of mandatory health subjects shows that this theme is not yet treated as essential in psychologiststraining in IPUSPs academic program. In UNIFESPs academic program, in wich health was primarialy considered the coursess focus, it was found that there has been a progressive search for specific psychology contents that do not necessarily include the topic of health. The evoked reflections have allowed a deeper look into the training of psychologists and suggest that is important to Psychology to analyse this theme as a field of knowledge and practice, and to reflect and discuss about this emblematic concept