School Psychology in Canada: A Survey of Roles and Functions, Challenges and Aspirations

October 20, 2008--Many aspects of the practice of school psychology in Canada are not well defined and likely vary across Canada. A team of school psychology trainers, practitioners, and researchers in the Division of Applied Psychology at the University of Calgary, are interested in the current practices of school psychology in Canada. Guided by the annual survey of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP; Ysseldyke et al., 1997), a questionnaire was customized to examine the state of school psychology in Canada.

This research project has the support of the Canadian Association of School Psychologists and the Psychologists in Education Section of the Canadian Psychological Association.

The results of this survey will be sent to all participating school psychology associations, including CASP and CPA. Preliminary results were already presented at the last Canadian Psychological Association Convention in Halifax on June, 2008, and finalized results, from a more representative sample, will be presented at the upcoming CPA convention in Montreal in 2009.

Those involved in the survey include Jason Jordan and Yvonne Hindes, Doctoral Candidates in the School and Applied Child Psychology program, Professor Dr. Don Saklofske, PhD and Assistant Professor Dr. Michelle Drefs, PhD.