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Newroles for school psychologists: Addressing the social and emotional learningneeds studens

Margo R Ross; Sharon Rose Powell; Maurice J Elias

School Psychology Review; 2002; 31, 1; ProQuest Education Journals

pg. 43

Abstrak : the importance of addressing social and emotional skills for youth has been well documented within the literature. these skills are becoming increasingly critical as young people face difficult challenges at school and in their personal lives. research alsoindicater that psychologically competent young people are more likely to avoid high-risk actvites that can have dangerous consequences for their health and well-being. schools have the potential to reach students with these important life lessons, and scholl psychologists can provide the leadership to enhance these educational experiences. this article reviews the literature on scool-based social and emotional skill development and examines the relevance of ths area to the work of the school psychologist. suggestons are made for ways in which school psychologists can improve the social and emotional climates of their school in areas such as prevention and health promotion, professional development, and collaboration with other profesionals and organizations. recommendation are also made for ways in which school psychology preparation programs can batter train students to take on tese new roles.

role and function definitions for school psychologists have been debated for decades; the topic of role definitions has even been described as an obsesson by some (Reynolds,gutkin,Elliott,&witt, 1984). school psychologists have long cited feelings of frustration, disscimrort, and impotence in their roles and have long called for a broad reconceptualization of the profession (gutkin& conoley,1990). recently, Sheridan and gutkin (2000) listed important problems inherent in the traditional practice of scholl psychology, including the prevalence of a medical model paradigm, the structure of schoolpsychological services, and the growing ncidence of problrms facing young people and their families. some have taken a more alarming position, warning that practicing school psychologists might end up “exercising our culinary skills at afast food restaurant if we don’t act differently now”(tapasak and keller, 1995,p.201)

these and other experts recognize that the needs of schools and school psychology must also change if it is to sistai and expand its relevance. the increasing recognition of a need to incorporate social and emotional learning/emotional intelegence (SEL) into the regular instructional program provides an exciting opportunity for school psychologists to redefine their roles. the purpose of this article iis to explore the definition and relevance of SEL within the school system and make specific recommendations for enhancing school psychologists’ roles to include attention to these important issues. roles in areas such as prevention programming, teacher and administrator professional development, angcillabotarion with other educators and professional organization are explored, as are recommendations for changes within professional training programs

emotional intelligence and social and emotional competence : definitions and relevance

the most serious health and social problems confronting the U.S. today caused in large part by behavior patterns established during youth (Kolbe, Collins, &cortese, 1997).these behaviors nclude alcohol, tobacco, and other drog use; sexual behaviors that put one at risk for unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV; and risk behaviors resulting in intentional or unintentional harm to self or others. recent evidence suggests that at least half of American children and youth are extremely or moderately vulnerable to the consequences of concurrent, multiple, high-risk social and health behaviors(zins&wagner, 1997). behaviors such as these not only contribute to a variety of serious health problems, but also to poor educational and social outcomes (Kolbe et al.,1997). the most notable characteristic shared by all of these behaviors, however, is that they are entirely preventable (Kolbe et al.,1997).

elias and colleaguse noted that successful development of certain skills can help prevent these kinds of high-risk behaviors (elias, lantiera, patti, Walberg, &zins, 1999). these authors included thoughtful decision making, understanding signs of one’s own and other’s feelings, listening accurately,communicating effectively, and respecting differences aming the most important of these skills.encompassing these areas and more, the concept of emotional intelligence offers a broadcontext for discussing and addressing this interrelated set of skills and knowledge.

the term “emotional intelligence” (and relatedly, emotional quotient/EQ) was firs introducedby salovey and mayer (1990). they characterized it as a combination of the multiple intelligence (mcdowelle& bell, 1997). salovey and mayer (1990) defined emotional intelligence as “the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ felling and emotional, to discriminate aming them, and to use this information to guide one’s thingking and actions” (p.189).this regulatconceptualization of EQ ncludes attention to the mental processes related to emotional information, such as (a)appraising and expressing emotions of self or others, (b) regulating emotion of self or others, and (c) utilizing emotionsiin adaptive ways (salovey&mayer, 1990). ths model also acknowledges individual differences in processing styles and abilities related to emotional information.

many others have helped to develop and enhance salovey and mayer’s original concept. in his best-selling book, Emotionnal Intelligence : Why It Can Matter More Than IQ (1995), Daniel Goleman described in detail the specific sklls involved in social and emotional competence. these include, but are not limited to:monitoring and controlling emotons and behaviors; coping with frustration and stress; social problrm solving and decision making;communicating effectively verbally and nonverbally; controlling impulses and delaying gratification; working cooperatively with others; and intiating and maintaining friendship and other significant relationships. social and emotional intelligence, then, involves a multidimensional and multifaceted set of knowledge, sklills, attitudes, and behaviors that enable the successful management of a wde variety of important life tasks (elias et al.,1997).

though recently introduced into the popular culture byGoleman (1995), research into the importance of this complex set of knowledge, skill, and behaviors is nothing new. for example, the ability to from an maintain healthy relationships is a critical component oof SEL and involves many of the skills described above. the importance of peer relationships in chidhoodhas long been recognized in the psychological literature as one of the primary aspects of a child’s development (Gresham & Elliott, 1993). in face studies on the significanceof peer relationship in childhood have appearedwithin the psychological literature since the 1938s (asher&cpie, 1990).there are clear indications that a lack of peer acceptance inchildhood is significantly related to a variety of high-risk and maladaptive behaviors (master, Morrison, &pellingrini, 1985). children who are unn popular or rejected by their peer group perceive themselves to be less socially competent, have less positive expetations for social success, feel more depressed, and report more social anxiety and social avoidance than their peers (parker &asher, 1993). these factors can seriously affect children’s fellings of well-being and may predict significant long-term negative outcomes (parker &asher, 1993). research clearly indicates that successful interactions with prees represents a critical developmental accomplishment that predicts long-term life adjustment (Gresham,1995).

another critical component of social and emotional competence that has received mush attention in the literature involves effective social problem solving and decision making. the primary skills necessary for success in these areas include: noticing and understanding fellings, determining and selecting goals,generating alternative solutions, selecying appropriate solutions, and reflecting in the process (elias&tobias, 1996). research has shown that definiencies in these skill areas are common among young people who experience a variety of academic, social, and health-related problems (elias& tobias,1996)

coping effectively with stress is another important and well-researched component of socisl and emotional competence. life stress in children and adolescents has beenfound to be related to a varietlyof negative health consequences, such as report of diagnosed illnesses, self-reports of physical health problems, absences from school, and visits to the doctor (forman,1993). headaches, stomach aches, and chest pain have all been linked to stressful life events, as has the exacerbation of serious illnesses such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and suicidal behavior have also been linked to stress in children and adolescents (forman, 1993). effective coping skill improve one’s ability to handle stress and increase one’s sense of personal competence (forman, 1993).

the link between social and emotional intelligence and risk prevention has also been examined within the literature. young people who are psychologically competent tend to avoid high-risk activites and maintain behaviors that lead to positive oucomes (zins&wagner, 1997). social and emotional learning can be directed toward the reduction, elimination, or mitigation of risk fsctors by intervening before the problem occurs (zins&wagner, 1997).for example, skills in areas such as social interaction, conflict resolution, stress management, and assertiveness are all associated with lower levels of interpersonal violence (zins&wagner, 1997).the promotion of prosocial, caring behaviors and the associated prevention of negative and destructive behaviors is a critical component in the development of social and emotional competence for youth.

it is clear, then, that the importance of a variety of social and emotional skills has long been recognized within the psychological literature. a growing body of data suggests that emotional intelligence can be an equal or even more powerful predictor of life success than IQ(Goleman,1995). as a result, the study of the effect og emotions on performance in the classroom, workplace, and in personal relationship has ben gaining credibility since the mid-198s (mcdowelle&bell, 1997). theevidence that has accumulated indicates that people who are socially and emotionally competent are at an advantage in all domains (Goleman,1995). the evidence also indicates that emotional and social intelligence is not fixed ay birth, and can be systematically developed in individuals through learning and experience (pasi, 1997). coordinated, ongoing education to enhance these skills is bot possible and desirable, and the school system can play a critical role in such efforts.

addressing social competence in schools

goals 2000: educate America act of 1994(goals 2000,1994)is one of several federal initiatives acknoeledging the importance of school and school-community partnership for providing quality services to American youth (short & talley,1997). the education reform movement emboding by goals 2000 and other such legislation (e.g., improving america’s school act of 1994;health security act of 1994) comprises a broad pattern of comprehensive services that address health, social needs, and mental health, as well as traditional education standards for youth (short & talley,1997).

goals 2000 emphasizes the priority of providing students with skills to prepare them for responsible citizenship, productive employment, and the avoidance of drugs and violence. goals 2000 also reflects the recent shift in emphasis from the teaching of traditional basiv skills to instruction that recognizes the relevance og higher cognitive processes, including problem solving, analytical thinking, and decision making (short & talley,1997).the assumption implicit in these reform movements is that a clear and definite link exists among education, social issues, and health (short & talley,1997).

on a state level, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards mandate that “our school need to produce both excellent thinkers and excellent doers” (new jersey department of education, 1996, p.i). new jersey department of education identified five cross-content standards tp be applied to all areas of instruction. these include requerements that all student will demonstrate skills in areas such an critical thinking, decision making, problem solving, and self-management. the individuals involved in the development of the standards, a cross-section of educators, parents, and business and community leaders, acknowledged the importance of addressing the student as a whole person, due to the link between intellectual growth and emotional health. the standards further state that teachers, administrators, and others in the community have a responsibility to develop the values and skills young people need to secceed both academically and socially.

these national and local efforts acknowledge the importance of coordinating school and community-based service and emphasize the critical role of the school within a larger hetwork of intergrated service delivery. schools alone cannot and should not be expected to address all of the nation’s most serious health and social problems;responsibility for promoting psychological competence belongs to families, communities, and schools (Kolbe et al.,1997; zins& wager, 1997). schools do however, provide a sommon setting for chniildren and their families in the united states. the American school system provides an infrastructure that reaches nearly 48 milion public and private school students every school day during the mist formative years of their lives (Kolbe et al.,1997). in school across the country, children and adults work, play, eat, and live together for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 180 days ayear, totaling a minimum of 5,400 hours per year (Gresham,1995).schools, therefore, represent an ideal environment for teaching social behavior (Gresham,1995).

effectively untilizing the school system to affect the health and well being of students means paying explicit attention to their social and learning needs. schools offer a place to reach children with basic and essential life lessons they may not receive otherwise (Goleman,1995). these lessons are directly related to the basic mission of the schools, to prepare young people to function effectively as citizens within a society (forman, 1993).more directly, “there is no school without a moral or mandated imperative to prevent students’ behavior problems, substance abuse, AIDS, and related difficulties” (elias&tobias, 1996, p.vii).

although educators are increasingly acknowledging the importance of addressing social and emotional issues is school, many believe that it can be fostered “intuitively” (elias et al.,1997). researchers, however, note that social and emotional skills must be taught with the same effort and attension as “tradisional” subjects such as math and science, by trained professionals in a structured, sequenced, coordinated manner (elias et al., 1997). Goleman (1995) noted the danger of leaving the emotional lessons children learn to chance; in doing so, we “risk largely wasting thr opportunity preseted…. to help children cultivate a healthy emotional repertoire” (p.286).

researchoneffective school also supports the concept of strategically and systematically addressing SEL/EQ. Levine and lezotte (1990) described the characteristics of “unusually effective school,” which included educational programs specifically designed to promote sensitivity in students as well as personal and social skill development. efforts at fostering a positive school climate and culture, such as developing a shared mission and striving towards cohesion, collaboration, and collegiality among faculty, were emphasized. these schools also stressed problem solving, decision making, and recognition of positive performance. the skills of the school psychologist are incaluable in an environment dedicated to making social and emotional skill development a priority for students and staff .

relevance to school psychology

according to zins and wagner (1997), opportunities for psychological competence though social and emotional learning are virtually limitless. school psychologists have developed expertise in several areas that are essential in effectively addressing SEL/EQ and related issues. to being, school psychological training is grounded in the study of the developmental, social, emotional, and educational needs and behaviors of young people, as well as methods for addressing them effectively.an understanding of the complexities of working within the context of the school and training services to school personnel are also necessary. finally, training and expertise in the foundations of needs assessment, program design, implementation, and evaluation are all crucial. within the school system, this set of knowledge, skills, and abitities is unique to the school psychologist.

an understanding of schoolsetting is a critical area of expertise for the competent school psychologist. implicit in the mindset of school psychology is the belief that psychological issues are best addressed within the client’s matural environment (Reynolds et al.,1984). as a member of the school system, schoolpsychologists develop a thorough, firsthand understanding of the dhild’s natural environment. this understanding is also a critical component of working with adults in the school, such as teachers and administrators.

due to the indirect service nature of the role, school psychologists must receive training and practice in providing comprehencive services to school personnel. the success of psychological interventions is dependent on the adults who interact directly with students, rather than the school psychological himself pr herself. the true administration and execution of school psychologicsl treatment is most often in the hands of teachers, parents, and administrator (Reynolds et al., 1984). a special strength of the school psychologist is the undrestandingshe or he brings of human behavior, of children as well as adults, and his or her understanding of the fundamentals of working in consultative and training roles with adults in this contesxxt (Curtis & stellar, 1995).

finally, school psychologists have learned and practiced the skills involved in effective assessment and evaluation. assessment skills are basic to school psychological training, and school psychologists learn tu use theseskillatu understand a varienty of levels within the school system. needs assessment may involve one individual student, teacher, or administrator. it may involve a classroom, grade level, school, or district. assessing the needs of educators and administrators with respect to professional development and training is a natural extension of those skills that addresses the “higher calling”of school psychologists to begin creating healthy environmental systems (conoley& gutkin,1995). accordingly, “school psychologists are the best trained mental healthy and educational specialists in the school today,” and “should be the primary facilitators of…. organization change and stratedic planning processes” (knoff, 1995,p.211).

recommendation for school psychologists

manyauthours have responded to longstanding demands for role and function changes within school psychology with wide variety of recommendations for action. for example, Sheridan and gutkin (2000) proposedaparadigm shift for the field in 21 centur, including changes in theory and practice on individual, group, and organizational levels. these authors discussed the need to develop a more ecological model for the field, interpreting behavior as a function of interactions between the individual and environment. Sheridan and gutkin began with recommendations for strong connections between school psychologist and schools, families, and communities. at the some time, a gap exists between theory and practice relatetd to addressing social and emotional learning in schools; although the importance of SEL/EQ has become increasingly well established and accepted, no nodiscipline has stepped up to lead the process. the remainderof this article will be devoted to examining ways in which school psychological practice can change, not only to addres general concerns within the discipline about finding more innovative roles, but to lead the mecessary efforts to addreEL/EQ and related issues in schools today.

promoting healthy and reducing risk behavior

in their recent article examining the school psychology paradigm,Sheridan and gutkin (2000) began their recommendations with a call to reduce school psychologists’ involvement in identifying and measuring problems and to increaseinvlovement in prevention and the promotion of wellness.accroding to these authors, “there is every reason to belive that school psychologists can be at the forefront in estabilishing primary and secondary prevention programs” designed to help students achieve life success (p.490). the present authors agree and believe that this is the first step tp expanding school psychologists’ roles in relation to promoting SEL/EQ in schools.

to begin, school psychologists should ne the premiere experts in their schools and districts on effective programs and curricula available to address SEL/EQ. much of the groundwork to support this role has been done and continues to be done by the collaborative for academic, social, and emotion al learning(CASEL). CASEL is cuuently conducting a comprehencive review of over 80 nationally available SEL programs (collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning, 2000). school psychologists should take an acctertive role in learning about the programs available to their schools and also of the funding sources available to support such initiatives. for example, the new jersey character education partnership initistivewas developed to assist public school climate (New jersey department of education, 2000).funding is available for every school district and charter school in the state to implement such programs. not only should school psychologists be the primary advocates for initiating effective programming in their schools, they should personally be leading these efforts at the school level.

one way school psychologists can take the lead is to be involved directly as facilitator of social and emotional education and related activities for student. as noted earlier, the teaching of social and emotional skills shou;d be execuated in asystematic and coordinated manner thad mirrors the teaching of more traditional subjects. lessons should include a clearly stated purpose and objectives and structured, step-by-step activities designed with attention to multiple intelligences and varied learning styles. social and emotional skills education, however, requires a specific set of knowledge and skills not necessarily common o traditional classroom teachers. instructors mush have a thorough knowledge of child and adolescent development in order to affect behavior, and klowledge of learning styles and behavior change methodologies are critical. SEL/EQ educator must know how to facilitated discussions on sensitive topics such as anger management, violence, building healthy relationship, substance abuse, sexuality, and risk behaviors. training often utilizes small group, cooperative learning methods, and these educators must understand group dynamics and group stage development to have true impact on students. as the most well-trained mental healthprofessional in schools (Sheridan &gurkin, 2000), school psychologists should already prossess the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in this sort of innovative programming. CASEL has delineated acomprehensive pre-K through grade 12 “scope and sequence” for SEL skills and the instructional methodologies and classroom environments most facilitative of skill development (elias et al., 1997).

some school psychologists have already begun to expand their roles to include a youth these acticities. for example, several middle-school-based school psychologists are currently working with one of the present authors to implement leadership development program designed to reduce the incidence of substance use among seventh and eighth grade students.the program, new jersey department of healty and senior services and coordinated by the Princeton center for leadership training. these school psychologists have taken the lead in initiating program efforts at their schools by gaining the support of critical stakeholders including administrators, faculty, and parents. they have recruited teams of school and community-based professionals to work with them on the development and management of the project. these teams have received comprehencive training in all of the areas listed above as necessary. to this type of education. and most importantly, these school psychologists meet regularly with groups of students who receive intensive, experiential training in areas such as reducingrisk behavior, problem solving decision making, conflict resolution, stress and angermanagement, talking witth parents and peers about substance abuse, and other related isses. the skills displayed by these school psychologists can also be strategically applied to creating professional development opportunities for other professionals around social an emotional learning and emotional intelligence.

professional development for teacher and administrators

critical roles exist for school psycholigistsst every stage of the profrssional development process for educators. school psychologists should take responsibility for informing administrators of the importance of incorporating SEL/EQ into learning opportunities for student. they could then work directly with administrators and staff to develop personal learning goals for training based on observations of school climate and student needs.

school psychologists could also provide training directly to faculty and staff around SEL/EQ-related issues. the new jersey association of school psychologists has undertaken an initiative to bring social and emotional learning to school psychologists and related professionals in the state’s 30 highest risk districts,many of which are in urban areas. that association has also conducted professional development sessions at annual and regional conference of the new jersey educational association and other forums beyond those attended primarily by school psychologists. school psychologists in leadership roles at the Princeton center for leadership training (PCLT), a new jersey-based nonprofit development programs for students, educator, and parents, frequently provide professional development for other educators. recently, PCLT conducted a converence for over 450 teachers and administrators to explore options in instruction and programming related to character education and SEL.

as a regular presence in the school psychologist can be available to assist theacers and administrators. in integrating information and skills learned in training into practice at school with their training in consultation, assessment, and evaluation, school psychologists could monitor implementation efforts and design and execute a broad-based evaluation of the impactcany changes have had on school climate and student outcomes. this is just one way that school psychologists can take the lead in initiating collaborative efforts across all fields involved in the social and emotional educational of school children.

collaborative efforts with other educators

to be recognized as leaders of significant change efforts, school psychologists must convience teachers, administrators, parents, and community members of the value of their new roles.this is criticala because school psycholohists most often work within system controlled by nonpsycologists. importantly, “if we school psychologists our own ideas then we willnot be involved in systems-wide efforts ro change our roles and functions” (tapasak&keller, 1995, p. 202).

the practical action needed here begins with collaborative efforts with other educators. school psychology professional organizations(e.g., NAPS,APA division 16) should collaborate with those of teachers, supervisors and administrators to cosponsor conventions and professional development seminars around SEL/EQ. school psychologists also need to become familirar with the research and philosophies fo these groups, and publish in the journals and magazines that are supportive of alternative roles and of improved service to children (tapaska & keller, 1995). CASEL is an example of an organization that is actively involved in convening multidisciplinary collaborators to advance theory and practice in the school-based promotion of social and emotional learning.

a system perspective to school psychologists intervention is also necessary to ensure a place for school psychologists in the implementation of SEL/EQ-related activites and programs for children and youth. all members of the school and community system must understand and value system improvement if school psychologists wish to adopt new roles. one practical means to this end takes the from of psychoeducation, a skill at which all schoolpsychologists should be proficient. system participants must be educated as to the importance of supportive human relations, clear communication, and positive school climate (schmuck,1990). this process involves training members of the system in active assessment, diagnosis, and transformation of their own organization (schmuck,1990). the school psychologist as educator, then, can enhance the potential for the school psychologist as trainer, consultant, organizational developer, designer, and evaluator.

it is important to note, however, that until new roles are available, many professionally trained school psychologists who are interested in pursuing these activities will choose to do so outside of the school system. the Princeton center for leadership training currently employs several doctoral-level school psychologists, including one of the present authors, as directors of statewide prevention education programs. these school psychologists cite frustrations with the limitations of traditional school-based roles coupled with a strong desire to be involves in systems-level social and emotional education efforts as important reasons for working in a non school setting. they also note that their school psychology training, in areas such as assessment, consultation, programs development, and evaluation, has prepared them well for their current activities. regardless of setting, school psychologists will never be able to enhance the potential for new and exciting roles without the training to master new challenges effectively.

Recommendations for school psychology training

it is clear that school psychology training programs must assume a great deal of responsinility witin the role change prosess (tapaska & keller, 1995). for many current students , however, training programs involve “traditional and….. unenlightened approaches to service delivery” while ignoring more progressive philosophise (conoley &gutkin, 1995, p. 214). effective initiation and maintenance of change,however, depends on these progressive ideas.

to address the social and emotional needs of students on a broad and comprehencive scale, school psychologists must be trained differently. in addition to courses on basic child psychology and development, core coursework for all school psychologists should include community psychology, or gsnizational psychology, and health psychologiy. assessment courses should include attention to systems-wide needs and risk assessment, not just individual intellectual assessment, system-level skills and models should also be emphasized in consultation courses; consultaion models that involve one teacher, parent, or chuld are not necessarily relevant to te school psychologist primarily interested in organizational intervention. according to colonely and gutkin (1995), “without expertise in the psychology of system change, it is highly unlikely that graduates will be able to impel local, state, and national systems to change “(p.211). training programs need enough flexibility to accommodate the changing demands of the field and the changing needs of students.

organizational collaboration could take place between training programs in school psychology and those in education.courses in school organizational development and theory could be co-taught by factulty across disciplines. coursework and practice in system level change in schools would gain new relevance id student from different specialties worked together as colleagues.

applied training experiences could change with relative ease, as well.instead of individual students seeing individual clients in a clinical setting, student teams could be developed that consult to classrooms, schools, and districts to tackle system-level concerns related to school climate, adult working relationship, professional development, and other SEL/EQ-related issues.such a team could be hired out for projects in local areas, forming an internal practicum experience for student. these experiences would provide exciting and innovative approaches to school psychological training and practice and would procide schools with a valuable internal resource n the professional school psychologist.

conclusions

we have attempted to build on the recommendation of other in the filed that roles for school psychologists be changed to encompass broader, more innovative functiobs by exploring the need to address social and emotionallearning issues in schools. te importance of addressing the social and emotional learning needs of students has been well-researched and clearly articulated in the literature. a variety of ecent national tragedies have made it all too clear that many young people have not developed the basic social and emotional skills needed to maintain healthy relationship and become productive members of the community.

it is also clear that these important skills include problem solving, decision making, communication, coping with frustration and stress, and controlling emotional. finally, it is evident that these skills can be taught consistenly and comprehencively so children learn and benefit from them. with appropriate training and efforts toward changing roles, school psychologists can be effective advocates and practitioners of this work. they are in a pivotal position to take the lead in addressing the social and emotional needs of youth through prevebtion and healthy promotions programs, professional development for techers and administrators, and collaborativeefforts with other educators. we hope these effors will not only expand opportunities for school psychologists but that they also will engage teachers, parents, adminitrators, and other aduls in the critical work of addressing the social and emotional needs of young people.

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