Educational psychology in Portugal: Results of the 2013 International School Psychology Survey

This study provides valuable information regarding the characteristics, training, roles, activities, preferences, research interests and challenges reported by 803 Portuguese educational psychologists. The study includes responses to the International School Psychology Survey (ISPS) from educational psychologists across various regions of Portugal. The information gathered through the implementation of the International School Psychology Survey (ISPS) allowed us to conclude that they had one of the highest levels of experience and of discrepancy in gender (favoring female psychologists), when compared with findings from ISPS surveys in other countries. They come from different backgrounds and with different training within psychology and have an increasing higher school psychologist/children ratio. The greatest proportion of their work involved counseling students, psychoeducational evaluations and vocational guidance. The greatest current challenges or threats to the profession in Portugal were the absence of appropriate psychological assessment instruments, conflicts of leadership within the profession, lack of adequate supervision, lack of funds to properly fund services, lack of career prospects, and the low status of school psychology.
Source: School Psychology International - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Articles Source Type: research