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The school psychologist as a behavior therapist: Past and future
Author(s) -
Woody Robert Henley
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6807(197607)13:3<266::aid-pits2310130304>3.0.co;2-0
Subject(s) - psychology , context (archaeology) , psychological intervention , behavior change , school psychology , psychotherapist , pedagogy , medical education , social psychology , psychiatry , medicine , paleontology , biology
Using a published review of 1965 as a comparison point, this article presents an opinion on the evolution of the school psychologist as a behavior therapist (encompassing the period of 1965–1975). Over the past ten years, it was noted that the role of being an individual therapist has been replaced by the role of being a consultant to the schools and the community, that assessment of change due to behavioral interventions (while some progress has been made) is still a major problem, and that the use of behavioral methods in the educational context is screened on an individual technique basis. In terms of the future, it is posited that there will be increasing support for the use of behavior modification activities, and specific areas of preparation for the schools and colleges are suggested. Special emphasis is placed on the relationship between professionalism and public policy, particularly as relevant to the ethics inherent in the use of behavior modification.