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School reintegration for children and adolescents with cancer: The role of school psychologists
Author(s) -
Harris Mekel S.
Publication year - 2009
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/pits.20399
Subject(s) - psychosocial , psychology , school psychology , intervention (counseling) , population , medical education , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , environmental health
As a result of advancements in medical expertise and technology, children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer now have opportunities to participate in many typical activities, including school. To some extent, school reintegration reflects positive adjustment to their illness. Nevertheless, children and adolescents with cancer may experience consequences that result in problems with school functioning and performance, along with other psychosocial difficulties. Accordingly, school personnel may not be equipped to appropriately intervene with this unique population of students. One means of offsetting such consequences, and thus facilitating successful school reintegration, is consultation between children or adolescents, parents and/or caregivers, school personnel, and health professionals. The eco‐triadic model of educational consultation may be useful as a means of providing indirect and direct services to children and adolescents with cancer. This article provides a description of the model, describes the model's application to school psychologists' work with this unique population of children, provides checklists to help guide school psychologists' intervention throughout the school reintegration process, and highlights implications for school psychology practice. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.