A model for school psychology practice: addressing the needs of students with emotional and behavioral challenges through the use of an in-school support room and reality therapy

Adolescence, Fall, 2004 by Perry D. Passaro, Michael Moon, Dudley J. Wiest, Eugene H. Wong

INTRODUCTION

Students identified as having an emotional disturbance present a significant challenge for school psychologists. This article describes an in-school treatment approach for school psychologists serving students with emotional disturbance and behavioral disorders. It involves a simple and practical model of mental health services provided at the school site by the school psychologist.

The model described utilizes both a specialized setting and a specific methodology to help students identify and evaluate their behaviors and choices, while reducing the number of disciplinary actions. The intervention then assists the student to develop a plan for improvement which, if successful, results in a return to the classroom. The setting for this intervention is an in-school support room (ISSR), which in this case is a small classroom which has become the school psychologist's office, and the methodology is reality therapy (RT).

Review of the Literature

Behavioral strategies such as time out have been utilized for many years, for students with disabilities (Brown, Nesbitt, Purvis, & Cossairt, 1978) and without (Flanagan, Adams, & Forehand, 1979), at home (Gardner, Forehand, & Roberts, 1976), and school (Clarke, Rowbury, Baer, & Baer, 1973). Time out has been described by Clarke et al. (1973) as time away from positive reinforcement. Parents are often advised by professionals to employ a time-out technique when children require removal from a situation or setting (Olson & Roberts, 1978). Teachers are also encouraged to utilize time way from their classrooms in the form of office referrals which are designed to change the students' behavior before returning to the classroom (Axelrod, 1983).

These office referrals traditionally result in a visit to the school principal or assistant principal. However, for students with emotional and behavioral challenges, traditional discipline methods are generally not effective in reducing problem behavior (McConaughy & Ritter, 1995; Bear, 1998; Miller, Grehm, & Whitehouse, 1998).

A more therapeutic intervention is required for students with an emotional disturbance, and the school psychologist is a resource who could provide it. One form of intervention that can be utilized by the school psychologist is RT.

RT was developed in the 1960s by psychiatrist William Glasser. It provides a conceptually simple yet effective method for working with emotionally challenged youth. It requires those working with the student to develop a positive, friendly relationship, especially with those who do net want such a relationship. RT is different from some psychological models because it encourages everyone who works with the student to enter into a counseling relationship with them, not just the psychologist.

Research on the use of RT and an ISSR for students with emotional disturbances conducted by Coats (1991) has demonstrated a positive effect on student behavior, as measured by teacher perceptions. However, Coats (1991), in his recommendations for future research, suggests that additional studies should be conducted on the integrated use of RT and ISSR, using student outcome indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions.

If the school psychologist were to provide this service on a school campus it would be an extension of their current, primarily regulatory responsibilities. The most appropriate roles and functions of school psychologists have been a topic of considerable discussion within the profession for many years. Gutkin and Conoley (1990), Tapasak and Keller (1995), and Sheridan and Gutkin (2000) state that school psychology practice has not kept up with the times and recommend that the field undergo a broad reconceptualization--and soon. Others recommend expanded roles for school psychologists such as teaching social and emotional intelligence (Quinn & McDougal, 1998), offering various prevention and treatment programs (Adelman & Taylor, 1998), and ongoing teacher consultation and collaboration (Wiest & Kreil, 1995, 1997).

The school psychologist is therefore faced with the dilemma of increasing direct services to students, providing more assistance to teachers and staff, and assuring regulatory compliance. While it is easy to suggest expanded roles for school psychologists, few authors offer practical and school-tested models of how more can be done with less.

Hypothesis

This study theorized that several measurable behavioral changes would occur as a result of the use of RT and an ISSR: positive changes in average daily behavior of students served in the program over the school year; a reduction in the number of out of school suspensions compared to the previous academic year; and increases in the amount of time students' participate in general education courses compared to the previous school year and within the current school year.

METHOD

Students Served

Ten male students in grades six through eight, all residents of a suburban school district in southern California, participated in this study. Each student met the State of California Educational Code criteria for an emotional disturbance: "A condition exhibiting one or more behavioral characteristics, which exist over a long period of time and to a marked degree, which in turn adversely affects educational performance." Each of these students were served in a special day class, at the start of the intervention; however, some where later transitioned to a less restrictive setting (resource specialist program).