Supervision in School Psychology: The Forgotten or Future Path to Effective Services?

Abstract

This article explores supervision as an important professional activity which can positively influence school psychologists' service delivery awareness, skills, and interactions, thereby improving their overall effectiveness with referred and identified children. Included will be a review of the relevant literature across both psychology and education, an analysis evaluating the place of supervision in school psychological training and development, and a discussion of future research needs and directions in our field. A representational model of the supervision process is also presented, coordinating the various statuses through which school psychologists pass during their professional lifetimes, the primary roles and functions of the field-based school psychologist, and five fundamental components that guide the supervision process.