Publication Date

7-1985

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Harry Robe, Robert McKenzie, Doris Redfield

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Special educators were surveyed in order to determine which of two distinct styles of school psychologists' reports, (psychological vs. psychoeducational) was perceived to be most useful. The sample population consisted of 39 special educators employed by the Bowling Green (Ky.) Independent School District and the Warren County (Ky.) Board of Education. Teachers' rankings of the ten report sections (five per style of report) were compared by an analysis of variance. Results of the 2 (report style: psychological vs. psychoeducational) by 5 (report sections: referral vs. background and observations vs. tests/procedures vs. diagnosis or conclusions vs. recommendations) ANOVA revealed no significant findings for style or section. Neither was there a significant style by section interaction. Analysis of the ten report sections' mean rankings and standard deviations provides support for the contention that special educators prefer the psychoeducational report to the psychological report, particularly the specific nature of its Recommendations section. Section means and standard deviations reveal that the Recommendations section of the psychoeducational report Was most often ranked as most valuable and that its ranking by teachers displayed the least amount of deviation from its mean ranking. When asked which of the reports was the better of the two, 90% of the special educators responded the psychoeducational report was.

Disciplines

Child Psychology | Education | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Special Education and Teaching

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