UC Santa Barbara

Despite the fact that the field of school psychology continues to develop rapidly in many regions around the world, little information is available about the training, roles, and responsibilities of school psychologists. The present study provides valuable information by expanding upon previous international school psychology research by investigating key factors that influence the presence, preparation, and practice of school psychology. More specifically, the present study examined the effect of gross domestic product (GDP), public spending on education, and public support for education on the ratio of school psychologists to students, level of degree offered, and status of school psychologists. Country differences on child autonomy with respect to the ratio of school psychologists to students, level of degree offered, and status of school psychologists were also investigated. Professionals in the field of school psychology in 47 countries completed the School Psychology International Survey (SPIS), which includes 83 multi-part items that address the nature and status of school psychology in their countries. Data from 43 countries were used due to missing items on multiple variables for four countries. Items from the SPIS were utilized, along with available data from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, World Bank Group, and World Values Survey for each of the 43 countries. Simultaneous logistic regressions and independent samples t-tests were conducted to determine associations and mean differences among the abovementioned economic, cultural, educational, and professional variables. Results indicated that GDP, public spending on education, and public support for education did not significantly predict the ratio of school psychologists to students, level of degree offered, and status of school psychologists. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between different mean levels of child autonomy for any of the three examined variables. The results are discussed with regard to previous and future research, limitations, and implications for the presence, preparation, and practice of school psychology at an international level.