LanguageTerm (authority = ISO 639-3:2007); (type = text)
English
Abstract
Although scholars have suggested that cognitive errors may plague school psychologists’ decisions, there is little research documenting these effects or the extent to which school psychologists are trained to spot these biases. I conducted a study using experimental vignette methodology (EVM) in conjunction with a survey of knowledge, attitudes, and training in clinical judgment heuristics and biases. Different versions of a vignette formed a 2 (referral concern) x 2 (assessment scores) between subjects design, and participants were randomly assigned to one of the cells of the design. Participants were recruited from NASP-approved, APA-accredited, and/or locally accredited school psychology programs. Although 310 participants provided informed consent for the survey, 175 were included for analysis in the final sample, as only they indicated they were enrolled in a school psychology program. The first goal of the study was to determine school psychology trainees’ knowledge, attitudes, and training related to topics in clinical judgment. The second goal of the study was to assess whether trainees exhibit judgmental biases when identifying Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). I hypothesized that trainees would have received minimal formal training in limitations of clinical judgment, and they would demonstrate bias in classifying SLD based on the framing of the referral concern (i.e., whether or not the referral mentioned SLD). Results indicated that most participants reported having training in at least one area of clinical judgment and demonstrated some knowledge of clinical judgment. Overall attitudes toward understanding clinical judgment limitations within school psychology were positive (M = 1.78, SD = .40). There was a significant main effect of assessment score discrepancy on SLD classification, F (1, 171) = 4.43, p = .037, meaning that participants based their classification decision, at least in part, on the assessment scores. Partial eta squared = .025. There was a non-significant main effect of referral concern on SLD classification, F (1, 171) = 0.009, p > .05, meaning that participants were not biased by the framing of the referral concern. The interaction effect was also non-significant, F (1,171) = 0.271, p > .05. Limitations and implications for future training of school psychologists are discussed.
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
School psychology
Subject (authority = LCSH)
Topic
Decision making
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
School Psychology
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = local)
rucore10001800001
Identifier
ETD_11109
Identifier (type = doi)
doi:10.7282/t3-ce5n-7f46
PhysicalDescription
Form (authority = gmd)
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (vi, 66 pages)
Note (type = degree)
Psy.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Location
PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
Rutgers University. Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
AssociatedObject
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.