Collaborative practices of portuguese school psychologists: An analysis of typologies and contexts

Abstract

Collaboration between school psychologists and the numerous services and professionals of the educational community is essential for the delivery of comprehensive, integrated and effective services to students and families. Based on the response of 477 school psychologists to an electronic survey, this study investigates the intra and interinstitutional collaborative practices of Portuguese school psychologists. The results suggest that these professionals collaborate regularly and with a wide range of purposes, with a great diversity of entities, services and teams, both internal and external to schools. Among the most frequently reported collaborative practices, we emphasize the collaboration of school psychologists with class councils, special education teams, child and youth protection services, and health services. The goals and the nature of these and other collaborative practices are made explicit, making it possible to highlight the multifaceted nature of the role of school psychologists and their multiple contributions to schools. Implications for professional practice, the development of the profession and future research are presented.