Abstract

The purpose of this study is three-fold. First, this study was conducted to review the characteristics of school psychology with reference to the models of school counseling, school social work, and school-based mental health services. Second, the purpose of this study was to survey the current status of school counseling. Third, it was to examine teachers' perceptions of the necessity for school psychological services. Paper-pencil questionnaires were administered to 250 junior and senior high school teachers in Seoul, Gwangju, Kyonggi-Do, and Chollanam-Do. Teachers were asked who was in charge of counseling each of the 9 student problems (i.e., learning/school maladjustment, interpersonal relations, delinquency, family, career, sex, mental health, life habits, personality) in their school, and how frequently they provided 10 school counseling services(5 direct, 5 indirect). In addition, they were asked whether each of the 17 school psychological services in the 4 domains (i.e., assesment, intervention/prevention, consultation, program development/research) would be necessary for students' adjustment and healthy development. The data were analyzed by frequency analyses and t-tests. The results showed that, in more than 70% of the participating schools, classroom teachers are in charge of all of the 9 student problems, and that, despite teachers' need, school-community links are insufficient. Individual counseling, group guidance, and consultation with parents on an individual basis were found to be teachers' major counseling activities. Teachers considered all of the 17 school psychological services to be necessary. In particular, the level of perceived necessity for interventions with delinquency, career problems, emotional problems and school maladjustment problems and for prevention services was higher than that of other school psychological services. In conclusion, the necessity of establishing the professional identity of school psychology and clarifying the roles of school psychologists in Korea was discussed with reference to service delivery models in school counseling, school social work, and school-based mental health services.