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Date of Graduation
Summer 2011
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Educational Specialist (EdS)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Abstract
As school psychologists strive to become culturally competent in our growing diverse society, an important piece that seems to missing from the typically accessed conceptualization of culture is religion and spirituality. The focus of this study was to survey NASP approved training programs to determine how these programs intentionally incorporate knowledge and skills and determine the competence of their graduate students in matters of religion and spirituality. All NASP approved school psychology programs were sent a survey and the program director served as the sole participant. Most programs do not believe that their students have been involved in casework involving religion/spirituality. Further, most programs do not offer a course or embed a course with information regarding religion/spirituality. However, other participants offered great examples of casework and courses that have involved spirituality and religion. More than half of the participants believe their students are competent in concepts of school psychology involving spirituality and religion. Also, many participants offered their definition of religious/spiritual competence in school psychology. Using the definitions offered by the participants, a definition about religious/spiritual competence was synthesized. It is hoped the examples given by the participants for casework and courses, and the definition created from participant responses can be used by training programs to incorporate spiritual and religious information into coursework.
Recommended Citation
Bass, Jessica Marie, "Religion, spirituality, and school psychology: A national survey of training programs" (2011). Educational Specialist, 2009-2019. 34.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/edspec201019/34
