Acceso usuarios
This study investigates the perception and knowledge that teachers have of the educational psychologist in order to gain a better understanding of the types of collaboration that can be established between mental health professionals and education professionals.
The study involved 189 schools in Piemonte and 139 psychologists. Two questionnaires based on those which are most commonly used in similar investigations in Italy were employed. The first questionnaire was addressed to teachers, while the second was addressed to psychologists.
Statistical analysis was performed using the PASW 18.0 software package. The factorial structure of the questionnaire was investigated using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), following factor analysis with direct oblimin rotation and Kaiser normalization. Cronbach’s alpha was used as an estimate of reliability.
Analysis of results indicates that the activities of specialists in education and in mental health do not satisfy psychologists’ expectations concerning how their skills can be applied in the school; for teachers, on the other hand, the sense of mistrust and fear about the psychologists’ work affects the latter’s quality and makes it less effective.
