Analysis of the Effects of Gender and Doctoral Program Emphasis on Scientist and Practitioner Interests

Abstract

The impact of gender and the interaction effect of gender and doctoral program specialty (counseling psychology, school psychology, and educational psychology) on scientist and practitioner interests are assessed in this study. The sample consists of 153 doctoral students admitted to a doctorate of education program in a department of educational psychology from 1991 to 2004. The Scientist-Practitioner Inventory was group administered to students. There were between-group differences in practitioner interests and within-group differences between scientist and practitioner interests among students in three discipline areas within the same department. Faculty need to evaluate their attitudes and expectations toward promoting a scientist-practitioner model and students need to be fully informed about the philosophy, student expectations, and curriculum that relates to a scientist-practitioner oriented program.