Vocational School Psychology in the USA

Abstract

The field of vocational school psychology is a relatively new area of research and practice in the USA. Vocational counseling, vocational assessment and vocational planning were not viewed as functions of school psychology until about fourteen years ago (Hohenshil, 1974). In the past, most vocational development activities were primarily relegated to school counselors, teachers and parents. School psychologists in the United States have traditionally had the major responsibility for classifying children for special education services, and consulting with teachers and parents regarding behavior management techniques and learning styles. Some school psychologists have also been actively involved in such therapeutic practices as individual and group counseling. But, for the most part they have not been actively involved in secondary schools, and especially vocational programming (Shepard and Hohenshil, 1983).