School Psychology in China (PRC), Hong Kong and Taiwan

Abstract

Although China (People's Republic of China [PRC]), Hong Kong and Taiwan have many similarities in language, culture, values, Confucian traditions, family systems and other social-environmental variables, school psychological services in the three regions are distinctly different in both history and practice. Few studies in the psychology literature have addressed these differences or compared the psychological services provided to school-aged children in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. This article describes the developmental history, practitioner training facilities and scope of school psychological services in these regions. Highlighted are the causal pathways linking culture, social economy, professional perspectives and political ideas to the practice of school psychology. A cross-regional comparison is made with respect to social-economic characteristics, developmental models and educational/psychological systems indigenous to each region.