Eve Kikas. The Handbook of International School Psychology. Editor: Shane R Jimerson, Thomas D Oakland, Peter T Farrell. Sage Publications. 2007.
Estonia is located in northern Europe, on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. Estonia stretches 350 kilometers from east to west and 240 kilometers from north to south; its area is 45,226 square kilometers. Estonia shares borders with Russia to the east and Latvia to the south. Sweden is to the west across the Baltic Sea, and Finland is to the north, across the Gulf of Finland. Estonia’s population ranks among the smallest in the world: As of 2005, an estimated 1,347,510 people live in Estonia (a density of only 29.80 people per square kilometer). Fifteen percent of the population are between birth and 14 years of age, 67% are 15 to 64 years old, and 17% are 65 years and older (Statistical Office of Estonia, 2006).
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918, and a parliamentary republic was formed. After the conclusion of the supplementary secret protocol of the German-Soviet Non-aggression Pact on August 23,1939, the Baltic countries were assigned to the Soviet sphere of influence and remained in isolation. In 1991, the Republic of Estonia was restored on the basis of continuity with the constitution prior to 1938. Estonia became a member of the European Union on May 1, 2004, and its main economic partners are the member states of the European Union. In 2004, the gross domestic product was US$19.23 billion, US$14,300 per capita. The labor force is 11% agriculture, 20% industry, and 69% services. Unemployment is estimated at 10%. The economy in Estonia benefits from strong electronics and telecommunications sectors and is influenced by developments in its three major trading partners: Finland, Sweden, and Germany.
In the 2004-2005 school year, there were 288,600 students, including 18,800 in basic schools, 42,100 in secondary schools, 29,900 in vocational institutions, and 67,800 in universities or applied higher educational institutions. The number of children in preschool institutions was 52,900 (Statistical Office of Estonia, 2006). The number of school-age children is decreasing yearly, whereas the number of children with special education needs is increasing. In the school year 2003-2004, there were 5,065 children in special schools, 1,859 children studying in special classes in mainstream schools, and 20,252 children in regular mainstream classes (in 1998-1999, these numbers were 5,185, 1,315, and 14,966, respectively). There has been a general decline in the percentage of children attending special schools and a rise in the percentage of children with special needs attending mainstream classes (Information Database on Education Systems in Europe, n.d.).
Educational System and Regulations
Education in the Republic of Estonia can be described as follows. Preschool education until the age of 7 is voluntary. Preschool child care institutions include crèches (lastesõim) until the age of 3 and nursery schools (lasteaed) for children ages 3 through 7, which are maintained either publicly or privately. There are also special nursery schools for children with special needs up to 7 years of age and adaptation groups. Nursery schools are divided into municipal and private child care institutions. Because preschool educational establishments get their funding from different sources, the cost to parents varies. Preschool education is followed by 9 years in school (põhikool); the first six years are referred to as primary school (algkool). After primary school, there are two pathways: the 3-year upper secondary school (gümnaasium) or the (at minimum) 3-year vocational school (kutsekool). The Estonian higher education system consists of universities (ülikool) and applied higher education institutions (rak-enduskõrgkool). There are also some vocational higher educational (kutsekõrgharidus) programs at postsecondary vocational institutions. The higher education institutions can be state, public, or private institutions.
Schooling is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 17 and is free for all who study in state-financed or municipal schools. There are also private schools and private vocational schools, which are fee-paying. Persons who have passed the minimum permitted school-leaving age and have not acquired basic education may study in the form of evening courses or distance learning and graduate from school as external students. In 2004, there were 603 diurnal (96 primary, 227 basic, 234 upper secondary) schools; 26 were private schools, and 46 (2 primary, 40 basic, 4 upper secondary) schools were for children with special needs (Statistical Office of Estonia, 2006). There were 46 higher educational institutions: 6 public universities, 6 licensed private universities, 7 state-owned applied higher education institutions, 17 private applied higher education institutions, and 10 vocational higher education institutions (Statistical Office of Estonia, 2006).
Starting from the 2004-2005 school year, the upper limits of class sizes are 24 for basic school and 36 for upper secondary school. The actual average number of students per class in basic school has been lower (e.g., in 2002-2003, it was 21.7), which, in essence, means that there have been big differences among class sizes. In some cases, composite classes are formed if the number of students in two or more classes together is small. In classes for children with special needs, the upper limit of the size of a class is smaller. Requirements of education are determined by the national curriculum for basic schools and upper secondary schools. The simplified national curriculum for basic schools and the national curriculum for students with moderate and severe learning disabilities determine the requirements of basic education for children with special needs. Each school develops its curriculum on the basis of the national curriculum.
Origin, History, and Current Status of School Psychology
The opportunities for the evolution of school psychology emerged after the department of Psychology was established in the University of Tartu in 1968. Starting from this year, psychology as a discipline was taught, whereas earlier, only a few courses in psychology had been given (Allik, 1992). Two periods may be differentiated in the history of Estonian school psychology: the Soviet period (1970s to 1991) and the independent republican period (from 1991 through the present). The primary difference between these periods is in the emphasis of theory and practice. In the Soviet Union, applied psychology was not well accepted and developed. For example, tests were forbidden for a long time, and there were few possibilities to train in psychotherapy (Allik, 1992; Kikas, 1999). The education of psychologists was very theoretical, which caused problems in daily work. Presently, whereas the bachelor’s-level education in universities emphasizes theory, practical courses are emphasized at the master’s level and in in-service training courses.
The Soviet Period
The idea of school psychology began in Estonia in the beginning of the 1970s. The leaders, who introduced the ideas and worked out the first models of school psychological services, were Kalju Toim from the University of Tartu and Heino Liimets and Juhan Sõerd from the Pedagogical Institute of Tallinn. The first school psychologist, Lia Hanso, started to work in a special school for children with mental diseases in 1975. The history of school psychology in Soviet Estonia developed hand in hand with that of vocational counseling. In the Soviet Union, from time to time, the emphasis was on career planning. Through vocational orientation, different occupations were introduced to children from the very first grades onward. Together with helping children to discover their needs, interests, and abilities, another purpose of career orientation was made evident, namely to introduce children to working-class occupations that were not very popular.
The first vocational counseling centers were founded in the 1970s; psychologists worked in these centers alongside other specialists. Their task was to assess personality and abilities in order to help students find occupations most suitable for them. However, in 1988, the vocational guidance centers were closed down but for two big centers in Tallinn and Tartu. Several psychologists who had worked in these centers went to work for schools where they also carried out vocational guidance. Before 1991, there were 66 school psychologists in Estonia, the majority of them working in schools and the minority in counseling centers; all were officially referred to as “psychologists.”
The Current Status
The terms school psychology (koolipsühholoogia) and school psychologist (koolipsühholoog) are used in Estonia today, but in some centers and schools, the official name for the job may be simply psychologist. Additionally, counselors (nõustaja) or social pedagogues (sotsiaalpedagoog) work in schools. These are professionals who do not have degrees in psychology even though some are involved in the activities generally carried out by school psychologists.
Most of the school psychologists work in public schools, and several of them additionally work in private practice or give lectures in the universities or schooling centers. One school psychologist serves either one school (mainly in towns) or two schools (mainly in the countryside or in smaller schools). A small number of psychologists work in private schools or in special schools. The number of psychologists working in special schools is increasing; thus far, these schools have been poorly supplied with psychologists. As a rule, psychologists do not work in preschool institutions. A few are employed by vocational institutions and universities.
The exact number of practicing school psychologists is not available, although it is known that more than 150 persons are currently employed, with few male school psychologists. The availability of services in the larger cities and in areas around them is satisfactory. In contrast, rural areas are poorly supplied with school psychologists (and with other types of psychologists as well). The reasons for rural areas not having school psychologists lie in the general social politics of Estonia (and form only a part of various rural areas’ social problems). One reason is that schools are small and do not have the resources to hire a full-time school psychologist. As the distances between schools are long and transportation is not funded, people do not want to work in two or more schools in the countryside.
Although the official ratio is up to 600 students per 1 school psychologist, this is not mandatory and serves as a recommendation only. In reality, many schools do not consider this ratio when hiring a school psychologist. Most of the school psychologists have more than 600 children to serve (sometimes up to 1,200; the average number is 700-800 students). Smaller schools (with 300-400 students) hire school psychologists by offering half-time jobs.
In 2004, the official average monthly salary in Estonia was 7,287 Kroons (467 euros), whereas in education (including teachers and other staff members), it was 6,475 Kroons (415 euros; Statistical Office of Estonia, 2006). However, the salary of the school psychologist depends on the policy of each county. Most of the regions have equalized the salary with teachers’ salaries. However, depending on the qualification and experience of a psychologist, it may be higher even in state schools, and it is even higher in the private sector.
In-service training courses are provided in several institutions and by various trainers. In universities, psychologists may participate in single courses in master’s programs. This is possible in the program of the Open University, which offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees and arranges single modules and courses for in-service training. However, opportunities for career advancement in school services are practically absent.
Job stability is different in big towns (specifically, Tartu and Tallinn) and other areas. As mentioned, generally there are no possibilities of getting better (more highly valued and better paid) jobs inside the school system. In Tartu and Tallinn, young people work in schools during their master’s studies but go on to find jobs outside the school system (e.g., in clinics, counseling centers, private practice). Therefore, job stability in these towns is quite low. In contrast, job stability in other areas is quite high. Only in rural areas, far from Tallinn and Tartu, is the age of school psychologists quite high.
The majority of school psychologists have stated that they are “mostly satisfied” with their work (Jimerson et al., 2004). They value the opportunity to plan and organize their own work and their own work schedule; they also value the responsibility that is directly connected to the decisions they make. Working in the school environment means dealing with different kinds of assignments, which makes the work appealing and challenging. On the other hand, the role confusion is great. During the past decade, many changes have occurred that have influenced the field of psychology and people’s attitude toward it. As an outcome, school psychologists feel that their work is valued by their colleagues and by society. Unfortunately, the salary is not sufficient and does not offer security. Consequently, many professionals are overwhelmed by their various duties and often feel distracted.
Infrastructure of School Psychology
Two professional organizations serve the interests of school psychology and psychologists: the Union of Estonian Psychologists and the Union of Estonian School Psychologists. The Union of Estonian Psychologists was founded in 1988, with the goals of developing standards of psychology theory and practice in Estonia, serving the interests of Estonian psychologists, and raising the level of mental health of the Estonian people. The union participates in training psychologists, particularly in the areas of ethical knowledge and practice. Since 2003, the union has acted as the qualification granting body for school and clinical psychologists. The second professional organization, the Union of Estonian School Psychologists, was founded in 1992 with 30 members; today, it has 133 members. It unites psychologists working in schools and people who actively support the development of school psychology in Estonia. The main aims of the union are to support the improvement of children’s and adolescents’ mental health, inform others about the roles and activities of school psychologists in the country, serve the interests of its members, and organize in-service training. In addition, the members of the Union of Estonian School Psychologists have taken part in the work of the International School Psychology Association (see, e.g., Jimerson et al., 2004).
The Union of Estonian Psychologists has a newsletter in which school psychology issues are analyzed. Additionally, there is a monthly journal, Education, and the weekly Teachers’ Newspaper in which school psychologists report about their work and research results. Issues of the journal School Psychology International and the International School Psychology Association newsletter are also available to union members.
In 1995, a job description for school psychologists was issued by regulation of the National School Board. It describes the main activities of school psychologists as the following: individual and group counseling of students, career counseling, consulting with teachers and parents about individual students’ problems, and consulting with administration in planning school life and development projects.
One school psychologist should serve 600 students. If the number of students in a school is less than 600, the psychologist may work part-time. The professional standards for school psychologists were approved by the Estonian Qualification Center on April 9, 2003. The accreditation of school psychologists according to these standards is carried out by the Union of Estonian Psychologists, which is the qualification granting body for school and clinical psychologists. The qualification standards are also described in Standards of Qualification for Teachers (2005). According to these standards, only people with at least a bachelor’s-level education in psychology may work in schools as psychologists. However, as of March 2006, this standard had not been met. An ethical code for the members of the Union of Estonian Psychologists has also been developed. School psychologists additionally follow the code of ethics of the International School Psychology Association (Oakland, Goldman, & Bischoff, 1997).
Preparation of School Psychologists
Before 2002, higher education teaching was organized on three levels: bachelor’s (4 years), master’s (2 years), and doctoral (4 years). In accordance with the Bologna Convention, the new curricula were introduced in 2002; these comprise the following three levels of study: bachelor’s (3 years), master’s (2 years), and doctoral (4 years). Access to the second level requires successful completion of the first level.
To understand the situation in Estonian school psychological services today, a historical look is necessary, because current programs were recently developed, and some students still study under the previous programs. As there are no specific school psychology programs at the doctoral level, a description of only the lower levels’ programs is provided. In Estonian universities, 1 credit is equivalent to 1.5 European credits.
Before 2002, the bachelor’s studies of psychology required 160 credits. After completing the curriculum, students were given the degree of Baccalaureus Scientiarum. These programs were taught in the University of Tartu, the University of Tallinn, and the University Nord. With this degree, it was possible either to start working or to continue studies at the master’s level. Universities offered three types of master’s-level curricula. The master of science curriculum enabled students to specialize in research fields; the students were given the degree of Magister Scientiarum in psychology. The master of applied psychology programs in clinical psychology and in school psychology (University of Tartu) required 80 credits.
The development of curricula in school psychology started in 1993 with Estonian psychologists cooperating with leading school psychologists from various countries. Attendance at the annual colloquium of the International School Psychology Association provided good information about, and support for, developing school psychology curricula. The curricula of several universities were discussed, and related articles and books were analyzed (e.g., Burden, 1994; Fagan, 1995; Farrell, 1995; Farrell & Lunt, 1994; Oakland & Saigh, 1989; Reynolds, Gutkin, Elliott, & Witt, 1984). Based on these analyses, the first in-service training program for practicing school psychologists in Estonia was developed. Twenty psychologists were taught according to this program at the University of Tartu in 1996-1997. Subsequently expanding this program and in cooperation with clinical psychologists, the first master’s-level curriculum was developed. It was aimed at persons who had completed the curriculum and had acquired the necessary academic and practical skills to do their work rationally, systematically, and consciously and to be able to analyze their work and evaluate its effect. The model of school psychologist as scientist and practitioner was assumed. The new curricula (implemented in 2002) were developed, building on the first curriculum and on the feedback from the participants.
Accredited Psychology Programs
Currently, the bachelor’s degree program in psychology requires 120 credits. The students who have completed the curriculum receive the degree of Baccalaureus of Social Sciences. There are obligatory and optional courses; only the optional courses provide the opportunity to choose between a more theoretical or practical (including school psychology) orientation. Minimal duration of the curriculum is 3 years. The bachelor’s degree program is offered at the University of Tartu, the University of Tallinn, and the University Nord.
The master’s program in psychology enables students to specialize in one of the following fields: psychology, clinical psychology, school psychology, or social psychology at the University of Tartu and social psychology, counseling, or health psychology at the University of Tallinn. The curriculum requires 80 credits, and students who have completed one of these curricula are awarded the master of psychology degree. In addition to completing obligatory and optional courses, students must also write and defend a master’s thesis. The minimal duration of the curriculum is 2 years. This level is needed to work as a practicing psychologist, including working in school.
There are specific degrees and professional credentials required to become a school psychologist. There are several ways to become a qualified school psychologist. The professional standards for school psychologists (Kutsestandard) state the following requirements and ways to obtain and maintain the certification: Qualification level III: bachelor’s degree in psychology and at least 4 credits in school psychology courses; Qualification level IV: at least 3 years work experience, master’s or bachelor’s degree in psychology, and 40 credits in-service training in school Psychology; Qualification level V: master’s degree in psychology, 20 credits in-service training in school psychology, and at least 10 years work experience including publishing in educational or psychology journals.
The most straightforward route to becoming a school psychologist is to complete the master of psychology curriculum in school psychology in the University of Tartu. So far, nine persons have completed these studies. The other way to become a school psychologist is to complete bachelor’s- or master’s-level studies and participate in in-service training. Each year, there are about 30 state-paid places for psychology students at the University of Tartu and the University of Tallinn. In addition, at least the same number of students pay for their studies themselves. All these students may become school psychologists if they participate in school psychology courses either during or after their university studies and have practiced enough in school.
The following provides a description of the most direct way of becoming a school psychologist. These are the courses taught in the University of Tartu—the only university in Estonia that offers a master’s-level program in school psychology. However, similar courses are also taught at the University of Tallinn. Studies comprise obligatory and optional courses. The obligatory courses at the bachelor’s level are theoretical, but it is possible to choose more practice-oriented optional courses. On the master’s level, there is a module in school psychology; additionally, students may choose courses from other modules. Thus, the description below includes the combination of courses related to school psychology (see, e.g., Cunningham & Oakland, 1998).
Core academic knowledge in psychology. Bachelor’s-level studies include obligatory courses in numerous branches of psychology—developmental, personality, social, experimental, biological, sociocultural, cognitive, clinical, and motivational—as well as courses in neurophysi-ology, basic genetics, psychology of individual differences, basic psychometrics, psychopathology, neuropsychology, psychology and behavior of groups, and data analysis in social sciences. Students may also choose the 4-credit module in school psychology, including courses in the psychology of learning and students with special needs.
The following master’s-level obligatory courses deepen the theoretical academic knowledge: personality and social psychology, individual differences, theories of development, history of psychology, neurochemistry, and methodology of studying personality. The module of school psychology includes courses in the psychology of children with special needs and special populations and theories and methods of clinical psychology.
Assessment services. The master’s-level school psychology module includes courses in methods of individual assessment (including interviewing, observation, testing) and case studies. Assessment skills are practiced in the course of practical work in school (master’s level, 80 credit hours). The theoretical background of assessment is taught in the academic studies described earlier.
Intervention. At the bachelor’s level, students may choose between two optional courses: counseling psychology and practicum in counseling skills. Introduction to psychotherapy (with emphasis on the cognitive-behavioral approach) and consultation methods are taught at the master’s level. Intervention is also discussed in the case study methods course. Students have the opportunity to practice these skills while in school (master’s level, 80 credit hours).
Interpersonal skills. Also at the bachelor’s level of studies, students may choose among the following optional courses: interpersonal skills, practicum in listening and communication skills, organizational psychology, and leadership and collaboration skills. These skills, and also professional decision-making skills, are practiced within the program (master’s level, 80 credit hours).
Knowledge of statistical methods and research design. Both bachelor’s- and master’s-level programs include a course in psychology and social sciences research methods. As stated previously in this chapter, the model of psychologist as scientist and practitioner is emphasized. Students practice skills in research methods and apply their knowledge to specific purposes in the field of school psychology when writing seminar papers (4 credits, bachelor’s level) or the master’s thesis (20 credits). This thesis is a study that, utilizing scientifically valid methodology, (a) describes and analyzes some work-related problem (e.g., a case study or a developmentally oriented project for better organization of a psychologist’s professional work), (b) develops and evaluates a new assessment tool, or (c) develops and evaluates a new intervention program or some other work of practical value.
Ethics of school psychology. Master’s-level studies include a course in the ethics of psychology. Ethical dilemmas are also analyzed in the course on case study methods.
The education of school psychologists at the university level places an emphasis on theoretical foundations. The reason for this lies, first, in the general policy of university education according to the 3+2 curricula, with the bachelor’s level designed to provide a foundation from which students can continue their master’s studies in a variety of fields. This variability and possibility of choices facilitates flexibility and ease in finding future employment. Simultaneously, it also means that learning “on the job” and in-service training will become more important in the future.
The second reason lies in the small number of students specializing in school psychology in Estonia. If only a few students study school psychology, then it is necessary to integrate their studies with the studies of other specialists. In Estonia, as a rule, the curriculum in school psychology has been integrated with the curriculum in clinical psychology. As the work of clinical psychologists is more individual centered, this orientation has dominated the curriculum.
One way of improving the education of future school psychologists would be to introduce an internship into the program. This idea is described in the project of a framework for educating psychologists in Europe (Bartram et al., 2001). This project proposes a common framework for the education and training of practicing psychologists that would last 6 years, including three stages: bachelor’s level, master’s level, and one year of supervised practice (i.e., internship year). Today, the lack of supervision is one of the problems frequently mentioned by practicing school psychologists. Internship with on-site supervised practice, as recommended by Cunningham and Oakland (1998), would enhance the quality of school psychology preparation in Estonia.
Roles, Functions, and Responsibilities of School Psychologists
School psychologists perform a variety of activities, and their roles differ from school to school and from region to region. The activities in a specific school depend on the availability of other professionals (e.g., social workers, special teachers, social pedagogues) either in school or in the area. The most common activities are described in this section and listed in order of importance. This overview is based on results of the International School Psychology Survey, conducted in Estonia in 2003 (Jimerson et al., 2004; Kikas, 2003), and on an informal survey conducted in May 2004 (unpublished data).
Counseling. The most common activity performed by school psychologists is individual counseling. The aim of the individual work is to promote children’s and adolescents’ intellectual, academic, affective, social, personality, and vocational development and status. Social, family, and school resources are utilized in this counseling. Many psychologists work with student groups as well. Groups are usually based on the grounds of similar problems (e.g., children with behavioral difficulties or poor social skills). The most commonly used approaches in school counseling are cognitive-behavioral and behavioral therapy, solution-oriented therapy, and family therapy. Eclectic approaches characterize the work of many professionals. Approximately 30% of their time is spent performing these activities (Jimerson et al., 2004).
Consultation services. Approximately 20% of school psychologists’ time is spent consulting with teachers and 20% of the time with parents or family members (Jimerson et al., 2004). Educating parents and helping them understand children’s developmental peculiarities, but also providing support in crisis situations, are the main topics of consultation. Teachers have become more open to psychological help. Individual consultation practice is more common, but some school psychologists offer group consultation for teachers as well. In addition, cooperating with administrative staff (including consultations provided for the staff members) is becoming more widespread. It provides a great opportunity to influence school policy (e.g., how to treat children with special needs or academic problems).
The role of consultation is growing due to changes in the state policy concerning children with special educational needs. Today, inclusion of these children is more widespread than ever, which also results in the development and implementation of individual learning plans. The school psychologist has an important role here—first as an evaluator and later as a consultant. Also, measures are being introduced that would facilitate greater school attendance, decrease the number of school dropouts, and prevent pupils from repeating a year. These include the possibilities of assessing the problems earlier and making choices more accessible. For example, progress interviews are carried out yearly by a class teacher with the help of parents. In all these activities, school psychologists play an active role as consultants as well.
During the past few years, several school psychologists have lectured to groups of parents. Approximately 1% of their time is spent on this activity.
Testing and assessment models and methods. Assessment and evaluation are activities that receive somewhat less attention than counseling and consulting. Nevertheless, approximately 15% of psychologists’ time is spent observing, interviewing, and testing children for academic, behavioral, social, and psychological weaknesses and/or disorders (Jimerson et al., 2004). Various methods and approaches are used, and the reliance on the ecological/systems approach is steadily increasing. This approach may include observations in various settings; behavior checklists; interviews with teachers and parents; questionnaires for children, teaching personnel, and parents; environmental assessment; and so on.
Because of its size, Estonia has no standardized tests. There are not enough resources to collect data all around Estonia and to update the norms as necessary; there also are no resources to pay for licenses. Although a wide variety of assessment tools are used, their usage is not coordinated throughout the republic, and the level of knowledge about these different tools is quite low among practicing psychologists. Some of these tools have been developed in universities as bachelor’s and master’s projects; others have been translated from different international sources and adapted in the course of practical work. Norms are collected and used locally. What follows is a description of frequently used assessment methods, starting with those used when assessing younger children.
Screening in the beginning of the first grade is also carried out in many schools. For this purpose, Krogh’s (1978) Controlled Drawing Observation (developed in the late 1970s in Denmark) is used. It is a standardized group test, assessing the knowledge of elementary concepts (e.g., geometrical objects, numbers). Estonian school psychologists value this tool because it gives them an opportunity to assess children in the context of the classroom and encourages cooperation between the psychologist and the teacher. School psychologists make use of drawings and projective methods (e.g., completing stories or finishing sentences).
Assessing elementary school children’s cognitive abilities, achievement, and social skills is performed in order to plan interventions (e.g., developing individual learning plans). This field is becoming more important in light of the policy of inclusion (i.e., incorporating students with special needs into mainstream schools). Several cognitive ability tests have been developed, based on the work and tests of Luria, Weschler, and Kaufman. Estonian versions take into account the specifics of Estonian language and culture. The Raven Coloured and Progressive Matrices have also been used in both practical and scientific work. The Beery-Buktenica Visual-Motor Integration Test is also sometimes used. Earlier, the adaptations of the tests by the Finnish psychologist O. Tasola were used.
For assessment of behavior and emotional problems, the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklists for parents, teachers, and adolescents are used. Personality, cognitive abilities, motivation, attitudes, and social skills are assessed in older children who come to visit a psychologist and discuss their problems. As a rule, these children would like to learn and understand more about themselves. In this work, tests are used as one way to gather information about a child. These tests include Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor questionnaire, the Myers-Briggs personality test, and the Rosenberg self-esteem questionnaire.
Organizational and program development services. A few professionals are taking part in developing and evaluating curricula and other documents connected to educational and pedagogical issues. Psychologists involved in these activities spend approximately 1% of their time on them. The most common of the coordinated and developed programs in a school environment are connected with bullying, career counseling, health promotion, and prevention of drug use and addiction and HIV/AIDS. The time spent on these activities is approximately 1%.
Other activities. School psychologists have also mentioned the following activities: crisis intervention after a traumatic event in the school or in the community and preparing tests for school-entrance exams. Also, some psychologists report spending time investigating the satisfaction of parents with the school and teachers’ opinions about school policy and satisfaction with their work and with other topics.
Current Issues Impacting School Psychology
Major problems related to the qualification system have emerged over the past few years. For example, the educational qualifications of several previously trained school psychologists do not meet the new standards. The situation produces insecurity among those psychologists and calls for solutions. Financial issues, including low salaries and poor working conditions, also have been underlying concerns for many years and can contribute to a lack of motivation. As mentioned earlier in the chapter, having too many tasks and assignments, including doing the work of a social worker or social pedagogue, can be challenging, but also overwhelming, for the school psychologist. Supervision is not available to many professionals, and this creates stress and burnout. The lack of supervision is more troublesome for younger people, sometimes leading them to resign from their positions.
Attempts have been made to address these challenges. The Estonian School Psychology Association has initiated negotiations with universities to find solutions for educating psychologists who are working but who lack the appropriate degree. The Estonian School Psychology Association has started to provide group supervision and encourages its members to gather together within regions to exchange information, knowledge, and support.
School psychologists in Estonia continue to debate about their roles. Although the variety of tasks provides psychologists with various opportunities and makes the work more interesting, it also results in feelings of role confusion and of being overwhelmed. If some level of conceptualization could be agreed on, it would be easier to describe the roles of school psychologists. Also, only after that would it be possible to provide a more integrated picture of school psychological services in the whole of Estonia. So far, the picture is quite fragmented.