To access this work you must either be on the Smith College campus OR have valid Smith login credentials.

On Campus users: To access this work if you are on campus please Select the Download button.

Off Campus users: To access this work from off campus, please select the Off-Campus button and enter your Smith username and password when prompted.

Non-Smith users: You may request this item through Interlibrary Loan at your own library.

Publication Date

2012

Document Type

Dissertation

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

School mental health services, Mental health personnel-Supervision of, Mental health personnel-Training of, Mental health personnel-Job satisfaction, School mental health, School-based mental health clinicians, Job satisfaction, Supervision, Professional development and training, Career development

Abstract

School-based mental health is a rapidly growing field and many youth receive mental health services in the school setting. However, there is little information on the practice of school-based mental health; and even less on the providers of these services. This quantitative study examined the work demographics, supervision, training, and job satisfaction of 175 school-based mental health providers from the fields of social work, psychology, and education. The participants answered an online survey that included the Job Satisfaction Survey (Spector, 1985) and three self developed instruments. In contrast to existing literature on supervision in school-based mental health, this study found that almost half of the participants received regular and formal supervision. Participants reported being highly satisfied with supervision stating they felt supported, encouraged, and recognized by their supervisor. Findings also demonstrated that providers are dissatisfied with the options for training in school-based mental health. Additionally, many participants reported not receiving specific training in their graduate programs or orientations from their employers. While findings suggest that the majority of participants are satisfied in their positions, they also report a lack of perceived promotional opportunities, job security, and manageable workloads. Differences and similarities of the findings by degree and years of experience are included. Recommendations for graduate schools and employers include retaining talented schoolbased mental health providers and providing standards for the field of school-based mental health.

Language

English

Comments

iv, 149 p. Dissertation (Ph.D.)-Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2011. Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-127)

Share

COinS