School adjustment and achievement are at the heart of a child's development. Both are influenced by a myriad of factors that are complex and interconnected. For children with difficulties, school psychologists are integral to the assessment of those diverse factors and to the implementation of intervention strategies that help those children…

This article comments on Thomas Fagan's historical account of the 1954 Thayer Conference and offers my personal views on its importance. Many improvements to the infrastructure of school psychology in addition to its growth, are attributable to the program of goals established at the conference, as well as the efforts of passionate and dedicated…

Having reaped the benefits of the Thayer Conference in my school psychology career, it is a pleasure to provide a comment about Dr. Fagan's article. I began my career as a master's-level school psychologist in the state of Wisconsin just prior to the passage of 94-142, now called IDEA. I am now a trainer of school psychologists at the doctoral…

We present an overview of issues related to evidence-based practice and the role that the school psychology profession can play in developing and disseminating evidence-based interventions (EBIs). Historical problems relating to and the recurring debate about the integration of research into practice are presented as a context for the current…

This article discusses four possible futures toward which educational systems might direct our society. The first is a future dominated by rote memorizers. The second is a future of critical thinkers. The third is a future of successfully intelligent thinkers. The fourth is a future of wise thinkers. Each future builds on the previous one. Which…

Eleven broad themes emerged from the 2002 multisite conference on the Future of School Psychology. After the conference, strategies developed by the participants were clustered into the following domains: (a) advocacy and public policy; (b) research and knowledge base; (c) collaboration and communication; (d) practice; (e) preservice training; and…

Provides a rationale for the name change of the new Standing Section of "School Psychology Quarterly" from "Empirically Supported Interventions" to "Evidence-Based Interventions" (EBI). Furnishes updates on the intent of publishing articles in the EBI section and highlights the types of articles the journal hopes to feature in the future. (GCP)

Sketches a plan for an ideal profile analysis system as a model against which to evaluate the five articles included in this special issue of "School Psychology Quarterly." Offers brief comments on the profile analysis procedures used in each article. Argues that these procedures, although competent and acceptable, are far short of ultimate…

Reviews the articles in this issue of "School Psychology Quarterly" and briefly compares their methods for identifying profile patterns. Argues that subtest profile patterns on the existing generation of intelligence tests have modest reliability and weak relationships with achievement and diagnostic categorizations. (Contains 13 references.)…

The nature of consultation and the evolution of thinking in this field are discussed. Five fundamental assumptions underlying Behavioral Consultation are revisited and reevaluated with examples and assessment techniques included. Offers reaction to two prior publications critiquing aspects of behavioral consultation. Issues surrounding future…

The role of differing epistemologies in the controversy surrounding behavioral consultation is reviewed; substantial areas of agreement are found. Differing epistemological standards applied to verbal reports, and the use of broad theoretical versus specific operational definitions have both contributed to the controversy. Shared concerns may be…

Traces a program of research on students' self-regulation of their academic and health functioning from initial operational definitions to training and intervention studies. This body of evidence has shown that students' use of self-regulatory processes, such as learning strategies, goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-efficacy beliefs, predict…

Contends that Gresham et al. (previous article, this issue) are not alone in their criticism of the new definition of mental retardation, and states that it a politically expedient revision. Taking the philosophical approach in the new definition appears to run counter to years of research on theories of intelligence, and increases the risk of…

Comments on the new 1992 American Association of Mental Retardation definition of mental retardation, including its effects on research, clinical practice, and perceptions about the disability. The new definition will undoubtedly increase confusion among researchers as to the definition of the population they are studying. Additionally, the…

"School phobia" has generally referred to children and adolescents avoidant of school due to overwhelming fearfulness. This paper outlines the historical development of school phobia, including its transition from syndrome to symptom. Given the questionable validity of the construct, recommendations are made regarding future classification,…