THE DEVELOPMENT AND ROLE OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES: WHAT CAN TAIWAN LEARN FROM THE TREND OF OTHER COUNTRIES/REGIONS

The history of school psychology can be traced back to 1896 in the United States, primarily focusing on using evidence-based practices to support children̓s mental health and well-being, thereby facilitating learning and development. The passing of the Student Guidance and Counseling Act in 2014 set an important milestone for the practice of school psychology in Taiwan. However, the implementation of school psychology services in schools continues to face challenges. This article reviews the developmental trend of school psychology services and its profession in three societies: the United States, Hong Kong, and Australia. The evolution of its service model and training is central in this discussion. A retrospective view of school psychology̓s developmental trends in these societies underscores a strong emphasis on evidence-based practices. Likewise, school psychology services are transitioning from client-centred direct services to indirect services such as system change and school-wide preventive practices. The function of school psychology is reflected in the training of school psychologists. However, an analysis of Taiwan̓s current school psychology service does not reveal a similar trend. Based on these international trends and the bottlenecks of domestic school psychology services in Taiwan, this paper attempt to put forward suggestions to enhance the effectiveness of psychological services in schools and to promote the development of school psychology in Taiwan; we advocate for a transformative change, a fusion of both top-down and bottom-up approaches, incorporating changes within individual schools, school districts, and governmental levels. Hopefully, through this international comparison, we can reduce disputes in our current system; rethink and enhance the efficacy of the current school psychology services in Taiwan.