Membership characteristics of the Division of School Psychology of the American Psychological Association.

Abstract

of the specialties within psychology that has been receiving increasing attention is school psychology. Within the American Psychological Association, the Division of School Psychology (Division 16) has steadily gained in membership, activity, and influence. At the time this article was written (summer 1973), Division 16 was fifth in total membership among the divisions and second only to Division 12 (Clinical) in number of representatives in Council.Despite its size and visibility, there seems to be relatively little awareness among members of APA as to the composition and characteristics of the Division. Indeed, it would appear that many members of the Division harbor misperceptions.

Selected characteristics of the female psychologist in the labour force.

“…Closer to home, Kimmel et al, (1974) stated that only one of 20 presidents of SEPA was female and no women participated on the 1973 executive. Contrary to the situation in the SEPA, Cardon (1974) commented that although women represented less than 40 percent of the membership of the APA Division of School Psychology they held more than half of the seats on the Executive Committee. Myers (Note 2) noted that of 80 APA presidents only five percent were women.…”

“…With respect to all recipients of doctorates in psychology in 1970, men gravitated toward academic settings while women were more likely to find employment in industry, business or government (Astin, 1972). Cardon (1974) noted that within the American Psychological Association (APA) Division of School Psychology, 85 percent of the female members were employed in nonuniversity settings as compared with 68 percent of the male members. Astin et al (1973) reported that only 10 percent of psychology faculty were women although 25 percent of the APA membership is female.…”

“…Nevertheless, 18 percent of all doctorates obtained in 1973 were awarded to women. Only 23.6 percent of all psychology doctorate recipients in the United States in 1970 were women (Astin, 1972), and of the membership of the APA Division of School Psychology, Cardon (1974) reported that 26 percent of the doctorates were female while 38 percent of the membership was female. Myers (Note 2) reported that of all doctorate members of APA since 1947, only 12 percent were women.…”