The application of social justice principles to global school psychology practice

Abstract

Inasmuch as school psychology practice is based on the goals of supporting the rights, access, and treatment of children as related to their education, social justice has the potential to be a moral framework for training, research, and practice in school psychology. Accordingly, this article seeks to achieve many objectives. First, a definition of social justice is provided. Second, a brief overview of school psychology research that overtly references social justice is offered. Third, essential precursors to action for individuals who seek to reflect social justice principles are highlighted. Fourth, key strategies for bringing social justice principles to practice are provided. Finally, this article closes with suggested next steps for further developing this framework globally.

Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competency Research: Opportunities for Innovation

“…Limitations of previous scholarship include (a) how social justice counseling and social justice counseling competencies are operationalized by practitioners and clients (Ramirez Stege et al, 2017; Schriberg & Clinton, 2016); (b) how social justice competency develops as an aspect of multicultural competency (Crook et al, 2015; Hays, 2008; Presseau et al, 2018); (c) what social justice counseling efforts are enacted by counselors (Malott et al, 2019); and (d) at what levels of intervention, and to what degree, counselors and clients experience social injustice or barriers to social justice work and the impact of those experiences on counseling process and outcome (Crook et al, 2015; Kozan & Blustein, 2018). Hays and Dahl (in press) suggested indicators of MSJCC research effectiveness at the six intervention levels (see Ratts et al, 2016).…”

“…Issues with operationalizing the MSJCC are exacerbated by the lack of studies in which counselors have an opportunity to define such competencies themselves. In fact, only two studies in school psychology (Schriberg & Clinton, 2016) and social work (Jani et al, 2016) have explored practitioners’ conceptualization of this construct.…”

“…Specifically, the study of multicultural counseling has focused primarily on the four major racial/ethnic groups (Khoury & Manuel, 2016) without sufficient attention to categories such as gender (Couture, 2017), sexual orientation (Astramovich, Chan, & Marasco, 2017; Simons, 2018), and spirituality (Dailey et al, 2015). Furthermore, there has been a lack of sufficient attention to social justice counseling or social advocacy (Presseau et al, 2018; Ramirez Stege et al, 2017; Schriberg & Clinton, 2016; Storlie et al, 2018). This limited focus on culture as race/ethnicity—and only a few groups within that cultural category—is not surprising given the construction of the initial MCC standards (see Sue et al, 1992).…”

Social justice principles as core concepts in school psychology training, research and practice at a transnational level

“…The way social justice is perceived across the world is influenced by cultural, contextual and situational factors (Shriberg & Clinton, 2016). Societal problems around the world, such as economic recession, poverty, war, and immigration, call for socially just solutions at the local, national and international levels (Reisch, 2014).…”

Using child rights education to infuse a social justice framework into universal programming

“…Historically, promotion of social justice has been defined as an aspirational goal; however, contemporary conceptions of social justice also define it as a process with actions that aim to breakdown systems of inequity, incorporate systems of inclusion, and advance equity (Shriberg & Clinton, 2016). For school psychologists, a social justice orientation provides a framework for identifying and defining systemic and individual manifestations of inequality due to unequal power and a way to frame actions to rectify injustices (Rogers & O’Bryon, 2008; Shriberg & Clinton, 2016). A social justice orientation places contextual factors at the center of school psychology practice and infuses advocacy throughout rather than relegating it to the sidelines.…”