School Psychology in Yugoslavia

Abstract

The School Psychological Service in Yugoslavia has been organized since 1958. In the beginning the School Psychological Service was organized only in elementary schools in big cities, but later it broadened to smaller cities and even to some villages, as well as to the other kinds of educational institutions (high schools, schools for handicapped children and pre-school institutions). Now the School Psychological Service varies quite a bit from one part of the country to another. At first, school psychologists dealt almost exclusively with problems of clinical psychology in the school (behaviour disorders, misfits, etc.). After a few years, when these problems were ameliorated, the school psychologists shifted their attention to the psychological aspects of educational problems. This shift is in line with the development of educational and school psychology throughout the world. Some school psychologists take part in research projects organized by psychological and educational institutes and university departments, and many of them also do some applied research of their own. Psychologists, including school psychologists, are educated at eight universities in Yugoslavia. The university psychology course lasts four years. At the university of Belgrade a biennial postgraduate specialization for school psychology has also been organized. At the end of the specialization each candidate writes a thesis based upon research into a psychological problem in school work.