Introduction to Special Issue: How Research Reform in Psychology Can Influence Professional School Psychology

Abstract

This special issue features essays by prominent scholars in school psychology discussing how shifts in research can reshape the future training and practice of the field. A profession that evolves and adapts indicates a robust and dynamic discipline. However, staying current with these changes poses a significant challenge. Given the pivotal role of evidence-based practices in school psychology, the type and quality of research directly influence how psychological services are delivered and practiced. Reforming research practices in psychology can serve as a catalyst for enhancing our field. This issue presents a variety of viewpoints on how research and clinical practice intersect in a rapidly changing landscape.

School psychology stands out as one of the most dynamic fields within professional psychology (Dombrowski et al., 2022). It swiftly adapts to changes in research, societal trends, legal frameworks, and regulations (Sullivan et al., 2022). A significant factor enabling this adaptability is its commitment to evidence-based practices and interventions, which are recognized as the standard in North America (e.g., National Association of School Psychologists, 2020).

The field faces numerous pressing issues and controversies that propel its evolution. These include the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education and psychology; ongoing political shifts affecting public school funding and structure (Ledgerwood et al., 2022); the imperative for social justice, equity, and inclusion; advancements in school-based mental health service delivery; the adoption of trauma-informed practices; and increasing demands for evidence-based approaches.

Moreover, within these pressures, there is a concurrent need to scrutinize and reform the evidence component of evidence-based practices (Redding, 2023). Challenges such as rising instances of research misconduct, skepticism toward expertise and data (Nichols, 2017), the replication crisis in psychology, the advocacy for open science practices, and debates over the applicability of research findings to practice all contribute to this ongoing scrutiny (Nosek et al., 2022). These diverse movements, pressures, and events collectively represent a critical juncture for the profession of school psychology. They have the potential to propel the field towards fulfilling the ideals of the scientist-practitioner model, where research and practice mutually inform each other, or risk undermining its credibility as a productive and valuable profession (Tackett et al., 2019).

The replication crisis revealed that a significant portion of research findings in psychology cannot be replicated (Open Science Collaboration, 2015). Replication has not been incentivized for researchers as journals and grant funding agencies prioritize original contributions over replication studies (Gee & Shackman, 2024). As a result of this trend, the field of psychology research is now characterized by numerous isolated studies that lack sufficient evidence to be applicable in clinical practice (Gee et al., 2022). Additionally, there is a notable lack of transparency in research methods, with questionable research practices believed to be a significant factor in the replication crisis (Chambers, 2017). The four main questionable research practices identified in this context include p-hacking, hypothesizing after the results are known (HARKing), low statistical power, and publication bias, as outlined by Bishop (2019). These practices are extraordinarily widespread and have a detrimental impact on the credibility of psychological research.

The most clinicians, a major issue is how difficult it is to investigate whether an intervention has an evidentiary basis. Compilation sites such as the What Works Clearinghouse (US Department of Education et al., n.d.) examine published evaluations in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, and this is a positive service. Yet, there is a clearly significant publication bias, meaning that statistically significant findings are more likely to be published than non-significant results (Scheel et al., 2021). When registered reports are used, and publication bias and HARKing are minimized (Braden, 2024); the number of studies with statistically significant findings is dramatically decreased. If clinicians have access with original research, then it is nearly impossible to know which research is accurate and relevant to the issue the clinician is attempting to address (Gehlbach & Robinson, 2021; Shaw, 2021).

Furthermore, school psychology is significantly more complex than the discussions over whether a specific intervention qualifies as evidence based. Many school psychologists operate within a framework of local educational laws, regulations, and professional practice standards (Shernoff et al., 2003). They contend with shortages of personnel needed to implement the most effective interventions, as well as navigate critical issues such as equitable service delivery, a focus on social justice, evolving case law, and the challenge of delivering high-quality services to a demographically diverse population (Shernoff et al., 2003). In addition, unwillingness of clinicians and university trainers to change practices based on evidence adds another barrier (Farmer, McGill et al., 2021; Farmer, Zaheer, et al., 2021). The complexity of delivering school psychology services can be overwhelming. Although research reform is not the sole factor influencing service delivery, understanding its impact on the foundation of evidence-based practices serves as a crucial starting point (Ehring et al., 2022).

The discussion of a replication crisis implies a need for methodological reform (Vazire et al., 2022). Such reform has been solely the purview of researchers and scholars. However, the concern is deeper than modes of publication, research designs, incentive structures at universities, theory, and the minutiae of research (Linthicum et al., 2022; Nelson et al., 2018). This is more than adoption of open science practices. Quality research requires reform to include a more structured and model-driven approach to research (Devezer et al., 2021). What has been called a replication crisis is more correctly called a “credibility crisis” (Vazire et al., 2022). When research is not credible, then the evidence-based practice of school psychology also lacks credibility (Shaw & Pecsi, 2021). There is value in the training and practice of school psychology to continue to be a dynamic professional field. For the practice of school psychology to be a credible and useful profession that delivers effective educational and mental health services to children and adolescents, there is a need to evolve continuously to meet the pressures and controversies of the times. As researchers are facing a credibility crisis, there are important reforms underway to improve the relevance and quality of the science of school psychology (Braden, 2024). In an evidence-based profession, research reform is likely to lead to changes in the practice of school psychology.

In response to these challenges, psychology has begun to endorse new practices aimed at enhancing research integrity, transparency, and credibility (Korbmacher et al., 2023). These include a greater emphasis on publishing replication studies, pre-registration of research protocols, adoption of open science practices, and the sharing of research materials (Braden, 2024). As a result, the field of psychological research is experiencing a transformation with evidence and reports indicating a growing commitment to research reform. Consequently, training programs for future researchers would increase their own credibility by adapting and incorporating these new, more rigorous practices to ensure the credibility and reliability of psychological research (Graves et al., 2018).

The shift toward reforming research in school psychology can reshape the definition of evidence-based practices. The aim of this special issue is to encourage innovators, students, scholars, and clinicians to investigate how research changes might transform the fundamental principles of professional school psychology. Esteemed experts in the field have been invited to contribute brief essays that describe how research reform will influence the current and future state of professional school psychology. Research reform holds the potential to influence aspects such as training, professional development, implementation, social justice, and the overall educational and mental health outcomes for the children and youth we serve.

The goals of this special issue are fourfold: (1) to reaffirm the commitment to evidence based practice and interventions; (2) to create a diversity of ideas from across school psychology and special education; (3) to help set directions for future efforts in knowledge translation, research, and implementation of research to professional psychology; and (4) to begin to create a clinically useful and relevant research agenda for scholars in school psychology.