Search

In recent years, school psychology has given increasing attention to issues of social justice and antiracism. While such orientations are not new, the scope and centrality of these movements within the field are, as is the growing appreciation of the need to integrate them across all areas of professional activities and efforts in school psychology. The aim of this special topic section is to create a space for scholarship addressing a broad range of issues relevant to advancing equity and justice in school psychology. In particular, we seek to curate diverse scholarship that expands the ways we conceptualize, design, implement, and interpret school psychology research, as well as how we approach graduate preparation and practice in school psychology to advance equitable and just services for individuals from historically and systemically marginalized backgrounds. The resulting compilation of articles provide insight into how school psychologists can approach scholarship, practice, and professional education to advance antiracism, social justice, and equity. Themes include expanding the nature and scope of school psychology scholarship by confronting the detriments of whiteness and epistemic exclusion; centering equity, healing, and minoritized voices in practice; and leveraging diverse research methods, including participatory approaches, to elevate youth and family voices in addressing some of the most pressing issues in schools. Impact Statement School psychology has given increasing attention to issues of social justice and antiracism, with growing appreciation of the need to integrate them across all professional activities. This article contributes important information regarding how these broad efforts can be supported by confronting the detriments of epistemic exclusion and whiteness in scholarship; centering equity, healing, and minoritized voices in practice; and leveraging diverse research methods, including participatory approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflexivity, defined as the critical analysis of how one's identity and values influence their scholarship, has been underscored as a crucial element of antioppressive scholarship. Despite its importance, reflexivity, and particularly its documentation, remains relatively uncommon in school psychology scholarship. In the following commentary, we introduce the need for reflexivity as it relates to the field's commitment to antiracism, followed by a brief review of the literature on reflexivity, including its historical foundations and its previous applications within the fields of psychological research. We conclude with recommendations for the school psychology scholarly community for conceptualizing, conducting, and disseminating scholarship. Impact Statement Despite its importance, reflexivity, or the critical analysis of how one's identity and values influence their scholarship, in school psychology scholarship remains uncommon. In this commentary, we introduce the need for reflexivity within school psychology scholarship and provide recommendations for the school psychology scholarly community. This manuscript serves as a call to increase implementation of a reflexive approach in school psychology scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]