Educational psychologists' perceptions of their role in the Pietermaritzburg area.

Abstract

With vast changes occurring in the South African context since 1994, it is clear that the role of educational psychologists has also shifted. While changes have occurred, numerous difficulties still exist within the education sector highlighting the need for educational psychologists. However, there appears to be disagreement about how the role is perceived in the Health Professions Council of South Africa, training institutions and in practice. For these reasons, this study seeks to unpack educational psychologists' perceptions of their role within the Pietermaritzburg area. A qualitative methodology is employed using semi-structured interviews with a number of practitioners in the area. The study found that the role of educational psychologists is complex, affected by individual variables and various contextual shifts and tensions. This finding has implications for the training of educational psychologists and raises questions around their place within education itself.