CONSULTATION WITH PROFESSIONAL PEERS - A NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PRACTICES OF SCHOOL-PSYCHOLOGISTS

There is an increasing need for education professionals to keep abreas t of new research and developments in their fields. The peer support g roup, which is characterized by the sharing of expertise and knowledge , the provision of mutual support, and joint problem solving among pro fessional colleagues, has been advanced as promising means of promotin g professional growth and development. This article reports the result s of an exploratory national survey of school psychologists' involveme nt in peer support groups (PSGs) that was undertaken to identify the p otential contributions of such activities to improving professional pr actice. Nearly 64% of the respondents indicated involvement in a PSG a t some point in their careers, with almost 50% currently participating in one. Several benefits were attributed to group membership, and it was suggested that further research efforts are needed to clarify the essential components that contribute to group effectiveness.