ERCEPTION OF THE ROLE AND PRACTICES OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS IN THE VOICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the perceptions of psychology professionals working in schools about their role, functions, and practices. The secondary objective sought to investigate the effect of Law 13935/2019 in the educational context. The theoretical assumptions are based on the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, according to the characteristics of the process, person, context, and time (PPCT) model. This is a qualitative exploratory study with a sample composed of six school psychologists (three from public schools and three from private schools) selected by convenience and snowball sampling. The data collection instruments were in-depth semi-structured individual interviews, conducted via Google Meet, which addressed aspects related to the practices of school psychologists in the educational environment. The inclusion criteria were professionals who work or have worked for at least one year as school psychologists in schools in a municipality in Rio de Janeiro. The data were analysed based on the principles of Grounded Theory and the requalify IA.2023 software used to organise the information and assist in the construction of categories with greater conceptual strength. The results pointed to two axes of understanding: the interviewees' expectations regarding the psychologist's role in the school and the challenges faced in everyday life due to the need for clear guidelines in school psychology. The conclusion reached by this study was that there is a lack of clarity about the role and practices of the school psychologist.