Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Maite Garaigordobil
Universidad del País Vasco (Spain)
Background: Educational psychology ranks second, after clinical psychology, in terms of professional activity profiles but in recent decades, the role of the educational psychologist has blurred. Method: The specialized literature was reviewed, and previous works by the author on the subject were updated. Results: This article emphasizes the relevance of educational psychology for the prevention and promotion of child and adolescent mental health. For this purpose, we must delimit the functions of the psychologist in educational contexts, differentiating it from other professional roles. To this end: (1) the main functions of the educational psychologist with students, their families, and teachers are proposed; (2) the postgraduate training necessary to perform these functions is described; and (3) the relevant role that educational centers can play in the promotion of child and adolescent mental health is shown, using, as an example, two problems: Bullying-cyberbullying and depression in childhood and adolescence. Conclusions: Schools should incorporate educational psychologists to develop assessment, prevention, and intervention activities, and schools must be contexts where emotional well-being is promoted and psychological and mental health problems are prevented. The work makes a proposal for intervention from educational psychology.
Antecedentes: La psicología educativa ocupa el segundo lugar, después de la psicología clínica, en cuanto a perfiles de actividad profesional, sin embargo, en las últimas décadas el papel del psicólogo educativo se ha desdibujado. Método: Se revisó la literatura especializada y se actualizaron trabajos previos del autor sobre el tema. Resultados: El artículo enfatiza la relevancia de la psicología educativa en la prevención y la promoción de la salud mental infanto-juvenil. Para ello es necesario delimitar las funciones del psicólogo en contextos educativos, diferenciándolo de otros roles profesionales. Con esta finalidad: (1) se plantean las principales funciones del psicólogo educativo con el alumnado, sus familias y el profesorado; (2) se describe la formación de postgrado necesaria para desarrollar estas funciones; y (3) se evidencia el relevante papel que pueden tener los centros educativos en la promoción de la salud mental infanto-juvenil, utilizando, a modo de ejemplo, dos problemas: el bullying-cyberbullying y la depresión en la infancia y adolescencia. Conclusiones: Las escuelas deben incorporar psicólogos educativos para desarrollar actividades de evaluación, prevención e intervención, y deben ser contextos donde promover el bienestar emocional, prevenir problemas psicológicos y de salud mental. El trabajo aporta una propuesta de intervención desde la psicología educativa.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2023.1