An Examination of Self-Care Research in School Psychology

Self-care is a form of intentional focus on mental and physical wellness that is necessary for the optimal functioning of psychologists. The discussion of this topic has received an increased interest in the field of school psychology as self-care is one way to combat a well-documented concern in the field, burnout. While that is the case, there both is a lack of research and a lack of understanding regarding the effectiveness of self-care interventions. This study examined the characteristics of the literature surrounding self-care specific to the field of school psychology using the following peer-reviewed journals: Contemporary School Psychology, International Journal of School and Educational Psychology, Journal of Applied School Psychology, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, Journal of School Psychology, Psychology in the Schools, School Mental Health, School Psychology International, School Psychology (Quarterly), and School Psychology Review. A bibliometric analysis was completed, and results indicated that 25 articles met inclusion criteria. Results demonstrated that the number of publications increased over the years (from 2005 on) with many of the articles being published in the last 4 years. Contemporary School Psychology and School Mental Health were the two most productive journals. Interestingly, most of the included articles did not discuss school psychologists and their self-care but instead addressed populations school psychologists serve. Included empirical articles primarily used mindfulness-based interventions and didactic methods as self-care interventions. Implications are discussed in terms of future research on the topic of self-care and combating burnout for practitioners.