School psychology as a profession: undergraduate students' knowledge and interest

Historically, the profession of psychology has been dominated by men. However, in recent decades there has been a shift in demographics, with now an increasing number of women practitioners. This trend has become apparent in subfields of psychology, including school psychology. In fact, the field of school psychology is now predominately populated by women practitioners, most of whom are Caucasian. Bringing more gender and cultural diversity to the field of school psychology is an ongoing concern, especially now with the heightened awareness of multicultural issues. This study investigated the interest and knowledge of school psychology as a profession, along with four other professions, among 246 college students. Gender, ethnic background, year in school, and academic major were examined as predictors of knowledge and interest in the various professions. Results showed that while students have some knowledge about school psychology, they need more information. Students had similar levels of interest in all five of the surveyed professions. University faculty should focus efforts on educating and recruiting students from all genders and ethnicities to meet the growing demand for school psychology practitioners.