ERIC Number: EJ921988
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0164-775X
EISSN: N/A
Developing School Psychology in Vietnam
Le, Phuong; Hagans, Kristi; Powers, Kristin; Hass, Michael
Communique, v39 n6 p8-10 Mar-Apr 2011
Like China, Vietnam is a communist country with increasingly capitalist economic policies. A fundamental change occurred in these policies with the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986 that called for a "free market with socialist orientations." However, this economic modernization has inadvertently changed the social dynamics of Vietnamese society and increased stress on families, communities, and schools. As a result of these changes, students in Vietnam are experiencing significant challenges, both at home and at school, which often translate to increases in the number of children experiencing learning, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. Moreover, more than 7 million Vietnamese school-age children are reported to exhibit mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, or oppositional defiant disorders. In order to address the mental health and behavioral needs of school-age children, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) of Vietnam issued an official correspondence to all K-12 schools recommending the implementation of vocational and psychological counseling services to both upper and lower high school students. However, the lack of funding and professional training has limited the progress of school-based mental health services for Vietnamese children. In this article, the authors discuss how a school psychology program was established in Vietnam. They also discuss the creation of a consortium of both Vietnamese and American institutions that aims to advance school psychology in Vietnam. Some issues considered critical to the future of school psychology in Vietnam are presented.
Descriptors: Health Services, Counseling Services, Vietnamese People, Free Enterprise System, Elementary Secondary Education, Mental Health Programs, Mental Health, Professional Training, Foreign Countries, School Psychology, Social Change, Stress Variables, Consortia
National Association of School Psychologists. 4340 East West Highway Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Tel: 301-657-0270; Fax: 301-657-0275; e-mail: publications@naspweb.org; Web site: http://www.nasponline.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Vietnam
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A