The Role of School Psychologists in Supporting Students with Challenging Behavior in the Akmola Region of Kazakhstan

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the role of school psychologists in supporting students with challenging behavior in public schools in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the PBIS framework, the research addressed three questions: (1) What roles and responsibilities do school psychologists currently undertake in supporting students with challenging behavior in the Akmola region? (2) What behavioral intervention strategies do school psychologists use? (3) How can the role of school psychologists be enhanced or restructured to better meet the behavioral and emotional needs of students in public schools? Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven purposively sampled school psychologists with 5–18 years of experience. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. Findings indicated that school psychologists played a versatile, relational role that encompasses diagnostics, individual counseling, prevention, and collaboration with multiple stakeholders. They perceived challenging behavior as contextual and criticized deficit-based terminology. The supporting strategies prioritized trust-building and a holistic understanding before implementing interventions. However, uneven stakeholder engagement, heavy paperwork, resource constraints, understaffing, emotional strain, and a lack of professional supervision constrained the provision of support. The study concluded that school psychologists in the Akmola region act as key ecological connectors and operate under considerable systemic constraints.