Recent school psychology graduates: A preliminary survey of their internship experience, satisfaction, and support

The internship in school psychology acts as a bridge between graduate training and practice. Students spend several semesters engaged in classroom learning and field training experiences prior to beginning the internship. In the United Sates, school psychology training is regulated by agencies such as state departments of education and national professional organizations, with many similar training components across programs. Internships vary widely based on characteristics such as the setting, amount of supervision and support provided, and activities in which the intern engages. At this time, there are no current data which describe individuals' satisfaction with their internship experiences. This study gathered data in this area, and also drew some preliminary conclusions regarding the specific variables which relate to satisfaction.;This study surveyed current NCSPs who completed internships between the 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 academic years. A total of 187 useable online surveys were submitted. Descriptive data suggested that recent graduates were highly satisfied with their overall internship experience. Participants also reported being satisfied with the level of training received both via coursework and pre-internship field placements.;Recent graduates often found their placement independently, completed the internship in a school district, and received an average annual salary/stipend of ;Overall, the results of this study suggested that recent school psychology interns were satisfied with their training and felt prepared to assume the responsibilities of an internship. Variations in training or most core characteristics of internships were not found to relate to differences in total satisfaction; however, satisfaction was related to financial compensation and the support received during internship. Future research may wish to focus on the contribution of these variables to internship satisfaction and on the most effective methods used to support interns.